Your ultimate guide to Singapore

A household name for Southern food in the United States, The Bird has landed on our shores and made The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands its first Asian nest. Famed for its Chicken 'N' Watermelon 'N' Waffle ($45), the restaurant's signature dish is made with chicken that's been brined for 27 hours before it's dredged in flour and pressure-fried 'til golden brown on the outside but still juicy on the inside. Served with spiced watermelon, cheddar cheese waffles, honey hot sauce and bourbon maple syrup, this chicken feast is good enough to fill two bellies. You'll also want to leave space for other star dishes like The Bird's fried green tomato BLT ($18), skillet cornbread ($10) and its Singapore-inspired Low Country Laksa ($38).

Be transported to the isles of Greece when you step into Bakalaki. Get your fix of Mediterranean cuisine by ordering a platter of dips including tzatziki ($14.90), Greek yogurt with cucumber, and taramosalata ($15.90), a white cod roe spread that you can slather onto warm slices of pita bread, fresh from the oven. The spacious tavern is perfect for entertaining large groups, so order one of its mixed grilled meat or seafood platters to share. The meat tray (from $97.90) comes with grilled skewers, lamb chops, meatballs and sausages, while the seafood platter (from $118.90) has a mix of squid, octopus and prawns.

Feast on an Italian dishes prepared by chef Yohhei Sasaki at this poolside restaurant. Il Cielo's new head chef has cooked in Michelin-starred restaurants around Italy and has amassed a repertoire of signature dishes such as his Hokkaido sea urchin spaghetti with Sardinia bottarga and yuzu juice. Opt for the degustation menu for a taste of what chef Sasaki has to offer. The 5-course $88 menu focuses more on Italian classics, while the $118 menu features a mix of Japanese and Italian dishes that incorporate ingredients such as sea bream and Toriyama wagyu.

With floor-to-ceiling windows that offer panoramic views of Orchard Road from the 24th floor of the Shangri-La, Nami is out to elevate Japanese cuisine. And head chef Shigeo Akiba is up for the task – he's cooked for Japanese royalty and spent five years working with Iron Chef Koumei Nakamura. His specialities include pan-fried tuna head glazed with sweet soy sauce ($60), steam abalone in kimo sauce ($90), and Japanese beef sirloin served with Kyoto vegetables in a dashi broth ($70). Dashi is central to Akiba's cuisine, it's made with the best kombu and katsuobushi sourced from the sea off northern Hokkaido, and is the cornerstone to most of the dishes you'll find at Nami.  

For simple comfort food that hits the spot, head to Five Ten. The pop-up restaurant serves Taiwanese-inspired dishes all priced at either $5 or $10. The Lu Rou Fan ($10), a pork belly rice bowl served with an onsen egg and kai lan over Japanese rice, is our favourite. Have the rice bowls on their own or order a couple of side dishes like sautéed chicken hearts ($5) and beef tripe skewers ($10) with pickled cabbage to share. While Five Ten has cheap beers and drinks on the menu for the backpacker crowd, don't miss principal barista Time Chew's cold brews. The result of months of research and development, the cold brews come in three flavours of black, white and mocha, and are sure to keep you wired for the rest of the day.

The Japanese secret to glowing skin and better digestion? An alcohol-free beverage made from fermented rice called amazake. Amamoto is a new grab-and-go concept conveniently located at the basement of One Raffles Place that specialises in the beverage. Have it plain with soy milk ($4.80) or try it in a variety of flavours including matcha ($5), mango ($5.80) and orange ($5.80). Those on the hunt for a healthy meal can also grab a soba salad topped with amazake-marinated chicken ($12.80) served with a side of amazake-based dressings.