Are you tired of dining in run-of-the-mill restaurants? Think you’ve seen all Singapore’s gastronomic scene has to offer? Think again!
I believe that eating should be a multi-sensory experience. For a truly satisfying meal, you ought not only to feed your tummy, but all your other senses too, so I’ve compiled a list of 10 extraordinary dining experiences that will take you out of this world.
Whether you’re a thrill seeker, adventurous eater or simply someone looking for a new, exciting way to eat, these are some of our favourite dining places that will shake things up.
1. Royal Albatross
Sailing into the sunset while enjoying a glass of cool champagne or a seated dinner now becomes a reality with Royal Albatross, the largest yacht charter in Singapore.
Be it taking in the sea breeze while enjoying the sunset’s golden hues with its Sunset Sail (S$135 for adults, S$95 for children) or digging into a decadent three-course meal with your significant other with its Dinner Cruise (S$195 per pax), this luxury cruise is perfect for couples looking to commemorate special occasions, such as birthdays or anniversaries.
It departs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and sails past picturesque locations such as Sentosa’s white beaches, Singapore’s cityscape and skyline, and even islands like St. John’s and Lazarus Island.
Royal Albatross: 8 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa Island, Singapore 098269 | Tel: +65 6863 9585 | Opening Hours: 4pm – 7pm (Sunset Sail, Fri – Sun), 7pm – 12midnight (Dinner Cruise, Fri – Sun) | Facebook | Website
2. Ocean Restaurant
Get off land and into the depths of the sea at Ocean Restaurant, a dining concept by Cat Cora and Resorts World Sentosa.
The restaurant is situated within the S.E.A Aquarium and enclosed in ceiling-to-floor glass panels, so you can enjoy a gorgeous view of their Open Ocean habitat.
Expect sleek stingray and shark sightings alongside your gourmet seafood meal. Pricey, yes, but dining surrounded by fishes is an experience one doesn’t forget.
Ocean Restaurant: S.E.A Aquarium, 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269 | Tel:+65 6577 6869 | Opening Hours: 11.30am – 2.30pm & 6pm – 10pm (Daily) | Website
3. NOX Dine in The Dark
Dining in complete darkness can be an eye-opening experience. Engage your other four senses over a gourmet twelve-course meal at NOX – Dine in The Dark.
I’ve personally visited NOX and the experience is not just refreshing, but insightful as well. Attended by visually-impaired staff, you’ll gain a greater appreciation for how difficult it is to eat without sight, while still enjoying a great meal.
NOX – Dine in The Dark: 269 Beach Road, Singapore 199546 | Tel: +65 6298 0708 | Opening Hours: 6pm – Late (Daily) | Facebook | Website
4. Salt Grill & Sky Bar
Ascend into the skies at Salt Grill & Sky Bar! Located on the 55th floor of ION Orchard, Salt Grill has an unparalleled view of the entire Singapore cityscape.
Directed by celebrity chef Luke Mangan at its forefront whipping up high-quality dishes, Salt Grill & Skty Bar will take your dining experience higher than cloud nine. The breath-taking view is a joy to behold, high atop the urbanscape of Singapore.
Salt Grill & Sky Bar: 2 Orchard Turn, #55-01, ION Orchard, Singapore 238801 | Tel: +65 6592 5118 | Opening Hours: 11am – 1.45pm (Lunch, Mon – Fri), 11am – 2.30pm (Brunch, Sat – Sun), 6pm – 9.45pm (Daily, Dinner), 11.30am – 10.45pm (Sky Bar, Drinks), 11.30am – 9.45pm (Sky Bar, Bar) | Facebook | Website
5. Lewin Terrace
If elegance is what you seek, Lewin Terrace delivers just that. Lewin Terrace, once a colonial bungalow, is now an award-winning heritage restaurant that serves up Japanese-French fusion cuisine.
Surrounded by tropical greenery, you’ll find an escape from the bustling cityscape into a calmer state where time seems to pace along lazily.
Lewin Terrace: 23B Coleman Street, Singapore 179807 | Tel: +65 6333 9905 | Opening Hours: 12noon – 3pm & 6.30pm – 11pm (Wed – Sun), Closed on Mon & Tue | Facebook | Website
6. The Lighthouse Restaurant & Rooftop Bar
Light it up, up, up at The Fullerton Hotel’s Lighthouse Restaurant & Rooftop Bar. In the same spot where an 18th-century lighthouse once stood, Lighthouse Restaurant now serves underrated, unpretentious Southern Italian fare with an unobstructed view of the glittering Marina Bay skyline to set the mood.
At night, you can enjoy the dazzling light show from Marina Bay Sands while sipping on cocktails and nibbling on tapas – it’ll be an unforgettable date night.
The Lighthouse Restaurant & Rooftop Bar: 1 Fullerton Square, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, Singapore 049178 | Tel:+65 6877 8911/92 | Opening Hours: 12noon -2.30pm & 6.30pm – 10.30pm (Daily), 5.30pm – 11pm (Rooftop Bar) | Facebook | Website
7. POLLEN
If the sky, the sea and the dark don’t seem to suit your fancy, how about dining while surrounded by lush flora and fauna? POLLEN is nestled within the Gardens By The Bay Flower Dome, so you can have your meal amidst a blooming garden.
Chef Angelo Rosso’s exquisite dishes are almost as beautiful as the dome’s gorgeous greenery.
I would probably head to the Flower Dome a little earlier to explore the garden at a leisurely pace and work up an appetite, then end off the walk with a great meal at Pollen.
POLLEN: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, #01-09, Flower Dome, Gardens By The Bay, Singapore 018953 | Tel: +65 6604 9988 | Opening Hours: 12noon – 3pm & 6pm – 10pm (Wed – Mon), Closed on Tue | Facebook | Website
8. SuperTree Rooftop Bar By IndoChine
SuperTree Rooftop Bar by IndoChine offers a delightful combination of IndoChinese, Western and fusion dishes. But what takes the dining experience to the next level has got to be the location.
Another amazing restaurant at Gardens by the Bay; I can’t imagine an experience more otherworldly than dining 50-metres above ground, atop a giant, futuristic tree.
SuperTree by IndoChine: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Gardens by the Bay, #03-01, Singapore 018953 | Tel: +65 6694 8489 | Opening Hours: 10.30am – 12.30pm (Daily, Drinks Only), 12.30pm – 12midnight (Daily, Lunch & Dinner) | Facebook | Website
9. Dining On Cloud 9
Dining On Cloud 9 is a dining experience for those who like to be kept in “suspense”, literally. Get it? You’re suspended above the sea, in a cable car, throughout the meal.
Dining in your own private cable car is a truly glorious experience. You can even request for your private cabin to be decorated in flowers to celebrate a special occasion. If you’re thinking of popping the question, sky dining is a prime choice for making your proposal that much more memorable.
Dining On Cloud 9: 109 Mount Faber Road, Level 2, Faber Peak Singapore, Faber Peak, Singapore 099203 | Tel: +65 6377 9688 | Facebook | Website
10. Corner House
Corner House, a black-and-white bungalow in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, which once housed the passionate botanist E J H Corner, will enchant nature lovers.
Now repurposed, the bungalow is a restaurant that delivers a unique take on contemporary cuisine created by Chef Jason Tan, fondly named Gastro-Botanica.
The rich history, romantic setting and superb gastronomy of Corner House make for a truly unforgettable experience. Having dined at Corner House, the set meals are actually pretty reasonably priced given its excellent quality – something to consider if you’re sick of char kway teow.
Corner House: 1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, E J H Corner House, (Nassim Gate Entrance), Singapore 259569 | Tel: +65 6469 1000 | Opening Hours: 12noon – 3pm & 6.30pm – 11pm (Tue – Fri), 11.30pm – 3pm & 6.30pm – 11pm (Sat – Sun) | Facebook | Website
From enjoying roasted sirloin steak on a cruising boat to dining in a giant towering tree, be transported out-of-this-world when you visit these unique dining places.
These 10 restaurants will definitely make dining out a night to remember, whether you’re looking to have a fancy date night out to commemorate a special occasion or simply looking to shake things up.
