93 Best Restaurants in Singapore

You can count on this halal bakery and café (founded by food personality Dewi Imelda Wadhwa) to turn out some of the island’s best pastries and desserts. The ATD To Go Dessert Box, an 8-piece taster of their most popular items, includes the bakery's signature gula Melaka scone and Paris brest. Save space for other delectables like the aromatic Earl Grey cake in a light vanilla buttercream, or the moreish sticky toffee pudding drenched in a homemade caramel sauce. For those more inclined to savory pursuits, dishes like a punchy coriander pesto prawn pasta and a hearty steak & hash potatoes made with grass-fed steak cubes.  

This might be the coolest dinner spot in Singapore. Tucked inside a traditional Singaporean shophouse, this place transforms every night into a Japanese yakitori, where dishes are served in a cloak of dry ice; the alluring smell of charcoal fills the air, and the small plates are always colorful, intriguing, and based on what's fresh that day.

Established in 1995 by a group of friends, this is one of Singapore's first spots to serve Peranakan cuisine. In a beautifully restored shophouse, the restaurant offers a range of well-prepared Malaysian/Chinese fare, including signature ayam panggang (smoky chicken with spiced coconut milk) and rich beef rendang. The house favorite dessert, durian chendol, is a glorious mixture of red beans, pandan-flavored jelly, and coconut milk, finished with puréed durian. While perhaps the most polarizing fruit on the planet—you'll either love it or hate it—you should try it at least once, and there's no better place than here.

Expect good vibes and authentic food at this hip Italian eatery, known for its pizzas baked in a signature wood-fired oven imported from Naples itself. The 10-inch Neopolitan pies are a favorite, but for a well-rounded meal, don't ignore the handmade pastas and small selection of desserts. If you're stuck on deciding what to order, consider the Mafalde, a braised lamb ragu pasta with porcini and Parmigiano, or nduja di spilinga, a traditional Napoletana pizza served with fior di latte, spicy 'nduja, and onion. Both come highly recommended. 

Based on the old-school eateries of Hong Kong, Fook Kin specializes in char siew (Cantonese-style barbecued pork), crispy pork belly, and other roast meats. Aside from the much-loved meat, the menu features a good selection of soups, dim sum, and rice bowls. A large fridge stores a range of craft beer and sake to peruse. Neon lights and flowing drinks make this a fun place to be on a Friday night in River Valley.

A small Korean restaurant with a loyal fanbase, this is yet another hidden gem found in residential Sunset Way. Popular dishes here include haemul pajeon (seafood and scallion pancake) and tteokbokki (soft rice cakes in a spicy sauce). The generous complimentary banchan (small side dishes) make perfect accompaniments to the larger stews and barbecued meat dishes. There’s an outside deck area that has a quiet, intimate atmosphere in the evening.

This busy neighborhood trattoria is off the beaten track in Hillview, a hidden gem were it not for the local residents packing the place each evening. The food is (unlike some other Italian spots on the island) genuinely authentic, with a decent selection of pizza, pasta, meats, and seafood, as well as regional chef’s specials each weekend. The wine list makes for an interesting tour around Italy, with a comprehensive list of Italian digestives to end the meal. A separate menu for vegetarians is available.

This atmospheric East Coast Seafood Centre staple is the perfect place to crack into a chilli or black pepper Sri Lankan crab, a glorious, delicious mess of a dish that's a true Singaporean specialty—be sure to order it with sides of fried buns to sop up the sauce. Prices are by the kilogram; some crabs are large enough to feed up to four people, but smaller ones for two are also available.

Give into the heady aromas wafting out of this Indian-influenced barbecue joint, and you won’t regret it. Although a meal here is pricier than those at its more casual neighbors, the cost difference is easily justified by the intense, mouthwatering flavors and creative menu. The show stealer is the juicy suckling pig biryani, its pork barbecued to a perfect char. The meat platters (for one or two diners) offers a taste of their best hits (beef brisket, masala pork ribs, spice-crusted lamb chops).

Grab a caffeine fix at this premier coffee roastery in sleepy Sunset Way. Founded by a champion barista, Olla is a leading player in Singapore’s burgeoning artisan roasting scene. There’s a menu with great options for brunch, which is when things tend to get a little busier. If you’re still hungry, try Burnt Cones ice cream across the way.

In the luscious greenery of Dempsey Hill, an urban farm takes the concept of farm-to-fork seriously in its self-named restaurant. If the adjacent farm doesn’t grow it, produce is sourced from smaller, independent farms around Singapore and Malaysia. The international menu is bold and fresh, and the glasshouse and its surroundings are a wonderful place to dine.

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.

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.

Located off the coast of Changi, this modern spin on the traditional kelong (floating fish farm) doles out meals to remember. You travel to it on an old-fashioned bumboat from Changi Ferry Terminal, then catch your own lunch or dinner in "sure-catch" ponds from the ship-like structure in the middle of the sea. The steamed sea bass and salted egg squid are must-tries. Tables are by reservation only, so book ahead (at least three days in advance).

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.

This casual, cafeteria-style, Indian restaurant is one of the best (and busiest) of its kind in Little India. Standout dishes include the signature fish-head curry, as well as the fish tikka, mutton mysore, and prawn masala, but choose whatever sounds good, and you'll still do well. Everything is served on large banana leaves; cracker-like papadam and two scoops of the day's vegetables come with every meal. Spice levels vary, but if the heat catches up with you, ask for curd (traditional yogurt) or raita (yogurt with cucumber and seasonings) to help cool things down. Fun fact: Founder/owner Mr Chellappan was so inspired by the Apollo 11 mission, he named the restaurant after it!

Grab a hefty bagel from this cult favorite. The menu is comprehensive, so you can design your bagel by type (plain, sesame, etc.) and schmear (cream cheese, vegemite etc.); and add a whole world of extras. The classic and "bagelwich" menus are rotate regularly, though if in doubt, the Personal Best featuring spam, peanut butter, hash browns, and egg is always a winner. The coffee is good, too.

Perched at the top of The Outpost Hotel, this rooftop bar, day club, and restaurant serves up crowd-pleasing modern Asian dishes like soft shell crab pasta and platters like the "Taste of Archipelago" (including tasting portions of nasi biru, tempeh goreng, and papa gulai chicken) offer a sampling of Southeast Asian flavors. Sundown sessions are particularly popular (weekdays 5–8 pm) for unobstructed views of the Singapore Straits; at the Sunday pool parties, DJs spin from 3 to 10 pm. On weekends and holidays, there’s a minimum per-person spend.

One of the city's best Spanish restaurants is all about good meat and excellent wines. Start with Pan Casero and Jamon Iberico, and then tear into a portion of Costillar de Ternera, the popular juicy short ribs of glazed Angus beef. The pan-Iberic selection of wines from most regions of Spain, paired with international sparkling Rose, Brut, and Bollinger, will excite wine lovers and connoisseurs. 

This hotpot restaurant at The Star Vista mall (one of six locations in Singapore) employs rich, fragrant broths to cook an assortment of extras waiting on the table. This branch is an easy introduction to the world of hotpot: a spacious, art deco–themed room with space for bigger groups (and you’ll need them to finish that broth!). Prices start from around S$16 for a single pot of broth, including the signature Beauty Collagen Broth (made from pork bones), but you can mix and match with smaller pots available. The build-your-own menu style makes hotpot a great choice for vegetarians—choose from a wide selection of greens, vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu (all from around S$5 per portion).