The best Peranakan restaurants in Singapore

What is it? Pangium is award-winning Singaporean chef Malcolm Lee's second restaurant with the COMO Group, serving contemporary Straits cuisine. 

Why we love it: Located in the majestic backyard of the Singapore Botanic Gardens along Gallop Road, there's no shortage of scenic views here. At Pangium, Lee distils his Nyonya heritage and presents it as refined creations. Think sweet buttery pang susi sporting a bolo bun crust, king prawn and tea tree mushroom fritters, and buah keluak otah paired with nasi ulam. However, it is the impressionable tau yu bak (soy-braised pork) that takes the cake. Expect ingenious layers of gelatinous braised sea cucumber, pork jowl patty, and roasted wawa cabbage, made to resemble the iconic pork belly dish.

Time Out tip: The $258 Journey menu is sufficient to fill you up for dinner, but for the full experience, go for the $298 menu.

Address: 11 Gallop Rd, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore 259015
Opening hours: Wed 6.30pm-7.30pm; Thu-Sat noon-1pm, 6.30pm-7.30pm
Expect to pay: From $198 for lunch

What is it? What started out as a successful private home dining business in Malaysia has since evolved into a standalone restaurant at Orchard Gateway. Chef-owner Danny Chew wanted to open a space where people could come together and bond over hearty Nyonya grub.

Why we love it: It's all about time-tested recipes at Bonding Kitchen. Think homemade kueh pie tee shells stuffed with the usual fixings of turnips, mushrooms, pork belly, prawns and more. Or classic ngoh hiang rolls that don't miss out a key ingredient – water chestnut. Other dishes include the hearty wagyu beef or pork rib rendang, stewed with over 15 types of local herbs and spices. 

Time Out tip: The bakwan kepiting is a must-try, and pre-orders are necessary. This is a traditional Peranakan soup made of seafood, pork and chicken broth with bamboo shoots. Inside, you'll find chunks of pork and crab meat.  

Address: 277 Orchard Rd, Orchard Gateway, #02-18, Singapore 238858
Opening hours: Daily 11.30am-9.30pm
Expect to pay: From $109 for two persons for the six-course menu.

What is it? A Michelin-starred spot serving elevated versions of Peranakan food in a cushy location at Dempsey Hill.  

Why we love it: While chef-owner Malcolm Lee does innovate with some dishes, it’s in the cooking of the classics where he shines. But in keeping with the cuisine's penchant for borrowing influences from the East and West, the restaurant's dishes are gussied up with premium ingredients. The 'Ah-ma-kase' menus are priced at $108 per person for lunch and $138 for dinner, featuring dishes like fish maw soup with cod fish, blue swimmer crab curry, and udang masak lemak with juicy ang kar sea prawns.

Time Out tip: There's also the option to order from the à la carte menu if you'd like. The chap chye ($26) is a standout because of its simplicity. The vegetables are stewed ’til they achieve the perfect texture – a cross between chewy and melt-in-the-mouth. 

Address: Block 17A Dempsey Road, Singapore 249676
Opening hours: Daily 11.30am-9pm
Expect to pay: From $108 per person for lunch

What is it? Rebel Chef Damian D’Silva's Rempapa is multicultural, serving up flavours from Chinese, Peranakan, Eurasian, Indian and Malay kitchens.

Why we love it: The all-day dining restaurant is open for brunch, dinner and bar nibbles. The restaurant is famously owned by MasterChef Singapore judge and chef Damian D’Silva, who champions his own unique brand of ‘Singapore heritage cuisine’ that blends traditions and flavours. Treat the fam to a hearty spread of babi pongteh ($30), Hakka fried pork ($20), Sri Lankan chicken curry with tomato chutney ($19), and babi tulang masak assam ($35). It’s all honest-to-goodness cooking here, with tons of dishes great for ladling over rice, just like how it’s done at home.

Time Out tip: Save space for desserts. You won’t want to miss Rempapa’s assorted kueh platter (from $8 for four pieces) — this changes based on the daily selection but might include favourites like kueh kosui and kueh bengkah.

Address: 2 Paya Lebar Rd, Park Place Residences at PLQ, #01-01, Singapore 409053
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-9.30pm; Sat-Sun 11am-3pm, 6pm-9.30pm
Expect to pay: From $48 for two persons for the weekday set lunch

What is it? Iconic heritage brand led by Singapore's doyenne of Peranakan cooking and former food journalist Violet Oon, with three outlets islandwide, including its latest one at Dempsey Hill. 

Why we love it: The matriarch of Peranakan cuisine in Singapore, Violet Oon needs no further introduction. While her all-day dining destination in Ion Orchard serves Nyonya faves like dry laksa and ayam buah keluak – common dishes you'll find at her other outlets – this particular branch stands out for its focus on Singapore's colonial past. So expect Eurasian dishes with British East-India origins like mulligatawny soup and Hainanese pork chop. There's also a dedicated retail section at the front of the restaurant where you can pick up goodies like sugee cookies and handmade pineapple tarts.

Time Out tip: National Kitchen by Violet Oon offers a unique Singapore High Tea set ($66 for two pax) available daily from 3pm to 5.30pm with a medley of savoury and sweet treats. 

Address: Dempsey Hill, Ion Orchard, National Gallery Singapore (National Kitchen)
Opening hours: Various opening hours, see website
Expect to pay: Around $50 per person depending on dishes ordered.

What is it? Katong has no shortage of old-school Peranakan restaurants, and Baba Chews used to be one of those that served up comforting Nyonya dishes. But the restaurant went through an overhaul years ago and now sits at the former site of Joo Chiat Police Station, a designated heritage building. The menu? Full of diversity, with unexpected twists.

Why we love it: Familiar local classics are reinterpreted here. Think chilli crab tagliatelle with deep-fried soft shell crab and a luscious sous vide egg; ngoh hiang with a sweet calamansi dip; or otah you tiao made with charcoal dough fritters. Still not surprised? Try a mishmash of Western and Peranakan flavours with the ayam buah keluah burger.

Time Out tip: Also popular on the menu is the chicken rendang lasagna, featuring spicy and creamy layers of pasta and fragrant dry curry. Do note that this dish is available in limited quantities daily.

Address: 86 East Coast Rd, Katong Square, Singapore 428788
Opening hours: Daily 6.30am-10.30pm
Expect to pay: Around $40 per person depending on dishes ordered.

What is it? Opened by three Peranakans passionate about keeping their culinary traditions alive, Godmama is where you’ll find Nonya comfort food faves alongside modern reinterpretations of Straits Chinese cuisine.

Why we love it: Co-owner Christina Keilthy’s star dish: egg skin popiah filled with stewed vegetables, fresh prawns, lettuce, crushed peanuts and fried shallots. Her godma and mama used to cook for her when she was a child – and that's the reason why she opened the restaurant as a way to share her family's recipes with others. On the menu are other classic Peranakan dishes such as ayam buah keluak, babi assam and sambal udang, all best consumed with a bowl of butterfly pea flower rice and homemade sambal.

Time Out tip: During the weekends, brunch options include novel Nonya takes on typical café dishes with options like buah keluak bolognese pasta, Godmama's Otak Otak Benedict and banana pengat buttermilk pancakes.

Address: 107 N Bridge Rd, Funan, #04-07, Singapore 179105
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am-10pm; Sat-Sun 10am-10pm
Expect to pay: From $16.90 for the executive set lunch

What is it? Yes, Daisy's Dream Kitchen has a celebrity connection – Daisy the chef is the mother of Dim Sum Dolly, Selena Tan. The menu weaves the lore of the matron nurturing her clan, and how she’s passed the business down to her son, Ray, who's kept the flavours on point.

Why we love it: Chunky ngoh hiang is rolled into balls so you have a maximum surface area of crisped bean curd skin to crunch into. A plate of robust squid, dressed in its own ink, is coloured in flavours of deep caramel and smoke. And though the plates are a tad smaller than their peers, you'll come to understand why after chewing on the pulp of fragrant rempah that thickens a bowl of beef rendang. Daisy’s seriously not cutting corners here – this place is indeed a dream for the palate.

Time Out tip: Indoor seating is rather limited, but the restaurant does have ample alfresco seats available. If you're concerned about the heat, make sure to call ahead.

Address: 131 Rifle Range Rd, Temasek Club, #01-01, Singapore 588406
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11am-2.30pm, 5pm-9pm; Fri-Sun 11am-2.30pm, 5pm-9.30pm
Expect to pay: Around $30 per person depending on dishes ordered

What is it? The Blue Ginger’s location smack in the middle of the CBD might explain why there’s a constant rotation of white-collar types and expats there looking to get acquainted with the cuisine.

Why we love it: This is the last remaining outlet of The Blue Ginger – it bid goodbye to its Great World City home last year. The stars at this beautiful 20-year-old outlet are the rolls of crispy ngoh hiang and punchy otah-otah. Other must-orders include the beef rendang, kueh pie tee and ayam buah keluak. If anything, The Blue Ginger is a convenient spot to take a colleague visiting from out of town for a dose of Peranakan Food 101 – without scaring him or her off with the cuisine’s more intense aromas. Plus, it's Michelin-approved.

Time Out tip: Don't leave without ordering a bowl of chendol. 

Address: 97 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088518
Opening hours: Daily noon-3pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm
Expect to pay: Around $40 per person depending on dishes ordered.

What is it? Together with Rumah Bebe on Tanjong Katong Road and Kim Choo Kueh Chang down the Joo Chiat row, Guan Hoe Soon is one of the last few bastions for authentic dining in the historically Peranakan neighbourhood. 

Why we love it: Serving since 1953, the shophouse dining room stocks a mini-museum of vintage tableware at the back. The chunky otah-otah becomes a fast favourite, as is the imposing, must-share portion of tangy assam pedas pomfret – best enjoyed with fragrant blue pea rice. The menu includes a section dedicated to Chinese food, and unlike the soya-rich chap chye found elsewhere, Guan Hoe Soon’s reads almost Sino, with strong tones of shitake and oyster sauce.

Time Out tip: Other must-tries when dining at this historic institution are the ayam buah keluak, chendol and ngoh hiang. 

Address: 200 Joo Chiat Rd, #01-01, Singapore 427471
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 5.30pm-9.30pm; Sat-Sun 11am-3pm, 5pm-9.30pm
Expect to pay: Around $30 per person depending on dishes ordered