The ultimate guide to Marina Bay: restaurants, bars and things to do

No prizes for guessing on which floor this bar and restaurant is perched. Billed as the world’s highest microbrewery, LeVeL33 gloriously overlooks the Marina Bay, and, thanks to the decor and service, is perhaps the most sophisticated place to quaff a locally brewed beer. The craft beers brewed in-house go for $9.50 for 300ml before 8pm, then climb to $12.50 a pour after. If you're not sure what to go for, platters of five 100-millilitre samplers of LeVel33's blond lager, IPA, stout, house porter and wheat beers can be ordered at $23.50. These brews also go into beer cocktails, but if you're avoiding malt altogether, shoot for the house wines or premium vintages.

The restaurant is opulently decorated by starchitect Joyce Wang, who is known for her award-winning interiors. Flashes of green and botanical motifs pay homage to Singapore's rep as a city in a garden. Dishes from the kitchen capture the same dramatic flair. The usual Chinese staples are executed with premium ingredients, Mott 32's modus operandi. Signatures include parcels of plump siew mai ($9 for two) stuffed with Iberico pork and soft-boiled quail egg, and a Singapore-exclusive sugar-coated Peking duck bun ($10 for three).

You go to CUT for one reason: the steaks. Grilled over hardwood and charcoal, the hunks of beef come from a menagerie of sources. You've got USDA Prime from Illinois, Angus and wagyu from Australia, Red Poll from Suffolk, wagyu from Idaho, and even more wagyu from different prefectures in Japan. Each type is further broken down into different cuts, ranging from rib-eyes to New York strips to bone-in filet mignons ($75 to $280).

Think of Daniel Boulud's Marina Bay Sands spin-off as a cross between a New York-style seafood bar and a French bistro, mixing the best elements from both. It's upbeat and boisterous like the former, with towering triple-tiered platters of jumbo shrimp cocktails, oysters, Maine lobsters and more. But the bistro side of the menu is also every bit as hearty and robust as in a countryside kitchen. The French onion soup ($27) is the platonic ideal of French onion soups, full of beefy gusto and the sweetness of caramelised onions. Even more noteworthy: it's comforting yet simultaneously light on the palate.

Pollen's afternoon tea ($38 per person) takes its cue from the fresh, bright flavours of Mediterranean cuisine, with sandwiches like the pan con tomate with parma ham and avocado; salmon, grapefruit and crème fraiche on multigrain, and red pepper hummus with sourdough chips. Sweets include the Valencia orange financier and Catalan tart. With natural light flooding the flower dome and a free pass to view the floral exhibitions, afternoon tea here is a treat in every way.

Black Tap's signature over-the-top milkshakes come in flavours like strawberry topped with a pink lollipop, rock candy, whipped cream and cotton candy, and one that's topped with fruity pebbles, Rice Krispies, a strawberry Pop Tart and Laffy Taffy rope. If all that sounds too sweet for you, balance things out with Black Tap's range of juicy burgers. Favourites include the all-American burger and the crispy chicken sandwich.

Helmed by chef and owner Daniel Chavez, OLA Cocina Del Mar is a laid-back Spanish eatery that focuses on serving the freshest seasonal produce. An open kitchen concept, OLA’s philosophy is to source ingredients in a sustainable way while bringing simple and tasty dishes to life. 

Sandwiched between the picturesque domes of Gardens by the Bay and Marina Barrage, the relatively remote Satay by the Bay was conceived at the start of 2013 to recreate a feel of the old Satay Club of the ’80s and also pay homage to the old Marina Bay area. Have supper under the stars as you take in sweeping views of Marina Bay while chowing down on all the best local street eats such as chicken rice, roast duck, prata and biryani.