EAT

Biscotti Bakery
It’s rather niche, but yes, this bakery specializes in biscotti. The original almond flavor aside, there’s cranberry, pistachio, chocolate orange almond and orange almond.

Popiah, Fortune Food

Geylang Bahru Market and Food Center
Amid HDB estates, this food center has some popular stalls, including Mr Wadeh (#01-2729), which does crispy prawn vadai and Fortune Food (#01-2777, 6243-2118, www.fortunefood.sg)—known for their popiah and kueh pie ti, both made from scratch daily.

Lai Wah Restaurant
This Chinese stalwart has been around since 1963 and is allegedly the birthplace of the Chinese New Year dish yu sheng (raw fish salad). No wonder the place is extra crowded during the festive season.

Ming Kitchen

Ming Kitchen
Known for their zi char-style dishes, there’s dozens of branches from Boon Lay to Bedok . They do chil li crab and pork ribs, but we also like the underrated prawn paste chicken wings and chai poh omelet.

Rong Kee Roasted Delights
In the same food court as Ming Kitchen is roast specialist Rong Kee. It’s pretty much an HDB chain, but they do make mean renditions of roast chicken, duck and pork belly, all of which are seasoned with a house-special barbecue sauce.

Sky Joyce Nonya Kueh Cake Shop
Swing by here for your Nonya kueh (cake) fix—kueh lapis, pulut inti (blue glutinous rice cake) and old- school favorites like rainbow kueh, aka lapis sagu. The latter’s only available on Sundays, though.

DO

Dancesport De Allan
Sign up for a class at this modest and affordable little studio. Classes include bal lroom dances like waltz and tango as wel l as fun stuff like samba and cha cha. All levels.

Dennis Gym, Singapore

Kallang Basin Swimming Complex
This public swimming complex features three pools, including a competition pool for hard core types. It’s only $1.30 to get in on the weekends, and you can sign up for some serious classes, too.

Kitchen Capers

Kitchen Capers
A home baker’s delight with some interesting products like cupcake corers, kueh tutu molds and weird ly specific cookie cutter shapes, including that of a polar bear and an ancient Chinese dragon.

Insider Tip

"I frequent the yong tau foo stall at Block 63. I like it for its traditional, home-cooked flavors. As for changes around the neighborhood, I think a couple of shopping malls would be nice. There’s an MRT Station (Geylang Bahru) coming up soon so that’s something I’m looking forward to," says Lee Meiling, owner of My Home Kitchen (#01-2729 Blk 69 Geylang Bahru Market and Food Center).

Coming Soon

Part of the Downtown Line, the Geylang Bahru MRT station is slated for completion in 2017. Wedged between Bendemeer MRT—which heads towards Bukit Panjang—and Mattar MRT towards Expo, the station will run along Kallang Bahru Road, making the lives of those working and living around the Kallang River and Geyland Bahru Industrial estate a lot easier. Just a stone’s throw away will be GB Point shopping mall (535 Kallang Bahru). The former Mandarin theater is being converted into an air-conditioned haven with retail shops alongside tuition centers, child care centers and food courts. Construction is expected to complete in 2017.

Go back to the full Kallang guide.

EAT

A1 Beach Road Prawn Noodles
Warm your belly with a steaming bowl of prawn nood les at this stall—a full-on bowl with prawns, pig intestines and pork ribs sets you back $5. We especially like the flavorful soup. 

B.A.O
Bakery Artisan Original serves up fresh European-style breads and pastries. Try the large, fluffy croissants, made using French butter from Normandy. Or go for their peculiar squid-ink parmesan bun.

The Bravery
It’s all minimalistic décor and unvarnished plywood tables at this café. But that just makes the pancake stack ($15), smoked salmon sandwich ($14), and beef steak ciabatta ($13.50) more delicious. Also, try the unique lavender latte ($5.50).

Chye Seng Huat Hardware

Chye Seng Huat Hardware
The Papa Palheta crew took over this Art Deco shophouse and installed the first 360-degree coffee bar in Singapore. Also on premises are a retail shop for home brewers and an industrial roaster.

Doubleshots Cafe
This postage stamp-sized café does some interesting options like the Tiramisu Espresso ($4) and teapressos ($2.80 upwards), a heady mix of coffee and tea. Eats include sandwiches and thin crust pizzas ($6.95 upwards).

North Bridge Road Food Centre
Not the most famed center in the area, but it has some good stalls, like Special Yong Tau Foo (#01-87), around for 50 years—everything’s sold out by lunchtime. There’s also yummy wanton mee by Koka Wanton Noodles (#01- 99). 

The Papa Shop
Part liquor shop, part ultra-chill bar, this hip kiosk sells spirits, sake and craft beers at wallet-friendly prices. Look for obscure bottles like Nøgne beers and Douglas Laing’s Big Peat whiskey.

Tolido's Espresso Nook

Tolido's Espresso Nook
This Melbourne-inspired joint moved from the Singapore Science Centre, but the menu’s the same. Try their rosti ($16.90) or their cereal bacon rolls ($9.80)—or both!—and wash them down with a latte ($5.50).

Windowsill Pies
Take home sweet pies like pumpkin ($7.50) and s’mores ($8). Their dine-in café does a rotating menu of dishes like shrimp po’boys ($15) and corndogs with peanut butter mustard ($8). Liberty Roasters do the coffee.

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
The Kallang branch of one of the best chicken rice stalls in Singapore, and the queues aren’t any shorter. It’s worth the wait though for chicken that’s tender and juicy, with homemade chilli sauce.

The Tiramisu Hero
There’s tiramisu (from $3.50) in all sorts of flavors, from the classic espresso and alcohol combo to others like strawberry and even local choices such as Milo and Horlicks. Savory items include Thai basil pork rice ($12.50) and a truffle egg bacon roll ($10.50).

SEE

Army Market
If you’ve served NS in Singapore, you’ll be familiar with this market of various army surplus shops. But you don’t have to be a military man to shop here—get duffel bags for a steal for your next weekend away. 

Golden Mile Complex

Golden Mile Complex
This complex’s 400 shops make up Singapore’s unofficial Little Thailand. That also means amazing Thai food—we love the pork larb at Nana Thai (#01-51/52/66C). The cramped, mad scientist- esque supermarket is also full of gems.

Victoria Street Wholesale Centre
Browse 40 traditional-styled stalls for groceries, dried provisions, catering supplies, cutlery and more. It’s great if you’re planning on cooking for a house party.

DO

Jalan Besar Stadium
An age-old battlefield for many exciting soccer matches involving LionsXII (see the fixtures at www.lionsxii.sg)—it’s even considered to be the birthplace of Singapore football. 

Mighty Velo

Mighty Velo
Specializing in folding bikes by Brompton, Montague and Strida ($850 upwards), this neat bike shop also does consultations to find you the right model. Folding scooters (from Swifty Scooters) and bike accessories are also available. 

Lee Wei Song School of Music
Founded in 1995, this music school does classes in everything from songwriting and vocal training to dance. Accredited by the London College of Music examinations from Thames Valley University. 

Hair Philosophy
Previously located at Tras Street, this bright and clean-lined salon and its team of stylists have moved to Kallang. They also stock hair care products by Redken.

Insider tip

“There’s this claypot stall just downstairs, called Golden Mile Claypot Rice (#01- 65) and I love their food. It tastes really authentic and they’ve been in business for really long time, I think about three decades or so. Must be doing something right,” says James Quek owner of AIM Spec (Golden Mile Complex, www.aimspec.com.sg).

Go back to the full Kallang guide.

ION Sky

Located on the 55th and 56th floors of the ION Orchard shopping mall, this observation deck offers panoramic views of the city from 218 metres up and even boasts a bar-restaurant.

Singapore Flyer

A 30 minute ride on one of the 28 capsules of this 165 meter observation wheel promises one of the best views of the city. The flyer terminal building also houses quality wining and dining outlets.

Sands Skypark

Sitting atop Marina Bay Sands, this massive observation deck stands at 200 metres above ground, offering unrivalled views of Singapore. It also features a stunning 150-metre Infinity Pool and quality dining establishments like chic rooftop bar KU DE TA.

Tiger Sky Tower

One of Sentosa’s most prominent attractions, the 130-metre tower offers panoramic views of the city and Singapore’s southern islands.

1-Altitude

Rising above all other rooftop bars, 1-Altitude’s open air Gallery & Bar is the highest rooftop bar in the world at 282 metres above street level, granting unobstructed 360-degree views of the Singapore skyline and beyond.

Mount Faber Park

Situated at one end of the Southern Ridges, Mount Faber Park features a lush 10-kilometer walking trail, as well as stunning views of the downtown skyline and Singapore Straits.

Singapore Cable Car

The Singapore Cable Car connects Sentosa Island with Mount Faber’s lifestyle hub The Jewel Box and the chic Faber Bistro. Other than wining and dining with a gorgeous view of the city, this is where you can explore the rest of the island through the newly launched Bejewelled Tours. This series of programs includes Jewel Flight, the world’s first seven-star VIP cabin studded with Swarovski crystals and outfitted with black leather seats.

Morton’s

For a big, fat juicy slab of steak, there are few places in town better equipped to deliver the goods than Morton’s. Everything here is enormous, from the waiters with their boisterous personalities to the truly massive serving sizes. Every steak cut we tried was magnificent, from the smaller single cut fillet mignon to the larger bone-in rib eye.

Ruth’s Chris

The world-renowned steakhouse’s first restaurant in Southeast Asia serves its signature custom-ages USDA prime beef, as well as a selection of seafood and poultry. Look out for their classic New Orleans dishes and homemade desserts.

Bedrock Bar & Grill

The Grill is dead serious about serving up authentic New York style steaks. Even their décor reflects that, with mood lighting, brown leather and circular booths. The US tenderloin was everything a steak should be -- succulet, tender and flavorful. 

Cut

Celeb chef Wolfgang Puck’s Singapore outpost is a contemporary steakhouse that sports an impressive menu of beef, including 300-day grain fed Australian Angus from Rangers Valley, USDA Prime Illinois Corn Fed and American Snake River Farms “Kobe Style”; all good but outrageously expensive. To go with, you can look forward to the house-made sauces, such as the wasabi-yuzu kosho butter. Cocktails are also good, so be sure to have at least one.

Lawry’s The Prime Rib

This old-school dining joint is famed for their roast beef, which is carved on their iconic silver carts when ordered. With its bonnet-wearing wait staff and traditional manor house feel, you can expect a kitschy, yet satisfying experience.

Skirt

Skirt plays up the parilla bar concept with house-aged meats from Argentina, Australia and the US, such as Blackmore Wagyu. The meats come with an impressive array of homemade sauces like barbecue and chimichurri, as well as different flavoured salts including rosemary and garlic.

Wooloomooloo Steakhouse

Book a table at Wooloomooloo Steakhouse Singapore with Chope

Carnivores looking for a meat fix should give this restaurant a go. The first Singapore branch of a Hong Kong-based steakhouse chain, this refined yet relaxed 140-seater restaurant specialises in Angus and USDA Prime steaks, while its prime location affords a great view of the city. They also boast a selection of over 150 vinos and an extensive cocktail list.

See our full list of steakhouses here.