If you’re in the mood for some good old Indian food, replete with spices, flavor and color, we have got you covered. Here is a list of top Indian restaurants to get your tandoori, curry and naan fix. 

Mustard

There’s no shortage of decent Indian eateries along Race Course Road, and this restaurant specializing in Bengali and Punjabi cuisine is one of its brightest stars. Occupying a modest space in the shadow of its bigger and better known neighbors, eating here is a truly delightful experience. Service, while good, plays second fiddle to the mouthwatering food. You’d do well to order yourself the rich and spicy coconut prawn curry, a moreish dal tadka and kosha mansho (sauteed mutton curry). The best mid-priced Indian establishment in town. 32 Race Course Rd.

Rang Mahal

Breaking with the heavy, Mughal-inspired decor commonly found in many fine dining Indian places, this stalwart, around since 1971, is all about high ceilings, clean lines and minimalist decor. Even the presentation of the regional (North, South, coastal and other) dishes is delicate rather than hearty. Try the tandoori lamb chops, served on a hot stone, and tandoori salmon tikka. Vegetarians won’t feel left out with balanced, but flavor-packed dishes like the smoked eggplant bharta, paneer tikka and the palak paneer. There’s a brief list of mostly French wines, too, curated specificallyfor Indian flavours.  3/F Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Blvd. Make a reservation via Chope here.

Saha

Modern Indian restaurant Saha moved from Duxton Hill to the National Gallery, offering an inventive approach to a hard-to-change cuisine. Abhijit Saha’s restaurant takes time-honored regional Indian dishes and recasts them in interesting, light and sometimes deconstructed ways for both vegetarians and ominvores alike. Try their take on the Kerala vegetable stew, which comes espuma-style, with citrus pudding and garlic crumbs, or just get one of their tasting menus and let the kitchen take you on a familiar, but entirely new ride. #01-03 National Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew’s Rd. Make a reservation via Chope here.

Shahi Maharani

Around for years and with a steady following for both lunch and dinner, Shahi Maharani is a regal and reliable North Indian experience tucked in a quiet corner of Raffles City Shopping Centre. Doting service, lavish Mughal-style decor and live Indian band aside, the menu does solid tikkas and curries, some coastal and Bengali staples, fresh and warm naans and some exciting signatures like the spicy Soft Shell Crab Mirchiwalla. And even carnivores should try their vegetarian selection, including the kamal kakri (lotus root) kofta. #03-21B Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd. Make a reservation via Chope here.

Tandoor

Lavish and relatively affordable, this Indian stalwart’s forte is North Indian and tandoori staples, but they do a good job on regional and coastal dishes, too, such as the Malabari fish curry and the crab masala, made with coconut milk, curry leaves and mustard seeds. Changing with the times—but not too much—they also do a funky paneer-pea tikka, where they stuff cottage cheese with spiced peas, Philly cream cheese and all kinds of herbs and spices. #B1/F Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre, 11 Cavenagh Rd. Make a reservation via Chope here.

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A romantic date night doesn’t have to be all about exotic European cuisines. Singapore’s many Japanese establishments offer equal parts sublime food and heart-melting environs. These are some of our favorites.

999.99

If your date is a city-slicking urbanite with refined tastes and a penchant for nightlife, this Keong Saik restaurant ticks all the boxes. First, there is the location—right in the heart of Saturday night action, with plenty of cocktail bars for a pre- or post-meal drink. Then there is the industrial-chic interiors of this refurbished shophouse—think wall-to-wall exposed brick, exposed pipes and a long bar along the open kitchen, where you can get close. The food doesn’t disappoint either, with Japanese-European fusion dishes like the Amberjack carpaccio with caviar, and the black cod meuniere with morel, daikon radish with jus de mer.

Fat Cow

For a carnivorous date, look no further than this Japanese “meat atelier”. If it’s your first date, grab a spot at the 16-seater U-shaped counter, where you can make conversations while watching the chefs in action. For a more intimate date, grab one of their utterly charming “private rooms”— pale wooden tables separated by screens and shoji doors. The star of the menu is the imported A5 and A5 wagyu—the young and handsome chef Adachi is partial to the Saga prefecture—but don’t miss delicate appetizers like the zucchini blossom tempura.

Forlino

Sweep your date off their feet with sweeping views of the city skyline. The wraparound windows at One Fullerton’s Italian restaurant Forlino affords panoramas of Marina Bay and the CBD, setting the perfect mood for a weeknight date. Japanese chef Yohhei Sasaki sprinkles his dishes with plenty of delicate Japanese touches. Try the linguini aglio olio, which here gets not only bottarga from Sardinia, but also generous pieces of Hokkaido sea urchin and a squeeze of yuzu.

Lewin Terrace

For old fashioned romance, with flowing dresses, linen suits and lots of greenery, Lewin Terrace is what you want. The fusion fine dining restaurant is set in a classic, glamorous white bungalow in Fort Canning, and some of the best tables are to be found outside on the spacious balcony, with views of the trees—perfect for a year-end date when the temperatures drop a bit. Order from Chef Matsumoto’s selection of classic, simple dishes, such as the Nippon Rossini, a timeless combination of beef, truffle and foie gras.

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Trattoria 33

If you like your date night right in the heart of the bustling action, head on over to Cuppage Terrace, where chef Nick Goh whips up Italian comfort food with little touches of Japanese thrills. Try the smoked salmon capellini, with house-made fresh pasta, salmon that has been smoked with sakura wood, all topped with nori seaweed and fresh and zesty ikura. Grab a quiet table inside, among the riotously colorful paintings, or get one on the patio and watch the world go by.

Wharf Oyster Bar & Grill

No all dates have to be over-the-top—sometimes all you want is to get together with your sweetheart after a long day at work, enjoy the river breeze and chow on some comfort food with a bottle of hoppy IPA. That’s where Wharf Oyster Bar & Grill comes in. The Robertson Quay restaurant is all about hearty fare like grilled meats, burgers and lamb racks. Grab a cozy booth table, and order a half dozen fresh oysters to kickstart the date.

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Mediterranean cuisine borrows cultures from Italy, Spain, France, Greek, Levant and Maghrebi which is the reason why this cuisine is so diverse. And it is one of the few cuisines that is healthy yet packed with flavors, as it involves loads of vegetables, beans, nuts and seafood. Singapore has its fair share of establishments for you to dine at when you're in a mood for a Mediterranean affair. 

Artemis Grill

A newcomer to the hood, this place is all about sustainable Mediterranean food, with grassfed and hormone-free meats, and plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options, too. You can’t forgo the raw bar, which is stocked with fresh seafood like halibut crudo and the Sturia caviar, with straciatella cream, dill cucumber and potato celery blini. Hot off the grill are the Greek sea bass, with Mediterranean spiced rub, and the milk-fed Dutch veal chop with roasted leeks and blackberries. A real highlight is the list of organic and biodynamic wines from the Mediterranean region, best enjoyed their terrace. #04-01 CapitaGreen, 138 Market St. Make a reservation via Chope here.

Maggie Joan’s

We have loved Moosehead for a long time, so we have been absolutely delighted by the arrival of the more upscale sister restaurant Maggie Joan’s, a narrow and beautifully decorated hole-in-the-wall Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, accessible only via the alley behind Amoy Street, now home to a row of cool restaurants. The space, while intimate, is rather non-descript with typical wooden furniture and raw, exposed bricks. They serve up modern, aesthetically driven plates like hamachi crudo, pickled tomato and basil, Inka roasted cauliflower, and the egg with dukka & saffron mayo. #01-01 110 Amoy St. Make a reservation via Chope here.

Moosehead

A restaurant we happily go to again and again, Moosehead has had some changes lately: an interior renovation has made the space more cool and comfortable, and new chef Seumas Smith has brought in some exciting new signature dishes that blend seamlessly with the Aussie-Mediterranean sensibility and respect for vegetables we expect from Moosehead. Don’t miss the cauliflower with garlic miso and gooey leek confit and the Inka three bean salad with padron peppers, snow peas and edamame with feta. You won’t even need to get to the meats, though the flank steak is affordable and delicious. 110 Telok Ayer St. Make a reservation via Chope here.

Original Sin

There’s a lot to eat in Holland Village, but little to write home about, with exceptions like this perennially crowded Mediterranean establishment that makes you wonder why restaurants bother serving meat at all. The hearty, delicious food is strictly vegetarian, and the friendly staff will be on hand to recommend something suitable. Try the mezze platter, the Turkish flatbread with mushrooms and goat cheese and the moussaka. #01-62 Chip Bee Gardens, 43 Jalan Merah Saga. Make a reservation via Chope here.