The Ultimate Beach Road Food Guide – 39 Best Cafes, Restaurants & Hawkers

Many parts of Beach Road were composed of sand and mud in the past, before its entire coastal stretch was affected by land reclamation in the 1840s. A part of the area was set aside for the European community, hence it was once lined with beautiful bungalows. Arab and Bugis quarters, including Kampong Glam, made up the other part. Today, Beach Road is known for its two national monuments – Raffles Hotel and Hajjah Fatimah Mosque. You’ll also be able to find many specialty boutiques, and eateries in the area. If you’re visiting Singapore for the first time, here’s the ultimate list of 39 good eats along Beach Road!

Mrs Pho

Dining at Mrs Pho reminds us of dining in any back alley in Vietnam. The Special Beef Combo Noodle Soup ($8.90) comes loaded with slices of fatty brisket, beef round, and beef balls freshly shipped from Vietnam weekly. The broth is delicate and sweet. Best part? We love that the ingredients used in Vietnamese dishes have a low fat content.

Afterwit

Afterwit was inspired by an afterthought of pairing Mexican-influenced fare with an indie café experience. You can look forward to quesadillas, tortilla pizzas, tacos, and burritos. On weekdays (excluding public holidays), go for their Locos Lunch that’s available from 12pm to 3pm.

Hyde & Co.

Hyde & Co.’s menu features a creative selection of pastas and pizzas specially created by Chef Nazlie who is trained in Italian cuisine. Expect mod-Sin dishes that are refreshing twists on local favourites. The Gnocchi “Mee Rebus”, a first in Singapore, and the The Bomb (Chye Poh Prawn Omelette pizza) are options that you might want to consider. 

Muugu Fork

Opened in 2010, Muugu Fork serves a variety of western dishes that range from pastas to pizzas. Their Rac & Surf ($19.90), which consists of 2 pieces of golden breaded fish and chips, is served with warm, melted Raclette cheese.

Eat Play Love

This Thai-Western café offers a unique experience for the whole family. While kids get crafty and doodle the afternoon away at the Craft Corner, parents are able to enjoy their meal in peace. We recommend the Seafood Tomyum Soup with Rice ($9.50) which contains prawns, fish, and mushrooms. You can opt for a red or clear soup base.

Krave

This 2-year-old café specializes in al dente pasta. You can choose between spaghetti and penne for your pasta. We spotted some unique pasta flavours such as Rendang Bolognese ($16), Kurry Kremoso ($16), and Sambal Marinara ($18). The Kurry Kremoso is the café’s own rendition of curry chicken with pasta.

Fat Papas

Whenever our burger cravings kick in, we would think of Fat Papas which specializes in homemade burgers. Dining here is a messy affair, but trust us – the best way of devouring a burger is to not be afraid of getting your hands dirty.

Overrun.SG

Overrun.SG is famous for their chendol soft-serve that comes with ice cream, coconut, pandan jelly, and gula Melaka. The dessert is a tad too sweet for our liking, but we really like the soft-serve ice cream. They also offer durian chendol soft-serve, chendol milkshake, as well as, durian chendol milkshake.

Pho 4 U

This Halal Vietnamese eatery serves a variety of pho, and other Vietnamese dishes. Pho 4A ($10) is a beef noodle soup with half-cooked steak, well-done brisket, flank and meatballs. Add some fresh greens in for a nice textural crunch in every bite.

Groundstory

Groundstory, a café and craft retail store selling daily essentials and chic home décor, is a highly-instagrammable beauty. It is a tranquil haven along the bustling streets of Kampong Glam. Besides coffee and a selection of desserts, you can find pastas and sandwiches on the menu too.

Jason Niang Dou Fu

To stand out from other yong tau foo stalls, Jason Niang Dou Fu has come up with interesting pairings. You can have your noodles with chye poh sauce, or laksa soup. If you aren’t a fan of rice or noodles, you can get chee cheong fun too.

NOX

Ran out of ideas on what to do in Singapore? Perhaps, you might want to consider dining in the dark at NOX. The first floor of this modern chic restaurant is a bar and open kitchen concept. You can chill here first, before the waiter brings you into the dining area. Note that you have to lock all your belongings in the locker, and you are not allowed to bring anything that gives out light.

Pondok Jawa Timur

Opened by Mdm Indah from Surabaya, this Indonesian restaurant serves tasty and authentic Javanese cuisine. The Indonesian chefs use only fresh ingredients. Mdm Indah whips up her dishes according to her family recipes, and her passion for cooking led her to where she is today.

Na Na Original Thai Food

The most impressive dish that we ordered here is the Tom Yum Seafood Soup which is served in an ancient claypot. There is a distinct lemongrass taste, and its spiciness is not too overwhelming. If you’re ready for more kick, go for a plate of Basil Chicken, and you will soon have sexy sausage lips!

Plaza Brasserie (Ginger Asian Kitchen)

Everyone should be familiar with their annual crab feast which features an array of fresh crabs prepared with interesting sauces. You can look forward to black pepper crab, nonya curry crab, salted egg crab, baked crab, crab with tang gui, and more. Plaza Brasserie is now Ginger Asian Kitchen.

Hararu Izakaya

Hararu Izakaya spans 2 storeys, with the second floor decorated in traditional Japanese Tatami dining style. Their lunch menu offers 4 different donburi sets. When night falls, the restaurant changes into a Japanese bar and their dinner menu showcases Japanese skewers and other ala carte items.

The Dim Sum Place

The Dim Sum Place serves Cantonese-style cuisine, infused with local flavours. Look forward to savouring unique items such as braised duck cha shu bun, vermicelli roll with lamb rendang, and beef short rib with black pepper, just to name a few.

The Ramen Stall

You’ll be spoilt for choice at The Ramen Stall. We went for their signature Volcano Ramen ($11) which allows diners to choose their desired level of spiciness – 1 being the least spicy and 3 being the spiciest. We had level 2, which we would only recommend for those who can take spicy food. 

Koh Nangkam

Koh Nangkam is an island located in the Southern part of Thailand. The majority of settlers there are Muslims. Owner, Madam Chamchiyah Hodsub, was brought up in Koh Nangkam. She brought over her family recipes, and other popular Thai dishes with her. 

Diandin Leluk

Diandin Leluk’s humble beginnings can be traced back to the early 1980s when they sold packed lunch to Thai workers at construction sites, from a rented lorry. After gaining a significant number of fans who love their food, they decided to set up the current eatery at Golden Mile Complex to cater mainly to the Thai community, and subsequently won the “tastebuds” of locals as well.

Abb Zabb

This stall soared to fame because of their signature Tomyum lobster dish. Their signature Tom Yum Lobster Noodle Combo ($38) consists of one whole Boston lobster, tiger prawns, scallops, mussels and an entire squid that is generously stuffed with flavoursome minced pork.

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle has one of the best bak chor mees in Singapore. If you are a bak chor mee fan and has never tried this, you are definitely missing out. The sauce is full of chilli and vinegar, which is a robust mix of savory, spicy and sour flavours – very shiok!

Heap Seng Leong

Heap Seng Leong is one of our regular breakfast spots. Honestly, the kaya is not outstanding but having a cup of coffee with butter (kopi gu you) in a 1950s kopitiam setting is quite an interesting experience.

Tian Yi

The folks at Tian Yi have added their own twists to traditional desserts. You’ll be surprised to know that their Signature Green Bean Soup ($1.80) consists of 22 ingredients, while their Signature Red Bean Soup ($1.80) contains 23 ingredients.

Prawn Village

Owner, Anson, was on a holiday in Penang, when he came across a stall that served superb Penang prawn noodles. He casually asked if the Penang hawker was willing to impart the techniques of preparing prawn noodles to him. To his amazement, the hawker agreed. He went back a couple of times to master the skills of cooking prawn noodles, before he finally set up Prawn Village.

Teochew Fish Ball Noodle

The old couple manning the stall has been cooking BCM for more than 50 years. They started from Selegie Road, before moving to Jalan Besar, and are now in Crawford Lane. Every strand of mee kia is QQ and springy. Well coated with chilli, it is a little different from Tai Hwa’s version which has a stronger vinegar flavour. If the queue at Tai Hwa is too long, you might want to consider this!

91 Fried Kway Teow Mee

This is, perhaps, one of the most unique char kway teow stalls in Singapore. The char kway teow here has chye sim and ikan billis as toppings. We found the wok hei really gratifying and enjoyed the crunchy texture and savouriness of the ikan billis. 

Hainan Hokkien Mee

The dryness of this plate of hokkien mee cannot be contended. The owner leaves the stock to simmer till it has evaporated, ensuring that the flavours are locked into the yellow noodles and bee hoon. A smoky fragrance lingers as you savour each mouthful of noodles.

Kopi More

Stall owner, Lawrence, procures a blend of Indonesian and Arabica coffee beans and grind them on the spot. Instead of making coffee the traditional way, with a coffee sock, he uses an espresso machine to extract the coffee. Then, he adds sugar, evaporated milk and condensed milk to further enhance the aroma. Each cup is affordably priced at just $1.50! The stall serves home-baked chiffon cakes too.

Burgs

Burgs serves up quality gourmet burgers at extremely affordable prices. The buns are satisfyingly warm and soft when they are eaten immediately. Each burger set comes with thick cut fries that, to our delight, can be swapped to onion rings for a mere buck!

Charlie’s Peranakan

Uncle Charlie’s mother is a Peranakan. He picked up his culinary skills from her and started selling Peranakan cuisine in Bukit Merah since the 1980s. They have a really impressive menu that boasts of dishes such as Babi Assam, Beef Stew, Toh Hay, Itek Sio, Bakwan Kepiting, Chap Chye, and Babi Pongteh.

Som Tam Suphasiri

Som Tam Suphasiri serves a wide variety of authentic Thai salads. Flavours range from pickled mussels to marinated crab, to octopus, to steamed pig’s intestine. Do let the waitress know how many stems of chilli you desire in your salad!

Chia Bee Lor Mee

Looking for a supper spot? Chia Bee Lor Mee will satisfy. Go for bee hoon mee which comes with two types of fish – fried fish and fish meat. The fried fish is really crispy. You can add your desired amount of garlic puree and vinegar yourself. 

Lao Huang Hakka Niang Tou Fu

This stall used to be run by an elderly woman, but her children have taken over the family business now. The broth is light, with a hint of sweetness. All the ingredients are made by hand, and we strongly recommend the brinjal that’s generously stuffed with meat.

Zhen Hao Lor Mee

As compared to Chia Bee, Zhen Hao’s Lor Mee gravy is thicker and very gooey. However, it isn’t too salty and you can still taste the natural flavours of the fish which is fried a la minute here. There’s even fried fish skin in each bowl. It would have tasted better if it’s a tad more garlicky, like Chia Bee’s version.

Ah Xiao Teochew Braised Duck

The duck meat, rice, and egg come together as a package. Only plain white rice is served here, so ask for more gravy!

Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo

This bowl of yong tau foo gives one a taste of home. One of our dining partners said that “the yong tau foo 有妈妈煮饭的味道”. You have to select a minimum of 8 pieces of ingredients, and only beehoon is served here.

Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice

Don’t be deceived. If you don’t see a queue here, it’s because customers are advised to take a seat while waiting for their meals to be served. The wait can be quite long, so be sure to check the waiting time before you order if you’re in a rush. The rice is fragrant, while the chicken is smooth and tender.

Kampong Glam Cafe

One of the dishes we really enjoyed here is the lontong. Imagine indulging in cubes of rice cakes soaked in a turmeric-spiced coconut curry. The lontong is served with cabbage, long beans, and tofu, and topped with grated spiced coconut. Just add a dollop of chilli to complete the dish!

We hope that this list will be useful for tourists who are exploring Beach Road! Enjoy!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the restaurants/cafes/stalls featured here.

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