Buffet feasts are a time-honored Singapore tradition. Here is a round-up of some of the best ones in town, and many of them come with free-flow Champagne. From the enduring stalwarts to the recent revamps, these are the ones to book.

Basilico

Basilico

One of the city’s most atmospheric outfits serves a pretty swish, all-Italian Sunday brunch. It includes the lavish cheese and seasonal Italian tomato stations, with highlights such as smoked burrata and cow’s milk bocconcini and yummy cold cuts like the salame Milano and salame Pugliese. Don’t miss the highly-recommended house-made pizzas and rotisserie meats. From $98 to $155 (with free flow Champagne and wines).  

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Carousel

Dig into an extensive international buffet at this halal-certified crowd favorite. They serve a wide variety of international dishes ranging from dim sum, maki rolls, Mediterranean fare and an exciting spread of fresh seafood. You may also find yourself lingering around the buffet's three dessert counters that feature an indulgent chocolate fountain. Prices range from $32 ++ for breakfast to $101.22 nett for a weekend dinner buffet. 

Colony 

Colony

Formerly the site of the beloved Greenhouse buffet, this swank revamp is easily one of our favorite Sunday brunches in town. It has possibly one of the best oyster spreads we've seen in a while, shucking Normandy, Irish and Fine de Claire varieties, among others. There are also the obligatory live cooking stations that whip up everything from dim sum to tasty fried rice with cereal prawns and a fiery sambal belachan. Check out the cocktail cart shaking up craft cocktails, with house-infused spirits and syrups, although you’ll have to top up around $20 to order those. From $138 to $188 (with free-flow Moet & Chandon) for the Vintage Champagne Brunch. 

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StraitsKitchen

StraitsKitchen

For a truly posh "marketplace" dining experience, this long-standing, 260-seater buffet restaurant at Grand Hyatt Singapore serves Singapore-inspired dishes in a sleek and stylish space. Diners can pick from a dazzling array of Chinese, Indian and Malay dishes such as laksa, Hainanese chicken rice, briyani rice and mee goreng, prepared a la minute from various open-concept cooking stations. The show-kitchens are also halal-certified, making StraitsKitchen a great spot for power lunches, and dinner with friends and family. From $52 ++ (lunch) to $62 ++ (dinner).

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Edge

This 316-seater all-day dining restaurant has plenty of themed buffets on any given night of the week, including a theatrical Sunday Champagne Brunch and seafood feast Hooked on Edge. At the four-hour Sunday Champagne Brunch (12-4pm), premium offerings include free-flow Veuve Cliquot, Alaskan King crab, caviar, Boston lobster, a wide artisanal cheese selection and local dishes. From $118 to $198. 

Flavours At Zhongshan Park

Revisiting Singapore's street food, the hotel's Hawkerlicious Dinner Buffet is a casual affair, with a new Wok-Fry station serving fresh seafood cooked to your specifications, and a D.I.Y Noodles station offering Nonya laksa, Penang assam laksa and prawn noodles. Veering slightly from the theme, the buffet also has a Japanese counter specializing in fresh sashimi and sushi. From $45++ (weekday) to $49++ (weekends). 

Ikoi Japanese Restaurant

It doesn’t have the requisite hotel poshness, and is a bit of a squeeze if you’re coming in a group, but getting a table at this a la carte Japanese buffet requires a bit of forward planning nonetheless, mobbed as it is with fans of their free-flow sashimi and other goodies like yakitori, tempura and noodle dishes.

Lime

With floor-to-ceiling windows and three open kitchens, this modern and stylish restaurant predominantly dishes out Asian dishes with hearty international fare for its daily lunch and dinner buffets. Our favorite is the small but delicious section of Peranakan favorites, including kueh pie ti and ayam buak keluak. Get their other signatures like fried jumbo prawn, Indonesian-style oxtail soup and the Penang char kway teow. From $48 (weekday lunch) to $78 (Sunday lunch). 

The Line

Everyone’s enduring hot favorite, The Line continues to be the place everybody talks about when it comes to stuffing yourself silly, thanks in part to its 16 theater kitchens, including Japanese, Chinese, Western, Indian, seafood and dessert. The buffet has the usual seafood spread, Western and Asian roast meats, dim sum, a selection of cheese, and desserts. From $43 (breakfast) to $158 (Sunday Champagne brunch, inclusive of free flow drinks). 

Marriott Café

Like most hotel buffets in Singapore, Marriott Cafe has a rotating menu of crowd pleasers stretching from fresh seafood items, a la minute dishes and local favorites like chili crab, chicken rice and roasts. Don't forget to save room for the signature sticky date pudding. From $42 ++ (breakfast) to $98 ++ (Sunday lunch, inclusive of free flow sparkling wine, beer and soft drinks). 

One-Ninety

One-Ninety

An institution of sorts, this restaurant is famous for its lavish buffets and sumptuous Champagne brunch on Sundays. (There’s also the option of free-flow sangria.) The set-up is semi-buffet, with a spread of seafood on ice, salads, charcuterie, carving stations, et cetera, followed by your choice of a la minute mains, including poached eggs with truffle, wagyu beef burger and lamb chops. From $64 (dinner) to $180 (Sunday brunch, inclusive of free-flow Veuve Clicquot)

Seasonal Tastes

Seasonal Tastes

The Westin’s signature dining concept boasts stunning panoramic views Marina Bay and the Straits, with five interactive kitchens including an amazing dessert section that features old-school treats like kueh lapis and all sorts of other sweets. If you’re a seafood lover, go for their Sunday brunch, where they also have special deals on bottles of Veuve Cliquot. From $48++ (lunch, Mon-Sat) to $82 ++ (Seafood Night, every Fri).

Brunch is easily becoming the favorite meal of many people, and many scour the island for the best places. Look no further. We've done our homework with this list, so enjoy.

Artichoke

It has won the Best Brunch category in our Readers’ Choice Awards, and for very good reason. Great as Bjorn Shen’s Mediterranean-meets-graffiti-chic restaurant is for dinner, its brunch options are hard to find elsewhere. We’ll gladly get out of bed and queue up at 11am (or, if you’re organized, make a reservation a couple days in advance) for the hearty, pickle-kick cauliflower sabbich and the can’t-finish-alone, lamb-packed shakshouka.

161 Middle Rd., 6336-6949.

Common Man Coffee Roasters

#01-00, 22 Martin Rd., 6836-4695. 

The Lokal

This pretty blue-and-white tiled spot in a heritage building on Neil Road feels a bit like brunching in Melbourne or Berkeley. The brunch menu puts front and center our favorite thing about brunch: the sides. Mix and match from over 20 options like toast, acovado, cauliflower and cheese, grilled sausage, eggs and lots more. Or go for one of their decadent plates of lobster roll or French toast.

136 Neil Rd., 6423-9918. 

Open Door Policy

Tiong Bahru's hip and refined restaurant is pretty at atmospheric for dinner, but in the daytime we go ga-ga for that gorgeous skylight in the back of the dining room. They’ve recently updated their brunch menu too, and highlights include the potato rosti with scrambled eggs and pork sausages, the ODP breakfast burger with bacon, egg, mushrooms and gruyere served in a rosemary bun; and a roast wagyu rump with potatoes.

19 Yong Siak St., 6221-9307. 

Sacha & Sons

There’s more to brunch than just eggs Benedict, and if you have any kind of New York Jewish deli nostalgia, look no further than this faux-vintage spot at Mandarin Gallery. We prefer our brunches standalone, but where else can you find bagel and lox, pastrami sandwiches, smoked salmon and latkes all in one delicious place? It’s not deli cheap, but it’s good.

#03-02 Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Rd., 6735-6961. 

It's no surprise that this Spanish creation has made its way to Singapore as most of us are foodies. Here are the best spots to grab some.

BAM! Tapas & Sake Bar

Bam! Tapas & Sake Bar

Binomio

Esquina

Esquina

Esquina by Michelin-starred Jason Atherton is standing the test of time rather nicely. The chef is now Carlos Montobbio, who trained under the famed Roca brothers. Tapas range from $6-30. Get the raw scallops with sesame, lemon, radish and dissh or the meaty beef cheeks with baked bone marrow, served with corn tortilla. The wine menu is heavy on the Champagne and Cava, so do order a bottle, and keep a look out for their bubbly and tapas pairing nights.

16 Jiak Chuan Rd., 6222-1616.

FOC

Spanish tapas and cocktail joint by Michelin-starred Nandu Jubany in collaboration with Jordi Noguera and Dario Nocentini pushes out surprisingly affordable tapas and cocktails. Modern takes on classics include black Mediterranean paella with seafood and garlic mayo, but Jubany has also added some Asian flair with progressive plates of onion soup ramen noodles with smoked quail eggs, pork belly and shitake mushroom.

40 Hongkong St., 6100-4040. 

Lolla

Lolla

The Club Street stalwart has been pushing out perfectly cooked morsels for the past couple of years. Although it's not Spanish, per se, they still have tons of great regional Mediterranean tapas dishes like the scrambled eggs with bottarga and the ever-popular and decadent sea urchin pudding. Get a seat at the cozy basement communal table if you can. The wine list is brief but lovingly curated.

22 Ann Siang Rd., 6423-1228. 

Moosehead

Again, more Meditarranean than Spanish, but this cozy, narrow corner shop always lifts our mid-week spirits with its flirty service, good music and sexy vegetarian options. Get the roasted cauliflower with leek confit; and the three-bean plate involving roast padron peppers, snowpeas, edamame and feta. On the meat front, you can’t go wrong with the pork belly with mustard dressing and pickles.

110 Telok Ayer St, 6636-8055. 

OLA Cocina Del Mar

Ola Cocina Del Mar

This slightly hidden Spanish restaurant, with a vibrant open bar counter and kitchen atmosphere, has got quite the pedigree with Peruvian chef Daniel Chavez (formerly of now-defunct Santi at MBS) behind the kitchen. The spot has simple and well-executed food with dishes like pulpo a la brasa, grilled octopus with chickpeas and romesco sauce.

#01-06 Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, 12 Marina Boulevard., 6604-7050. 

Salt Tapas & Bar

The second offering from Australian chef-restaurateur Luke Mangan follows the winning formula of his first—at least in the matter of choosing a prime location—and is usually bustling till late most nights. It certainly doesn’t hury that it’s an attractive space and boasts Spanish staples like charcuterie and the addicitive veal and pork meatballs, as well as Mangan’s very own red sangria recipe.

#01-22A Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd., 6837-0995. 

Zsofi Tapas Bar

An offbeat gem of a place, this one stays true to the tapas bar culture of serving free tapas with drinks. A single serving of tapas is complimentary with any order of alchoholic drink or mocktail; take your pick from the sinfully delicious chili Buffalo wings, garlicky shrimp in olive oil and patatas bravas, to name a few.

68 Dunlop St., 6297-5875. 

[Updated Dec 8] Singaporeans love their hawker food, so it's no surprise that there are some "atas" stalls that have set up shop around the island to experiment and up the game. From burgers to sophisticated French cuisine and craft beers, here's where to go the next time you plan a food trail.

3rd Culture Brewing Co. 

This craft-beer-in-hawker-stall at Maxwell Food Centre offers 12 beers on tap (they rotate weekly) that currently include Holgate Brewhouse's Norton Lager, Modern Times' Trueland Pale Ale, Maisel Brauerei's Hefeweizen and more. The selection's pretty solid, and you can have it with Tian Tian chicken rice. #01-33, Maxwell Food Centre,1 Kadayanallur St. 

Bincho

Part of Loh Lik Peng’s Unlisted Collection group (Esquina, Burnt Ends), this eatery in one of Tiong Bahru’s art deco blocks leads a double life. In the day, it’s an old-school mee pok stall and at night, it transforms into a so-hip-it-hurts Japanese yakitori bar. The prices are far from hawker, though. Be warned. 78 Moh Guan Terrace. 6438-4567. 

Coffee Break

Another hipster joint for you to check out is the Coffee Break stall at Amoy Street Food Centre. We've been told that the stall's been in operation since 1999 and that the coffee business has been passed down for generations. The new generation owners offer interesting twists with their pumpkin-spiced lattes, sea salt mint lattes and more. They also offer their own homemade jam like taro, matcha coconut, rum and raisin creme along with others if you're looking for an alternative to your kaya toast routine. #02-78, Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Rd.

Day & Night

Previously known as Two Face Pizza & Taproom, this spot is a kopitiam by day and by night, it’s a self-service pizzeria (well okay, maybe the kopitiam tradition of self-service is still kept alive) serving locally-inspired grub and craft beer. #01-46, 56 Eng Hoon St. 6222-6881. 

The Good Beer Company

As one of the first alternative hawker stalls to pop up around town, this place specializes in craft brews from all over the world. They stock over 60 different labels from places like America, Taiwan and the Netherlands. Although situated in a fairly traditional hawker, it doesn't hurt to have some good suds to accompany that plate of char kway teow. Their all-taps sister stall, Smith Street Taps is nearby. #02-58, Chinatown Complex, 335 Smith St. 9430-2750. 

Coffee Break at Amoy Street

Hambaobao

An adorable young couple runs this stall at Beauty World Centre. Your options are few but solid and intriguing: classic beef, crispy pork belly, baked Dory fish, ayam buah keluak and pulled pork, all hovering around the $5 mark. Don’t miss the handcut Fairy Fries that are $1 extra with any burger. #04-49, Beauty World Centre, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd. 9475-1457.

Jack The Ripper

This homemade burger stall is a collaboration between Absinthe's Nicholas Reynard and an existing German stall in the Salut Coffeeshop, Stew Kuche. Each burger has a female name, like Annie oozing with spicy guacamole, jalapenos and roasted capsicums, as well as the signature Fairy Fay (that comes with 150g patty, cheese and a special sauce. If you're feeling super hungry, go straight for the Emma and Martha that comes loaded with a 300g double patty stuffed with cheese. #01-40, Salut Coffeeshop, 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1. 9665-0785.

A Noodle Story

A hip hawker specializing in what it calls Singapore-style ramen, A Noodle Story was set up by culinary school graduates whose training is apparent in their fixings: sous vide char siew, luscious HK-style wonton, Vietnam-inspired potato-wrapped prawn and other goodies. Around for almost three years, it still draws a crowd—especially when a bowl starts at a mere $5. #01-39, Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Rd.

Stew Kuche

A Swiss-German stall on the corner of the busy upscale kopitiam, Salut, that also serves fish n chips and other goodies, Stew Kuche has stalwart favorites like pork knuckle and tons of sausages sourced from Huber's Butcher and Indoguna. They've also got a huge menu of safe bets like pastas and meats with mashed potato. #01-40, Blk 119, Bukit Merah Lane 1. 6276-6445. 

Timbre +

Timbre +, an industrial-themed food court by nightlife and restaurant group Timbre, is a 24,000 sq ft non-airconditioned space that features graffiti-ed shipping containers and gleaming caravans that will house hawker stalls like Wong Kee Noodles & Roasted Delights. There are also areas set aside for restaurants like Portico Platos, which serves Spanish cuisine, The World Is Flat by Tanuki Raw, which specializes in gourmet pizza, and Garcons, a casual French bistro, not to mention a bottle shop and bar offering craft beers and whisky. The food court also plays live music from Wednesday to Saturday nights. JTC LaunchPad @ one-north, 73A Ayer Rajah Crescent. 

Café Iguana

They’ve got the full enchilada (heh!) when it comes to Tex-Mex basics: burritos, tacos, chimichangas, fajitas. But what’s nice about their limited, but solid taco selection are the handmade soft corn tacos that come with sides of sides of beans and Mexican rice. Fillings include sabroso chicken and good ol’ carnitas. Check out their daily “Margarita Madness” happy hour deals for authentic, frozen tequila delights. #01-05/06 Riverside Point 30 Merchant Rd., 6438-7438. 

El Mero Mero

El Mero Mero

Definitely the fanciest of the lot, this fine dining outfit at Chijmes is by the folks behind Senor Tacos. The restaurant had a menu overhaul last year, and the highlights of expanded taco list include 10 elevated and progressive filling options like Kurobuta pork al pastor, roasted dorper lamb with eggplant tahini and tiger prawn tempura with mango and coconut. #01-20 Chijmes, 30 Victoria St., 6337-1377.

Guzman Y Gomez

Guzman Y Gomez

This casual Mexican eatery does all the basics: nachos, quesadillas, burritos and of course, tacos. Fillings include pulled pork with chipotle adobo, fire-grilled flank steak and seared fish fillets with a light lime and garlic sauce. For sides and drinks, choose from the ever-popular churros, frozen margaritas or Coronas. And if you work out west, fear not, there’s a new-ish branch at Star Vista, too. #B1-07 Chevron House 30 Raffles Place., 6532-1248.

Muchachos

Value-for-money, hearty portions—what more could you ask for? They’ve got a make-your-own-taco concept that lets you pick and choose your favorite salsas, proteins and carbs according to your liking. They’re also whipping tasty burrito bowls and quesadillas. Don’t forget to pair your meal with a side of tortilla chips and a chilled bottle of Jarritos soda to wash it all down. 22 Keong Saik Rd., 6220-0458.

Piedra Negra

Haji Lane’s most colorful Mexican restaurant has a riotous party atmosphere and is the go-to place for parties like Day of the Dead and Mexican Independence Day. Tacos aside, they also serve some unusual dishes that are hard to find elsewhere like the cactus salad and plantain-stuffed habanero peppers. 241 Beach Rd., 6291-1297.

Senor Taco

Senor Taco

Look no further if you need a late-night fill after a boozy evening at Clarke Quay. This Mexican taqueria serves some of the best tacos (soft corn, of course) in town with options like their signature Al Pastor pork tacos, chorizo tacos and the decadent Baja fish tacos—along with burritos, flautas and killer margaritas. Our secret guilty pleasure involves grabbing and outside table on Taco Tuesdays, when tacos are half-off. #01-12, 3D River Valley Rd., 6336-6376. 

Super Loco

The Duxton Hill outlet is snazzier, of course, but we have a soft spot for this Robertson Quay offshoot, not least because of their cute taco window that’s open for lunch (when the rest of the restaurant is closed). Other than the usual al pastor and grilled fish, there’s the cordero taco with minced lamb and the vegetarian hongos taco with wild mushroom. #01-13 The Quayside 60 Robertson Quay., 6235-8900.

Vatos Urban Tacos

Vatos Urban Tacos

Not too many places in town where you can get Ko-Mex tacos. This popular South Korean franchise fuses classic Mexican bites with Southern Californian and Korean twists and the menu features the signature Urban Tacos range like the galbi short rib, chili lime shrimp and braised carnitas, salads, burritos, quesadillas and a selection of burgers. The shells are soft flour, just FYI. Wash them all down with fun cocktails like frozen margaritas and the makgeolita, a mix of tequila and Korean rice wine. South Beach, 36 Beach Rd., 6385-6010.

Antoinette

The French-inspired boudoir decor isn't the only French thing on their menu. Aside from their brunch options, they've got macaroons and sweet treats like crepes with salted caramel and nutella; gooey warm chocolate cake; and rose petal meringues. Need more convincing? They just rolled out salted yolk lava croissants. 30 Penhas Rd., 6293-3921.

Carpenter & Cook

Carpenter & Cook

Not only do they serve great sandwiches and quiches, this place also has tons of cakes. They do change sometimes but regulars include sweet treats like carrot cake, cheesecakes (with flavors like blueberry and caramel walnut), and tarts like passionfruit meringue and fruit frangipane. #01-06 19 Lor Kilat, 6463-3648. 

The Fabulous Baker Boy

​Henri Charpentier

Henri Charpentier

French-inspired pastries and desserts are the norm at this Japanese patisserie. Decked out in dark wood with touches of pink, this Dempsey dessert cafe is perfect for an afternoon out. Don't miss their signature Crepe Suzette that's flambeed tableside, as well as Singapore-only desserts like The Dome, a confection of strawberries and chocolate. 9A Dempsey Rd., 6479-5518. 

Ladurée

More of a grab-and-go takeaway store, this Paris transplant is just as pretty with its mint green swirls and Versailles-style decor. The macaroons may not come cheap but their wide array of ever-changing flavors has the perfect sweetness level and a great crunchy shell. #02-09 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Rd., 6884-7361. 

Lady M

Lady M

Sunday Folks

Marmalade Pantry

 

 

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