Hungry for hawker food? Craving a cup of kopi? Mad about Mod Sin? Whatever cuisine you’re looking for, the diverse gastronomic options in Singapore can satisfy your appetite. Here’s a sampling of dining locations that offer global flavors, one spoonful at a time.
GO LOCAL
When in Singapore, dine as the locals do: hawker-style. Some of the best local stalls can be found in Chinatown Food Street and Tiong Bahru Market, so be sure to include them in your culinary itinerary. Here are a few dishes you definitely must try:
Chinatown Food Street:
– At Old Airport Road Satay Bee Hoon & BBQ Steamboat, dig into their satay bee hoon, a noodle dish served with meat, vegetables, and bean curd, and topped with a spicy peanut sauce.
– At Food Street Fried Kway Teow Mee, order their stir-fried noodles.
– At Maxwell Road Soon Soon Popiah & Laksa, make room in your tummy for their vegetable spring rolls and curry noodles.
Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre:
– At Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Noodle, order their chicken and wanton noodles.
– At the stall named Tiong Bahru, end your meal with any of their three popular desserts: tau suan (sweet mung bean soup), pulut hitam (black rice pudding with coconut milk), and bubur terigu (sweet wheat porridge).
GO MODERN
Modern Singaporean, or Mod Sin, is an update—with an international twist—of Singaporean staples. To have a taste of Mod Sin, reserve a table at these must-try dining establishments:
Wild Rocket
Singaporean cuisine gone wild? Not quite. This restaurant has the Mod Sin pioneer, Chef Willin Low, at its helm. Savor their Spanner Chilli Crab Linguini with Onsen Egg (“hot-spring egg”) and Roast Chilean Seabass with Chai Poh (preserved radish) Confit and Congee.
Violet Oon
The lady behind this culinary institution is the Singaporean doyenne of Peranakan (Straits Chinese) cuisine. Go for their signature dry laksa noodles and ultra-tender beef rendang (dry curry).
Bincho
Bincho has two faces. It’s the traditional Hua Bee kopitiam by day and the Bincho yakitori cocktail gastrobar by night. Hua Bee is known for their mee pok noodles, butter kopi, and kaya toast, while Bincho is a sophisticated yakitori-ya that’s known for their omakase (chef’s choice), which uses only fresh ingredients and produce in season.
2am:dessertbar
If you have a sweet tooth, then you must check out this cutting-edge dessert bar. Chef Janice Wong, named Asia’s best pastry chef by San Pellegrino in 2013, whips up sweet treats that can please even the most discerning palates. Go for the eight-course dessert degustation for the full 2am:dessertbar experience.
40 Hands
Attention, coffee connoisseurs! Hang out at one of the first cafés in Singapore to serve third-wave coffee. This cozy and neighborhood café takes coffee to the next level. For starters, you may try pairing their iced latte with tau sar pau (red bean bun).
To know more about local and modern dishes in Singapore, you may go here.
