They say that old is gold and that cannot be any more true with restaurants such as Roland Seafood—the birthplace of chilli crab—, Guan Hoe Soon and Shashlik Restaurant in Singapore have distinguished themselves as some of the most iconic restaurants in the country.

They’ve withstood the test of time, some having been around for almost a century—which says a lot about their cooking—and some going down as legends in Singapore’s culinary history. For a blast to the oh-so-delicious past, here is our list of 14 heritage restaurants in Singapore you need to visit before they’re gone forever.

BAN HENG

Since 1972, Ban Heng Group of Restaurants has become a veteran of the culinary industry boasting over fifty years of experience in traditional Teochew and Cantonese cuisine. Their food has always remained impeccable with their various crab dishes, roast meat dishes and the ever popular Braised Slice Goose Meat in Teochew Style being some of our top favourites.

1 Maritime Square
#04-01, HarbourFront Centre
Singapore 099253
Tel: +65 6278 0288 / +65 6278 1354
Daily: 11.30am – 2pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

COLBAR

Offering a full-on menu of both Asian and Western fare, Colbar is one of the few gems in Singapore that we can safely say, has truly stood the test of time. Opened in 1953, the establishment formerly served as a canteen for the British army. It, therefore, gave rise to its name, Colbar, otherwise referred to as ‘Colonial Bar’.

Granted that it’s a little out of the way, especially for those who do not drive, it is still a charming spot that’s worth the trip. It is a retreat from civilisation and it is also a great place to catch a glimpse of the old days over some good Western food and a wide array of imported craft beers.

9A Whitchurch Road
Singapore 138839
Tues to Sun: 9.30am – 10pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: One North

FATTY WENG

An icon in our culinary landscape and one that has contributed to the roaring success of Cantonese cuisine here in Singapore, Fatty Weng boasts more than 200 items to choose from hearty soups to substantial main dishes and while their offerings may look modern, they do well to preserve traditional cooking and preparation methods of old, ensuring that their food is kept one hundred per cent legit.

39 Smith Street,
Singapore 058952
Tel: +65 6221 3822
Daily: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

MOI LUM

It is uncertain when exactly in the 1920s that Moi Lum was founded. Regardless, the restaurant is still going strong more than 80 years on. They recently announced their official closure come 15 March 2019, which shocked foodies all over.

They are most widely known for their signature Crispy Fried Chicken and Golden Coin Beancurd—both unmatched in its taste, texture and the culinary mastery required to prepare them.

38 Maxwell Road,
Singapore 069116
Tel: +65 6226 2283
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

ROLAND SEAFOOD

From sea-front stall to an icon that’s steeped deep into Singapore’s restaurant history, Roland Seafood boasts some of the best seafood dishes in the country and, lo and behold, is where the beloved chilli crab was first invented.

89 Marine Parade Central, #06-750,
Singapore 440089
Tel: +65 6440 8205
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Eunos

Photo Credit: Good Chance Popiah

GOOD CHANCE POPIAH

Founded in 1977, Good Chance Popiah is the birthplace of DIY popiah and is by far, one of the best places to get your hands on one of the best in Singapore. We absolutely love their popiah but we also make it a point to order their Special Tofu and Braised Pork Trotter Beehoon—both are brilliantly done.

1 Jln Berseh, #01-15
New World Centre,
Singapore 209037
Tel: +65 9622 9445
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Jalan Besar

GUAN HOE SOON

Guan Hoe Soon is one of the last few standing institutions of authentic Peranakan dining in the historically Peranakan neighbourhood of Joo Chiat. They have been operating there since 1953 and continues to pride itself on making everything from scratch in-house from their sauces, soups marinate and sambal chilli.

The menu includes standard Peranakan dishes such as ayam buah keluak and babi pong tay. And their achar (served as an appetiser) even comprises chicken livers and gizzards—a long lost practice that only those of true Peranakan descent will know.

40 Joo Chiat Place,
Singapore 427764
Tel: +65 6344 2761
Mon to Fri: 9am – 9pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Eunos / Paya Lebar

ISLAMIC RESTAURANT

Fast approaching a century of operations, Islamic Restaurant has served the likes of dignitaries such as Singapore’s late President Yusof Ishak and Malaysia’s ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak. Until today, the restaurant specialises in Malay and Indian food offering lip-smacking delights such as dum biryani and tandoori chicken.

745 North Bridge Road,
Singapore 198713
Tel: +65 6298 7563
Mon to Sun: 10am – 10pm
Fri: 10am – 1pm, 2pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

PRIMA TOWER REVOLVING RESTAURANT

Established in 1977, the revolving restaurant is widely lauded for its signature Emperor’s Chicken, Shredded Scallops with Fish & White Egg and various dim sum offerings. The food standard has been kept consistently good all these years yet the food itself isn’t the restaurant’s only draw. As it’s name suggests, it revolves, giving diners a beautiful panoramic view of the Keppel Bay area.

201 Keppel Road,
Singapore 099419
Tel: +65 6272 8822
Mon to Sat: 11am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 10.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

RED STAR RESTAURANT

Standing tall as one of Singapore’s last bastions of authentic traditional dim sum, Red Star restaurant is a must-visit for dim sum fanatics. Dining here is truly as real as it can get to the old days, food carts loaded with steaming hot goodness and screaming old ladies included.

Chin Swee Road, #07-23 Block 54,
Singapore 160054
Tel: +65 6532 5266
Mon to Sat: 8am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Sun: 7am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Outram Park

SHASHLIK RESTAURANT

The story of the Hainanese-run Russian steakhouse, Shashlik, goes all the way back to the 1960s and news of their closure back in 2015 shocked the nation. Thankfully, they re-opened under a younger generation of owners who seek to keep the old world charm intact. Must-try dishes include their Eggs Millionaire—a dish of chopped eggs, bacon bits and parmesan gratin—, Shashlik of Beef, Borshch Soup and Baked Alaska.

545 Orchard Road, #06-19
Far East Shopping Centre
Singapore 238882
Tel: +65 6732 6401
(Closed on Mondays)
Sun to Sat: 12pm – 2.15pm, 6pm – 9.15pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

SINGAPORE ZAM ZAM

Renowned for their chicken, mutton and sardine murtabak, Singapore Zam Zam first started selling its famed Indian-Muslim cuisine back in 1908. This landmark eatery situated right across the Sultan Mosque also serves roti prata, nasi briyani and plenty of other dishes.

697-699 North Bridge Road,
Singapore 198675
Tel: +65 6298 6320
Daily: 7am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

SPRING COURT

Crowned Singapore’s oldest family-run restaurant, Spring Court is where lovers of fine Cantonese cuisine flock to. For those who don’t know, perhaps you’ll be fascinated to know that it was these folks who first introduced what has now become popular Chinese dishes such as suckling pig and popiah.

52-56 Upper Cross Street,
Singapore 058348
Tel: +65 6449 5030
Daily: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

YET CON RESTAURANT

Having been around for over 70 years now, Yet Con Restaurant remains one of Singapore’s last bastions for authentic Hainanese food. Their signature Hainanese chicken rice is a must and they even have an option for hot pot—worth trying if your group is fairly big.

25 Purvis Street,
Singapore 188602
Tel: +65 6337 6819
Daily: 10am – 7pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

There is plenty of things that Singaporeans can be grateful for but the one thing that we simply cannot do without is our vast array of local food that stems from our heritage and culture that spans across all races.

It goes without saying that when it comes to our local cuisine, we Singaporeans are fanatically passionate about it and it shows with the many Singaporean food festivals that take place all over the world for students and people working abroad who just can’t fathom the absence of our local delicacies in their bellies.

Come this National Day and the month of August, a number of fast food chains, restaurants, bars and cafes have decided that it’s time to upkeep the true spirit that is Singapore’s unyielding gastronomic scene by coming up with a slew of new Singaporean-themed edible treats, infusing both local flavours and flair into their various offerings. Here is our guide on 12 new dishes that pay tribute to all things Singaporean.

AH MAH HOMEMADE CAKE – ONDEH ONDEH CASTELLA CAKE

Wobbly castella cakes are bestowed with the ondeh ondeh touch at this bakery, where a pandan base made of freshly squeezed pandan leaves is layered with coconut, a splash of gula melaka for sweetness, and shavings of desiccated coconut on top.

This thematic treat even comes in its own designer box illustrated by local artist, Lee Kow Fong, featuring an image of old-school Singapore streets.

60 Paya Lebar Road,

Singapore 409051

Tel: +65 8133 8508

Daily: 9.45am – 8.30pm

Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

Photo Credit: Breadtalk

BREADTALK – CHILLI CRAB PUFFS

Moulded and shaped to look like actual mud crabs, tantalise your taste buds with the adorable and mighty tasty Chilli Crab Puffs from Breadtalk. Even though their filling might differ a lot from the original dish, who can deny that these pastry parcels are just the cutest things ever?

Photo Credit: Burger King

BURGER KING – HAINANESE TENDERGRILL CHICKEN & TEH TARIK PIE

Get the total ‘Taste Of Singapore’ experience with Burger King’s latest slew of locally-inspired offerings. The flavourful Hainanese Tendergrill Chicken and fragrant Rendang Beef/Chicken are back for a limited time only and let’s not forget to end off our meal with their new Teh Tarik Pie!

BUTTERKNIFE FOLK – SAMBAL CRUMBLE GELATO

The base of this innovative creation is made using both light and dark soy sauce along with a hint of spice in the form of their house-made sambal crumble. Costing S$5 for a single scoop, this intriguing gelato creation really packs on unbeatable flavour as well as some heat.

238 River Valley Road,

Singapore 238296

Tel: +65 6734 7855

(Closed on Mondays)

Tue to Thu: 12pm – 9pm

Fri & Sat: 12pm – 10.30pm

Nearest Station: Dhoby Ghaut

Photo Credit: Creamery

CREAMERY BOUTIQUE ICE CREAMS – ONDEH ONDEH LAVA COOKIE

Crafted especially for the nation’s 53rd birthday, this limited edition cookie presents itself in the form of crumbly pandan cookie crumbs infused with heavenly gula melaka and coconut shavings! But get your hands on this lovable treat quick because it will only be around from 14 Jul to  8 Aug 2018.

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139 Tyrwhitt Road #01-03,

Singapore 207557

(Closed on Thursdays)

Mon to Wed: 12.30pm – 10pm

Fri: 12.30pm – 10.30pm

Sat: 12pm – 10.30pm

Sun: 12pm – 10.30pm

Nearest Station: Lavender

Photo Credit: KFC

KFC – GOLDSPICE CHICKEN KFC

Signature Hot & Crispy chicken coated with a winning combination of salted egg, chilli, curry leaves an sweet basil to deliver a touch of heat. Fried to glorious golden brown, for a taste better than gold.

Photo Credit: Krispy Kreme Singapore

KRISPY KREME – CHILLI SERIES DOUGHNUTS

Singaporeans love food but the one condiment that truly defines a dish—or rather completes it—is chilli.

For the month of August 2018 only, Krispy Kreme will present their new spicy chilli doughnuts; guaranteed to provide you with a fiery kick with every bite. These spicy morsels of happiness come in a variety of flavours, namely: Caramel Chili Doughnuts and White Chocolate Chili Doughnuts—both of which feature sprinklings of fresh chilli flakes over top.

Photo Credit: McDonald’s

MCDONALD’S – HA HA CHEONG GAI BURGER & D24 DURIAN MCFLURRY

Joining the bandwagon of sensational treats this National Day is McDonald’s Ha Ha Cheong Gai Burger. Paying homage to one of Singapore’s most beloved zi char classic, get ready get your appetites racing for these glorious (and massive) bad boys.

Why not complete the Singapore-themed gastronomic trip with their D24 Durian Mcflurry or the Kueh Salat from McCafé that’s inspired by the rich culinary stories of traditional Nonya delights. A sponge cake that, when cut into, reveals layer upon layer of sumptuous pandan mousse, sponge cake and sticky rice topped with coconut flakes.

Photo Credit: Old Chang Kee

OLD CHANG KEE – CHILLI CRAB’O

Boasting a bright red colour (possibly signifying one half of our nation’s flag), and stuffed generously with OCK’s house-perfected chilli crab stuffing, what you can expect from the Chilli Crab’O is a combination of savoury, sweet and lip-smacking flavour coupled with an aromatic, crumbly pastry to seal the deal.

Photo Credit: Paradise Teochew

PARADISE TEOCHEW – RED & WHITE DELIGHTS

Paying tribute to our nation’s birthday this year, Paradise Teochew has come up with an array of dishes that take on the iconic red and white colour of the Singapore flag. From dumplings, selected main course items and even desserts, get ready to be awed by their arsenal of thematic dishes.

TEXAS CHICKEN – SAMBAL CHICKEN

Taking their fried chicken up a notch, get set to light your mouth ablaze with their sweet but fiery sambal fried chicken. This saucy variant packs some punch but stays relatively true to the complex, heady aromas of a good sambal.

Photo Credit: Tom’s Palatte

TOM’S PALATTE – CHEE CHEONG FUN ICE CREAM

Serving their own variation of homemade ice cream since September 2005, this humble ice cream parlour is best known for their array of playful, somewhat quirky ice cream flavours.

We liked to believe that the folks here hit their creative threshold with their ginseng flavour but little did we know that they have way more up their sleeves. This national day, be sure to try their chee cheong fun-flavoured ice cream.

#01-25, 100 Beach Road,

Singapore 189702

Tel: +65 6296 5239

Mon to Thu: 12pm – 9.30pm

Fri & Sat: 12pm – 10pm

Sun: 1pm – 7pm

Nearest Station: Esplanade

Read: 38 Best Hawker Food in Singapore you have to try at least once in your life.

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