Exploring The Top Restaurants In Chinatown Singapore
Chinatown in Singapore has a rich cultural heritage and historical significance. It’s one of Singapore’s oldest and most vibrant neighbourhoods, tracing its roots back to the early 19th century when Chinese immigrants settled in the area.
It also offers diverse Chinese cuisine, from street-side delights like Hainanese chicken rice and char kway teow to high-end eateries serving Cantonese dim sum and Sichuan hotpot. So let’s explore the best Chinatown restaurants with this guide.
Spring Court
Address: 52-56 Upper Cross St, Singapore 058348 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6564495030
Hours: Daily, 11 AM–2.30 PM and 6–10 PM
Price: $$
Spring Court is a historic family-run restaurant in Chinatown, established in 1929 by HO Loke Yee. It’s renowned for its crispy Peking duck, which is tender, crispy, and moist with a well-marinated flavour that permeates the meat.
We also recommend trying the flavorful popiah (fresh spring rolls), generously filled with prawns, radishes, and vegetables. The steamed vegetable dumplings with bouncy skin and fragrant spinach-garlic filling are great vegetarian options.
Pro-tip: It’s a great restaurant for rowdy celebrations like CNY, but it’s not ideal for quiet, intimate dinners, as it tends to get loud.
Yum Cha
Address: 20 Trengganu St, #02-01, Singapore 058479 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6563721717
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10.30 AM–9 PM; Saturday to Sunday, 9 AM–9 PM
Price: $$
Yum Cha is one of those restaurants that boast an authentic old-school Chinese ambience. What sets it apart are the dim sum carts, each loaded with various dishes like steamed and fried dim sum.
Its xiao long bao impressed us with juicy fillings and soft skins, even after some time being left alone. The meat filling, with bits of fat, adds a creamy texture to the soup dumplings.
Pro-tip: Diners simply choose from the cart, and dishes are served promptly.
Fortune Court
— From scrappyfoodie
Address: 31 Pagoda St, Singapore 059190 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6592349969
Hours: Daily, 11 AM–3 PM and 5.30–10 PM
Price: $$
Fortune Court serves refined Cantonese cuisine with premium ingredients, including its signature egg white conpoy (dried scallops) with crab meat. Its specialities include the white pepper crab and Chef’s Signature Soft Shell Crab.
The deep-fried soft-shell crab is crispy and juicy with a spicy kick from curry seasoning and a coating of pork floss, cereal, and spices. Diners have options for cooking styles like steamed with garlic and egg white or tossed with sauces such as salted egg.
Pro-tip: Its dishes are ideal for sharing, as the menu caters to larger groups.
Ya Kun Kaya Toast
Address: Far East Square, 18 China St, #01-01, Singapore 049560 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6564383638
Hours: Monday to Friday, 7.30 AM–3.30 PM; Saturday to Sunday, 7.30 AM–3 PM
Price: $$
You might be wondering: what’s so special about having kaya toast in Chinatown? Despite its ubiquity across blocks and malls, the authenticity of its soft-boiled eggs, kaya jam, and beverages shines through.
The way Ya Kun Kaya Toast combines butter, jam, and soft-boiled eggs creates a delightful balance, blending tradition with modernity. Plus, the appearance of Ya Kun Kaya Toast resembles old Chinese food stalls, offering a simple yet charming setting.
Pro-tip: Queues can form especially right before lunch, so time your visit accordingly.
Yixing Xuan Teahouse
Address: 78 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088499 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6562246961
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10 AM–8 PM; Friday to Saturday, 10 AM–9.30 PM; Sundays, 10 AM–7 PM
Price: $$
Yixing Xuan Teahouse stands out among Chinese tea shops with its sit-in area and kitchen, offering proper meals alongside tea snacks. It’s an ideal spot for both tea enthusiasts and food lovers.
The shop provides individual cup and self-brewed tea options, featuring fragrant and subtly sweet white tea. Its special pancake is a delightful dessert resembling BBQ pork slices on the outside but filled with warm melted red bean paste inside.
Pro-tip: Refills are available, allowing patrons to relax and enjoy their tea.
Jing Hua Xiao Chi
Address: 21/23 Neil Rd, Singapore 088814 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6562213060
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11.30 AM–3 PM and 5.30–9.30 PM
Price: $$
Jing Hua Xiao Chi is also known as “Singapore’s original dumpling house.” Boasting 28 years of history, it’s a top choice for dumplings in Chinatown.
It specialises in simple Chinese comfort food like its signature dish, pan-fried mixed minced meat and seafood dumplings.
This dish features a unique cylindrical shape with a slightly thicker crust for a crunchy mouthfeel, offering more crisp edges reminiscent of gyoza crust.
Pro-tip: The Teochew pancake (glutinous pastry) is large enough for two people to share generously.
Tippling Club
Address: 38 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088461 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6564752217
Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, noon-midnight; Friday to Saturday, noon–2 AM
Price: $$$
Tippling Club, established by British chef Ryan Clift in 2008, is ranked 27th on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list. It features a small bar for six people and indoor seating for 22 with additional outdoor seating for a dozen guests.
Its lunch deal offers three courses plus snacks for less than S$50, providing a long, leisurely dining experience. Notably, its prawn cracker with garlic aioli and sakura ebi offers a sophisticated twist on a popular Asian snack, rich with umami flavours.
Pro-tip: The menu includes a bag of gummy bears representing their cocktail flavours. Fun, right?
Latteria Mozzarella Bar
Address: 40 Duxton Hill, Singapore 089618 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6560256025
Hours: Daily, noon–2.30 PM and 6–10.30 PM
Price: $$
We heard that Latteria Mozzarella Bar at Duxton Hill offers the widest range of mozzarella cheese in Singapore, so naturally, we had to check it out (being the inquisitive hungry mice that we are!).
Its bocconcini starter features small mozzarella balls with avocado and olive oil cream. Smooth and chewy, with a gentle sourness, it allows the fragrances of olive oil and avocado to shine through, making chewing effortless!
Pro-tip: Try the calamari fritti (fried squid rings): crispy outside, tender inside, and not rubbery!
The Food Peeps Coffee and Deli
Address: 34 Sago St, #01-01, Singapore 059026 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6569708035
Hours: Mondays and Thursdays to Sundays, 8 AM–5 PM
Price: $$
This place is hard to miss, as it’s located near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum in Chinatown.
The Food Peeps Coffee & Deli offers a good sandwich selection including creative items like the Hong Kong breakfast bagelwich and spicy prawn burger.
Its rendang pasta features linguine with generous servings of slow-cooked beef rendang and cilantro. Other brunch options include the Big Breakfast Club, a 3-cheese rosemary waffle best paired with the deli’s iced matcha latte!
Pro-tip: There’s a sunlit courtyard that’s perfect for quiet brunches.
The Coconut Club
Address: 269 Beach Rd, Singapore 199546 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6587253315
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11 AM–2.30 PM and 5–9.30 PM; Saturday to Sunday, 11 AM–9.30 PM
Price: $$
The Coconut Club, housed in a whitewashed traditional shophouse, exudes tropical vibes with wicker chairs, banana leaf-print wallpaper, and blue-and-white tiled flooring. Its menu features coconut-themed dishes with the nasi lemak set as the best seller.
For a shared indulgence, try the ketam masak lemak cili api, a crab dish in spicy turmeric and coconut milk curry. It requires a pre-order two days in advance and is a less cloying take on chilli crab.
Pro-tip: Level two serves as a cosy dining area adorned with rattan furniture and terrazzo flooring.
L’Entrecôte
Address: Floor 1, 36 Duxton Hill, Singapore 089614 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6566907561
Hours: Monday to Thursday, noon–3 PM and 5–10 PM; Fridays and Sundays, noon–3 PM and 5.30–11 PM; Saturdays, 5.30–11 PM
Price: $$
At L’Entrecôte The Steak & Fries Bistro, the concept is simple: juicy steak with fries, a French classic. Served in two portions, the tender steak pairs perfectly with free-flowing steak frites.
But this bistro’s fame lies not just in trimmed steaks but also in its buttery, tangy sauce, generously topped up until the last bite. You can opt for medium-rare to savour the meat’s succulence.
Pro-tip: With only one main dish—the L’entrecote Steak—non-steak eaters may want to take note.
Burnt Ends
Address: 7 Dempsey Rd, #01-02, Singapore 249671 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6562243933
Hours: Tuesday to Wednesday, 6–11 PM; Thursday to Saturday, noon–2.30 PM and 6–11 PM
Price: $$$
Burnt Ends has consistently ranked high, reaching 14 in Asia’s 50 Best 2016 and 30 in 2015, and debuting at 70 in World’s Best 2016. Each dish, though simple in appearance, delivers intense flavours that engage the palate.
For instance, the Jamaican chicken was presented simply on a black plate with a dab of cream. It looked unassuming, but its intoxicating smoky aroma and beautifully spiced, succulent taste made it a standout menu item.
Pro-tip: Securing a reservation may be challenging, as slots can get booked months in advance.