[Sponsored] Fine dining is well and good, but there’s nothing quite like sharing a casual and indulgent dinner with your besties at the end of a long day. Thankfully there’s no shortage of delicious, group-friendly meals in Singapore. Here are some of our favorites.

Banana Leaf Meal

Photo via flickr user amanderson2

The only thing better than communal and messy is communal, messy and spicy—and the South Indian banana leaf meal delivers on all fronts. Gorge on a half-dozen little curries and sides while the nice uncle comes by topping you and your friends up with more rice. Samy’s Curry on Dempsey Hill and Banana Leaf Apolo in Little India are both classics.

BBQ

Poolside barbecue

Whether in a friend’s backyard or in one of Singapore’s trendy, meaty hotspots like Decker, Red Eye Smokehouse or Camp Kilo Charcoal Club, sharing a platter of saucy ribs, glazed chicken wings and fatty pulled pork is messy but delicious

Chilli Crab

Red House Seafood
 

Singapore’s informal national dish is a hit both for friendly get-togethers and family reunions. Pass around the crab cracker, get your hands dirty and sop up the leftover sauce with a plate full of mantou. For a casual, neighborhoody meal, there’s zi char favorite Por Kee Eating House in Tiong Bahru. For something a bit more flash, try Red House Seafood on Robertson Quay.

Moo Kata

Our love affair with Thai food begins—and sometimes ends, to be honest—with this delicious, traditional meal. Half hotplate, half steamboat, it combines two of our favorite things—best had at the end of a festive night and washed down with beer. Try Mookata, Traditional Thai BBQ on East Coast Road.

Mexican

Guzman y Gomez
 

Is there anything cozier than digging into a shared bowl of dips like guacamole and pico de gallo, or trying to eat a delicious meat and beans packed burrito without making a mess? To get down and dirty without feeling self-conscious, try casual spots like Muchachos and Guzman y Gomez.

Pizza

Alt Pizza
 

It’s not the messiest meal out there, but there are long, melting strings of mozzarella involved. Besides, sharing a pizza with your buddies is a time-honored tradition dating back to those afterschool sleepovers, ordering pizza and staying up late to play Truth or Dare—except now the 2-liter cola bottles have been replaced with beer.

Seafood Boil

Full of Crab

The Southern American classic has become a bit of a hipster trend in Singapore. It’s easy to see why: who could say no to putting on a bib, laying down a plaster liner and digging into a bucket stuffed with buttery crab, shrimp, potatoes and other goodies? There are two great options out east: Full of Crab in Katong and The Boiler in Macpherson.

Shabu Shabu

Shabuya
 

A pot full of broth, vegetables and thinly sliced meat doesn’t sound like much, but when you take into account luxurious broth options, premium meats, addictive dipping sauces and the company of your friends, you have a memorable evening on your hands. Vivovity's Shabuya is great for an emergency after-work session, or the Sichuan-style Hai Di Lao.

There’s nothing quite like catching up with friends over a fuss-free, comforting meal. Wash it down with the light and refreshing Tiger Radler. It’s approachable even for non-beer fans and the perfect addition to a cozy reunion.

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