Singapore fling: The latest hot places to stay, dine and drink

This story is from the team at NZ House & Garden magazine.

Never ask a Singaporean where to eat – unless you have 10 minutes you’ll never need back. Because aside from shopping, eating is almost a contact sport among Singapore’s 5.6 million residents who aren’t shy about sharing details of their favourite hawker market or where to find the tastiest chilli crab.

They have a lot to choose from: at last count there were almost 13,700 eateries crammed into a space roughly the size of Auckland city, serving a mash-up of cuisine borrowed from Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western diets. Toss in Peranakan or Nyonya cuisine, which features regional variations, and you wind up with some fascinating gastronomic choices.

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Those choices just got harder with the opening of a number of new restaurants and bars. Here’s our pick of some of the best.

Revival

The owners refer to this chic spot as a ‘‘humble neighbourhood bar’’ but its fit out and offerings would suggest their concept of humble is different to most people’s. Think classic Raffles-style interiors and a commitment to changing the menu concept every few months. The extensive cocktail menu is divided into styles – Neoclassicism, Cubanism, Romanticism and lots of other “isms’’ – but all you really need to know is that you’ll sate your thirst with some of the coolest beverages in Singapore. revivalbarsg.com

Rempapa

If eating food cooked by an acclaimed chef and judge of MasterChef Singapore is important to you, then pull up a chair at Damian D’Silva’s restaurant. Start the day with chickpea curry, come back for a lunch of kampong chicken and end the day with baca assam – tender beef brisket with Peranakan/Indian flavours. instagram.com/rempapasg

Kaarla

To those of you wondering why someone would fly to Singapore to try Australian produce and wine, eat at this Market St restaurant and then comment. Aussie chef John-Paul Fiechtner does amazing things with salt-cured kangaroo and grilled southern rock lobster but that’s not all you come here for – the views of the city skyline will earn you lots of likes on Instagram. kaarla-oumi.sg

Pangium

Appropriately for a restaurant named after a tree, this stylish eatery is located in the heart of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Opened in June last year, this is the spot to enjoy 180-degree views of the surrounding Unesco World Heritage Site while you nibble on a tasting menu that infuses traditional Singaporean flavours with contemporary influences. restaurantpangium.sg

Marguerite

We all know of Gardens by the Bay, a slice of greenery set within Singapore’s urban jungle where a canopy of steel Supertrees thrusts its futuristic limbs skywards. The 101ha of reclaimed land is also home to Marguerite, the fine-dining restaurant helmed by Australian chef Michael Wilson. Recently awarded a Michelin star, expect to be served the likes of scallops with wild mushroom custard or smoked eel with caviar. marguerite.com.sg

The Coconut Club

‘‘People, heart and everything coconut’’ runs the tagline at this fun restaurant which recently opened a second branch. The unique selling point is coconut milk produced onsite using a machine built by a Formula 1 engineer. But there’s nothing gimmicky about the menu – think nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves) and rendang sapi (beef braised for 36 hours in coconut milk and spices). thecoconutclub.sg

Ginger Lily

You don’t have to be staying at the Hilton Singapore Orchard hotel to sip a drink at this lounge bar whose interior leans towards elegant botanics. Cocktails are inspired by native herbs and spices but if you’re craving something sweet, book in for the popular afternoon tea which goes big on the Hilton’s signature cheesecake as well as the intriguing sounding triple fermented chocolate cake. instagram.com/ginger.lilysingapore

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel Telegraph Singapore

After all that eating you’ll need somewhere to rest your weary belly so check into the new Hotel Telegraph. Carved into the shell of a heritage building, this was once headquarters for the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company. Today, the 134 rooms and suites of this five-star hotel mix classic cool with pops of colour and the kind of art that will have you wondering a) where you can buy similar and b) if you can fit it into your carry-on luggage. thehoteltelegraph.com

Pullman Singapore Orchard

The owners of this five-star hotel got the memo about location, location, location – it is smack-bang in the middle of Orchard Rd, Singapore’s retail mecca. You don’t even need to leave your hotel to max out the credit card as it sits atop Knightsbridge Mall. There are 326 “smart” rooms using the latest technology, while three restaurants, a gym/pool and in-room fitness kits add to the appeal. pullmansingaporeorchard.com