When Chan Hon Meng’s food stall, Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle, was awarded its Michelin star earlier this year, he expressed quite some surprise. After all, the marinated chicken he sells with a side of rice is hardly fancy fare, averaging less than two bucks a plate. But the award was likely unsurprising to Singaporeans, who take their food so seriously they’ve been known to wait upwards of an hour just to get a meal at a hawker stand. (In fact, a second stall in Singapore, Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, also won a Michelin star.) If you’re looking to explore Asia’s wealthiest city-state, read on for a guide to the restaurants, hotels, and sights.
Jumbo Seafood Everyone in Singapore has an opinion on where to get the best chilli crab, a rendition of the crustacean in a sweet, spicy, and tangy tomato-based gravy. Those who prefer higher Scoville units argue for Long Beach’s chilli crab, while those who favor white-pepper versions will always be loyal to No Signboard. For the Goldilocks of chilli crab, though—not too hot or sugary or sour, but a balance of all three—Jumbo is the place to go. Multiple locations; jumboseafood.com.sg
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice If you come looking for Hainan chicken rice, be prepared to wait; on weekdays, this hawker stall at Maxwell can be mobbed. You’ll likely be queueing for at least an hour. Once you reach the stall, you’ll see a photo of Anthony Bourdain—he stopped here on his Travel Channel show The Layover—but don’t be distracted. Order a chicken rice (the chopped ginger sauce is the perfect accompaniment) and savor the delicate poached chicken and aromatic rice. 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01—10/11 Maxwell Road Hawker Food Centre
Open Farm Community A taste of Napa with a Singaporean twist, this glamorous spot focuses on locally sourced ingredients prepared with avant-garde flair (think a chicken katsu burger with carrot spaghetti, red grouper with chimichurri and mint puree, or short ribs with Vietnamese pho inflections). It also serves killer cocktails. 130E Minden Road; openfarmcommunity.com
Park Royal Pickering The Chinatown hotel is locally known as the garden hotel, owing to the sky gardens that separate blocks of guest rooms, draping the façade in verdant tropical plants, frangipane, and palms. Designed by Singapore-based WOHA Architects in 2013, the hotel takes its cues from natural rock formations for its gradation effect, a motif that repeats inside. 3 Upper Pickering Street; parkroyalhotels.com
Marina Bay Sands You’ve seen the pictures on Instagram: Moshe Safdie’s design is one of the most eye-popping in the hospitality world. The 55-floor hotel, which is really three towers joined by a cantilevered sky garden and infinity pool on the 57th floor, has likely been the most famous of Singapore’s architectural developments since it opened in 2010. 10 Bayfront Avenue; marinabaysands.com
Raffles A historic institution, this five-star hotel will be celebrating its 130th anniversary next year. Not only has the colonial-style property played host to figures such as Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, Michael Jackson, and Prince William, but it's also where the famous Singapore Sling (a pink cocktail with Cointreau, gin, and pineapple juice) was invented in 1915. 1 Beach Road; raffles.com
National Gallery Arguably the most significant cultural institution in Singapore, the National Gallery, which opened in November 2015, is an architectural triumph, combining the former Supreme Court and City Hall. The French firm Studio Milou connected the two adjacent buildings with a fine metal mesh that allows sunlight through while providing shaded canopy. 1 Saint Andrew's Road; nationalgallery.sg
Gardens by the Bay Home to two conservatories (one called the Flower Dome and the other the Cloud Forest), these supersize greenhouses are living evidence of Singapore's dedication to ecological conservation. A social media phenomenon since they opened in June 2012, the gardens' most famous feature are the Supertrees—towering vertical gardens covered in ferns, bromeliads, and orchids that not only generate electricity for the park but create nightly music and light shows for visitors. 18 Marina Gardens Drive; gardensbythebay.com.sg
