The best restaurants and cafés in Chinatown

Established in 1929, Spring Court is the oldest family-run restaurant in Singapore. First opened at Great World Amusement Park as Wing Choon Yuen, it is now run by third-generation owner Mike Ho in a four-storey heritage shophouse along Upper Cross Street. Instead of classic Cantonese cuisine, the establishment serves Singaporean-Chinese food, which Ho explains is a touch more spicy, “Our food reflects the tastes of Singaporeans who are accustomed to Indian and Malay flavours, and the different Chinese dialect groups like the Hokkiens and Teochews.”

Notable dishes to try include the traditional popiah ($8.50), yam ring with mixed vegetables and prawns ($42), Singapore’s chilli crab in claypot (seasonal price), and the crab meat roll with chicken liver and salted egg ($15.80 per roll). We recommend saving some space for dim sum, which is masterfully prepared by chefs who have been with the restaurant for over two decades.   

Located right beside the historic Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, this under-the-radar café is the perfect spot to hang out with friends over well-executed brunch fare and coffee. The Food Peeps Coffee and Deli offers an extensive menu comprising brunch favourites with a twist like rendang on toast ($15) and 3-cheese rosemary waffle ($16), and heartier items like creamy chicken pesto ($16). There are also plenty of healthy options available like the acai bowl ($11) and grilled halloumi & mushroom salad ($15). While the coffee is good, their speciality iced drinks, especially the sea salt litchi lemonade ($6), are perfect thirst quenchers for the afternoon heat.

If you appreciate a bowl of good pho, check out this unassuming eatery located at Fook Hai Building on the corner of Upper Hokkien Street and South Bridge Road. Run by a lady chef who hails from Ho Chi Minh, May Pho Culture serves authentic Vietnamese dishes that are so good that even Vietnamese locals endorse them. We tried the beef tenderloin pho ($17.90) and it’s safe to say that it was  one of the best phos we’ve ever had – the soup was herby, robust and full of flavour, while the beef was juicy, tender and cooked to perfect doneness. For pocket-friendly options, try the beef brisket pho ($12.90) or the chicken supreme pho ($11.90). The fresh spring rolls ($9.90) are equally impressive, chock-full of pork slices, shrimp and rice noodles.

For quality brunch fare at pocket-friendly prices, Afterwords is the place to be. Spacious and inviting, the 50-seater spot serves excellent coffee brewed from beans by Common Man Coffee Roasters, as well as ice cream from the famed Fatcat Ice Cream Bar. For those craving something savoury, there is a variety of brunch options like the everything on a waffle ($16), comprising crisp and fragrant pandan waffle topped with scrambled eggs and sausages. Alternatively, the chix in a waffle ($11), featuring fried chicken and sunny-side-up egg sandwiched in a half-waffle, is a hearty and comforting treat that will satisfy even the most discerning taste buds. If you prefer to stick to sweet options, for the love of French toast ($15) is a must-try, consisting coffee-infused brioche French toast served with berry compote, almond flakes and maple syrup. You can request to add a scoop of ice cream at an additional cost – the espresso and dark chocolate are crowd favourites that pair perfectly with the toast.

Meat lovers will want to bookmark this no-frills Korean BBQ buffet spot along Kreta Ayer Road that offers free flow quality meats and sides at only $34.90 per person. We like how the establishment uses charcoal grills instead of gasoline ones, lending a distinctive smoky flavour to the meats. There is an extensive selection of meats that diners can choose from including beef brisket, beef bulgogi, spicy pork belly, shoulder loin and more. If you still have space for more meat, try the pig trotters ($47) – the meat, cooked for hours in a pot of homemade braise sauce, is moist, fork tender and full of flavour. As with every Korean meal, the buffet includes free-flow side dishes like kimchi, seasoned spinach, and seasoned bean sprouts among others.

Located on bustling Pagoda Street, Fortune Court is a 38-seater Cantonese restaurant run by a group of former staff from Peony Jade who lost their jobs when the Clarke Quay outlet shuttered during the pandemic. Serving refined Cantonese cuisine prepared with premium ingredients, the dishes are similar to the ones served at Peony Jade, such as the eggplant with floss appetiser ($9.80), the XO lobster ee fu noodles ($58.80 for small), and the egg white conpoy with crab meat ($18.80 for small). Their dishes are designed for sharing, so come in a larger group to try more signature dishes like the white pepper crab (seasonal price). Prepared using Sri Lankan crabs, the meat is fresh, plump and sweet. Diners can choose to have their crabs cooked in other ways like steamed with garlic and egg white or tossed with sauces like salted egg.

Sichuan restaurants and eateries are a dime a dozen in Chinatown, but none are as popular as Old Chengdu Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant along Pagoda Street. Incepted in 2007, this family-run restaurant shot to fame after it was featured by international media CCTV4 for serving authentic Sichuan cuisine. Since then, you’ll notice snaking queues on both weekdays and weekends. If you manage to score a table, be sure to try some of their signature dishes like the double boiled fish (from $36), featuring fresh slices of fish served in a ‘mala’ base of chicken broth, chilli oil and Sichuan peppers; and the frogs in pickled chilli ($28.50), boasting succulent, firm and flavourful frog meat. Diners who like variety will appreciate that the restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes ranging from cold dishes like beef tripe in chilli oil ($21.80) to meats like mala beef fillet ($28.50) and fresh seafood including mala crayfish ($31.80) and spicy crab ($61.80).