Top spots to eat in Buona Vista—from cosy cafes to trendy restaurants

If you love Hong Kong fare, then you’ll likely be acquainted with Legendary Hong Kong, with interiors that bring to mind old-school cha chaan tengs.

While you can expect the same expansive menu of dim sum and classic Hong Kong-style delights such as bolo buns, wanton noodles, roasted pork and condensed milk-slathered thick toasts at their most recently opened Rochester Park outlet, there are also Rochester-exclusive dishes to try out.

Various locations islandwide. Visit here.

Your favourite neighbourhood cafe presents you with their highly raved items, from Lola’s Breakfast to Shakshuka, and Pulled Pork & Avocado Eggs Benedict. With their newer dishes, such as Tsukune Sando as well as Mushroom & Ricotta Ravioli, Spicy Crab Rigatoni, Bacon Carbonara, and Duck Ragu Fettucine to name a few, feast your eyes (and palates) on the scrumptiousness that awaits you.

Various locations islandwide. Visit here.

Anchored by a counter and display of mouthwatering pastries, the interiors take on a retro vibe with mosaic tiles, arched windows, and round tables with wooden chairs – perfect for a leisurely break. From Mushroom Soup Croissant Cube to Hei (a black sesame mousse, feuilletine and dacquoise cake), the bakery-cafe is best known for its pastries and cakes with an Asian twist. They are particularly known for Sor Hei, a black and white Danish pastry that nods to the ma jies of Keong Saik in the olden days.

Various locations islandwide. Visit here.

Think classic French fare, such as a velvety French ceps soup with truffle oil, or a rich slab of foie gras terrine on toast. Prefer a lighter starter? The French Heirloom Beetroot Salad with mildly sweet beets is worth sampling. For steaks, executive chef Mickael Cornac recommends the Grilled Sirloin Wagyu cooked medium-rare. All steak dishes come with a free flow of twice-cooked homemade fries — you won’t be able to stop at one basket.

End with desserts, which include classics like a double chocolate lava cake, creme brulee, and the Ile Flottante, a traditional dessert of a pillowy meringue floating in a pool of creme anglaise.

A weekday three-course set lunch is priced at $41++.

Various locations islandwide. Visit here.

Next to Les Bouchons is Gary’s. Taiwan-born Singaporean chef Gary Wu brings to his namesake restaurant, also housed within a two-storey bungalow, his brand of contemporary Italian-Japanese fare.

Kick off with starters like a Red Prawn Tartare, a zesty concoction of Botan Ebi and Gambero Rosso prawns, or the iconic Gary’s Garden Salad, with vegetables artfully arranged atop mashed potato to resemble Singapore’s skyline.

If you’re embracing carbs, there’s the Signature Seafood Pasta with a slow-cooked seafood stock that’s flambeed with brandy, or the Scottish Bamboo Clam — squid ink pasta’s served together on the clamshell, and flambéed with white wine. Otherwise, go for juicy Iberico Pork Jowl or the 150-day Grass-fed Tenderloin that’s chargrilled, then finished with veal juice and a red wine reduction.

41 Rochester Drive, Singapore 138582

It’s quite literally bananas at Crazy Nana. This cosy cafe shines the spotlight on bananas, sourced from the owner’s own farm in Batu Pahat, Malaysia. Think plates like Banana French Toast, Banana On Toast, Banana Mini Wraps, and the signature Crazy Nana Pisang.

And lest you think they only serve banana-centric dishes here, there are also options like mee goreng, mee siam, nasi lemak and rojak – though the rojak comes with a pisang (banana) version, too.

1 Fusionopolis Place, #01-17, Singapore 138632

If the scorching weather’s getting to you, cool off at gelato cafe GelatiAmo at One-North. The cafe, sporting a Mediterranean-inspired space woven with modern elements, is helmed by chef Loris Massimini of Ristorante Pietrasanta, and is all about authentic creamy treats made without premixes, colouring, or preservatives.

You’ll find classics on the menu, such as Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Chocolate (made with 76 per cent cacao), Earl Grey, Melted Butter Coffee (made with Brazil single-origin coffee grinds) and more. Or go for gorgeously indulgent flavours like Ferrero Rocher, or a Burrata Balsamico, an icy take on Ristorante Pietrasanta’s popular cheesecake with balsamic vinegar.

1 Fusionopolis Way, Connexis B1-11, Singapore 138632

This pretty restaurant is inspired by the medieval German lyrical poet Walther von der Vogelweide. And if its romantic floral decor seems to ring a bell, that’s because it’s helmed by the same folks behind Le Jardin. It’s pet-friendly too, so you can hang out with your furbabies.

Dine on breakfast options, and modern European fare, from Chilli Crab pasta to Dry Aged Beef, and duck confit.

5B Portsdown Road, Singapore 139311

This article was originally published in Singapore Women’s Weekly.

Additional reporting by: Latisha Sonia Shaymentyran