Adira Chow

December 2024 The food scene in Singapore never sleeps, and here at Time Out, we’re constantly combing through hoards of restaurants to find out what’s the best of the best – right here and right now. In this refreshed list, you’ll see exciting new dining concepts featured among longstanding F&B stalwarts, as well as some hidden gems that we swear by.  Welcome to the Time Out Eat List, our handpicked best from Singapore’s food scene, ranked by expert local editors. We’ve got everything, from boundary-pushing restaurants by renowned chefs, to humble local finds that’ll impress you without breaking the bank. Choosing the 50 best places to eat is no easy feat, which is why we’ve also got separate lists for the best Japanese, Spanish, and hawker joints among many others.  Find out more about how Time Out makes recommendations and reviews restaurants.

Chilli crab is Singapore's national dish — agree or disagree? Well, no matter the answer, there's no denying that it's an iconic dish loved by foreigners and locals alike. Spicy, sweet, starchy, and savoury, chilli crab never fails to hit the spot every time, especially when you dunk some steaming hot mantou (Chinese buns) into the pool of red, saucy goodness. The dish is said to have been invented in the 1950s when a woman called Cher Yam Tian added bottled chilli sauce instead of the usual tomato ketchup to her stir-fried crab dish. Shortly after, Cher opened Palm Beach Restaurant along East Coast Road and everyone went crazy for her creation.  Today, you can find chilli crab at just about every local seafood or zi char joint. But not everyone gets the sauce just right, or uses meaty crabs that are oh-so satisfying. Whether it's your first time trying the dish or the 100th, hit up these seafood joints for plates of chilli crab that don't disappoint. RECOMMENDED The best local food in Singapore and The best chicken rice in Singapore

Brunch is an institution – as it should be. There's nothing better than waking up slightly later on the weekends and hunting down the perfect brunch spot where you can order both breakfast and lunch items. Whether it's regular eggs on toast, ricotta pancakes or a bowl of pasta, hit up these spots in Singapore to fuel your lazy weekend with late breakfast meals and a cup (or two) of coffee. RECOMMENDED: 7 most Instagrammable cafes in Singapore and The best minimalist cafés in Singapore 

Sure, home-cooked dinners are great but if you've got an upcoming party for ten and more, leave it to the pros and get some catering pronto. There's no mess, your guests are happy, and you get to enjoy the food in peace. From pretty charcuterie and cheese platters to laksa live stations, here's who to call for your next big bash.  RECOMMENDED: The best communal dining restaurants for big groups and the best buffets in Singapore

Japanese food is hands-down the most popular cuisine in Singapore – even on a busy weekend night, there's no lack of options. While some lean towards an omakase experience with a Japanese chef while others are perfectly satiated with a piping hot bowl of ramen, Singapore has got it all. Here are our top picks for when you're craving some mighty solid Japanese cuisine. RECOMMENDED: The best affordable sushi bars in Singapore and the best cafés in Singapore  

Bid adieu to the past year and hello to a new season over a showstopping meal, a glass of bubbly, and perhaps a view of the iconic fireworks display at Marina Bay. While you and your loved ones reflect on the last few months, talk about New Year’s resolutions, and discuss future travel plans, let masterful chefs guide you through these lavish spreads, featuring everything from Japanese-Brazilian feasts and interesting Nordic dishes, to amped-up Korean barbecue. There’s only one thing left to say – cheers to 2025! RECOMMENDED: The best New Year's Eve parties and events in Singapore

The most wonderful time of the year is back again. The Christmas season has our hearts – it’s the best time of the year to feast on glorious platters of roast meats, decadent sides, and a host of sweet treats. To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of the best Christmas meals you can find in Singapore, from luxe hotel dinners to go all out at, to casual and fuss-free joints for a laidback celebration. Whether you’re planning a cosy dinner with family or an annual festive get-together with friends, these options have got you covered. RECOMMENDED: Time Out Singapore Recommended Restaurants for 2024 and The best new restaurants in Singapore   

Singapore's café scene promises plenty of gems, if you just know where to look. The growing number of places to visit can seem daunting, even if you resolve to checking off one new spot every weekend. So let us do the work for you. It's about time we put together a 50 Best list of cafés in Singapore anyway — after all, we've got lists for bars and restaurants too, so why not cafés? These are places we won't hesitate to recommend if someone asks where they can grab a good cuppa, pastry, or brunch nearby. These 50 spots range from long-time favourites, new openings, and familiar names, to under-the-radar cafés deserving of a little more love. If you’re looking for something more specific, we also have separate lists for brunch spots, desserts, and lifestyle cafés. Find out more about how Time Out makes recommendations and reviews restaurants.

“Porridge is sick people food” – that’s what many young Singaporeans think when we picture the thick, white, bland-tasting gruel that’s ladled into plastic bowls. So understandably, tatted-up 29-year-old Darryl Peh who sports an Undefeated tee and a double-lined hard part is the last person we’d imagine to run a porridge stall.  Darryl – who goes by Peh – took over his family’s business White House Teochew Porridge two years ago after a major operation led his father to call it quits. But letting go of decades of sentiment was not as easy for Peh, who grew up prancing around and wiping tables at the old Simon Road stall, which existed long before the days of Lola’s Cafe. “I’ve eaten this for 26 years of my life, so it’d be a waste to not have the chance to eat this again,” he says. With the additional nudge from a good friend and a resolve to do justice to his dad’s legacy, Peh picks up his spatula and gets to work quickly. The first thing on his agenda? Making sure he can cook. Photograph: Daniel Iskandar Hei bee hiam (spicy dried shrimp), curry chicken, braised duck. These are longtime customers’ favourites at White House which Peh will have to master. On top of that, there’s a whole smorgasbord of dishes lining the counter in the same fashion as what you’d see at a cai fan stall. Everything from fishcake to classic Chinese stir-fried dishes is prepared in-house daily.  Committing all these recipes to memory is no easy feat, so Peh saves them on his phone as notes, which

Everyone probably knows a foodie in their life – they’re among your friends, colleagues, and family. You know, the ones who’ve caught every episode of Culinary Class Wars, have a ton of saved restaurants on Google Maps, own a matcha or pour-over kit, and the list goes on. This Christmas, there’s no better way to show these food-and-drink-obsessed folks how much they mean to you than by plying them with all the things they love. From a limited-edition Christmas gin to a gourmet food hamper chock-full of scrumptious treats, our specially curated gift guide has you covered this season.  RECOMMENDED: The best Christmas gifts in Singapore for men and The best Christmas gifts in Singapore for ladies  

The year-end fever is officially in full swing, with festive and New Year plans underway, and long-overdue catch-ups waiting around the corner. But while you’re busy making those Christmas dinner reservations or finding out which Christmas buffets get you more bang for your buck, don’t forget to slot in some time for a good meal – one that doesn’t have roast turkey on the menu, that is. We’ve picked out five new restaurants this December that stand out, from a popular coffee chain from Malaysia that finally sets foot in Singapore, to a heritage nasi padang stall that’s now offering modern rice bowls in a shopping mall. Discover your next go-to lunch or dinner spot in this nifty list of new restaurants in Singapore. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in Singapore you must try and The 50 best bars in Singapore

Quality and quantity don’t typically go hand in hand, especially when it comes to buffets. But we found the places in Singapore that come close to perfecting the formula. From free-flow boozy brunch buffets, to classic international spreads and premium dinner curations, we’ve got just the spot for you that is guaranteed to impress your friends and family. RECOMMENDED: The best steamboat and hot pot restaurants in Singapore and The best brunch buffets in Singapore

It’s been a minute since we’ve been here, but three years on and Stay Gold’s still gold. For those who aren’t acquainted with this popular watering hole along Amoy Street, Stay Gold Flamingo is a dual-concept space housing a café in the front and a cocktail bar at the back, serving up completely different experiences depending on the time of the day.  In the day, step into the sun-drenched Flamingo for brunch and coffee, and at dusk, venture to the back of the room behind velvet drapes to enter Stay Gold – a sleek, neon-lit drinking lounge. The head bartender Amos Kew and his team present ‘That’s A Nice Jacket’, their most extensive cocktail menu to date. It’s a nod to the bar team’s iconic workwear – paint-splattered jackets where each colour denotes a different level of seniority. And on this new menu, 20 thoughtful creations ($25 each) are divided into five colour-themed sections indicating – you guessed it – the profiles of the bartenders who crafted them. These range from approachable tipples in the White section, to cocktails served with interactive elements and flair in the Blue section, and complex and potent drinks under the Purple category. There’s also the Pink section showcasing cocktails doused with coffee, wine, or tea as a tribute to Flamingo, and the Red section which houses Stay Gold’s signature drinks through the years. Start easy with Shizu from the White section – a clear Ford’s Gin blend with yuzu shiso cordial, soda, and orange flower water. Despite it

Ditch the glitzy furnishings and grand cocktail bars for this casual watering hole in town. Side Door recreates the familiarity of home – a place where you know like the back of your hand, where you’re well-acquainted with all its side doors, if you will. The space is stripped back, minimal, and manages to rock an urban industrial look while still sporting a friendly atmosphere. But pleasing aesthetics aside, it’s the drinks and food that keep us coming back.  The bar is helmed by the powerhouse husband-and-wife duo Bannie and Tryson who were previously at Fairmont Singapore’s Anti:Dote – Bannie as an award-winning mixologist and Tryson as Chef de Cuisine. Think of Side Door as the bantering duo’s home away from home, where they get to show the best of what they’ve got in one space. Bannie’s mixology style is distinct – cocktails here are minimal in presentation yet complex and layered in taste. Most drinks are clarified with precision to bring out the main flavours of each ingredient. And because ‘competition mixologists’ like her are constantly put on the spot to innovate, you can expect no less than interesting and conceptual yet delicious pours at Side Door.  The Non-Fruit Beer, for instance, is Bannie’s reinvention of the soju bomb, a popular drink in Korea. Here, malt whisky, lychee, Korean barley, Fernet Branca, and dry vermouth are blended to replicate a fruity pilsner. There’s also the Seaside, a perennial favourite which has been with the bar since the start. The f

How does one brace oneself for a four-hour dinner in a two-Michelin-starred restaurant? The answer, as we’ve discovered at Cloudstreet, is to simply allow yourself to be taken away. Stepping in from the electrifying energy of Amoy Street to the intimate psyche of chef Rishi Naleendra that is Cloudstreet, the disjunct is jarring. It helps to know that every restaurant deserving of a star is more than the plates it puts out. Storytelling, art, design, and service – they’re all part and parcel of the experience, meant to inform and enliven the food. Cloudstreet is Rishi; it’s the essence of his person distilled into a two-storey shophouse space. The restaurant opens up like a biography, every element a nod to a fragment of the chef’s life, from his love for Tim Winton novels, his childhood in raucous war-torn Sri Lanka, and short-lived architectural dream in Melbourne, to his foray into hospitality, finding love, and then landing in Singapore. Chef Rishi’s breakthrough came during his time at the now defunct Maca, and he later on earned his keep – and his first star – at Cheek by Jowl. Then came along Kotuwa and Fool Wine Bar.  But Cloudstreet has always been that anchor space for deeply personal exploration through food. The eight-course tasting menu ($398 per person) starts with five snacks served as individual courses, with the first bite being an Australian Coffin Bay oyster wrapped in betel leaf, a nod to the Sri Lankan custom of serving guests betel leaves as a welcome sn

A new restaurant now sits in the sweeping 10,000-square-feet colonial bungalow atop a hill at Labrador Park. The historic black-and-white building was once home to Thai restaurant Tamarind Hill, but now houses Asu, a fine-dining concept led by Singaporean chef Ace Tan, who puts forth a unique take on progressive Asian cuisine. The 25-seater is one of three establishments in the building, including Cantonese-Teochew restaurant Shan and a bar.  The space at Asu is often described as ‘monastic’, and understandably so. It’s washed out in white, concrete, and oxidised bronze, complete with simple wooden furnishings. And then there’s the atmosphere as you step in – a curious, calm, yet inviting one, like a prelude to the meditative experience that’s about to follow. The first thing that catches the eye is a sweeping dining table that surrounds the open kitchen like seats in an amphitheatre, almost as if setting you up to watch a performance.  The term ‘progressive Asian cuisine’ is enough to make eyes roll, but Ace is quick to dispel all prejudices. Here, ‘progressive’ doesn’t just mean applying shiny new culinary trends to age-old Asian foods, but also exploring the progress or journeys they undertake over time – their origins and transformations – and then expressing them in creative dishes. To help with that, he’s got a diverse team of chefs from all over the continent who collectively put out two menus (from $188 per person) each season. A debut menu titled ‘Origins’ puts this

Few home bakers in Singapore ever venture out of their kitchens to open physical stores, but the handful who do are a cause for celebration. The name Marymount Bakehouse might ring a bell – it’s among the batch of small home-based bakeries which sprung up during the Covid pandemic in 2020. Since then, it’s built up quite a following for its sourdough breads,  which tend to be snapped up once they’re fresh out of the oven. And now, it welcomes its first full-fledged café in Farrer Park, where everything on the menu weaves in components of its well-loved sourdough. The sourdough breads here are a work of art – and we mean literally. Each loaf is intricately hand-scored by chef-founder Ian in beautiful leafy patterns, making it almost painful to slice up. But beyond that, the bakery sticks by a 20-hour natural fermentation process (without commercial yeast to speed it up) for all its dough, to yield more complex flavours and a slightly more pronounced sour profile. The high-hydration loaves also see thinner crusts and a soft middle, but more importantly, they don’t turn stale and hard as quickly. Marymount’s sourdoughs are also lower in gluten and popular among expectant mothers. Regulars come back for the house loaf ($14.50), a standard white wholemeal country sourdough. But other favourites include the extremely versatile pain de campagne ($15) which is a French country rye, or the Marymount Seeds ($16) which features a trio of sesame, quinoa and sunflower seeds mixed into a

Many would recognise Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre by its unique L-shaped structure, and it is one of the remaining hawker centres in Singapore to sport this distinct kind of layout. The food centre has seen the Tiong Bahru and Havelock area through decades of development, and despite only housing a modest number of stalls, many of them have a prominent fan base, with customers flocking down from across the island for a taste of nostalgia. Among the popular stalls here are household names like Covent Garden Kway Chap, Meng Kee Fried Kway Teow, Du Du Cooked Food (a tutu kueh specialist), Khin Kee Fishball Kway Teow, and more. 

If you’ve eaten your fill of Korean barbecue or jjajangmyeon in Singapore, here’s something different worth trying. Onmi is where you can get an eight-course Korean dinner at $118 (and a five-course lunch for $46) – one of the more affordable tasting menus in town these days. The restaurant sits along Amoy Street in the company of renowned establishments like Cloudstreet, Nouri, Birds of a Feather, and more.  Here, traditional Korean flavours are coaxed out through predominantly French culinary techniques, but not everything is avant-garde. Expect to get acquainted with ingredients and dishes rarely seen in Korean restaurants across Singapore – think nut porridge, perilla oil noodles, and burdock roots. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Time Out Singapore (@timeoutsg) A sharp perilla oil tea starts off the dinner menu, and while it isn’t delicious, it certainly wakes the palate and primes it for the journey ahead. The sour tea is immediately contrasted with an earthy porridge made from a mixture of five nuts, though it isn’t so much a porridge as it is a thick paste. Dehydrated lotus roots and potato crisps are served on the side and meant for dipping.  We’re next presented with a duo snack of shiitake mushroom biscuit and a smoked domi (red snapper) tart, and so far everything’s still on the delicate, lighter side. But the shima-aji (jack stripe mackerel) which comes next quickly switches things up. The fish is finely sliced and tossed in

You can now find Japan’s iconic melting teddy bear hot pot in Singapore. Kumachan Onsen from Hokkaido is known for its collagen jelly ‘kuma’ (bear) that slowly dissolves into a hot pot broth – slightly morbid if you think about it, but still adorable nonetheless. Each bear is even topped with a cute head ‘towel’ made of daikon to complete its look.  The store is tucked away on the seventh floor of Orchard Central with bear-themed decor throughout the restaurant, from pastel bear wallpaper and giant bear plushies sitting around or hanging on hammocks.  Personal hot pot sets are priced relatively affordably from $15.80 depending on what main ingredient you choose – these range from chicken ($15.80) to the more premium beef karubi set ($23.80). There are six hot pot flavours inspired by different types of hot springs, and depending on what you pick, you’ll either get a white, red or brown bear. The signature broth is ‘The Hot Spring of Health’ which features a collagen soup base. Other flavours include ‘The Hot Spring of Whitening’ with a Japanese white miso stock, ‘The Hot Spring of Longevity’ which is a spicy broth reminiscent of mapo tofu, and ‘The Hot Spring of Fortune’ which features a bonito-based soup.   We went for a soy milk-based soup, a gochujang broth, and the classic collagen soup. Stop by the condiment counter to customise your dipping sauce and add in your hot pot ingredients while you wait for the bear to dissolve. Each individual set comes with a platter of ass

You might be familiar with Joji’s Diner, the retro all-American joint which took social media by storm when it first opened. The 24-hour café-restaurant is known for its distinct decor influenced by diners in the 80s, as well as its huge servings of classic American fare – chicken and waffles, milkshakes, and more.  The brand launched a new 24/7 concept situated just beside Joji’s Diner in Serangoon. Called Joji’s Sandwich Parlour, the new joint similarly takes inspiration from the States, but instead of 80s-inspired decor, it rocks somewhat of a camp-themed aesthetic – think anti-slip metal flooring, wooden picnic tables, and chipboard walls. It also swaps out the typical American comfort food served at Joji’s Diner for glorious stacks of sandwiches, coffee, and mains. Choose from nine sandwiches on the menu. A must-order is the Classic Reuben ($24) which sees Black Angus brisket brined for 14 days before it’s smoked over Hickory wood. It’s then lathered with Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, as well as mustard and sauerkraut for an added zing. Choose between sourdough or focaccia – we recommended the sourdough for its crunchy exterior and fluffy, soft interior which makes biting through the chunky stack a breeze.  Other popular picks include the Shrimp Po’Boy ($22) where grilled fresh tiger prawns are the star of the show. There’s also the classic Joji’s grilled chicken sandwich ($16) featuring homemade guacamole spread over chunks of tender chicken. Spruce up your sandwich

Eric Chia has officially passed down his beloved Ah Hoe Mee Pok stall at West Coast to his trusted apprentice and godson Oliver Chia, who has since renamed the stall to Fan Ji Specialty Noodle. The young hawker was once a loyal customer of Ah Hoe's since its good old days at a Clementi coffeeshop nearby.  Now, while the signboard and owner have changed, the recipes here remain the same. Regulars flock back for Fan Ji's signature mee pok noodles, which boast a firmer and chewier consistency than regular mee pok, thanks to a special supplier that the stall has been supporting since its early days. Each strand has a satisfying, bouncy bite and soaks up the seasoning excellently. A word on the seasoning: while it's customary to calibrate your bowl of noodles by adding vinegar or soy sauce, you likely won't find a need for that here, as each portion of noodles is doused in a punchy, flavourful sauce that coats every strand perfectly. The bowls are then topped off with pork lard and faux abalone slices — Eric's signature touch. While noodle portions are on the smaller side, you can ask for a bigger portion at no additional cost.  The highlight here is the generous bowls of minced pork and seafood soup that come with your noodles. There's none of that MSG-laden, clear token soup nonsense here. Each hearty bowl comes loaded with chopped Chinese cabbage, tender lean pork slices, minced pork, a  homemade fish dumpling, and a large prawn. The standard set goes at $7, and those who love

We'll run the risk of saying that we much prefer Meng Kee's kway teow to the nearby No. 18 Zion Road stall that former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong frequented. Meng Kee's version dials down on the use of black soya sauce so you'll expect the noodles to have a paler complexion and be less sweet to taste. Even then, you can opt for a completely 'white' version as well, which doesn't use black soya sauce at all. Each plate (from $4) has a distinct smokiness or 'wok hei' to it, and you'll be able to notice subtle char marks on individual strands of kway teow or yellow noodles. Pro-tip: get this to-go — call it placebo, but there's just something about the brown paper wrapping that seems to lock in the aroma and 'wok hei' of the noodles. A good amount of lup cheong (Chinese sausage), bean sprouts, and hum (cockles) are thrown into the mix. And depending on the day, the cockles can taste slightly more briny, so those who aren't accustomed to its metallic, irony flavour might want to take this into account when ordering. The queue tends to get long half an hour before noon, so come earlier or later depending on your preference.  

Bak chor mee is pretty much an institution in Singapore, but there's a good reason behind the snaking queues at this humble BCM stall in Bukit Merah. Young hawkers Han and Chelsea run the show here, offering standard bowls of minced meat noodles from $5.50. But it's the signature minced meat noodle set (from $9) that their customers love. For the price, you get a substantial portion of springy and silky mee pok noodles coated in a delicious, flavourful sauce. And the best part? On top of the usual pork balls and pork slices, each bowl is topped with homemade fish dumplings, and a decently sized piece of sole fish to add a savoury, earthy, and slightly gritty taste to the mix. Plus, a good amount of pork lard never goes wrong. White kway teow and mee tai bak (from $9) are other popular options here — an alternative to the regular mee pok or mee kia. The minced pork soup that comes with the noodles is also is much deserving of a shoutout. The broth itself is a blend of pork bones, fish maw and other undisclosed ingredients. But one highlight is the egg that's dropped into the soup moments before serving to lend a thicker consistency and more substance to the broth. Add on pig liver slices ($1.50), more handmade meatballs ($2), handmade fish dumplings ($2.50), or even assorted handmade fishcakes (from $3) for a meal that'll leave you stuffed and satisfied.

Old-school zi char restaurant Kok Sen has been a mainstay on Keong Saik Road since 1970, and we’ve been loyal fans of its big prawn hor fun for as long as we can remember. The joint has even been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand eight years in a row. Next month, it will unveil its much-anticipated second outlet at City Square Mall. Before the grand opening on January 11, the new outlet will also run a soft launch from December 15.  Diners can look forward to Kok Sen’s signature dish – the big prawn hor fun – which will be available at the City Square Mall outlet. What started as a humble medley of hor fun noodles, eggs, and dried shrimp has evolved over time to become the eatery’s claim to fame, featuring plump big prawns and a luscious, eggy gravy. Other menu highlights include the ‘gan xiang’ fish meat, fried roasted pork, and a staple on every table – the sizzling claypot yong tau foo. Photograph: Kok Sen To celebrate the opening of its second outlet, the restaurant will introduce a new dish, exclusively available at City Square Mall. Dig into the meticulously prepared smoked tea duck, a well-guarded family recipe that will now see the light of day. The duck is first marinated for 10 hours, air-dried, smoked, and then deep-fried. And while Kok Sen’s original outlet at Keong Saik is known to be hot, boisterous, and perpetually packed, guests can expect the new City Square Mall outlet to sport a more modern design with a seating capacity of 90 people. The space is clad in

Eating might be our undisputed ‘national pastime’, but our second-favourite thing to do, arguably, is to snap pictures of our meals – because pics or it didn’t happen, right? Whether it’s a bowl of prawn noodles, or a lavish spread of hawker favourites for sharing, we simply love letting the world know where and what we’re eating.  Online platform Preply has taken the liberty to analyse hashtag data of all hawker centres in Singapore, to find out which one people are talking about the most on social media. And according to the results, Maxwell Food Centre is crowned the most Instagrammed of the lot, appearing in a total of 13,200 posts. Surprised?  Photo: Ahmad Iskandar Photography In fact, it is not only the most Instagrammed hawker centre, but also the most well-rated, with over 86 percent of diners rating it four stars or higher. Some commonly frequented stalls include Tian Tian Chicken Rice, Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake, and Zhen Zhen Porridge, among others. While it’s a magnet for the surrounding office crowd, it also attracts a significant amount of tourists who are exploring the nearby Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Chinatown area. Following closely behind is Satay by the Bay, right next to Gardens by the Bay, with 12,400 posts on Instagram. The hawker centre is a popular pitstop for cyclists and joggers taking a break after working up a sweat, or for families and tourists looking for a more affordable dining option around the area. Smoky satay sticks fanned by hand and

Tonkatsu might have originated from Japan, but one Korean restaurant has gained a cult-like following in recent years for its unique approach to the dish. Hailing from Busan, Tonshou began six years ago and now has four locations in South Korea. To get a gauge of how popular its pork cutlets are, the restaurant sees 300 tables snapped up in five minutes each day once slots are made open for booking. This month, the brand is unveiling its very first international outlet in Singapore at Tanjong Pagar.  Photograph: Tonshou Singapore Tonshou prides itself on being the world’s first charcoal-grilled pork cutlet restaurant. The secret to its success lies in a detailed four-step cooking process that promises to yield succulent, juicy slices with a distinct smokiness and delightful pink-hued centre. This involves low-temperature cooking to retain the pork’s juiciness, high-temperature cooking to achieve a crispy golden-brown crust, resting the meat, and finally, charcoal grilling it to impart a smoky aroma to each slice. Photograph: Tonshou Singapore On December 20, guests will have a chance to try Tonshou’s highly raved pork cutlet sets for themselves. On the menu are bestsellers like the hire katsu set (pork tenderloin cutlet, $26); katsu combo set ($32) featuring pork loin, tenderloin, and shrimp; and the Berkshire rosu katsu set ($37) which uses a special cut of English Berkshire pork loin. Another popular offering is the katsu sando set ($21), which features fluffy bread sli

McDonald’s Singapore has announced that it will be charging customers for additional packets of curry sauce and condiments requested, starting from January 2 next year. Call it a first-world problem, but it’s a widely known fact that Singaporeans’ love for curry sauce remains unmatched. And like many Maccas fans around the island, we too, are still processing the news.  To set the record straight, you’ll still get the usual sauces which come with the items you’ve ordered at no extra cost. For instance, four and six-piece nuggets entitle you to one tub of curry sauce; nine-piece nuggets get you two tubs; and 20-piece nuggets come with four tubs of curry sauce.  It’s just that additional sauces on top of the stipulated amounts will come with an extra charge – 50 cents for curry, BBQ, and honey mustard sauces; 70 cents for salad dressing; 50 cents for hotcakes syrup; and 50 cents for whipped butter. To make things easier, refer to this Condiment Guide posted on McDonald’s customer care page on its website: Photograph: McDonald's Singapore Frankly, a new sauce-rationing protocol from McDonald’s was not on our bingo card this year. Though if you really think about it, it isn’t all that bad. For the average nugget-lover, two tubs of curry sauce should be sufficient to get you through a nine-piece nugget meal. It’s only if you’re a serial dunker that you might want to consider using your sauces more sparingly from now on.  McDonald’s explains that its rationale for implementing ex

Those well acquainted with Bangkok’s vibrant food scene might have heard about Hereduan, the TikTok-viral eatery known for serving runny eggs over rice with Thai toppings like basil chicken or pork jowl. Now, you can enjoy the same glistening plates of egg rice at Running Egg, a new stall which just opened at an unassuming coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio. Photograph: Hereduan Thai Street Food Bangkok Running Egg is the first stall in Singapore to offer this famous Thai street food. To ensure that things are up to standard with Bangkok’s Hereduan, two chefs from the original outlet were flown down to recreate the original recipes. All the ingredients – from the egg and rice down to the condiments – are also imported directly from Thailand for consistency.  Not to be confused with omelette rice or scrambled eggs over rice, Running Egg does a version of egg rice that is a tad more watery and just slightly under-scrambled. This is so that the runny egg can seep into the fluffy bed of rice underneath, adding a more luscious and creamy texture to each mouthful, plus a richer and eggier flavour overall. Photograph: Running Egg Since the stall operates out of a coffee shop in the heartlands, you can expect wallet-friendly prices starting from $5.80, which are even more affordable than Hereduan’s in Bangkok – that’s another cheap eats option to add to your list. On the menu, you’ll find a straightforward selection of five egg rice dishes: prawn ($7.80), chicken basil ($6.80), pork jowl

If your Secret Santee this year happens to have a sweet tooth, you’re in luck, because one of the world’s most popular candy stores is currently holding a pop-up right here in Singapore. Sugarfina is a Los Angeles-based luxury candy boutique which has been around since 2012, known to be patronised by A-listers like Justin Bieber, Reese Witherspoon, and the like. Photograph: Sugarfina This month, the brand unveils a limited-time pop-up in Singapore at Wisma Atria. From now till March 31 next year, the bestselling Dom Pérignon-infused Champagne bear gummies and Rosé Roses will be available for the first time in Southeast Asia – how’s that as a Christmas gift for that special foodie in your life? One special feature of the pop-up experience is the chance to design customisable candy bento boxes where you can pick and choose from Sugarfina’s colourful range of sweets. On top of the signature Champagne bear gummies, there are also dark chocolate sea salt caramels, and a whole range of festive candies and gift sets in stock. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sugarfina Singapore (@sugarfina.sg) The festive collection includes adorable Santa and Nutcracker-themed bento boxes, as well as gummies in the shapes of Christmas trees, mistletoe kisses, stars, and more. Advent calendars in the form of Sugarfina boutiques or gingerbread houses are also available, unveiling a sweet surprise each day. And even if you’re not getting any Christmas-themed gifts, yo

If you want to travel the world with your tastebuds, Singapore is the place to be. We’ve got just about every cuisine, from Thai and Mexican, to Filipino and Mediterranean. But there’s just one gap: Caribbean food. Enter Camp Caribbean, currently the only restaurant in the city serving up dishes from the region. The new barbecue joint is nestled within Gourmet Park Kampong Bugis, the pet-friendly alfresco dining area which took over Camp Kilo. Photograph: Camp Caribbean Standing behind the grill is Jamaican-born chef Ricardo Allen, who previously ran Lime House Caribbean restaurant on Keong Saik Road before it shuttered. Having grown up on his grandmother’s cooking, Chef Ricardo now recreates her recipes at Camp Caribbean for whoever’s down to try it – think dishes from Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, and other islands in the Caribbean. Photograph: Camp Caribbean You can’t talk about Caribbean food without bringing up jerk, which is barbecued meat or seafood marinated in a traditional rub of allspice, thyme, Scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Camp Caribbean’s menu sports all manner of jerk, from chicken ($18), to pork ribs ($34), and as a nod to a local hawker favourite, stingray ($27). Curious to try them all? The Jam Rock Platter (from $69) features all the above together with sides of rice, peas, coleslaw, fried plantain and corn ribs.  Photograph: Camp Caribbean You’ll also find some of Chef Ricardo’s childhood favourites on the menu, like the J

We’re calling it: pizza is the food of the year. It’s got to be, what with the avalanche of new pizza joints that we’ve seen sprouting up across the island in the past few months alone. We’ve eaten our way through plenty of those, and also revisited some favourites that have stolen a pizza our heart. To help you cut through the noise online, we’ve put together a shortlist of five crust-worthy pizzerias in Singapore that we’ve been loving recently. Here’s where to go to if you’re craving a solid slice. 1. Beyond the Dough Photograph: Beyond the Dough Opinions on Beyond the Dough can be quite divided – some find the stripped-down ambience and experience don’t quite justify the price point, and that’s fine. But we like this 28-seater hole-in-the-wall for its unassuming, amorphous pizzas that pack a ton of flavour. Murakami works stealthily and stoicly behind the open counter, preparing each pizza by hand before firing them up in a 500-degree oven for 50 to 60 seconds. The devil is in the details, from exclusively using imported Japanese flour and Okinawan salt, to a stringent 30-hour proofing time.  TRY The classic margherita ($30), which boasts an intense smokiness from the woodfire and a crispy yet chewy crust. It’s a testament to how the right techniques can bring out such big flavours even with simple ingredients like tomato sauce, basil, and cheese. Our favourites, however, are the Singapore Rampage ($39) and 5 Formaggi ($39). The former features a spicy prawn-based sauce

Singapore is a wonderland for foodies, but who knew this small island could sling out some of the best pizzas in the region? The judges of the global 50 Top Pizza Awards, that’s who. The 50 Top Pizza guide is one of Italy’s go-to authorities on where to find the best pizzas in the world. This year, it crowns a humble restaurant in Joo Chiat, Singapore, the 15th best pizzeria in Asia Pacific. And once again, it’s La Bottega Enoteca that takes the cake.  La Bottega is no stranger to the 50 Top Pizza list, having placed among the top 20 in Asia Pacific last year too. This year’s announcement comes as great news — the pizzeria rose four spots from last year where it was 19th best in the region. In 2023, chef-owner Antonio Miscellaneous also bagged a spot in the Top 100 Best Pizza Chef awards, coming in 57th, while master pizzaiolo Franco Pepe from Pepe in Grani came in first.  Photograph: Daniel IskandarLa Bottega Enoteca - Pizza Margherita So what makes La Bottega the 15th best in the region and thereby the top pizzeria in Singapore? We spoke with Chef Antonio himself last year, who shared that it isn’t about adding a “secret ingredient” to the recipe, but rather the “small details that make the difference” – things like cooking temperatures, specific flour ratios, and using the freshest and finest ingredients from Italy.  At La Bottega, Chef Antonio serves his trademark brand of Newpolitan pizza (from $45), a term he coined himself. Each pizza dough undergoes a 48-hour fermen

Serangoon BBQ & Curry (SBC) has long been known as one of the places to visit for glorious, colourful plates of nasi padang that are sure to hit the spot. Run by Mr Peter Tan (Uncle Tan) and his wife (Auntie Cheong), the joint has been serving its loyal customers out of a corner unit in a coffee shop at Sin Ming since 1983. The couple is joined by their son Eugene.  This month, Serangoon BBQ & Curry unveils a new fast-casual dining outlet at Junction 8 in Bishan. In a bid to bring nasi padang to the younger crowd, they’ve launched a modern rice bowl concept to showcase some of the family’s time-honoured recipes alongside bold new flavours. Designed to be mainly a takeaway store, all the rice bowls are served in paper boxes for convenience, but a dining area remains for customers who wish to sit down for a quick meal.  Photograph: Serangoon BBQ & Curry Choose between the regular bowl (main, three sides, and chilli); petite bowl (half-portion main, two sides, and chilli); and for big eaters, the double-up (two mains, three sides, and chilli). We recommend the Beef Rendang Sedap Bowl (from $13.90) to get a taste of the original stall’s rendang recipe, which is a milder version with tender beef chunks that retain a nice bite without any gamey taste. Load up your bowl with curry vegetables (sayur lodeh), Barramundi otak, and house-made sambal – also recipes from the original stall.  Also on the menu is the SRGN Fried Chicken Sedap Bowl (from $10.90). The teriyaki sauce is free o

Despite our tiny stature, Singapore certainly punches above its weight when it comes to food. The city is buzzing with drool-worthy hawker fare and affordable finds for a cheap, fuss-free meal. Yet, for a country this small, we have one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants, sometimes even packed back to back along our busy streets.  It’s no surprise that our to-eat list is inundated with restaurants that we long to try one day. But which are the ones that are truly bucket-list-worthy? Apart from deferring to guides like Michelin and Asia’s 50 Best to help us make a choice, there’s also La Liste – a global gastronomy guide that originated from Martillac in France. Each year, the guide picks out 1000 of the best restaurants in the world after a rigorous six-step assessment process, giving each venue a score out of 100. There are also special award categories like Talent of the Year, Game Changer, Opening of the Year and more.  Photograph: Odette In Singapore alone, 14 restaurants are named among La Liste’s 1000 picks for 2025. Taking the top three spots are Odette with a score of 98, followed by Les Amis and Zén with scores of 97.5 each. These are also the only three restaurants on the island to currently hold three Michelin stars.  Earlier this week, modern French restaurant Odette’s chef-owner Julien Royer bagged another prize – the Best Food Art award at The Best Chef Awards 2024 in Dubai. Meanwhile, Les Amis has proved itself as Singapore’s French

The eighth edition of The Best Chef Awards 2024 recently concluded in Dubai, with 550 chefs across 61 countries named among the world’s finest. From Singapore, chef-owner Julien Royer of three-Michelin-starred Odette takes home a special award for Best Food Art.  The fine dining establishment Odette is no stranger to prestigious lists like Asia’s 50 Best and the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. A meal at this modern French restaurant costs upwards of $300, with a focus on highlighting seasonal ingredients sourced from France. The cherry on top? Beautifully presented dishes plated with artistic flair – befitting its location at the National Gallery.  Photograph: Odette Chef Julien also helms Claudine at Dempsey Hill and the one-Michelin-starred Louise in Hong Kong.  Other special award categories in The Best Chef Awards 2024 include The Best Chef Pastry Award (René Frank of Coda in Germany), The Best Dining Experience Award (Vaughan Mabee of Amisfield in New Zealand), and ten others. The coveted top three spots at this year’s awards are given to chefs whose contributions have significantly redefined modern gastronomy. Clinching the first spot is none other than Chef Rasmus Munk, the man behind the internationally famous Alchemist in Denmark. The restaurant combines theatricality and gastronomy in a whirlwind six-hour meal of 50 courses, and remains on the bucket lists of many foodies around the world.  Photograph: Alchemist Meanwhile, Chef Albert Adrià of Enigma in Spain takes