The best gourmet grocery stores in Singapore

Produce, staples, and ready-to-eat meals of fine provenance

Today, the average consumer is increasingly concerned with where their food comes from, choosing to support products that come from local (or regional) and ethical sources. That's the very ethos of Modern Provision, an online grocer by The Ebb & Flow Group. This is where you can find fresh vegetables, meats, and seafood from small-scale farms in Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia, and select parts of the globe. Think rare Iwate wagyu beef from Kakiki Farm, where cows are brought up on nutrient-rich grass and organic corn; or fresh prawns from Clarence River Co-op in Australia, which practices sustainable fishing.

And for those with an occasion to impress (or who simply enjoy the finer things in life), you can also pick up fine foods like premium caviar from Uruguay and ethically sourced raw honey from southwest Australia. That's not to mention the ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat selection, which offers convenient and sustainable meals in one. 

Non-dairy milk options

Lactose intolerant? No problem. For all your alternative milk needs (and more), Six Eleven has got it covered. This online mart stocks brands like Minor Figures, Happy Happy Soy Boy and Rude Health – popular with the non-dairy drinkers club. On top of that, you can easily shop specialty items like Dash Water, sparkling water which uses 'wonky' and misshapen fruits to reduce food waste but also for a natural flavour; and Hunted+Gathered, an ethical a bean-to-bar chocolate company from Melbourne. 

Shop online or from GrabMart.

Premium meats and gourmet groceries

Eater’s Market is the latest spot in Siglap where you can pick up premium meats and groceries. Stop for a while to admire the welcoming and beautiful interior but head straight to the butchery section – it’s the pride of Eater’s – and check out the range of restaurant quality, sustainably sourced and hormone-free meats from around the world. If you’re familiar with your meats, your eyes will light up with its selection like Japanese and Australian Wagyu beef, dry-aged beef, Spanish Iberico pork, grass-fed beef, grain-fed and free-range beef,  Australian lamb, fresh chicken and more. No time to waste? Marinated meats, ready-to-cook chicken mignon, seasoned gourmet patties, skewers and barbecue bundles are also available. To save time, sous vide, dry aging and marination services are also available to enhance your dining experience. Skip the preparation process altogether and pick up ready-to-eat dishes like chashu, duck confit, smoked beef brisket and Shepherd’s pie.

Besides the fine selection of meats, the store also stocks gourmet goods and groceries. Shop hand-picked goods, cheeses, condiments, gluten-free bread, snacks, craft beer, wines, sake and whiskey – that would no doubt complement the meal or spread you’re making at home. 

Deal hunters, rejoice – get free 100g of Australian Wagyu beef for orders $50 and above.

Check out the catalog online: www.eatersmarket.sg

Everything Japanese

Gourmet groceries and a gourmet meal

Occupying over 15,000sqft over at Dempsey, Culina houses the best specialty ingredients from around the world under one roof. Let the intoxicating scent of freshly baked bread welcome you through the doors as you explore its display of premium meats, seafood, pastries, cheeses and wine. It's not just a marketplace, either. After all the shopping, take a seat at the modern bistro for comforting plates of fish and chips ($30) and spaghettini tossed with crabmeat in a spicy tomato sauce ($34).

Packaging-free shopping

A slice of Italy

It might be called a restaurant and bar, but walk past the dining area and you'll find long lines of fridges that produly display quality Italian produce. Get some fresh pasta that's made on the spot, or choose from the seasonal selection of cheeses, which might include the blue cheese with chocolate liqueur or ocelli wrapped in chestnut leaves, as well as other cold cuts. Cured meats, pasta sauces, and other ingredients are also available for those looking to bring home a slice of Italy.

Briny-fresh seafood offerings

While The Fishwives specialise in – you guessed it, fish – its retail outlet also offers a whole range of meats, poultry, and deli products, and even more specialised items like gluten-free breads and camel milk. Its fishmonger section holds a wide variety of trout, white fish, prawns and other seafood. Of note is its Akaroa salmon, air-flown from New Zealand twice a week, while fresh wild caught snapper and grass-fed lamb come in once a week. Other items on retail include condiments and truffle products, as well as alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic spirits. 

Fresh, organic produce and plastic-free living

Direct from Australia is Scoop Wholefoods, which opened its first international store just a couple of months ago in Singapore. It specialises in retailing organic and natural products in bulk, allowing customers to buy only as much as they need, thus minimising food waste. Scoop offers a range of organic cold-pressed oils and vinegars, multiple varieties of roasted nuts and organic chocolates, and a fermentary section which carries kimchi, kefir, saeurkraut and beetroot kvass. Customers are also encouraged to get hands-on, with a unique machine that allows you to churn your own nut butters (from $6/250g), boxes of loose-leaf teas for you to mix your own tea blends, and even a DIY section that allows you to make your own floor cleaners, soap bars and lip balms. Fresh organic kombucha is also available on tap ($9.75/200ml), sourced from local brand Fizzicle. Scoop espouses plastic-free living, selling stainless steel tiffin tins, reusable bags and bamboo drinking straws in-store to encourage their shoppers to do the same. 

Cheese and charcuterie

Whether you're looking to impress at a dinner party or just a cheese-fanatic (aren't we all?), The Cheese Shop offers a whole range of soft and hard cheeses, from the regular feta ($7.25) and Munster ($7) to the premium Camembert de Normandie ($14) and Hornbacher ($20). Its cosy, well-organised retail outlets at Joo Chiat and Jurong also stock a variety of wines, sausages, charcuterie and pâtés, so you can easily craft the perfect cheese board for your dinner party.

Vive la France

This three-in-one bistro, wine bar and gourmet store is your one-stop-shop for all things French. There’s artisanal produce, world-renowned wines and delicacies sourced from the Nouvelle Aquitaine South West region in particular. Pick up caviar, foie gras and Marennes-Oléron oysters from its épicerie, before heading over to their bistro to enjoy regional French specialities such as pork pâté terrine ($18), garlic butter snails ($22), and duck confit ($32). 

Premium meat and dairy

Open since July 2008, Huber’s is more than just butcher. Its Dempsey outlet sells imported dairy products, frozen seafood, salads, fresh breads and even fondue pots. Beyond being the purveyor of prime cuts of meat – popular items include the Australian Stockyard Angus grain-fed beef, lamb chops and sausages – Huber's also tends to any of your portion cutting, marinating, roasting, vacuum packing needs. And as all the butchers are former cooks and chefs, you know your grub is safe in their hands.

Gluten-free goods

After learning of their son’s intolerance to dairy, gluten, nuts, soya, eggs and yeast, the owners of Ryan’s Grocery made numerous trips to Australia to source for products safe for his consumption. The result: one of the widest ranges of allergen-free goods from small farms and farmer’s markets in Singapore. It also stocks organic and free-range meat at its butchery, including grass-fed Blackwood Valley beef from Western Australia, which is available in an assortment of cuts, from striploin to rib-eye and beef blade to brisket.

For cheese and premium food items

It's easy to drool over the gourmet options at this cafe/grocers in Dempsey Hill. I mean, the place has a dedicated walk-in cheese room at the corner of the space. If you’ve not gone down to drool over this posh grocer’s delectable gourmet options, it’s time you did. Since opening it's first store outside Australia, Jones the Grocer has become the place to shop for premium food items. If you need help on your cheese, the store also offers locally crafted cheese and has an in-house fromager to assist with all purchases. 

Eco-conscious food

Hidden away from the bustle of Orchard Road, organic and natural food and health store SuperNature specialises in certified imported groceries, children’s food, supplements, cleaning products that are better for Mother Earth. SuperNature also has a farm box delivery service that supplies you with a range of organic foods, groceries, homecare, health supplements and wellness products if you're too busy to head down to shop.

Epicurean gifts 

With five stores across the island, The Providore is a convenient spot to pick up gourmet products and other kitchen staples. Choose from custom-blended teas, Swiss chocolates, and jams – each beautifully packaged for easy gifting. The retail concept also has a café, deli counter and bakery where you can grab fresh pastries to-go or to enjoy with a freshly brewed cup of Joe. 

Ethical produce from niche farms

Stock up on Aussie supplies and ethically sourced produce from artisanal farmers at Little Farms. The store in Valley Point retails a colourful display of organic, farm-fresh produce, as well as pasta, milk, and preservative-free meats from Down Under. Homegrown brand The Whole Kitchen’s gluten- and refined sugar-free snacks can also be found in the aisles, next to cult favourites such as Soma Organics energy bars and Doodles Creek sauces.