Singapore is known for many things, but its cuisine reigns supreme when it comes to providing tourists with a glimpse of the Singaporean experience. Even though this country is the smallest in Southeast Asia, it is full of multicultural flavors that showcase Singapore’s local ingredients, culinary talents, and rich history.
Indeed, diners everywhere dream of tasting the country’s best tasting meals. However, with so many restaurants to choose from, these foodies often have a hard time mapping out which fares to taste. That is why we are listing seven restaurants that will take you from the end Dining at Changi airport experience local hotspots worth waiting in line for.
Yun Nans
If you have a few hours to spare before your flight out of Singapore, there are plenty of restaurants in and around Changi Airport that can whet your appetite. One of the most popular is Yun Nans. Yun Nans is the largest chain of casual dining restaurants from Yunnan, China, and the branch in Jewel Changi is the brand’s first from its home country. The restaurant’s specialty? Yunnan cuisine, of course!
Using the freshest ingredients collected directly from Yunnan Province, Yun Nan creates delicious meals that combine tradition and comfort all on one plate. Yun Nan’s signature try include steamed chicken pot soup with Yunnan red mushroom and cross-bridge rice noodles. Other favorites include beef stew in a copper set, charcoal grilled sea bass with lemongrass, and rice noodles tossed with shredded chicken.
Labyrinth
Singapore has many multi-award-winning restaurants that take the country’s traditional flavors and reimagine them in more modern dishes. Labyrinth, for example, explores the old recipes of Singapore and turns them into neo-Singaporean cuisines that justify the one Michelin Star restaurant classification.
Located at Esplanade – Theaters on the Beach, Labyrinth’s contemporary food menu uses ingredients sourced from local farmers, fishermen and fishing ports. Their lunch tasting menu features their signature chilli crab dish, as well as Singaporean fare such as bak chor mee and ice kacang. Their dinner menu, on the other hand, features rojak, fried chicken crispy rice, and char kway teow.
Labyrinth is open for dinner on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, between 6:30 and 10:30 PM. It is open for lunch from Thursday to Sunday from 12:00 to 2:30 PM as well. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
Cloudstreet
Helmed by award-winning, Singapore-based, Michelin Star chef Rishi Naleendra, Cloudstreet offers an extravagant and intimate dining experience that guests will never forget. Located on Amoy Street, Cloudstreet exudes the epitome of luxury and comfort. From the restaurant’s upscale decor to its sumptuous dishes, guests will definitely feel that they are being treated to a once-in-a-lifetime meal that is worth wearing their faciest attire for.
What makes Cloudstreet unique is its six-course meal and eight-course tasting menus. These menus are ever-changing and seamlessly incorporate the seasonal flavors of Singapore. That said, you need to make reservations quickly if you don’t want to miss the chance to taste Cloudstreet’s offerings.
328 Katong Laksa
Singapore has many iconic dishes, and one of them is laksa. Laksa is a spicy noodle dish made from rice noodles, coconut milk based soup, and toppings. The best place to get a bowl of this warm and comforting meal in Singapore is at 328 Katong Laksa.
328 Katong Laksa has several outlets in the country, but the one on the East Coast is the most famous. Graced by chef and TV personality, Gordon Ramsay, 328 Katong Laksa in the East Coast serves this simple yet delectable dish using Peranakan-based flavors to give it its signature taste. The restaurant’s founder, Lucy, and her son, Ryan Koh, have perfected their laksa recipe, which many patrons say can’t be beat. After all, this mother-son duo was able to beat Ramsay in a hawker food challenge in 2013.
Warong Nasi Pariaman
Nasi padang is another beloved dish in Singapore. This dish has Indonesian roots, and contains hot rice along with various pre-cooked dishes. Although this meal is simple, the rice is soaked in the main flavors of the country, giving the goodies a symphony of flavors that range from salty to spicy. If you want to get the best nasi padang in town, then you must go to Warong Nasi Pariaman.
Warong Nasi Pariaman is located on North Bridge Street, and is the oldest stall still selling Nasi Padang. It is a certified Halal restaurant where you can sit down and have a casual meal with the locals. Some of its notable fares include ayam bakar, rendang daging, and ikan goreng.
In addition to serving excellent nasi padang meals, Warong Nasi Pariaman has earned accolades including a spot in the list of the 28 Best Restaurants in Singapore in 2019. In 2016, the restaurant was awarded the Heritage Award for the preservation of local culinary traditions.
The abundance of options makes choosing a place to eat in Singapore a challenging experience, especially when you want to taste the main flavors of the country. Add these spots to your itinerary, and you’ll have an easier time sampling Singapore’s new, old and most popular dishes during your stay in the country.