The ultimate guide to Tampines

Don't sleep on The Dessert Party, a humble little shop near Tampines Changi Library that’s quietly turning out some of the best bakes in the east. We’re still dreaming about the zesty pistachio-lime mini bundt cake and the luscious banana pudding layered. Everything is just sweet enough (no cloying sugar bombs here) and dangerously addictive. Go early or pre-order your desserts online as they sell out fast, especially on weekends.

Tucked under a block in sleepy Tampines Street 44 is Heartland by Enjoy, a retro-inspired eatery that hits you right in the nostalgia. Expect local classics like kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs, kopi and teh, plus heavier fare like nasi lemak and laksa. It's unpretentious, hearty and easy on the wallet. Bonus: it’s air-conditioned, making it the perfect pit stop after errands or a market run.

If you’ve seen a fiery pad kra pow doing the rounds on TikTok, it’s probably from Basil King. Yes, it does look a lot like food YouTuber Mark Wiens' Bangkok haunt Phed Mark, right down to that cute flame logo, but we have to say that this heartland eatery serves up affordable, spicy, high-protein bowls that hit the spot. Take your pick from pork, chicken, beef or prawns, choose your heat level, and top your pad kra pow with as many eggs as your conscience (or arteries) can handle. Here's a Time Out tip: Go for at least two eggs, that’s the magic number for freshly fried ones. Order just one and you might end up with a sad, rubbery egg that’s been sitting out too long. We got four eggs (because #YOLO) and it was gloriously excessive.

At this restaurant, order its signature and namesake - the Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang - and they will give you three different chillies in it. The dish comes with a grilled chicken leg topped with taliwang sambal, served alongside coconut rice infused with lemongrass, fried egg, fried anchovies and peanut. The dish is also served with another scoop of sweet-spicy sambal by the side. Each ingredient in this plate works harmoniously together. Other highlights from here includes Ayam Belado and Ayam Cabe Ijo.

Specialising in both thosai and appam, it’s easy to spot this stall at the Tampines Round Market - just look for the longest queue. Rajarani Thosai serves handmade dishes, and highlights include the Plain Appam, which has a piping hot soft moist center with fragile lacy edges, and a grainy savoury sweet salty flavour, and the Egg Appam with fluffy pillow soft center and eggy sweet notes. The Masala Thosai is also a treat - a savory South Indian pancake that is soft in the middle and nicely crisp around the edges, and generous spiced potato filling.

If you like your bowl of mala hot and spicy, then you have to try out Labula Mala Xiang Guo in Tampines. Their signature mala xiang guo offers a wide variety of ingredients, from your standard greens to the meal options. You can even select the spiciness depends on your tolerance level. While you can feel the heat from the chilli, you will also feel the numbness from the peppercorns in the mala xiang guo. Remember to prepare cold beverages throughout the meal as they are definitely not toying around with the spice.

Zoul’s Corner is known for its Nasi Ayam penyet, and here’s why. A large portion of crispy chicken is served on a plate, including all the crumbs that’s full of goodness. Instead of using plain white rice, Zoul’s Corner incorporated the fragrant option normally found in your chicken rice. The sambal has a fiery kick to it as well, so prepare a glass of water just in case! 

Other highlights in the menu include Bee Hoon Hong Kong, Ikan Bawal Penyet and Tom Yum Fried Rice.

If you need to get your Indian rojak cravings fixed, come by Tampines Junction for a plate of delicious Al Mahboob Indian Rojak. Get spoilt for choice with the wide variety of ingredients from tempeh, crispy dough fritters, fried fish cake and fried prawn fritters among others. These ingredients are freshly deep-fried to perfection, and served alongside a fiery, homemade chilli dip with crunchy peanuts in it. The chilli dip is refillable, so don’t hold back when you’re chowing down these fried goodness.

Frequented by famished folks from around the island, this stalwart of local food is easily spotted a mile away. The circular market is nestled within a ring of shophouses, and was recently given a facelift with wider walkways for better ventilation. The food centre is also decked with new seats including baby chairs for families. Like it was pre-renovation, the food centre boasts a variety of stalls serving everything from nasi padang and thosai to rice dumplings and Sarawak kolo mee. Pro tip: head there early as food runs out before lunchtime. We’re also a fan of nasi rawon (from $2.50) from Kayat Nasi Padang.

A popular spot for night owls in the east, Al Makan has your back when you're craving a late-night supper fix. It's affectionately known for its naan, which is toasty and crisp on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside. The flatbread is served with flavourful curries for that added kick. There's also maggi goreng, biryani, murtabak and more, but the calorie-laden prata and butter chicken set is our go-to pick for the munchies.

If your Instagram feed is an endless scroll of pretty, colourful food, get on the sugar bus and head to this little neighbourhood café. Satisfy your sweet tooth with an assortment of homemade ice creams (from $3.50), oven-baked cakes (from $6.90) and waffles with – what else – ice cream (from $10). Flavours include coconut for something tropical, espresso for a perk-me-up, and durian if you’re a fan of the King of Fruits.

This Halal-certified café prides itself in massive portions of comfort food sans the hefty price tag – there's no GST and service charge, either. Expect the usual suspects of Western delights – pasta, steaks, burgers, and desserts. For something familiar, tuck into its bestselling chicken aglio olio which packs a punch with chilli padi , or its battered fish fillet carbonara if you can't handle the spice. Otherwise, try its Craze Firebird burger, which comes with double fried chicken smothered in its homemade harissa chilli sauce, as well as curly fries and salad on the side.

Having late-night cravings for egg prata, murtabak, mee goreng or chicken biryani? This open-air Indian joint has your back 24/7 (it's currently opened from 7am to 11pm during Phase 2), and draws the hungry crowds every night – a testament to its highly raved prata. The star dish ($1.30) is a happy medium between fluffy and crispy, and is worth every calorie. We recommend having your prata with egg ($2) or with sambal and fish curry on the side for an extra kick.

Here’s a multi-concept boozer that’s full of surprises – penguins not included. Perfect for after-work drinks, Tipsy Penguin is an Asian-fusion bistro, sports bar, karaoke joint, and live music venue under one roof. You'll find everything from pasta and Hawaiian poké to Mod-Asian dishes on the menu. As for the tipples, unwind with pints of draft beer, glasses of house pours, and signature cocktails including the Tipsy Old Fashioned with bourbon, demerara and dried orange peel.

New name, same delicious smoothies. Previously known as A1 Penang Chendol, A1 Chendol & Durian prides itself in making rich smoothies and heavenly chendol desserts that are – as it puts it – "worth a second cup". The popular neighbourhood dessert shop has been serving Tampines residents and students from nearby Temasek Polytechnic for almost two decades, and with the revamp, it's showing no signs of slowing down. Beat the heat with its signature A1 Penang chendol (from $4) topped with a generous amount of red beans and pandan jelly. It also comes with a smoothie option.

Since 1992, the sports bar has always been a solid choice for catching a game or two. It has over 20 bars across the island, and you won't have to travel far to catch a screening in the east as Harry's has a new, hip home at Tampines Grande. Order up the signature laksa popcorn chicken ($14) or go big with a wings platter ($28), and a pint of Harry's premium lager ($16), or a bottle of Tiger ($13) as you catch the latest in the sporting world.

Tampines may be full of cookie-cutter BTOs, but it’s also brimming with character, especially if you know where to look. Tucked away in residential blocks near Tampines Eco Green are a couple of home-based cafés fuelling the neighbourhood with some much-needed caffeine. Spilled Roaster & Brews is one for the purists, serving specialty beans and slow pour-overs. Baobei Coffee leans playful with brews like Bed of Roses and Cloud Hug. Just remember, they might not be open every day so always DM them to pre-order before dropping by.