Food Near Bugis | PARKROYAL on Beach Road | Eat Like a Local

 chef stirring food in a wok  chef stirring food in a wok

10 Must-Go Places to Eat Like a Local in Singapore

You'll Never Run Out of Food Options in Singapore

Henry Miller once wrote: “The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” There is no better time to experience such a divine awareness of life than when tucking into good food when travelling in Singapore. 

A gastronomic paradise, bar none, Singapore’s food scene is simply heavenly, whether you’re surrounded by locals queuing for an aromatic plate of succulently steamed chicken rice, or savouring dainty morsels of dim sum at 2:00 am. It’s not surprising then, that the world’s cheapest Michelin-star meal is found here.

In this article, the foodies at PARKROYAL on Beach Road suss out the Garden City’s best food experiences. Read on to find out where we locals flock to satisfy our culinary cravings.  

1. Award-winning Dining in Singapore


New Ubin Seafood

Address
63 Hillview Avenue, Level 6 (Canteen)
Singapore 669569                                                                                                                              
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 11:00am to 3:00pm, 5:30pm to 10:00pm
Mondays: 5:30am to 10:00pm
Phone Number
+65 6466 9558

 

Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle

Address
78 Smith Street, Singapore 058972                                                                                                    
Opening Hours
10:00am to 8:00pm, daily except Wednesday

 

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles

Address
Tai Hwa Eating House
466 Crawford Lane, #01-12, Singapore 190465                                                                                
Opening Hours
9:30am to 9:00pm daily
Phone Number
+65 6292 7477

 

Braci

Address
52 Boat Quay #05-01/#06-01
Singapore 049841                                                                                                                             
Opening Hours
Monday and Saturday: 5:00pm to 12:00am
Tuesday to Friday: 12:00pm to 2:00pm and 5:00pm to 12:00am
Closed on Sundays
Phone Number
+65 6866 1933


Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant at PARKROYAL on Beach Road

Address
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591                                                                                                                              
Opening Hours
Lunch - 11:30am to 2:30pm
Dinner - 6:30pm to 10:30pm
Phone Number
+65 6505 5722

In 2017, the Michelin Guide bestowed the Bib Gourmand Award to some 38 food establishments in Singapore. The Bib Gourmand is awarded to food establishments that offer high quality food at reasonable prices – a meal can’t cost more than $45 – so you won’t be paying an arm and a leg here.

Receiving a nod from the Bib Gourmand list is New Ubin Seafood. An established food haunt with humble beginnings, it started in a home kitchen offering mouthwatering kampong-style seafood on the rustic island of Pulau Ubin off the eastern waters of Singapore. Now located in an industrial building at Hillview Avenue, this zi char ("cooked food" in Hokkien, a Chinese dialect) restaurant continues to whip up wok-fried delicacies like Sri Lankan chili crab, salted egg yolk squid, and delectable western staples such as the Black Angus rib eye steak.

A trip to Singapore wouldn’t be complete without a taste of its national dish – the humble yet unmistakable chicken rice. At Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle, you’ll be able to savour a Cantonese twist to the dish, while checking off “Eat the world's cheapest Michelin-star meal” from your bucket list. It’s one of only two hawker stalls in Singapore to be bestowed with a Michelin star; the other is the equally queue-worthy Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles.

For more upscale dining options, try Braci, a new entrant to the Michelin Guide Singapore 2017. Braci is an unpretentious Italian restaurant occupying the top floor of a restored shophouse along the Singapore River. With only space for 20 people, the Braci experience is akin to being a guest in someone’s kitchen, where you can interact with the chefs while viewing how your meal is being cooked and put together.

Game for something hot and spicy? Offering an experience that is akin to a Michelin-starred restaurant, Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant at PARKROYAL on Beach Road is well known for its authentic and out-of-this-world spicy Sichuan cuisine. For chilli-lovers, don’t miss out on the Chong Qing Diced Chicken with Dried Chilli; it promises to raise your capsaicin tolerance levels to new astronomic heights. Other notable dishes here are its Ma Po Tofu (spicy fried tofu with minced meat concoction) and Sichuan Dan Dan Noodle.

Get directions to New Ubin Seafood

Get directions to Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle

Get directions to Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles

Get directions to Braci

2. Best Local Food in Singapore


Tiong Bahru Market

Address




Tiong Bahru Market
Seng Poh Road
Singapore 168898                                                                                                 
Opening Hours


Hours vary, but most stalls open early in the morning till after lunchtime.      
                                            
Ginger 

Address                  


7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591                                                                                               
Opening Hours



Phone number
Breakfast - 6:00am to 10:30am
Lunch - 12:00pm to 2:30pm
Dinner - 6:00pm to 10:00pm

+65 6505 5710

Tiong Bahru Market is one of Singapore’s first modern markets to be established within a housing area. Its name “Tiong Bahru” has become synonymous with good food. If you’re able to visit only one major hawker centre in Singapore, make it a trip to Tiong Bahru.

Once you’re here, zoom in on the following stalls: Jian Bo Shui Kueh (#02-05), serving shui kueh that is also known as chwee kueh, a steamed rice cake with savoury preserved radish toppings; Min Nan Prawn Noodle (#02-31), Tiong Bahru Char Kway Teow (#02-11), a fragrant stir-fried flat rice noodles, and Kim Fa Fish Ball Minced Meat Noodles (#02-64). These stalls are easy to spot as they attract a constant line of fans like nectar to bees.

While Tiong Bahru estate attracts visitors with its decidedly hipster vibe, filled with art cafes, indie bookstores, and designer boutiques, the hawker centre continues to cater to folks who live in the neighbourhood. Hence, it’s not surprising to find locals and tourists here at all times of the day, travelling from far-flung corners of the island (or globe) to indulge in their favourite local delights.

Nestled by Singapore’s city centre and a stone’s throw from the scenic Kampong Glam enclave, the fully refurbished all-day dining restaurant Ginger at PARKROYAL on Beach Road reopens with a brand new look that celebrates the abundance of Singapore's natural beauty and the spirit of 'A City in a Garden'. Helmed by the hotel’s resident culinary master Executive Chef Vincent Aw, Ginger is where one satiates all cravings for local delights – featuring the Signature Crabs (Chilli, Pepper and Kam Heong), Slow-braised Beef Rendang, Crispy Lamb Ribs with Thai Mint Sauce – evident in its á la carte buffet that is undoubtedly the highlight!

The menu is heavily influenced by the rich diversity of Singapore’s culinary heritage, along with a sprinkling of South East Asian flavours, marrying the best of traditional tastes and cooking techniques, with a modern and sometimes, unexpected twist.

Get directions to Tiong Bahru Market

3. Best Cafes and Desserts in Singapore


% Arabica

Address
56 Arab St, Singapore 199753                                                                                     
Opening Hours
8:00am to 8:00pm daily
Closed Mondays
Phone Number
+65 6291 3887

 

Ciel Patisserie

Address
124 Hougang Avenue 1 #01-1444                                                                            
Singapore 530124                                                                          
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Thursday: 11:00am to 8:00pm
Friday to Saturday: 11:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday: 3:00pm to 9:00pm
Closed Mondays
Phone Number
+65 6383 0803
   

 


Originally from Kyoto, Japan, % Arabica was founded by coffee farm owner and coffee machine distributor Kenneth Shojiand latte art world champion Junichi Yamaguchi. Located opposite PARKROYAL on Beach Road, the sleek and minimalist designed café is best known for its excellent coffee, brewed with beans that are roasted in-house (each outlet has its own roastery!).

For light and fluffy artisan cakes, head to Ciel Patisserie. Tucked away in the Hougang heartlands, this charming artisanal bakery is probably one of Singapore’s best-kept secrets. The hot favourites here are the Lemon Meringue Tart and Strawberry Shortcake; the Bombe, a dark chocolate mousse concoction with blueberries, is also to die for.

Get directions to % Arabica

Get directions to Ciel Patisserie

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4. Singapore’s Best Supper and 24-Hour Eating Places


Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant

Address
191 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208882                                                                                                           
Opening Hours
Monday to Saturday: 11:00am to 2:30pm and 6:00pm to 6:00am
(Sundays and Public Holidays) 10:00am to 3:00pm and 6:00pm to 6:00am
Phone Number
+65 6225 7788
 
 
Mr Prata
 
Address
26 Evans Rd #01-02 
Singapore 259367                                                                                                           
Opening Hours
Open 24 hours daily
Phone Number +65 6235 6993

Feeling peckish at midnight? Head to Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant, one of Singapore’s most popular supper haunts. The words “dim sum” mean “touch your heart,” and a leisurely dim sum meal, where you sample small portions of Cantonese food, is one of Singaporeans’ favourite national pastimes. According to popular food blogger Daniel’s Food Diary, the must-tries here are the Steamed Salted Egg Custard Bun, the humble siew mai (steamed dumplings), and the Portuguese Egg Tart.

Another supper option you can’t go wrong with is Mr Prata, located near the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Serving popular local Indian dishes such as roti prata and murtabak (a flat bread filled with savoury ingredients such as mutton or chicken), it’s easy to get to, and you can always walk off the calories after.  

Get directions to Mr Prata

Get directions to Swee Choon Tim Sum

 

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