The Claypot Mee Tai Mak (the $8 medium portion feeds two to three) at this HDB zi char joint may not be pretty, but it's darn tasty and most comforting after a long week. Dive straight into the plump noodles, bathed in the bubbling, thick and flavourful broth, and stirred through with chopped vegetables, minced meat, prawns and a freshly cracked egg. Ask for some chilli padi for an added kick! Also great for sharing are the Salted Egg Pork Ribs ($10) and the Boss Bee Hoon (get the small $15 portion to share between two to three). As its name suggests, this place also does a mean traditional Fish Head Steamboat (from $23 for a small portion) — the perfect dish to share with your family on a cool night. Pro tip: Call to reserve a table and pre-order dishes so you can dig in the moment you arrive!
Avg price: $13 per person
Char has relocated from Guillemard Road to Jalan Besar, making it much more accessible to get your fatty char siew fix. Occupying the first and second level of the Singapore Lee Clan General Association, this industrial chic restaurant dishes out quality Hong Kong style roasts in air-conditioned surroundings. You must get the Special Char Siew ($7/100g, minimum order of 300g) — melt-in-your-mouth chunks of meat, slathered with a dark, umami-rich sauce. Budget 100g of char siew per person and pair that with the Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice ($11) — it's a winning combination! Other tasty orders include the crackling Roast Crispy Pork Belly ($7/100g, minimum order of 300g) and the wok hei ladened Beef Hor Fun ($12). Pro tip: pre-order your roasts while making a reservation to ensure you get your share before they sell out! If you fancy, bring a bottle of wine to share (corkage is only $25).
Avg price: $16 per person
Gather the family for a feast at this nasi padang stalwart, which started as a coffeeshop in Bras Basah over 70 years ago. Today, it still dishes up the same crowd favourites, but this time in the spacious, air-conditioned comforts of The Central. Expect classic plates like their tender Beef Rendang ($4.70 per piece), Sambal Sotong ($4.70), Curry Fish ($4.70 per piece), Chicken Goreng ($8.70 thigh, $7.70 for wings) and Sambal — be sure to mop up all the gravy and sambal with lots of white rice. While the dishes may look it, they are actually rather gentle on the spice, which means you don’t have to rule out this place even if you’re dining with older children or the elderly — just as long as they can stomach some heat.
Avg price: $15 per person
Head here with your hungriest family members for Peperoni's 21-inch Family Pizza ($55). The XXL pizza feeds a group of four to six people, and you can choose two flavours (from 18 choices) to have on the same pie. Try the Proscuitto Crudo di Parma (Pork), with thinly sliced parma ham and a generous portion of rocket leaves, and the Pancetta, served with cured bacon, cherry tomatoes and that very Instagrammable wobbly egg in the centre. If your family can really eat, add on the Frutti di Mare Pasta ($25), or the Lasagna ($22) to share, and wash all that down with an ice cold Gunner cocktail ($7). P.s. Be sure to make reservations on weekends. They also have another outlet in Binjai, which is quieter.
Avg price: $30 per person
Alexandra zi char favourite Keng Eng Kee Seafood has opened a new outlet in Pandan Gardens (not to be confused with Pandan Valley), a 20-minute bus ride from Jurong East MRT Station and just a stone's throw away from Pandan Reservoir. You must not miss favourites like the Moonlight Hor Fun (from $6) and Coffee Pork Ribs (from $15), and the younger members of the family might even want to try some zi char inspired cafe grub — think Salted Egg Yolk Crab Spaghetti ($15) with deep-fried soft shell crab and creamy salted egg yolk sauce. Another new item meat lovers of the family will enjoy is the KEK Beef Wrap ($20) — pan-fried ribeye steak wrapped in fresh lettuce, topped with garlic, anchovies, pickles and sambal chilli.
Avg price: $14 per person
Housed in one of the black and white colonial houses along Scotts Road, this beautifully outfitted restaurant is just the place for special occasion Peranakan family meals. The food too is perfectly executed, and should please even fussy Peranakan matrons. Start with classics like Ngoh Hiang ($16), Indocafe Signature Kueh Pie Tee ($18) and Otah Clasik ($12) — their version is a spice-kissed chawanmushi egg stirred through with generous chunks of fish. Then move on to stellar mains like their Wagyu Beef Rendang ($28), meat slow-cooked till tender and slicked with the aromatic sauce, Kari Kepala Ikan ($28), red garoupa fish head cooked in assam gravy, and Chap Chye ($14), braised vegetable stew.
Avg price: $40 per person
Situated in Grand Hyatt Hotel, the Halal-certified Straits Kitchen offers a spread of popular Singaporean dishes for its daily buffet lunch ($52) and dinner ($62) — perfect for special occasion meals like birthdays. Take your pick from Chinese, Indian, Malay and Peranakan live stations, where chefs prepare orders on the spot. Crowd favourites include prata with excellent curries, ayam buah keluak, mutton rendang and the irresistible goreng pisang. Tasty local fare and comfortable environs? We are sure Ah Ma would approve!
Price: $52 (lunch), $62 (dinner)
Mellben needs no introduction, especially if you're a crab lover. Their signature Crab Bee Hoon ($55/kg) features a rich, creamy sauce that is so addictive, it draws crowds back again and again despite long queues of up to two hours! Reservations are not available on weekends, so it is best you make a reservation for a weekday dinner. Besides the excellent crab bee hoon, Mellben's Chilli Crab ($55/kg) is super tasty. Get a platter of the pillowy soft golden Mantous ($4 for 10) to mop up that fiery sauce.
Avg price: $30 per person
In town but not sure where to eat? Head to ION Orchard's Imperial Treasure Noodle and Congee House for reliably good Chinese food! If you're there for lunch, be sure to order their stellar dim sum like the Baked BBQ Pork Pastry ($5), better known as char siew sou, Baked Chicken and Mushroom Pastry ($5), and the signature oozesome Steamed Custard Bun ($5). For dinner, get their homely Stewed E-Fu Noodles with Fresh Mushroom and Shrimp Roe ($14), Braised Spinach Beancurd with Assorted Mushrooms ($16), spinach puree sandwiched between two silken tofu chunks, and their legendary Crispy Roasted Duck (from $15) with seriously tender meat.
Avg price: $25 per person
Westsiders, you're in luck! Popular Hokkien restaurant Beng Hiang has moved from its Amoy location to Jurong East, which means you're so much closer to their signature Kong Ba Bao (from $16) — melt-in-the-mouth meat slicked in a rich, umami-laden sauce and wrapped in fluffy steamed buns. Other must orders include the Spiced Sausage and Fried Prawn Balls ($8), better known as ngoh hiang and hei zhou, the Oyster Omelette ($12), fried till crisp golden and studded generously with plump oysters, and the Traditional Hokkien Noodles (from $8). The icing on the cake? There is no need to pay for service charge here!
Avg price: $20 per person
Here's a rainy day dinner idea. Drive to and park inside Hotel Boss ($2 per hour parking fee) for piping hot bak kut teh at this first-floor restaurant. Unlike its other outlets at Balestier and Rangoon Road, this new location does not see snaking queues outside — yet! Go for the signature Founder Bak Kut Teh ($9), two pork ribs with tender, fall-off-the-bone meat, served in a flavourful, peppery broth, and order You Tiao ($1.50) on the side. Feel free to ask for refills of your broth. Also worth ordering are the Braised Pig Trotter (from $7), Mixed Pigs Organ Soup ($6.50) and their silky smooth Tau Kee (from $3), perfect for sharing amongst a big family.
Avg price: $14 per person
Nothing says family dining like eating off the same platter, and what a feast it would be at this unpretentious East-side eatery! The signature Nasi Ambeng Sahan Sets (from $24 for two) are the star here, and a no-brainer way to decide what to eat — perfect for large families who can never agree on what to order. Expect a large portion of rice, combined with at least eight classic Malay sides like chicken in spiced coconut gravy (chicken kalio), fried potato patties (begedil) and killer sambal belachan. Portions are very generous so it is best you order modestly — the Ambeng Classic Trio ($48) can easily feed four people instead of their suggested three. There are also single portion sets (from $7) available.
Avg price: $12 per person
Peony Jade's Keppel Club outlet (the other is in Clarke Quay) is a good option for a weekend dim sum buffet brunch ($31.80 for adults and $19.80 for children under 10 years, minimum four diners) away from city crowds. Available from 11:30am to 2:30pm, expect the best of Peony Jade's signature handcrafted Hong Kong-style dim sum — think barbecued pork buns, siew mai, molten salted egg yolk buns and pan-fried carrot cake in X.O. sauce. There is also a decent selection of seasonal greens and roast meats, along with hot and cold desserts — try the yam paste (orh nee). Park at the multi-storey carkpark before the main Keppel Club entrance.
Price: $31.80 per person
The Big Prawn Hor Fun (from $16) is what draws diners time and again to this Chinatown zi char stalwart. Redolent with wok hei, the winning dish sees slippery rice noodles bathed in an eggy, slightly spicy sauce that is full on flavour, and the prawns are as advertised — large and succulent. If it's available, don't hesitate to snap up the Claypot Yong Tau Foo ($14), which is often sold out. Other tasty eats include the Poached Chinese Spinach with Assorted Egg (from $11) and Homemade Tofu with Minced Pork ($10) — both are consistently good options that should sit well with both young and old. Call ahead to reserve a table, so you don’t end up crowding the sidewalk while queuing for seats.
Avg price: $15 per person
Gather the family for a seafood feast at this Punggol restaurant, perhaps after an outing at Coney Island? Warm up with the Lobster Porridge (market price), which features a sweet, flavourful broth, or go straight for Jing Long's popular Salted Egg Crab (market price) — be ready to lick the addictive sauce off your fingers! The steamed or fried fish (from $5/100g depending on your choice of fish) topped with crispy salted turnips is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, as are the Wasabi Prawns ($22). The restaurant also serves fish steamboats (from $28) — perfect on cool days!
Avg price: $30 per person
Conveniently located in Paragon, this casual restaurant serves up homestyle Indonesian, with plenty of familiar flavours to keep the entire family happy. Start with the Tahu Telor ($10.50), a tower of fluffy egg and tofu dressed in a sticky kecap manis sauce. Pair this with their tasty Beef Rendang ($9.50), Ikan Pepes ($7.50, seasonal availability), better known as fish otah — their version is well-spiced with chunks of fish, and if the family is into spice, the fiery Kangkong Belachan ($9.50). Save space for the Chendol ($5) or Es Apokat ($6), a super rich avocado milkshake that is both drink and dessert.
Avg price: $15 per person
Set in a spacious shophouse unit overlooking Chinatown, Eight Treasures serves up a menu of vegetarian Chinese dishes, many painstakingly created to resemble the real thing. Its elegant setting makes it perfect for special occasions too. There is a strong focus on using mock meats, like in the chef's tasty speciality Vegetarian Honey Sauce Pork (from $15), but if that isn't up your alley, zero in on dishes that use whole foods like mushrooms, beancurd and green vegetables — these are equally tasty. Try the Fragrant Cereal Beancurd (from $15), Broccoli with Monkey Head Mushroom (from $15) and Special Heng Hwa Noodles (from $8). As the restaurant is still serving its special Chinese New Year set menu, these a la carte dishes will only be available after 23 Feb.
Avg price: $20 per person
Every Tsukada Nojo outlet is constantly packed with crowds wanting a taste of its famed Bijin Nabe collagen hot pot ($25/pax, min two pax and only for dinner). You can skip the queue and pre-order the Bijin Nabe at the Chinatown Point outlet if you stay in central Singapore, but Westies may find it a lot more convenient to head to Westgate — just be prepared to wait for awhile! Made from high-quality Jidori chickens from Japan, the collagen-rich chicken soup 'Beauty Pot' is tasty and good for the complexion, and bound to be a hit among the ladies in the family. Don't be alarmed by the white collagen pudding — it will melt into a nourishing soup, in which you cook the tray of organic vegetables, seafood and tender chicken meat, along with thick and chewy mochi mochi noodles.
Price: $25 per person