Singapore’s food scene is extremely globalised and diverse and we see many international food brands opening franchises here on our sunny island. However, there are still brands which we wished were more easily accessible.
Most of us do not have the luxury to travel very often to our favourite places to savour the food unique to the country/ city. These famous food brands would make our lives so much better if they had outposts here in Singapore.
From Dominque Ansel Bakery to Ichiran Ramen, here are 23 Famous Food Brands We Wish Were In Singapore!
ADRIANO ZUMBO
Some have dubbed him the “King of Pastries” as he is one of the most revered pastry chefs in the world. Adriano Zumbo in Sydney, Australia is led by Chef Zumbo himself, dishing out incredibly beautiful macarons and cakes that are to die for.
AFTER YOU
This dessert cafe should be no stranger to you by now. After You first started in 2007, and it has been synonymous with Shibuya Toasts ever since. The Shibuya Honey Toast (THB175) is what After You got famous for, and fast forward many years, queues still form outside its various outlets every day for this amazing dessert. We are sure After You will be a big hit in Singapore!
AQUA S
The iconic blue soft-serve ice cream surrounded by a “cloud” of cotton candy is probably one of the most memorable desserts floating around social media. Aqua S is from Sydney, and how we wish this pretty dessert brand could reach our shores!
If you have ever travelled to London, you probably would have tried Burger & Lobster, one of the biggest names in London’s food scene. Prices are reasonable—a whole lobster (grilled or steamed) is only at £20 and comes complete with fries and a side salad!
CEREAL KILLER CAFÉ
This popular cereal café from the UK already has franchises around the world. Pick your favourite cereal, milk and toppings to go along to create your own personalized bowl of goodness. Unadulterated snack, we’d like to call this.
We have always been big fans of Dominique Ansel Bakery for its exquisite sweet treats. The Frozen S’mores is one of our all-time favourites, featuring a torched marshmallow encasing delicious chocolate ice cream. And there is the Cookie Shot, too!
FIVE GUYS BURGER
There is always a huge debate on which is the best fast food burger in the United States. And recently, Five Guys has ousted In-N-Out Burger as the number 1 favourite burger brand. Yes, we’d love for them to be in Singapore too.
If you are looking for a value-for-money steak in London, go to Flat Iron. For just a mere £10, you can get a substantial portion of steak. Always cooked to perfection with a plethora of add-on sides, we really foresee ourselves patronising a lot if they ever came to Singapore.
You’d probably have seen photos and boomerang videos of these fluffy pancakes on Instagram. They jiggle when you shake the plate, they really do. Cafe Gram is famous for its Japanese-style Soufflé Pancakes.
IN-N-OUT BURGER
You should be no stranger to this massive name. In-N-Out Burger is THE prized burger in the California. The perfect American-style cheeseburger, paired with their “secret menu”
Animal-style Fries is probably one of the best and sinfully-good meals you can ever have.
ICHIRAN RAMEN
To begin to describe the beauty of an Ichiran Ramen bowl, we first have to start off with the whole experience. You sit in your own singular booth and wait for your bowl of noodles to be served to you. Before it even reaches you, you will be blown away by the fragrance of the rich tonkotsu broth. Upon first bite, you will be sold. They have outlets in the US and Hong Kong, so why not Singapore next?
LUKE’S LOBSTER
Luke’s Lobster has made a name for itself in New York City by bringing the best of the Maine Coast to New York City with fresh Maine lobster, crab and shrimp rolls at unbeatable prices.
The long lines outside Luke’s Lobster stores in Japan are testament to its popularity. We are definitely keeping our fingers crossed that Luke’s Lobster will be opening more outlets in Asia, especially Singapore.
MOMOFUKU MILK BAR
When visiting New York, you would definitely notice the Momofuku Milk Bar chain of outlets. Serving simple and delicious cookies and desserts, you can do no wrong with their signature Cereal Milk Soft-Serve!
Offering a modern twist to traditional Peking and Shanghainese cuisine, M&C.Duck is not quite what you would expect of a typical Hong Kong restaurant.
It serves one of the best Peking ducks in Hong Kong and we certainly hope that we can satisfy our cravings for it in Singapore one day.
MONMOUTH COFFEE COMPANY
If you have a hankering for seriously good coffee in London, chances are that the locals will lead you to Monmouth Coffee Company. The coffee here is highly rated and each cup is prepared with love by the expert baristas.
Over the past years, we have seen several openings of successful Hong Kong food establishments right in Singapore. The Hong Kong food invasion has given us hope that One Dim Sum might just join the list in the future.
With just one nondescript and humble outlet in Prince Edward, One Dim Sum has been in the spotlight ever since they earned their one Michelin star in 2012. Even though it did not retain the Michelin star, the queue at the restaurant remains the same every day – it is mostly packed with regulars who return again and again for its much-lauded dim sum.
PIERRE HERMÉ
When you think of French pastries, you think of Pierre Hermé. This French pastry shop has probably the best macarons in the world. Each macaron is prepared with extreme intricacy, a quality that is quintessential in French bakeries.
ROAST
Roast—one of our favourite cafes in Bangkok—is no stranger to Singaporeans. Its flagship outlet at The Commons is perpetually packed with brunch-goers.
SADAHARU AOKI
Sadaharu Aoki is both the Japanese pastry chef’s name and the renowned French brand for Japanese-inspired desserts. He is undisputedly the best pastry chef in the whole of Japan. Holding on strong to his Japanese roots, Aoki’s menu of intricate desserts come with a hint of Japan or two; think black sesame eclair and yuzu macarons.
THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY
This massive American chain restaurant is world famous and stepping into the store is a mind-blowing experience; the shelves of cheesecakes are just crazy! There is also a huge menu of savoury food items. While prices are slightly steep, we still wished they were in Singapore!
THE HALAL GUYS
What started out as just an unassuming food truck in New York City has now turned into one of the biggest and most successful food franchise in the US. Their famous platter of chicken and gyro is something many people swear by and makes an ideal grab-and-go lunch!
For now, The Halal Guys has outposts in Jakarta and Seoul. So should you ever find yourself in those cities, be sure to check it out.
This Hong Kong brand first kick-started the whole salted egg yolk croissant trend in Asia. Despite trying many renditions since then, we are still die-hard fans of the original at Urban Bakery Works.
% ARABICA COFFEE
The famous % Arabica Coffee from Kyoto is taking over the world one coffee at a time. It currently has branches in Japan, Hong Kong, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. And in 2017 alone, it will be expanding to Bahrain, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Oman. We are keeping our fingers crossed that it will open in Singapore one day.
I love this list!
The Halal Guys have now 4 branches in Metro Manila Philippines. %Arabica soon to open in BGC Taguig Metro Manila.