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Welcome to Singapore, one of the world’s great food destinations, where eating—and eating well—is a time-honored national pastime.
Here you can splurge on haute cuisine from Michelin-starred chefs in some of the best fine-dining restaurants in Asia, or dig into fragrant bowls oflaksa (a spicy noodle soup) and heaping plates of char kway teow (stir-fried rice noodle strips) at one of the island’s famous hawker centers. The wide range of food and restaurants is what brings many travelers to Singapore in the first place, and few leave disappointed. In most cities the plan of attack is to map out must-see sights to pack in as much as possible; in Singapore it's often more about maximizing your meals and eating until it hurts—and then trying to fit in some more.
You hardly ever have to go far to find one of Singapore’s casual eating houses and hawker centers, which are fun, budget-friendly places to taste as many local specialties as your stomach can handle. The city-state’s indomitable megamalls are loaded with mid-range restaurants, sprawling food courts, and snack stands. Many of the island’s more upscale restaurants are tucked away in posh hotels, and many of the newer and trendier places are inside restored Chinese shophouses and once-abandoned colonial buildings. Note that upscale restaurants often close in the afternoon between lunch and dinner—from 2:30 to 6:30, for instance.
This restaurant has been serving Indonesian classics in the CBD for decades. Its focus on authentic recipes and Indonesian spice blends results in vibrant dishes loved by families and workers alike. Try such specialties as ikan ota kukus (fish in a rich sauce) and tahu telor (crispy tofu omelet) in the friendly, family-style restaurant.
A second generation business that started out as a wooden stall, this authentic nasi padang (Padang steamed rice served with various pre-cooked dishes) serves a fork-tender beef rendang (Indonesian dry beef curry) slow cooked over charcoal. Other dishes include the ayam belado hijau (chicken in a secret green chilli marinade) and the crispy tahu telur (fried tofu mixed with blanched bean sprouts, peanuts, and a dark sweet soy sauce). Be sure to order a serving of the house-made sambal balado merah (hot and spicy chilli)—it packs a punch, so go easy.
At this intimate 24-seater run by celebrated chef Emmanuel Stroobant, you’ll be served delicate, Asian-inflected French cuisine alongside a panoramic view of the Marina Bay waterfront. The chic, Michelin-starred establishment is a favorite among many not just for its fine food but also its inclusive offerings such as special menus for vegetarians.
Because of its airy, colonial edifice with wooden-louvered windows and overhead fans, Samy's Curry has a casual canteen feel that is distinct from the more upscale ambience typical of many Dempsey Hill eateries. Although the wait staff can be a little brisk, the restaurant remains a firm favorite among the locals thanks to the flavorful and filling north and south Indian dishes on offer at very affordable prices. You'll also need to prepare for the parade of zesty curries and fragrant rices, as well as the sundry Indian condiments that shuffling waiters scoop out of small buckets and onto your awaiting banana leaf—a whether-you-like-it-or-not treat that is added onto your bill at the end for a small charge.
Of all Singapore's popular themed cafés, Settler's Café is considered the first board game café in the country. There are more than 600 games on offer, which you can enjoy as part of a package that includes food and drink alongside a few hours of game play. You can select from options like the dinner package, which includes grilled chicken, pasta, and fish and chips with free-flowing non-alcoholic drinks; or the wine package where you can play as you drink a bottle of wine. Games include everything from Monopoly and Pictionary to intense strategy games and silly party games.
It may be rough around the edges, it's in the red-light district of Geylang, and the cost of a full meal would make some fine-dining establishments blush, but there's good reason why the late food magnate Anthony Bourdain named Sin Huat one of the "10 places to eat before you die." Chef Danny's rich, gooey, briny, magnificent crab (or prawn) bee hoon (vermicelli-like rice noodles) is a stunning dish. Pair it with on-the-shell scallops slathered in black bean sauce and a plate of kailan (fresh greens) with garlic for a meal to remember.
The second Singaporean venture by Wolfgang Puck serves Californian food with an Asian twist, including a locally-inspired "kaya toast" with foie gras. Perched on the 57th floor of Sands SkyPark in the Marina Bay Sands, the restaurant offers unparalleled views of the hotel’s famed infinity pool and the city skyline from its alfresco bar and lounge and its indoor dining room.
Mixing alfresco restaurant and seaside swimming pool, Stella is the first beachfront lounge along Tanah Merah Beach in the southeast of Changi, just a 10-minute drive from the airport. The brunch menu is big on sandwiches and toasts, grilled pork chops, and healthy breakfasts, while dinner is best for live seafood, charcoal grilled meats, and seafood-based pastas. The restaurant's sheltered alfresco dining area spills daybeds and sofa lounges over a cozy wooden seaside deck, where guests can lounge by the pool before or after their meals.
Experience Edomae-style delicacies at this 22-seater sushi restaurant in Palais Renaissance. All ingredients are delivered directly from Japan, including organic rice from a farm in Yamagata prefecture and spring water from Hokkaido. Chef Tomoo Kimura is driven by attention to detail; personal touches like the ceremonial tea set hand-painted by the chef’s master and centuries-old noren (room dividers) are used to create an elegant feel to the dining experience.
For a really special treat, this celebrated eatery by chef Richard van Oostenbrugge of Amsterdam's Restaurant 212 will do the trick, offering pricey but precise and elegant tasting menus. In the convivial, communal setting, you might sit next to strangers. The menu varies from season to season, but the usual fine-dining suspects are in the line-up. Call ahead to nab the best seats in the house: at the Chef’s Table directly facing the open-concept kitchen.
Sandwiches, freshly baked breads, quiches, and a variety of sweet and savory pastries make up the menu at this popular café, the perfect spot to grab a quick bite and caffeinate while shopping the area's boutiques. The lighting mounted in wooden boards suspended from the ceiling by rope, the exposed brick and white-washed walls, and the soft, down-tempo beats all make for a relaxing interior. There are also a few shaded tables outside. As the name would suggest, Tiong Bahru Bakery started in this area, but there are now multiple branches across Singapore.
This former church's compelling interior—soaring ceilings, ample arched windows, stained glass, and rows of chandeliers hanging over curved banquettes—has helped draw many faithful diners to this European restaurant. The kitchen takes an artsy, nouveau approach to a menu of dishes designed to "transport you down the rabbit hole," from classic bouillabaisse to lobster and kombu linguine. The outdoor patio, a gin and wine garden with whimsical topiaries, has also garnered quite a following as a place to sip on elegant cocktails while listening to the laid-back house DJ.
In business for more than a century, this hole-in-the-wall eatery serves what's arguably Singapore's best murtabak. Stuffed with mutton, chicken, or beef, it's a bit like a folded dough omelette with egg mixed in, roti prata (a fried flat bread), onions, and spices, all of it grilled together and served with a side of curry sauce. It's cheap, it's filling, and the sidewalk tables are great for people-watching. Curries, rice dishes, and other regional specialties are also available, but the murtabak is what keeps locals coming back.
Like jade itself, this upscale restaurant in a historic hotel has both exquisite and intriguing attributes. Inside you'll find a contemporary design that follows an eclectic Asian thread, with Vietnamese hanging lamps and Chinese calligraphy. Similarly, the food is fundamentally Chinese, but with creative modern accents, such as in the rich cocoa-flavored pork ribs with spinach in a raspberry vinaigrette. Jade's lavish weekend dim sum buffet is a Singaporean institution; reservations are a must.
