5 Great Restaurants in Chinatown, Singapore

Chinatown is the immediate and most popular neighbourhood in Singapore and it’s well known for its heritage shop houses line the winding roads and traditional lanterns zigzag above the streets. The sounds of sizzling woks and smells of fresh ingredients fill the air, tempting you in for a taste. So, if you plan to visit this place, you’d find an array of restaurants from Michelin-starred restaurants to no-frills eateries.

Here I have lined up the best 5 restaurants in the precinct.

1. Chinatown Complex

Having nearly 226 stalls, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre is the biggest hawker centre in Singapore. In addition, this massive complex is also known for its award-winning meals at unbelievably affordable prices. It is also the birthplace of Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle and also the world’s cheapest Michelin-star restaurant.

2. Chinatown Food Street

After a recent multi-million dollar revamp, the Chinatown Food Street reopened to the public in 2014. It is 100-metre-long street, having an impressive internal spot cooling system and a tall glass shelter, so that visitors can dine al fresco rain or shine. You get to taste the variety of food offered at these 24 hawker stalls. You get to taste freshly grilled satay skewers, fragrant char kway teow, crispy roti parantas, dried chili frog porridge and more.

3. Burnt Ends

Burnt Ends is an Australian-style barbecue restaurant, located in a nice little shop house along Teck Lim Road. This Michelin-star food joint is the only establishment in Singapore to get listed into the exclusive World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018 list. You cannot miss out trying Burnt Ends’ delicious Sanger Burger, flavourful moist slow-cooked pulled pork, crunchy coleslaw and layers of melted cheese stuffed between fluffy brioche buns.

4. Esquina

Esquina is a Spanish tapas bar located at the corner of Jiak Chuan Road. It is run by Barcelona-born Head Chef Carlos Montobbio, who has been personally trained by several Michelin-starred chefs. This successful two-storey restaurant offers dish like Esquina’s Spanish Omelette and Grilled Spanish Octopus.

5. Haikee Brothers

With an old history of 1959, Haikee Brothers is located on the second floor of Chinatown Point. It is not run by third-generation hawkers James Wang and Joseph Wang as they have continued their grandfather’s soya sauce chicken legacy by preparing it word-for-word as per the family’s heavily guarded recipe. You cannot miss out trying the soy sauce drumstick noodles with unbelievably tender chicken and springy noodles.