Singapore's oldest trading quarter, where century-old shophouses shelter Michelin-recognised hawker stalls, Chinese temples, and a food centre with over 200 vendors.
Order The crispy suckling pig when available; the daily special pintxos at the bar
Singapore's most consistent Spanish tapas bar in a Keong Saik shophouse. Michelin Guide-listed; cold and hot tapas, wood-fired plates, Iberian wines.
Order The salmon belly sashimi and a rooftop cocktail at sunset over Marina Bay
Modern Japanese restaurant and rooftop bar in Customs House on Collyer Quay. Rooftop terrace views over Marina Bay; underrated Singapore evening settings.
Order Ayam buah keluak: chicken braised with the black Indonesian nut that is the soul ingredient of Peranakan.
Violet Oon's flagship inside National Gallery Singapore. Peranakan heritage recipes by Singapore's celebrated food writer in a colonial dining room.
Julien Royer's three-Michelin-star restaurant in National Gallery Singapore. World's 50 Best No. 25 in 2025; layered tasting menus with Asian inflections.
Bjorn Frantzen's three-Michelin-star Bukit Pasoh shophouse. Japanese craft and Scandinavian precision in a 23-seat room. No. 1 in Singapore by La Liste 2025.
Rishi Naleendra's two-Michelin-star Amoy Street shophouse. Sri Lankan ingredients through European structure in a 24-seat room above a wine bar.
Kirk Westaway's two-Michelin-star room on Level 70 of Swissotel The Stamford. Modern British fine dining with panoramic Singapore skyline views.
Emmanuel Stroobant's two-Michelin-star French restaurant at One Fullerton since 2000. Panoramic Marina Bay views and Asian ingredients in French forms.
Chef Louis Han's Michelin-starred Korean fine-dining room on Telok Ayer. Seasonal Seoul cooking in a modernist hanok-inspired space with French technique.
Michelin-starred Cantonese at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, starred in every guide since 2016. Seasonal seafood menu in a tranquil garden setting.
Order Heart attack fried rice, US Black Angus rib eye, Hokkien mee
New Ubin Seafood began on the island of Pulau Ubin as a kelong restaurant; this CHIJMES incarnation brings its zi char-meets-modern-kitchen philosophy to a striking Gothic Revival building. The US Black Angus rib eye with heart attack fried rice and the Hokkien mee are the non-negotiables.
Order Hainanese chicken rice, Steamed fish with ginger, Kai lan with oyster sauce
The Balestier Road flagship of Singapore's most acclaimed chicken rice chain, Michelin Bib Gourmand recognised. The bird is silky-poached and served at room temperature with three dipping sauces; the zi char side menu of steamed fish and vegetables is equally strong. Open since 1983 and the standard to which other chicken rice is compared.
Order Crab curry, Kottu roti, Pol roti with coconut sambal
Michelin Bib Gourmand Sri Lankan in a CHIJMES shopfront that has quickly become one of the most talked-about casual tables in the city. Chef Rishi Naleendra's heritage-driven menu centres on seafood curries including the exceptional crab curry, kottu roti and short eats from the homeland. New entrant to the 2025 Bib Gourmand list.
Order Braised goose platter, Steamed pomfret, Teochew cold crab
A warm, family-run Teochew restaurant operating since 1989 in the Copthorne King's Hotel. The menu covers traditional cold and steamed dishes, braised goose, turtle soup alternatives and the delicate braised-then-fried beancurd that defines the cuisine. One of the few places in Singapore where authentic Teochew cooking is still done at this level.
Order Gaeng khiao wan (green curry), Larb moo, Thai basil fried rice
A new 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand winner serving contemporary Thai cuisine with a fiery, modern sensibility. The menu draws on northern and southern Thai traditions with bold spicing, house-made relishes and aromatic curries. One of the most exciting new additions to Singapore's casual dining scene.
Order Duck confit, Steak frites, Cheeseboard
A compact French bistro on Armenian Street where sommelier-level wine knowledge drives the menu as much as the food does. The kitchen produces classic bistro dishes: duck confit, moules mariniere, steak frites and a serious cheeseboard. The wine list is one of the most thoughtfully assembled in Singapore at this price point.
Order Single-origin filter pour-over, Aeropress brew, Seasonal espresso
The top-ranked coffee shop in Asia and sixth in the world on the 2026 World's 100 Best Coffee Shops list. Barista-owner Yeo Qing He runs a spare, focused space on Selegie Road where filter coffee from Latin America, Central America and Asia is served with championship-level precision. Closed Thursday.
Order Filter of the day, Cold brew, Single-origin espresso
A micro-roastery and coffee bar tucked inside an HDB block at Everton Park, operating since 2012 on a philosophy of sustainability, traceability and transparency. The compact shopfront belies the depth of sourcing: direct-trade relationships with farmers across Ethiopia, Colombia and across Asia underpin every cup.
Order Dirty coffee, Single origin espresso, Cold brew
An under-the-radar espresso counter inside the Bras Basah Complex selling some of the most technically proficient coffee in the city at hawker-stall prices. Founder Ezra Chua was a barista competition finalist; the 'dirty' coffee, a shot over cold milk, has become one of the cafe's cult orders.
Order Seasonal tart, Espresso, House coffee
An intimate specialty coffee and dessert cafe on the quiet stretch of Gemmill Lane in Tanjong Pagar, serving some of the most creative cakes and tarts in Singapore alongside serious espresso. The rotating seasonal menu keeps regulars returning.
Order Country sourdough loaf, Croissant, Seasonal viennoiserie
A minimalistic bakery cafe at UE Square run by a Korean baker trained at the acclaimed Tartine Bakery in Seoul. The 'Lean' menu covers naturally leavened sourdough and rye loaves; the 'Rich' menu presents butter-enriched croissants, kouign-amann and seasonal viennoiserie. One of the most technically accomplished newcomers on the Singapore bakery scene.
Order Pandan kaya bun, Soft raisin loaf, Cream puff
A classic Singapore heartland bakery that has been making traditional soft white bread rolls, raisin loaves and kaya buns since 1989. The shelves of individually wrapped buns, pandan loaves and cream puffs are the edible heritage of HDB Singapore. One of the few remaining old-school bakeries that has not pivoted to artisan.
One of Singapore's original specialty coffee chains, founded in Shenton Way in 2011 and now operating six locations across the island. The in-house roastery at New Industrial Road produces blends and single-origin coffees at competitive prices, making Jewel one of the best-value specialty coffee options for CBD workers on tight schedules.
Also on this listApartment CoffeeNylon Coffee Roasters
Order Grower champagne by the glass, Skin-contact white, Chef's seasonal small plate
A neighbourhood wine bar and kitchen by chef-owner Keirin Buck on the lively stretch of Club Street, part of the Lo and Behold Group. The wine list is tight and personal, emphasising genuine natural wine producers over trend labels; the produce-led kitchen plates sit beautifully alongside the pours.
Drink Lah cocktail (from 2026 Singlish menu)
Colin Chia's bar celebrates Singapore's colonial and postcolonial history through a cocktail programme built on local ingredients and forgotten archives. Ranked No. 50 in the World's 50 Best Bars 2025. The Singlish-inspired 2026 menu is one of the most distinctive in the city.
Drink House Atlas Gin Martini
Singapore's most spectacular bar interior: a soaring Art Deco lobby inside Parkview Square, known as Singapore's Gotham Building, with an eight-metre gin tower holding over 1,300 bottles. The cocktail list leans on classic gin-based drinks executed with precision. One of the most visually impressive bars anywhere in Southeast Asia.
Drink Now and Then seasonal menu cocktail
The granddaddy of Singapore's speakeasy bar scene, hidden behind an unmarked door in a 1960s shophouse with no signage. Operating since 2011, 28 HongKong Street pioneered the American craft cocktail movement in Singapore and continues to execute classics and seasonals at a high level under a changing menu structure.
Drink Singapore Sling
The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel is where the Singapore Sling was first mixed by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon in 1915. The two-storey colonial bar, with its plantation-inspired decor and peanut shell-strewn floors, is a piece of Singapore's history. The Singapore Sling costs around S$37 here and is an obligatory order at least once.
Drink All Stars section signature cocktail
An award-winning cocktail bar and restaurant near Raffles Hotel on Seah Street offering 26 signature drinks across classic, bespoke and reimagined categories. The kitchen produces modern sharing plates that work well alongside the cocktail programme. Open until 1am on weeknights and 3am on weekends.
Drink Seasonal signature from the rotating menu
A sprawling industrial-chic cocktail bar in the China Square district that melds skate culture, art and serious bartending in an unusual combination that works. The cocktail programme is accessible and well-priced; the space handles large groups better than most of Singapore's more intimate bars.
Order Chicken rice plate, Soup
The most famous chicken rice stall in Singapore, operating from Maxwell Food Centre and recognised by the Michelin Guide. The bird is silky-poached with taut skin; the rice is fragrant with ginger and pandan; the three dipping sauces are the best argument for eating it here rather than anywhere else. Gordon Ramsay visited. The queue moves.
Order Char kway teow (with cockles)
Michelin Bib Gourmand char kway teow at Hong Lim Market, where a single wok and a single cook produces perhaps the most-talked-about plate of fried flat noodles in Singapore. The wok hei is fierce, the cockles are generous, the lard cracklings are generous and the queue regularly stretches to 90 minutes.
Order Soya sauce chicken rice, Noodle with soya sauce chicken
Once the world's cheapest Michelin-starred meal: a plate of soya sauce chicken rice with fragrant rice and braised sauce for around S$3. Chef Chan Hon Meng's Chinatown Complex stall was awarded one Michelin star in 2016, an event that sent queues spiralling. The bird is braised in a centuries-old recipe sauce that yields glossy, deeply flavoured results.
Order Chicken satay, Beef satay, Satay with ketupat and peanut sauce
Singapore's most atmospheric street food experience: every evening from 7pm, Boon Tat Street alongside the Victorian cast-iron Lau Pa Sat market hall closes to traffic and becomes an open-air satay corridor with nine satay carts. Charcoal smoke, the sound of fans fanning coals, peanut sauce and cold Tiger beer under the night sky.
Order House lager, House IPA, Cask-pulled pale ale
A heritage-shophouse brewpub on Club Street running 25 taps of in-house Lion Brewery beer plus a handful of guest lines and English cask hand-pumps. The brewing kit sits in view of the bar, and the taproom doubles as a sports bar with screens for major live fixtures. The most accessible CBD brewpub for visitors wanting to see Singapore brewing kit in action.
Singapore's most tourist-visited hawker centre and home to Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, the Michelin Bib Gourmand stall that sparked global food tourism coverage. The 100-stall two-storey centre covers everything from rojak and char kway teow to economy rice and popiah. The colonial-era building with its open-air courtyard is one of the city's most characterful eating environments.
Singapore's largest hawker centre by stall count, with over 200 vendors spread across the upper floors of Chinatown Complex. Home to Liao Fan Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and a vast variety of Chinese regional dishes, Hokkien mee, satay, roast meats and the city's best concentration of budget eating. Open daily and running through the night.
A Victorian cast-iron market hall from 1894, now a 24-hour hawker centre and Singapore's most atmospheric satay destination. From 7pm every evening, Boon Tat Street alongside the building closes to traffic and becomes an open-air satay alley with nine stalls, charcoal fires and cold beer. The interior serves Chinese, Indian, Malay and mixed stalls around the clock.
A guided food walk through Chinatown that combines heritage storytelling with over 10 dishes sampled across Maxwell Food Centre, Chinatown Complex and the surrounding streets. The tour covers Chinese temples, clan associations and shophouses alongside the eating, giving context that independent visits rarely provide.
A Tripadvisor top-ranked food experience led from a Chinatown shophouse kitchen where guides combine a walking tasting tour of the neighbourhood with cultural commentary on Singapore's food history. The experience ends with a cooking component and seated meal. The Sago Street shophouse setting is part of the appeal.
A guided evening street food tour through Singapore's hawker centres and night market strips, led by a local food guide who specialises in the cultural and historical context behind each dish. The tour covers char kway teow, satay, laksa, popiah and other classics across three to four hawker venues.
A structured tour visiting Michelin-recognised hawker stalls and the Bib Gourmand trail, explaining how Singapore's street food scene earned its international recognition. Participants taste at least 10 dishes and receive a contextualised guide to navigating the city's hawker centres independently after the tour.
Singapore's flagship annual food festival, running for three weeks across the island with pop-ups, chef collaborations, hawker showcases and long-table dinners. The 2025 edition ran September 4 to 24 under the theme 'Have You Eaten Yet?', drawing visitors to Dempsey Hill, Robertson Quay and citywide venues. The Singapore Tourism Board-backed event celebrates both hawker heritage and fine-dining innovation.
A citywide cocktail festival in June bringing guest bars from around the world into Singapore venues for collaborative one-night stands and residencies. The 2026 edition brought 20 international bars into the city across two weeks of pop-ups, masterclasses and competitive bartending events. One of Asia's most important cocktail industry gatherings.
Chinatown Chinese New Year Festive Fair lines Sago, Smith, Temple, Trengganu and Pagoda Streets from 27 January to 17 February 2026 with festive decorations, traditional snacks and seasonal treats.
Tripadvisor's top-ranked cooking experience in Singapore, running from a second-floor heritage shophouse in Chinatown since 2012. The hands-on class covers three to four Singapore dishes across the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan traditions, with cultural commentary from enthusiastic local guides. Ends with a sit-down meal of everything cooked.
On this list, shown aboveMaxwell Food CentreChinatown Complex Food CentreTian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
On this list, shown aboveLau Pa Sat Satay StreetChinatown Complex Food Centre
Asia's most ranked nightclub, in the global top ten since the 1990s. Three rooms at Clarke Quay Cannery: Zouk main floor, Phuture for hip-hop, and Velvet Underground. International DJ bookings weekly.
Clarke Quay's anchor live rock and blues venue, one of the longest-running live music bars in Singapore. Local and visiting bands play nightly from 10pm; the crowd spans expatriates, tourists, and dedicated music fans.
Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 No. 23. Klipsch La Scala speakers deliver vinyl-driven jazz, soul, funk and ambient in a Mid-Century wood and terrazzo interior. Serious Pan-Asian kitchen for dinner.
Also on this list28 HongKong StreetLau Pa Sat Satay Street
