8 food and drink ideas to warm you up on a cold day

When it’s cold outside, nothing hits the spot quite like a bowl of fish soup. Amoy Street Food Centre in the CBD is home to two famous stalls: Han Kee Fish Soup and Piao Ji Fish Porridge. Both do stellar renditions of the comforting dish – and boast snaking queues to boot. Han Kee’s offering has a clear and clean-tasting broth, and each bowl is packed with super-thick fish slices, fried garlic, coriander and spring onions. Piao Ji’s version is equally delicious, with a more robust and briny taste, and comes with pork lard and fried shallots. Be sure to try the special chilli here, which is made with preserved vegetables.

Han Kee Fish Soup, 7 Maxwell Road, #02-129, Singapore 069111

Piao Ji Fish Porridge, 7 Maxwell Road, #02-100, Singapore 069111

(Here are "The Best Sliced Fish Soups In Singapore Worth Travelling And Waiting For")

There aren’t that many places where you’ll find a hot cocktail in Singapore… except for at Republic Bar. The luxurious bar located at Ritz Carlton serves up one of the best Irish Coffee and we can totally vouch for it. Sidle up in a comfy chair and order the Kim Sisters, that's made with a blend of Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon Whiskey, Chocolate, Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur, Brewed Coffee, Hazelnut, Cream and Dalgona or opt for one of their other fancier cocktails like the Pop Yeh Yeh, made with Brass Lion Gin, Sour Plum, Kiwi, Apple and Citrus.

Republic Bar, 7 Raffles Ave., Singapore 039799

There’s no better excuse than a chilly night to have a hotpot feast with friends. There are tons of great hotpot restaurants to choose from in Singapore, but the collagen soup base, fried bean curd rolls and high-quality ingredients at Beauty in the Pot are hard to beat. They have seven outlets that you can choose from, including at The Centrepoint, VivoCity and Jewel Changi Airport.

When it comes to warm desserts, few things beat a good and gooey chocolate lava cake. Home baker Yanagi Cakes’ version, which it dubs the Chocolate Orgasm, is a soft, moist and fluffy delight that’s been filled with a generous amount of fudgy filling that spills out when you cut yourself a slice. The decadent, bittersweet interior is perfectly balanced out by the light sponge exterior, and the entire dessert isn’t too sweet. You can order the cake – which is only available from Thursday to Sunday – via their Instagram page.

(Read also "Instagram-Worthy Lava Buns That Taste As Good As They Look")

Sure, soup is always a go-to when it’s chilly. But tucking into wood-fired, grilled and roasted fare is a worthy alternative. Besides the dry-aged meats that Bedrock is known for, you’ll find an exclusive selection of seafood dishes at Bedrock Origin in Sentosa. The Aged Barramundi Tail, which serves two to three diners, includes a large slab of fish that’s been beautifully grilled over an Applewood fire and slathered in herbs, chilli and lemon. There’s also the Plant-Based Beef Wellington for vegetarians, as well the requisite Japanese Wagyu, dry-aged and USDA prime steaks.

Bedrock Origin, 23 Beach View, Palawan Ridge, Oasia Resort Sentosa Hotel, #01-02, Singapore 098679, +65 6818 3333

Formerly located at Upper Thompson Road, Habitat Coffee is a decades-old café has moved to the Jalan Besar area. The well-lit, industrial-chic space makes for a cosy spot to escape the gloomy skies. On the drink menu, you’ll find much of the same as their old location – including various espresso-based beverages made with a double shot regardless of the size you’ve ordered. There’s also a solid range of teas if you’re not a coffee person. Feeling hungry? Try the Chilli Crab Mantou, Stuffed Berries Hotcake or Eggs Tomato Relish. The latter, which is composed of baked eggs in a velvety tomato sauce served with sourdough toast, is a particularly warming dish.

Habitat Coffee, 803 King George’s Avenue, #01-242/244, Singapore 200803, +65 8750 5258

Discreetly situated on the second floor of a Chinatown shophouse, this contemporary tea bar offers a tranquil ambiance, ideal for a contemplative experience on a rainy afternoon. The tea menu showcases a range of single-origin tea varieties, each meticulously brewed using pure Australian spring water. For those seeking to relax and sip their tea at a leisurely pace, indulging in the standard blends is recommended – the three-brew course accentuates the distinct notes of your chosen tea. However, if time is of the essence (or you're one of those that loves drinking cold drinks in the cold), the menu also features refreshing cold-brew teas.

26A Sago Street, Singapore 059021

This isn’t your ordinary bowl of ramen. At Menbaka Fire Ramen – which hails from Kyoto – the chefs have been known to set bowls ablaze before they’re served to diners. This is done by pouring their signature hot onion oil over the noodles, which creates a towering column of fire that’s, of course, extinguished before you tuck in. We suggest going for the Singapore-exclusive Tonkotsu Fire Ramen. It comes with a rich pork-based stock, chewy noodles and plenty of spring onions. The restaurant is also currently running a special 1-for-1 Fire Ramen Set promotion.

Menbaka Fire Ramen, 8 Grange Road, #05-03, Singapore 239695, +65 8218 9236

This article was first published in Singapore Women's Weekly.