You’ve savoured hearty local dishes like chilli crab and rendang (braised meat cooked in coconut milk and spices), but now you’re craving some greens to offset the calories. Well, you’re in luck. In central Singapore, you will find a bounty of cafés and restaurants whose wholesome—yet downright delicious—dishes will restore your energy levels for another day of exploring the city.
Kitchen by Food Rebel
Whether you’re an #eatclean devotee or have food intolerances, there’s something for you at Kitchen by Food Rebel. This cosy café, owned by health coach Elika Mather, doles out light bites with a local twist—think chicken sandwiches with bird’s eye chilli—as well as larger plates like ‘zoodle’ (zucchini noodles) bolognese and grass-fed Aussie beef pies topped with sweet potato mash. Pair your meal with a glass of red while you’re there. The café stocks French wines from boutique wineries that practise organic and biodynamic farming.
Kitchen by Food Rebel. 28 Stanley Street, Singapore 068737. +65 6224 7088.
Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; Sat 9am-3pm.
Aloha Poké
Surfboards line the entrance of this Hawaiian-inspired shack, transporting you to a sunny day on Waikiki beach, sans the sand. The only item on the lunch menu at Aloha Poké is the poké bowl, a staple from the US islands that combines raw fish and rice.
Aloha Poké’s version features tuna and salmon cubes marinated in three flavours: original, wasabi mayo and spicy. Pick up an order sheet and check the boxes for your preferred type of rice base (brown or white), add-ons (tomatoes, greens and nuts) and superfoods (avocado, quinoa and so on).
Come dinnertime, Aloha Poké transforms into a full-service restaurant and bar. While its signature bowls are still on the menu, go for the salt-crusted and baked salmon head or roasted whole chicken with cilantro rice for heartier chow.
Aloha Poké at Amoy. 92 Amoy Street, Singapore 969911. +65 6221 6165.
Mon-Sat 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30-late.
Marina Bay Link Mall. 8A Marina Boulevard #B2-46Singapore 018984. +65 6634 0730.
Mon-Fri 11.30am-8pm.
Change Alley @ Chevron House. 30 Raffles Place #01-34, Singapore 048622. +65 6533 0801.
Mon-Fri 11.30am-8pm; Sat 11.30am-3pm.
For more information on other outlets, visit this link.
Wheat BaumKuchen
At Wheat BaumKuchen, it’s all about the noodles: this quick-service restaurant specialises in cha soba (green tea buckwheat noodles) and ramen. Pick a carb base—there are also quinoa and red rice options—then crown your bowl with meat proteins like chicken breast and sous vide beef slices, and toppings such as asparagus and kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage). Do note that besides the Republic Plaza outlet, every other branch only has a fixed menu to order from.
Republic Plaza. 9 Raffles Place #B1-08, Singapore 048619.
Mon-Fri 10.30am-8pm.
One Raffles Place. 1 Raffles Place #B1-23 Singapore 048616. +65 6443 3391.
Mon-Fri 10.30am-8.30pm; Sat 11am-7pm; Sun 11am-4pm.
Raffles City Shopping Centre. 252 North Bridge Road #B1-78, Singapore 179103. +65 6734 0128.
Daily 10.30am-9.30pm.
For more information on other outlets, visit this link.
Grain Traders
With its vibrant display of salads, stewed meats and superfoods, you’ll be salivating even before your food has been prepared at Grain Traders. As you go down the line, line your bowl with bases such as salad greens or bulgur wheat, then choose your proteins, and hot or cold vegetables to complete your meal. You can also choose a home-made sauce like coconut curry, salsa verde (spicy green sauce) or basil vinaigrette to drizzle over your bowl.
Overwhelmed by the options? Leave the flavour-pairing to the pros by picking one of Grain Traders’ signature bowls—these include the El Hibaro, striploin with charred veggies, and Upstream, wasabi salmon with chilli furikake (Japanese seasoning).
CapitaGreen. 138 Market Street #01-01/02/03, Singapore 048946.
Mon-Fri 8am-8pm.
Real Food
Real Food turns Asian-style vegetarian food on its head—You won’t find soya-based mock meat on its menu. Instead, this restaurant focuses on fresh produce and makes all its food from scratch using traditional methods—It requires six hours and three people to make 50 to 60 sets of its crowd-favourite dumplings, which takes the slow food movement to a whole new level.
Everything that comes through the kitchen doors is made in-house, down to the yoghurt and three-ingredient pancake mix on the breakfast menu. Most of the establishment’s outlets stock a small range of organic produce and healthy snacks, for healthy eaters looking to do some quick grocery shopping.
South Beach Tower. 26 Beach Road #B1-19, Singapore 189768. +65 6384 2206. Mon-Sat 10am-9.30pm; Sun 10am-8.30pm.
Square 2. 10 Sinaran Drive #B1-105/106/129, Singapore 307506. +65 6397 2289.
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm; Sun 10am-8pm.
Orchard Central. 181 Orchard Road #02-16, Singapore 238896. +65 6737 9516.
Mon-Sat 10am-8.45pm; Sun 10am-7.45pm.
Plentyfull
Whether you’re a proud herbivore or carnivore, you can guiltlessly indulge at Plentyfull. The casual restaurant serves its food buffet-style during lunchtime to cater to the bustling crowd. In the evening, patrons can order from a dinner menu featuring seasonal produce from Plentyfull’s farming collective Little Farms. Come with a group or with a voracious appetite—most dishes here, such as the meat plank and root vegetable gnocchi, come in generous servings.
If the beautiful ceramic crockery on the table gives you serious tableware envy, why not bring a few home as souvenirs? They’re all hand-made by local artisans Mud Rock Ceramics—just pop by their studio, in Little India, to buy some for yourself.
Millenia Walk. 9 Raffles Boulevard #01-79/80, Singapore 039596. +65 6493 2997.
Daily 10am-10.30pm.