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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.
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.
Frangipani perfumes the air as you ascend the steps to this former colonial house among the well-manicured gardens of Fort Canning. The menu, which changes with the season, includes homemade breads and a hearty selection of international dishes, such as seared scallops, pan-fried foie gras, rack of lamb, and lobster. Opt for a seat on the balcony, where you can admire the garden, which twinkles with soft lights at night. The easiest way to get here is to enter the park through the Singapore Philatelic Museum's parking lot.
This contemporary restaurant and Rosé bar on the 70th floor of the Swissôtel The Stamford hotel doesn’t just serve up beautifully plated sharing dishes, it also doles out fabulous views of Singapore (and, on a clear day, Malaysia and Indonesia). The staff’s quiet, attentive service contributes to the elegance, as does the warm, modern decor. The two or three-course lunch sets are varied and good value.
