11 best cafes and restaurants around Bugis to visit this weekend
Bugis has made a name for itself for being a place of many vices. In the 1980s, the neighborhood was a bustling nightclub full of pasar malams and bars, a popular spot with the LGBT community and tourists.
Today it harbors a different kind of vice. The whitewashed streets are filled with malls and stores. At night, the streets are blocked for crowds of diners looking for dinner and drinks by steamboat.
With plenty of hotel stay options (whether it’s the historic Raffles Hotel or the posh JW Marriott) and a wide range of activities all around, there’s even more reason to visit the bustling enclave. . I
If you’re around this weekend, take some time to explore the neighborhood and you’ll find a wide range of cafes and restaurants, from casual to fine dining. Here’s where to grab a bite to eat this weekend.
The best cafes and restaurants around Bugis to dine:
1
Bjorn Shen’s Middle Eastern inspired restaurant is a guy’s paradise. Familiar dishes like shawarma, hummus and falafel are unexpectedly reinterpreted. Take for example the cuttlefish shawarma which is served with a rich dressing made with chicken fat and hummus, topped with miso and hot skhug sauce. A popular spot for after-work drinks with fried chicken wings and lazy weekend brunches.
Address
161 Middle Road, Singapore 188978
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2
Ash & Elm at InterContinental Singapore is a semi-buffet restaurant by day and a European brasserie by night. The restaurant’s wide selection of cheeses and cold meats is worth a visit. Top quality meats and wood-fired pizzas are the highlights of the menu.
Update: Ash & Elm is temporarily closed.
Address
80 Middle Rd, InterContinental Singapore, Singapore 188966
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3
Atlas is a lounge and cocktail bar that revel in the building’s Art Deco glamor. Besides the fascinating interiors, Atlas has one of the largest collections of gin in the world. The bar also offers modern European cuisine and languid afternoon teas to accompany cocktails.
Address
600 North Bridge Road, Parkview Square, Singapore 188778
To make a reservation
4
Chikuyotei has been around for a while, but continues to offer quality Japanese kaiseki dishes. The menu has a long list of items – from sashimi to hot pot. However, the restaurant is especially appreciated for its unadon. Unagi is prepared in two different ways: simply broiled for added bite or steamed and broiled for smoother flesh.
Address
80 Middle Rd, # 01-01 InterContinental Singapore, Singapore 188966
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5
Idlewild is InterContinental’s latest retro-luxury cocktail bar inspired by the golden age of travel. The bar, run by Andy Griffiths, offers a drink menu inspired by the towns along the Transatlantic Route. There is also a “cabinet of curiosities” featuring rare and vintage spirits from around the world. Expect live jazz performances at night.
Read our review here.
Address
80 Middle Road, Intercontinental Singapore, Singapore 188966
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6
The one Michelin star restaurant is a popular place for Italian gastronomy. Chef Roberto Galetti offers modern interpretations of traditional recipes, prepared with ingredients imported from Italy. The wine list is also worth a visit.
Address
36 Purvis Street, Singapore 188613
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7
Right next door is the French gourmet restaurant Gunther’s. Chef Gunther Hubrechsen, who has trained with renowned names like Chef Alain Passard, presents modern French cuisine with an emphasis on the natural flavors of fresh, seasonal ingredients. Must-haves here include the angel hair pasta with caviar and roast suckling pig in hibiscus sauce.
Address
1 Beach Road, Raffles Hotel Singapore, Singapore 189673
Book here
9
This decorated restaurant is the first Singaporean venture of Hong Kong restaurateur Alan Yau. Madame Fan offers contemporary Chinese cuisine, with items such as her wok-fried crispy duck, jasmine tea-smoked baby back ribs, and white pepper crabs. Dim sum is also a staple here.
Address
The NCO Club, 32 Beach Road, Singapore 189764
To make a reservation
ten
For more traditional Chinese cuisine, head to Man Fu Yuan. Dim sum is a popular affair at this Cantonese restaurant, which offers a range of modern and classic bites. Besides the live seafood, the restaurant offers truly luxurious dishes such as Duroc pork char and crab bisque with bird’s nest.
Address
80 Middle Rd, InterContinental Singapore, Singapore 188966
To make a reservation
11
Salted and Hung is a modern Australian restaurant that champions cuisine from head to toe. Chef Drew Nocente introduced cured sausages, cold cuts and unusual offerings like fried tripe to anchor the philosophy at home. The menu now also takes a more sustainable approach, using everything from shrimp shells to bones for the dishes. Learn more here.
Address
12 Purvis Street, Singapore 188591
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