Where to find delicious Peranakan food in Singapore

Food is central to every culture, and the Peranakans are no exception. Peranakan cooking has a special quality that keeps pulling foodies in. Perhaps it is the unique blend of Chinese, Malay, and Indonesian influences; or the heritage and history evident in every plate of food. Whatever it is, this vibrant cuisine continues to leave our mouths drooling and our bellies full.

Keep reading for a list of Peranakan restaurants in Singapore that you can visit to get your fix, especially if you’re craving some assam laksa, ayam buah keluak and kueh pie tee after watching Emerald Hill.

1. Candlenut

Malcom Lee established Candlenut in 2010. Starting as a small shophouse in Neil Road, today, it has taken up residence in the Dempsey Hill area, and has become the world’s first Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant.

Candlenut takes a contemporary yet authentic approach to traditional Straits-Chinese cuisine. Its signature dishes include ayam buah keluak—braised chicken infused with the earthy richness of Peranakan black nuts—and Westholme wagyu beef rib rendang, in which short rib is slow-cooked in a fragrant medley of coconut milk and aromatic spices.

Candlenut is located at 17A Dempsey Road, Singapore 249676, tel: 1800 304 2288. Visit its website for more information.

2. Pangium

Also helmed by the award-winning Chef Lee is Michelin-starred Pangium, a tasting menu-only restaurant serving contemporary Straits cuisine. Located within the lush grounds of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, it boasts a refined interior that sets the stage for an exquisite fine-dining experience. 

Its menu showcases elevated interpretations of beloved Peranakan dishes, including the popular buah keluak sambal accompanied by tender, slow-braised oxtail; and serunding daging, fragrant beef floss paired with toasted grated coconut.

Pangium is located at Gallop Entrance, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 11 Gallop Road, Singapore 259015, tel: 8938 3891. Visit its website for more information.

3. Violet Oon Singapore

Violet Oon Singapore, led by chef-restaurateur Violet Oon, needs no introduction. The restaurant, and its various iterations, have been delighting both locals and tourists alike with the Nyonya and Singaporean flavours infused in its dishes.

The menu begins with classic appetisers such as kueh pie tee, featuring crispy pastry cups filled with julienned bamboo shoots and turnip poached in a flavourful prawn bisque. As for mains, the udang chilli padi lemak delivers a symphony of flavours with prawns cooked in a spicy-creamy coconut gravy that’s infused with the citrusy notes of lemongrass and kefir lime leaf.

Violet Oon Singapore has multiple locations around Singapore. Visit its website for more information and the full listing.

4. Rempapa

Damian D’Silva—the first Singaporean to be awarded the prestigious Artisan & Authenticity Award 2024 from La Liste, a French restaurant ranking guide—takes the reins at Rempapa, a restaurant whose menu has a diverse flavour profile that pays homage to many cultures, including Peranakan cuisine. 

The restaurant’s kerabu timun features thinly sliced cucumber and pork belly, tossed in a spicy cincalok sauce—a recipe passed down from head chef Alan Chan’s grandaunt. For those who enjoy fiery and tangy flavours, the garam assam fish is a must-try, with buttery seabass simmered in a rich tamarind gravy, complemented by the crunchy textures of brinjal and okra.

Rempapa is located at #01-01/02/03 Park Place Residences at PLQ, 2 Paya Lebar Road, Singapore 409053, tel: 9459 1603. Visit its website for more information.

5. Nana Dolly’s

For something more casual, Nana Dolly’s is a cosy cafe in Little India that serves up, in its own words, “Peranakan-inspired homestyle dishes, drinks and desserts.” Opened by a fourth-generation Baba, Alvin Phua, you can look forward to trying classic and fusion Peranakan dishes when you’re here.

Besides Peranakan staples like babi pongteh, chicken curry, assam fish, chap chye and dry laksa, those looking for something more unusual can opt for its fusion pastas; namely, the rendang and laksa pastas. The rendang pasta is a hearty option that marries rendang curry and beef with pasta, while the laksa pasta has a tangier flavour profile, with pasta doused in laksa gravy and topped with prawns and fragrant herbs.

Nana Dolly’s is located at 10 Perak Road, Singapore 208131, tel: 9001 1141. Visit its website for more information.

6. Godmama

Godmama caters to every palate, offering time-honoured flavours for those craving nostalgia, and unique taste pairings for the adventurous foodie.

If you’re seeking dishes reminiscent of classic Peranakan home-cooking, look no further. Godmama’s slew of dishes on their menu include tasty, familiar favourites like ikan masak nanas (grilled barramundi cooked in a tangy pineapple and tamarind stew) and sambal udang petai (juicy prawns fried in sambal and stink beans). 

Godmama is located at #04-07 Funan, 107 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179105, tel: 6970 0828. Visit its website for more information.

7. The Blue Ginger

One of Singapore’s oldest Peranakan restaurants, The Blue Ginger was established in 1995 along Tanjong Pagar Road. Its dedication to authentic Peranakan flavours earned it a place in the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Singapore.

The restaurant goes beyond the popular Peranakan dishes we know and love, offering less mainstream yet equally delicious dishes. Highlights include kerabu kacang botol—winged beans in a spicy-tangy dressing, topped with shallots and grated coconut—and babi hong, braised pork knuckle infused with cinnamon bark and soy sauce.

The Blue Ginger has two locations in Singapore. Visit its website for more information and the full listing.

8. The Peranakan Restaurant Singapore

The Peranakan Restaurant Singapore is a social enterprise that serves homely, authentic Peranakan dishes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

Helmed by executive chef Raymond Khoo, the menu consists of dishes based on family recipes passed down through generations. Popular dishes on the menu include the ayam buah keluak, beef rendang and prawn ngoh hiang. Be sure to save space for dessert, which includes hard-to-find treats like apom bok kwa pisang.

The Peranakan Restaurant Singapore is located at #01-477, 57 Lengkok Bahru, Singapore 151057, tel: 8023 4345. Visit its website for more information and the full listing.

9. Nyonyas And Gentlemen Restaurant

Tuck into fusion Peranakan cuisine at affordable prices as part of Nyonyas and Gentlemen Restaurant’s lunch buffet, which allows you to indulge in diverse flavours with its selection of halal-certified Peranakan goodies and international fare.

Try the chicken pongteh, a classic Peranakan dish where chicken is braised in a blend of fermented bean paste and soy sauce, and served with potatoes. Customers also rave about the restaurant’s durian pengat (durian cooked in coconut milk), and how the creamy dessert simply melts in your mouth.

Nyonyas & Gentlemen Restaurant is located at 25 Marine Parade Rd, Level 4 @ the Village Hotel Katong, Singapore 449536, tel: 6241 4850. Visit its website for more information.

10. True Blue

True Blue has a wide selection of traditional Peranakan dishes, which do not contain pork or lard. Located in a meticulously decorated shophouse beside the Peranakan museum, gather your friends and make a day out of the experience.

Popular items include the ayam buah keluak, chap chye, braised vegetables in a savoury bean paste sauce; and bakwan kepiting, which has juicy crab and chicken meatballs in a flavourful bamboo shoot broth. The dessert menu is just as extensive, ranging from Sagu Sagu Gula Melaka to assorted kueh kuehs.

True Blue is located at 47/49 Armenian Street, Singapore 179937, tel: 6440 0449. Visit its website for more information. 

11. Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant

Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant keeps Peranakan culinary traditions alive with its authentic dishes, served just the way they have been for generations.

Try the signature dry laksa, a moreish dish featuring fresh seafood and silky noodles drenched in a rich, coconut paste. The homemade otah, with its subtle smokiness, has also earned plenty of praise from diners. And if you’re going with a group, you can’t go wrong with another crowd favorite, the Curry Assam Fish Head.

Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant is located at #01-03, 11 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427744, tel: 6275 1002. Visit its website for more information.

12. Restaurant PeraMakan @ Owen Road

Founded by a fourth-generation Nyonya, Restaurant PeraMakan @ Owen Road was established over 20 years ago. Known for its warm, home-style cooking, the restaurant offers diners a warm, inviting culinary experience that keeps them coming back.

Standouts on the menu are the fresh and vibrant assam laksa; nyonya fried mee siam, where rice vermicelli is wok-fried to perfection; and the richly spiced lamb rendang, where the soft meat in thick gravy is the star of the show.

Restaurant PeraMakan @ Owen Road is located at 119 Owen Road, Singapore 218924, tel: 9099 4141. Visit its website for more information

This article first appeared in Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore.