When in doubt, go to Serangoon Gardens. Whether you’re with a huge, boisterous group or looking for a quiet weekend brunch, there’s probably a restaurant here that fits the bill. Home to the famous Chomp Chomp and a growing number of delicious, affordable restaurants, this quiet neighbourhood hangout is now a foodie heaven. With options suitable for family days, large gatherings, cafe treats, supper, and sweets, Serangoon Gardens truly is the perfect choice for any occasion.

Family Friendly

Sun Ray Cafe

Cr: vanillapup.com

The perfect picture of a neighbourhood cafe, Sun Ray Cafe is quaint and understated. However, what the cafe lacks in fancy interior design it more than makes up for in substance. It may not look it, but behind the unassuming facade, you can find premium hand-brewed, hand-roasted coffees, meticulously-brewed teas, and even homemade bread and spreads. Each bite and sip is dripping with love and care to give you warm and fuzzy feelings all morning long.

Besides being a great place for true connoisseurs of coffee and tea, Sun Ray Cafe is also a great go-to for furkids and pet parents to spend some quality time together. There’s even a section of their menu dedicated to foods safe for your furry friends so they can enjoy a meal with you for once.

Find it at 79 Brighton Crescent, Singapore 559218.
Click here for more information on Sun Ray Cafe.

Hanwoori Korean Restaurant

Cr: sgcafehopping.com

If you want to know what it feels like to be a Korean child returning home for dinner, just have a meal at Hanwoori Korean Restaurant. Its bouncy and ebullient owner is the quintessential ahjumma, chatting with diners and making everyone feel at home.

Homestyle Korean comfort foods reign supreme at this bustling family restaurant, with favourites like Korean pancakes, spicy tofu stew, and kimchi hotpot. While everything here tastes amazing, the soups and stews steal the show with their homemade broths, which are made from scratch every morning. And let’s not forget the generous servings of free side dishes!

Find it at 76 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555972.
Click here for more information on Hanwoori Korean Restaurant.

Large groups

Steam Box

Cr: sgfoodonfoot.com

If there’s one type of food made for sharing with the gang, it’s steamboat. And unlike the traditional steamboat we know and love with its oily soup and overcooked ingredients, Steambox makes sure you can stick to your diet plans as well. That’s because, as the name suggests, you steam your food rather than boil it, so all the food retains all its delicious flavours and nutrients

Of course, the best part of any steamboat is the broth at the end – where’s that amazing broth? It’s in the congee they prepare at the start of the meal. All the drippings from the steaming rack above it go down into the rice. You can imagine how delicious the porridge must be once you’re done with all that seafood, meats, and veggies.

Find it at 68 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555962.
Click here for more information on Steam Box.

Hipster Cafe Food

Arbite

Cr: jacqsowhat.com

Local or Western breakfast? Sometimes, it’s impossible to decide. At Arbite, you can get the best of both worlds on one delicious plate. With a touch of creativity and lots of spices, Arbite gives typical Western cafe items a Singaporean upgrade. The result is an indulgent meal that’s as heartwarming as a classic brunch, punctuated with all the punchy local flavours we all adore.

Apart from the usual fries with tom yum or salted egg dip (calm yourself, they have that too), more adventurous dishes include a Beef Rendang Mac & Cheese, the Arbite Breakfast featuring kaya toast and pandan-infused Ngoh Hiang, and Breaded Mushrooms that come with curry and lime mayo. Essentially, they combine everyone’s favourite comfort foods from the two cuisines – in other words, the perfect start to the weekend.

Find it at 66 A Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555962.
Click here for more information on Arbite.

Artease

Cr: artease.sg

If you need a break from the daily grind, Artease is a sanctuary that would be perfect for you. They specialise in teas and grilled cheese, which is probably the most calming and comforting combo we know. Tea and grilled cheese sound simple, but they’ve come up with so many variations that these two timeless classics become exciting and new.

As if grilled cheese wasn’t already good enough, Artease also has options for different fillings – including a very tempting Extra Cheesy, as well as Chicken, Tuna, and Pesto. As for teas, they’ve got an absolutely delicious Salted Caramel Milk Tea – touted by fans as the best they’ve ever tasted.

Find it at 3 Phillip Street, #01-01, Singapore 048693.
Click here for more information on Artease.

Supper

Plonk on Maju

Get wine, cocktails, and fantastic food without the hefty price tag and uppity fuss. Plonk, aptly named after the Australian slang for affordable wine, is a friendly and casual spot that’s open from morning until past midnight, making it perfect for anything from breakfast to late night suppers. It’s also great for an impromptu drink, so you and your pals can grab some tipples and not worry about the dress code and the cost.

Have a full-bodied Argentinian Malbec, or be a little whimsical and try their Serangoon Sling. As for food, they’ve got an extensive menu of Mediterranean-inspired bites to go with their equally impressive alcohol selection. We especially love their creamy, tangy, and savoury Seared Halloumi, and the rich and piquant Dukkah Spiced Beer Battered Barramundi. For sharing, the pizzas range from classics like Margherita to curious dishes you can’t help but want to try, like Kalamata Olives & Irish Goat Cheese.

Find it at 7 Maju Avenue, Serangoon Gardens Estate, Singapore 556685.

Chomp Chomp Food Centre

Cr: singaporebestfoods.com

What’s Serangoon Gardens without Chomp Chomp? It’s the obvious choice for those craving some good old hawker fare like satay, carrot cake, and barbecued seafood. Affordable hawker centre prices don’t hurt either, making it great for supper on a budget.

Everyone familiar with Chomp Chomp will already have a favourite stall, but if you don’t frequent the north, here are some things you could start off with. Get your barbecue fix with a healthy serving of satay from Hong Sha Li Satay, chicken wings from Chong Pang Chicken Wings, and seafood from Hai Wei Yuan BBQ. Wash all that down with an impressively tall sugar cane tower from Ding Hao that just begs a spot on your Instagram.

Find it at 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269.

Sweets

Little Wimbly Lu

Cr: republicanpost.sg

A homey, albeit small offshoot of the beloved Wimbly Lu at Jalan Riang, Little Wimbly Lu is an easy go-to when your sweet cravings hit. The charming cafe offers a huge array of sweets, more than enough to make sure you’ll leave with your sweet tooth satisfied.

Their signature ice cream and waffles features rich ice cream on a bed of fluffy, crisp waffles – a staple that definitely won’t disappoint. You’ll find a selection of cakes, tarts, and other sweet treats too! If you need something more substantial, they’ve also got a savoury menu, comprising cafe staples like baked rice, pasta, and fries that everyone will love.

Find it at 1 Maju Ave, #01-09/10 myVillage, Singapore 556679.
Click here for more information on Little Wimbly Lu.

Dessert Bowl

Cr: eatbook.sg

Is your sweet tooth crying for Asian dessert instead? Then Dessert Bowl is the place for you – especially if you love durian. You can smell the durian in the air once you walk in! After all, durian desserts are their speciality.

A must-try here is the Durian Mousse. This signature dessert is what gives Dessert Bowl a bustling full house every night. The mousse is light and fluffy, and not at all cloying despite having the distinct aroma of durian. To top it all off, a small pile of fresh durian sits on top of the mousse. It’s exactly what you need to satisfy your durian cravings, no matter what time of the year it is.

Find it at 80 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555976.
Click here for more information on Dessert Bowl.

Feeling hungry after you finished a late night movie or karaoke session? Famished after finishing a really late shift that ended at 1am? Stomach growling after watching too many food videos on YouTube because you can’t sleep?

Here are 7 of our favourite late night supper places that will take you beyond McDelivery and instant noodles!

Cr: EatBook.sg

Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice

Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice is the go-to place when you’re craving for a huge plate of rice, heaving with a selection of fried and braised meats, all drowned in curry and a dark braised sauce. That might sound really specific right now, but once you’ve tried their scissor-cut curry rice, you’ll know what we mean.

It may not be the most Instagrammable, but there’s something comforting and satisfying about this chye png (mixed dishes with rice) style fare. For first-timers, stick with the classics like braised pork belly, crispy pork cutlet, chap chye (stewed cabbage), fried egg, as well as a copious amount of gooey curry and braised sauce.

The Hainanese style curry is light, slightly sweet, with just a hint of spice – very unlike the lemak (creamy, coconutty goodness) you would associate with a coconut-based curry. Best of all, it acts as a “glue” which binds all that fried and braised goodness, and makes it perfect for guzzling down at 1am in the morning. Walk it off at Mustafa Centre, which is just around the corner.

Opening Hours: 11:00am to 3:30am (Mon to Sun)

Find it at 229 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208905

Cr: Miss Tam Chiak

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak

The ever-popular Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak always has a queue in front of the store so you might have to wait for a little to get your nasi lemak fix. But the good thing about such a rapid turnover is that you will almost always get a steaming plate of freshly cooked rice and sizzling hot, crispy chicken wings, just out the fryer!

We really like that Boon Lay Power is relatively affordable too, as a set meal starts at SGD$3.50. The chicken set, for example, will get you fragrant coconut rice, a fried chicken wing, one fried egg, peanuts and ikan bilis (dried anchovies), sliced cucumbers and their famous sambal chilli. Many would agree that the soul of a good nasi lemak is the sambal chilli, and Boon Lay Power’s has a punch with just the right amount of sweet.

For those who are too lazy to head out, fret not as Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak offers delivery till 2am. Delivery starts at SGD$5 for addresses within Jurong, and $10 for outside the Jurong area. For corporate events or really, REALLY ravenous individuals, you can place your orders online but there’s a minimum order of SGD$100. Power lah!

Opening Hours: 4:30pm to 3:30am (Mon); 6:30am to 3:30am (Tue to Sun)

Find it at Boon Lay Place Market and Food Centre, 221 Boon Lay Place, #01-106, Singapore 641221

Chicken Up (Tanjong Pagar)

Are you and your friends looking for a place that opens till late, serves drinks, and has great food as well? Why not try some chimaek (a portmanteau of chicken and maekju, Korean for beer) at Chicken Up? It’s so good that it just might become a Friday night tradition.

Twice fried to give it a crunchier skin with less grease (and less guilt), nobody does fried chicken better than the Koreans! Our favourites for supper (or anytime of the day) include the Yangnyum (a sweet and spicy sauce made with garlic, ginger, chilli, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil) fried chicken, Kimchi fries (golden fries loaded with kimchi, drenched with cheese and mayo, shredded pork, onions, and jalapeños), as well as the UFO Bulgogi Stew (well marinated bulgogi with fresh vegetables and glass noodles on a hot skillet, surrounded by a trio of melted cheese, fried rice, and fluffy, cooked eggs).

After that decidedly decadent meal, Chicken Up has a variety of refreshingly, light bingsu (shaved ice dessert, topped with ingredients like mango, watermelon, and Oreos) to choose from, and they are all sized for sharing. Mmm… Mah sit sso yo (Korean for “Delicious”)!

Opening Hours: 5:30pm to 2:00am (Mon to Thu); 5:30pm to 3:00am (Fri to Sat); 5:30pm to 12:00am (Sun)

Find it at 48 Tanjong Pagar Road, #01-01, Singapore 088469
Book a table at Chicken Up (Tanjong Pagar) and earn 2X Chope-Dollars with code TASTYBLOG.

Cr: calvinteo.blogspot.sg

Bedok 85 Fengshan Market & Food Centre

You’re not really an Eastie until you’ve had at least one late night meetup at the famous Bedok 85 Fengshan Market & Food Centre.

From bak chor mee or minced meat noodles (Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian and Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee), to barbecued sambal stingray (Chan BBQ), to satay (Lin Yuan Satay), to fried carrot cake, oyster omelette, fried Hokkien noodles (Bedok North 85 Fried Oyster), and more… You’ll be spoiled for choice!

Pro tip: order a sugarcane juice with a wedge of lemon, for a drink that is rich in antioxidants and an excellent thirst quencher.

Opening Hours: Till late daily (varies from store to store)

Find it at 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085

Siam Square Mookata (Golden Mile Tower)

For the uninitiated, mookata or mu kratha (Thai for “pork” and “skillet”) is Thai Barbeque Steamboat. As its name suggests, mookata is a delicious combination of barbecue and hotpot. And it is the perfect option for when you and your friends can’t decide whether you’d like some barbecue or a piping, hot bowl of umami-laden soup.

What differentiates Siam Square Mookata from other mookata places, is that their selection of ingredients is available in small servings – starting as low as SGD$1.80 per plate – rather than fixed sets. Siam Square Mookata also offers a specially created trio of nam chim (Thai for “dipping sauce”): one for seafood, one for meats, and one sweeter, less spicy sauce for those who can’t take the heat. Order the Cha Yen (iced Thai milk tea) to complete this truly authentic Thai experience!

Opening Hours: 3:00pm to 5:00am daily

Find it at 6001 Beach Road, #B1-63, Golden Mile Tower, Singapore (199589)
Book a table at Siam Square Mookata (Golden Mile Tower) and earn 2X Chope-Dollars with code TASTYBLOG.

Hai Xian Lao

Ideal for big groups with huge appetites and a limited budget, Hai Xian Lao offers Sichuan style steamboat with quality ingredients, all without the three-hour long wait you’ll experience at more popular steamboat places.

Choose from a variety of soups including the spicy and numbing Sichuan Ma La, as well as the rich and flavourful Healthy Collagen, which resembles a nourishing, thickened chicken soup.Must-orders include their Fried Fish Skin, which is best enjoyed when dipped into soup; the addictive Prawn Paste Chicken Wings; and the well-marbled Kurobuta Pork Belly rolls, which just melt in your mouth.

Service is attentive as they will clear your plates frequently and even offer to deshell your prawns if you do decide to order some!

When you’re done, head across the road for some cold soybean milk or a comforting bowl of hot tau huay (soya beancurd) at Rochor Original Beancurd, to end the night.

Opening Hours: 11:00am to 5:00am daily

Find it at 8 Wilkie Road, #01-21, Wilkie Edge, Singapore 228095
Book a table at Hai Xian Lao and earn 2X Chope-Dollars with code TASTYBLOG.

Cr: Miss Tam Chiak

Thasevi Food

Serving Indian Muslim food 24 hours daily, Thasevi Food is home to THE original Jalan Kayu Roti Prata (yep… that claim is even on their signboard).

You might be wondering: so what makes Thasevi’s roti prata the quintessential Jalan Kayu Roti Prata?

Well, the prata is smaller and rounder in shape, and while it is crispy on the outside, it is flaky on the inside – perfect for mopping up the curry with. But most importantly, it goes tremendously well with a mug of teh tarik (pulled milk tea). Ah… The perfect end after a long shift or a night of mugging at the library.

It might be a little on the small side for those with larger appetites, but the good thing about that is you’ll have more room for other equally well-executed dishes like the murtabak, nasi briyani, as well as a tempting selection of Indian rojak.

If Thasevi Food gets too crowded, try Thohirah Cafeela Restaurant, which is just next door. The establishment offers an equally extensive (and mouth-watering) menu that covers all sorts of Indian Muslim food.

Opening Hours: 24 Hours daily

Find it at 237 Jalan Kayu, Singapore 799461

Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant

Traditionally enjoyed in the day, but equally good (or better) in the middle of the night, dim sum is one of those foods that is well loved by hungry groups of friends, families, and late-night partygoers. And at 3am in the morning, no one does it better than Swee Choon, a dim sum specialist who offers a wide variety of Hong Kong and Shanghainese style fare, that is no frills and affordable.

Be sure to try their signature Mee Suah Kueh (deep fried vermicelli cake), Steamed Liu Sha Bao (salted egg custard bun), Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (steamed dumplings with meat and broth filling), and Prawn and Banana Fritters. Need something more substantial? The Dried Scallop and Egg White Fried Rice, Braised Beef La Mian (hand-pulled noodles), Crispy Pork Ribs with Salt and Pepper, and Hot and Spicy Ma Po Tofu are sure to hit the spot.

Opening Hours: 11:00am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 6am (Mon, Wed to Sat); 10:00am to 3pm, 6pm to 6am (Sun); closed on Tuesdays

Find it at 183-191 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208882
Book a table at Swee Choon Tim Sum and earn 2X Chope-Dollars with code TASTYBLOG.