Enjoying nyonya chendol, or green rice flour jelly, and an iced lemon tea at the Old Airport Road Food Centre 2. Sam Dovey Singapore’s diverse restaurant scene can satisfy nearly any craving. Whether you’re looking for local brews or a Cantonese-style feast, here are 10 must-try eateries.
Visit Insider’s hub for travel guides, tips, and recommendations. There’s a running joke about how eating is a favorite national pastime in Singapore. Personally, I think it’s funny because it’s true: Singaporeans are absolutely in love with food.
My friends and I are constantly checking out new restaurants, cafés, bars, and hawker centers, and we’re willing to stand in long lines and wait (queuing is our second-favorite pastime). The culinary scene in Singapore is interesting because so many different ethnic groups call the city home. On top of modern restaurants dishing out global plates, we also have beloved hawker centers — open-air complexes that house rows of stalls selling local creations at wallet-friendly prices — making the island-state a paradise to every gastronome out there.
As a former food writer and full-time foodie, I still go out of my way to hunt down the best of the best. Here are my picks for visitors who want a little bit of everything. Old Airport Road Food CenterOld Airport Road Food Center contains over 160 different food stalls with diverse bites.
Nicole Descalsota for InsiderScattered all over the island, you’ll find at least one hawker center in almost every major neighborhood, but some are more famous than others. Different centers are known for different dishes, so you have to do your research, especially if you’re looking for something specific. My top pick is Old Airport Road Food Center.
It’s one of the biggest food complexes in the country, with over 160 stalls selling everything from roasted meats to desserts like chendol, a shave-ice dessert with coconut milk from Nyonya Chendol in stall 01-115, which is a must-eat. If you get stuck deciding what to order, here’s a tip: Sometimes I wander around for inspiration, taking quick looks at tables to see what people have in front of them. Don’t be afraid to ask them where they got their dish from — most would gladly point you in the right direction/ Another tip is to look for the queues, and if you have the patience and time, join them — these stalls are crowd-pullers for a reason.
Another worthy contender is Maxwell Food Center near Chinatown, where you can find plenty of well-known stalls all under one roof, including Tian Tian Chicken Rice at 01-10/11 — approved by Gordon Ramsay and Anthony Bourdain — and Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake at 01-05 which specializes in an increasingly hard-to-find, deep-fried snack that features oysters, pork, and shrimp. There’s also Geylang Serai New Market in the east, which is my choice when I crave Malay and Indonesian food like nasi padang — steamed rice served with various dishes like beef rendang, beef simmered for hours in a spicy coconut-milk sauce; and begedil, fried potato patties. Zam ZamZam-Zam serves Indian-Muslim comfort food with a welcoming embrace.
Marielle Descalsota for InsiderZam Zam in Bugis is also high on my list of favorites for its Indian-Muslim menu featuring murtabak — pan-fried dough stuffed with meat and eggs — and teh tarik — pulled milk tea. The first floor can get chaotic and warm, so if you have the chance, opt for a table on the second floor. Once you’re done here, pop over to the iconic Sultan Mosque opposite to marvel at the magnificent national monument.
Chin Mee ChinFor a traditional Singaporean breakfast with a vintage atmosphere, check out Chin Mee Chin. Marielle Descalsota for InsiderChin Mee Chin in the east is known for its traditional Singaporean breakfast sets that consist of kaya — coconut jam — toast, soft-boiled eggs, and kopi. The brand has been around since the 1920s, and the space looks like old Singapore with marble-topped tables, vintage tiled floors, and classic wooden chairs.
Swee ChoonStop by Swee Choon to fill up on dumplings, egg tarts, and more shareable plates. Marielle Descalsota for InsiderFor dim sum, Cantonese-style bite-sized food served in steamer baskets or on small plates, I often go to Swee Choon. It’s been operating since 1962 with a menu full of classic dim-sum treats.
Go with a group if you can instead of solo or only with one other person, because part of the fun is over-ordering and sharing lots of different dishes. The list would run on and on if I were to tell you exactly what I love ordering from there, so I’ll narrow it down to three dishes: the Sichuan chili-oil wonton, the fried-prawn dumplings, and the steamed salted-egg-yolk custard bun — to be ordered last when ready for dessert. Two Chefs Eating PlaceNicole Descalsota for InsiderAnother concept you should experience is zi char.
Zi char, in Hokkien, means “cook and fry” when directly translated to English, and it’s a way of eating. When someone says dinner — it’s usually a dinner thing — is “zi char,” you can expect a variety of local dishes, cooked to order and spread out on a large dining table. You then sit around this table and share the dishes with others, so it’s communal.
A well-loved zi-char place is Two Chefs Eating Place. It has two locations, one in Sin Ming and one in Commonwealth. Both of these areas are rather far-flung, so you might want to take a taxi or order a Grab car to get there.
Menu highlights include milk-powder pork ribs (no typo there, you read that right: milk powder — this gives the dish an interesting hint of sweetness), cereal prawns, and drunken cold cockles. Smith Marine Floating RestaurantSmith Marine Floating Restaurant is a one-of-a-kind dining spot located in the middle of the sea on a steel pontoon. Here, tuck into Halal-certified seafood dishes featuring fish you catch yourself in the restaurant’s very own pond.
You’re better off visiting with a group so everyone can split the ferry fare, otherwise it can get a little pricey. The restaurant also helps you with ferry bookings, but you need to make reservations at least three days in advance. Le Petit Chef at Grand Hyatt SingaporeIf you’re looking for dinner and a show, Le Petit Chef can provide you with the best of both worlds.
Le Petit Chef at Grand Hyatt SingaporeLe Petit Chef at Grand Hyatt Singapore is an immersive dining experience combining the best of theater and food for a truly memorable meal. The spectacle follows a Marco Polo theme, taking you on an adventure across the Silk Road. It’s storytelling in the quirkiest, most futuristic form, with virtual-reality elements that overhead projectors and digital mapping make possible.
Look forward to exquisite dishes made with caviar, blue lobster, wagyu beef, and more luxury ingredients. Atlas BarKatie Warren/InsiderIf gin is your thing, Atlas Bar is where you need to be. Housed in an art-deco building that locals affectionately refer to as the “Batman Building” for its Gotham-inspired look and feel, Atlas Bar has a collection of more than 1,300 gins, with some bottles dating back to 1910.
Complementing the 1920s aesthetic, they also have more than 250 champagne labels. The bar’s afternoon-tea special is quite popular if you prefer to pair your drinks with food. Savories include jamón ibérico toasts and lobster crostinis, and sweets include scones with jam and clotted cream.
Little Island Brewing Co at Changi VillageBeer lovers can head east to rejoice and indulge at Little Island Brewing Co. in Singapore. Chen Ang for Little Island Brewing Co.
If you’re more of a beer person, look no further than Little Island Brewing Co at Changi Village. It’s far east near the airport, but worth the journey for its laid-back and casual atmosphere. Here you can have locally-brewed craft beer fresh from the tap paired with luscious smoked-beef brisket and melt-in-your-mouth pork belly.
Check the brewery’s Facebook or Instagram page before you visit to see if anything interesting — often live band performances and special menus — is happening. Nutmeg & CloveNutmeg & CloveNicole Descalsota for InsiderFor a unique food-and-drinks experience, head down to Nutmeg & Clove. The restaurant and cocktail bar pays homage to Singapore’s rich and vibrant history, with innovative versions of local dishes like Scotch eggs with Asian flavors and rendang mac and cheese.
These bites pair well with fascinating cocktails that combine spirits with popular local flavors and ingredients like pandan, chrysanthemum, lychee, and black sesame. View Insider’s comprehensive guide to visiting Singapore. Read the original article on Insider.
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/best-restaurants-where-to-eat-in-singapore
