The ultimate guide to Bugis

You don’t need to be from New York to have heard about The Halal Guys, a famous food truck empire known for serving up spice-scented meats with rice. And now, you don’t even need to travel far to get a taste of the dish. Closer to home, along Arab Street, four Singaporeans have decided to open a rice bowl café inspired by the iconic street cart. At Overrice, the menu bears resemblance to the greatest hits from The Halal Guys. Beef is slow-cooked to retain all its flavour, the chicken comes grilled simply, falafel balls are fried till golden and crispy. But the main draw here is the white sauce, a creamy, mysterious recipe that is used to drizzle over everything. 

Known for their innovative sweet and savoury croissants, Brotherbird also runs a coffeehouse on the quaint Bali Lane. Snuggle up in the cosy space, and enjoy its popular mochi donuts ($15), which are topped with soft serve ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. They have hot items on the menu too, including rigatoni bolognese ($18), smashed avocado toast ($18) and chicken stew and croissant ($21). 

Having bakmi, or mie ayam at a street warung is the quintessential Jakarta experience – but we're not going to experience that anytime soon. Instead, head over to Kulon, the new kid on Bali Lane for a fix of the popular Indonesian street food. A good bowl of mie ayam would consist of springy al dente egg noodles, diced chicken cooked in soy sauce, chopped spring onions and served with simple and flavourful clear chicken broth – and a side of chilli. At Kulon, there are many variations of this beloved noodle dish. The noodle served here is of a thicker variation than the Indonesian street style – but absorbs the gravy perfectly. Have it the classic style with the Bakmi Bangka; or for if you crave stronger flavours, go for the Bakmi Gulai Sapi which incorporates the Javanese beef curry with the noodles. If spice is top priority, take your pick between the bakmi with red – or green – sambal. 

Think all American fried chicken is just KFC? Chix Hot Chicken is out to prove you wrong. First of all, its name doesn't lie – Nashville-style country chicken is spicy as heck. Nashville hot chicken is typically marinated in buttermilk, fried and doused with a heavy application of cayenne pepper (often in the form of some magical pepper-infused oil), along with other spices like garlic and paprika. It is sometimes served on the bone with white bread and pickles – possibly to take off the heat a little. Curious? Save the plane ticket to ‘Merica, you can get some in Arab Street.

If it’s nasi briyani and murtabak you crave, there are fewer better places to satisfy those cravings than at Zam Zam. Operating from a shop house space since 1908, it's one of the original dining establishments in Kampong Glam. The crispy mutton murtabak ($5) delivers indescribable pleasure and the fragrant biryani (from $6) – cooked Hyderabadi dum style together with the succulent meat – is exactly how we like it.

You cannot visit Kampong Glam without having Nasi Padang. It's almost like an initiation. Opened by Haji Isrin at the corner of Kandahar Street in 1948, this stall is now run by third-generation owners and continues to churn out homely platters of authentic Malay dishes to a throng of people, including celebrities like former sports personality Fandi Ahmad and musical artist Dato Ramli Sarip.

'Generous' is Nasi Pariaman's middle name. Plates are packed with rice covered in gravy of your choice – there’s chicken curry and lodeh – and an assortment of side dishes such as sambal goreng, bagedil, ikan bilis, tofu and long beans. But the star here is the beef rendang ($3.50), a tender hunk of meat that’s drenched in spices, chilli and gravy. Pair this dish with a steaming cup of teh tarik ($1.30) to complete your meal. 

You could argue that this one Michelin star eatery isn’t quite in Bugis, but you’ll be splitting hairs. We frequent this eatery for what's been hailed as Singapore's best Bak Chor Mee. Hill Street Tai Haw Pork Noodle's bowl of juicy minced meat dressed in chilli and vinegar and served with springy noodles (from $6) is still one of the best eats to be had in the city. While the main man, Tang Chay Seng, isn’t always the one cooking, the standard remains consistent and the inimitable sauce perfectly balanced.

Artichoke Café + Bar sits on the edge of the Bugis district, within the protective bounds of historical Sculpture Square. The eatery takes up one of the inner former chapel buildings, so despite being situated merely a few feet away from bustling Waterloo Street and Middle Road, the patio and slope-roofed L-shaped structure is almost immune to the throngs and the street traffic’s dust.

Food-wise, check out its popular dish known as Eggs Shakshouka ($28). Eggs are cracked onto tender, fall-apart chunks of fresh lamb and barely tart tomato stew made with lamb marrow stock. Served on the pan in which it was baked, the mixture can be scooped and soaked up by the accompanying boats of pide. A dollop of home-made labneh (strained yoghurt) quells the fresh, piping heat of this Tunisian dish.

Treat yourself to an elevated street food experience at Alley on 25 – an all-day dining venue by Andaz Singapore. It comprises seven shophouse-inspired venues: a bar, a lounge and five restaurants each specializing in different cooking methods such as open charcoal grilling and cooking in a huge Beech oven. Star dishes include the laksa with tiger prawn, fish cake and rice noodle ($16) from Auntie’s Wok and Steam, as well as the oh-so-sinful braised lamb shank ($35) from The Green Oven. End your gastronomic adventure with the Pulut Hitam Ice-Cream Pop ($10), a uniquely Singaporean dessert served with coconut ice cream. 

Named after the temperature of the Pira oven and grill that sits in the heart of a show kitchen, 665°F is a classic steakhouse dishing out halal-certified prime cuts and sustainable seafood. Perched on the 38th floor of Andaz Singapore, 665°F offers stuning views of the city below while you cut into succulent pieces of dry-aged, grass-fed ribeyes ($49), Australian lamb chops ($55) or a whole dover sole in burnt butter ($99).

Placed on a centrally located restaurant stretch opposite Raffles Hotel, Tess Bar is packed most evenings. Take you pick from an appealing drinks list, which runs the gamut from old school classics like the super smooth Godfather ($21) – a mix of Monkey Shoulder Scotch and Disaronno amaretto, with an assertive but not overwhelming whiff of cigar smoke – to fruity sips such as the Shrub Blanc ($21), a pleasantly sweet-sour blend of tequila blanco, Kronenbourg 1664, vinegary berries shrub, fresh lemon and candied ginger. The food is also no slouch. Besides well executed bar bites like crispy pork belly ($10), check out their beautifully plated fine dining-style dishes, including the duet scallop aburi carpaccio and tartare ($16) and even some vegan options (from $9). 

There’s so much to love about this homegrown live music café and bar that keeps evolving but never betrays its musical soul. A multi-genre space – from jazz to hip-hop, R&B, to live DJ gigs and musical theatre open mic – the only thing consistent about it is its chilled vibe, reasonable drink prices, and that the music is always on point.

It’s hard not to be impressed when you first step into Atlas. The grand art deco-inspired bar looks exactly like a European hotel lobby of the era. Magnificent champagne-hued tapestries line the ceiling, intricate gold and bronze balconies surround the space, and, of course, a massive gin tower stands imposingly at one end.

Gin lovers will be buzzed to know that Atlas houses over 1,000 bottles of gin – and has the most diverse collection of spirit in the world. With so much to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed so let Master of Gin, Jonathan Teo, and his team help.

The OG of local rooftop bars might be – literally – overshadowed by younger upstarts on taller buildings, but it hasn't yet lost its place on our list of watering holes for a fun night out. The beer is cold, the vibe casual, and the food deserves special mention, thanks to culinary genius Bjorn Shen.

The chef-owner of Artichoke and Bird Bird brings his 'dude food' leanings to Loof. We're talking over-the-top and greasy-in-a-good-way dishes that you wish you could save in the fridge for when the munchies hit. The Pork Chopper ($19) is a cream cracker-battered pork chop slathered in salted veggie slaw between brioche buns, the chilli crab waffle fries ($15) comes with a moreish blue crab dip, and you won't stop munching on the furikake sweet potato fries ($13).

Snuggled between the indie clothing and trinket stores along Haji Lane is this cocktail retreat. Bar Stories, set up in 2009, is among the first in the wave of bars shaking up crafted drinks in the city, with ardent foodie, David Koh, now at the helm of its drinks-making operation. 

Make reservations for prime seats in front of the bartender, and take the staircase next to The Crostini Bar to find Bar Stories. The small bar counter cleverly tucks you into a recessed space to make conversation easy with the team, who take orders for bespoke cocktails ($20-$25) here. Koh keeps the programming organic and fluid by procuring interesting ingredients and inspirations like Kyoho grapes and kaya toast for the surprise drinks. 

Nonmainstream is a cool shop you can find in the Kampong Gelam precinct. It's trendy to be thrifty these days and at this hip vintage store you can snap up bright Nike windbreakers, retro sporty sweatshirts, oversized polo shirts, graphic tees and more for affordable prices. The only catch is, the shop is only open on Fridays and weekends so keep tabs on its next opening day on the Instagram account. 

Behind every batik fabric is a story. The meaning of ‘batik’ itself refers to the technique of making intricate patterns onto a piece of fabric. It is a delicate art and often a time-consuming one because so much thought and skill is put into making a sheet of batik fabric. The motifs on each piece of cloth also have meaning behind them – and this is what owner Oniatta Effendi showcases with every collection she releases. Whether it is a Merdeka jacket with parang (blade) prints which symbolises victory and power or a men’s shirt with the Garuda (a mythical bird) print which represents masculinity, it’s a joy to learn the stories being the garment you’re wearing.

The name is familiar, the products heart warming (but not in a kitschy way) and their brand now global with the recent opening of a Tokyo store. Ground zero though remains their Beach Road space, created to inspire one to “collect, create and curate objects”. True to that premise, their beautiful porcelain blue and white plates emblazoned with uniquely Singaporean icons – the Singapore Flyer, the Merlion and the HDB or even Star Wars figurines – remain highly collectible (by locals and visitors) years on, evident by their often sold out status.

Just a stone's throw away from Bugis station lies a bargain shopper's heaven. Bugis Street is the closest you'll get to a street market in Singapore – the first floor is non-airconditioned but we suggest heading straight up to the second air-conditioned floor to shop. The most popular thing to do there, however, is to get your nails done in one of the many nail salons in the 'beauty aisle' – trust us, you'll know when you get there. 

There's no lack of nail salons in Singapore but if you happen to be in Haji Lane, check out The Nail Social, which, as its name suggests, is a socially conscious salon offering manicure, pedicure and foot massages. Founders Cheryl Ou and Germaine Monteiro set it up in 2014 with the aim of employing and training underprivileged local women. The pair was experienced nail technicians prior to setting up The Nail Social, and they make sure each customer feels at ease: there’s no lack of conversation, but you’re left to your own devices if you’d prefer things that way. Variety is the operative word here. There are close to 100 colours in both the regular and gel ranges – you’ll have to shell out another $3 for Halal polish, though. Guests also receive an iPad loaded with Netflix, games and books. And you can’t knock the free homemade lemonade and wine (the latter only on Fridays and Saturdays).

A hub of activity, this neighbourhood hits all the right notes with its balance of trendy and local offerings

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We round up where to eat, hang out and what to do while you're in Seletar