By Shermin Ng & Brandon Chia,
Singapore is home to all manners of cuisines. Food is an integral part of our culture and heritage, much like monuments of bygone days preserved throughout the island – even our hawker centers and the hands that make them have been inscribed as Singapore’s first element on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up one of the island’s best kept secrets: Restaurants tucked away in heritage sites that serve delectable morsels, breathtaking views and delicious libations. They might surprise even the most patriotic foodies.
Roia is housed within Singapore’s UNESCO World Heritage Botanic Gardens’ E.J.H. Corner House, an iconic building rich in history. Helmed by Chef Priyam Chatterjee – awarded the French knighthood of Chevalier de l’Ordre du Merite Agricole – Roia offers a delectable menu infusing classic French dishes with international influences, drawing inspiration from nature and focusing on an organic approach.
These meticulously created, edible works of art also pay homage to the diverse culture of Singapore. Look forward to Roia toast (affectionately referred to as “My Curry Puff”), a crystal toast made with kudzu flour as well as a rendition of “kueh pie tee” presented in the form of a corn mousse and umibudo-filled snack executed in buckwheat.
1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Restaurant Eclipse sits on the rooftop of Yue Hwa Building. Constructed in 1927, this property used to be a hotel, a cabaret nightclub and now, the Chinese department store we now know it as. Founded by head chef Samuel Quan in 2021, this restaurant serves dishes that fuse familiar local flavours with European elements – for example, the Lobster ‘Hae Bee Hiam’ Risotto (pictured) – that Quan mastered during his time at Michelin-starred restaurants Les Amis, Joel Buchon and Aponiente. There’s also a glorious bar and a spectacular view of Chinatown to boot.
#06-01 Yue Hwa Building, 70 Eu Tong Sen Street
Home to Wildseed Café, 1918 Heritage Bar and UNA Spanish Restaurant, the Alkaff Mansion is a multi-concept lifestyle and dining destination perched atop Telok Blangah Hill. Wildseed offers hearty brunches and casual, all-day fare, 1918 Heritage Bar offers a curated selection of beverages that reflects both classic and locally-inspired concoctions, while UNA Spanish Restaurant serves innovative and contemporary dishes that marry authentic signature delicacies from the South and heartier fare from the North of Spain. The historic mansion is a perfect destination for a weekend gathering, weddings or a romantic night out.
10 Telok Blangah Green
Located in Jalan Besar and housed in a 1930s shophouse, Khiri is a cosy restaurant that dishes out down-to-earth, authentic flavours of Thailand. Head Chef Miller Mai’s tightly curated menus translate the familiar flavours of Thai cuisine with creativity and contemporary techniques. Its current tasting menu includes ‘Yum phonlamai ruam pla grob’ (Crispy Fish Roll, Spicy mango salad with Roasted Hazelnuts), ‘Esaan Kor moo yang’ (Grilled Iberico secreto, Esaan style) and ‘Kaeng buad phueak chor pha-ga’ (Silky Purple Yam Paste served warm with Palm Sugar Dumpling and house churned Coconut Ice Cream) – and changes throughout the year, allowing diners to discover the nuances of Thailand’s diverse regional cuisines.
15 Hamilton Road
Tucked between two shophouses along Emerald Hill, Alley Bar is a cosy heritage cocktail bar that pays homage to the rich Peranakan culture of its surrounds. With bespoke cocktails and bites inspired by Singaporean flavours such as kueh pie tie and chicken satay, this hole-in-the-wall offers classic Nyonya flavours not to be missed.
2 Emerald Hill Road, Peranakan Place
This story first appeared in Harper's Bazaar Singapore