Fans of beloved Sanrio character Hello Kitty can now dine with her at Hello Kitty Orchid Garden. Located at Changi Airport Terminal 3, this is the first 24-hour Hello Kitty cafe in the world. Like other cafes in the international chain, this garden-themed cafe is decked out with "Kitty touches" from the wooden bow chairs to the white garden fences and even the carrots in your Cowabunga Wagyu ($24). Apart from mains, there are light bites like the Hello Kitty stamped Hola Nachos ($15.90) and the locally inspired pandan panna cotta called Hide & Seek ($16.90). The latter comes topped with vanilla gelato, gula Melaka, passionfruit and strawberry sauce. If you're hankering for something light before your flight, grab a Soft Serve Frozen Yogurt (from $4.90) before taking a photo or two with the specially designed, double bowed Hello Kitty figurines in the cafe!
Avg price: $30 per person
Just next to ABC Market is this homely, cosy gelato parlour that serves 18 gelato flavours on a daily basis. After a shopping spree at IKEA, swing by and cool down with a scoop of Pistachio ice cream ($3.20) — creamy smooth gelato with nutty hints of the pistachio nut. We also really like the refreshing and soothing Earl Grey Tie Guan Yin — it's a premium flavour that you have to top up $0.70 for but it's totally worth it. If you're planning to stay a little longer, order the Handcrafted Tart ($9.90). The homemade crumbly tart comes with a scoop of gelato.
Avg price: $5 per person
After a month long closure, The Betterfield at Waterloo Street has re-opened at The Treasury, just a five-minute walk from City Hall MRT station. The sprawling compound is five times bigger than its previous location, making it the perfect place to accommodate large group gatherings. It's also good for couples looking for an affordable date night over quality eats. The menu has also been updated with new dishes, but rest assured, the old favourites are still around. Start your meal with one of the new additions to the menu — the addictively tasty Cheese Curry Fries ($12) that comes with a dollop of Japanese curry mayo. For mains, go for the French Duck Confit ($22) and the crowd pleasing Black Angus Ribeye Steak ($22 for 200g, $32 for 300g and $40 for 400g). Add Foie Gras ($12) to elevate your meal and sate your carnivorous cravings!
Avg price: $30 per person
Located opposite Tanglin Mall, this new Japanese-European izakaya dishes out tasty tapas and grills. The vibe is casual yet classy, with both indoor and alfresco seating — perfect for both group gatherings and quiet one-on-ones. Some favourites from the Burpple Community include the Black Angus Grain Fed Rib Eye ($38), Deep-fried Soft Shell Crab ($14) and Charcoal Grilled Hokkaido Scallop ($24). Mo'mor also offers a most value-for-money set lunch (available even on weekends)! $15 gets you a main and a tapas or dessert; $18 gets you one of each course. Choices for mains include Saikyo miso ginger free range spring chicken and yakiniku pork collar udon.
Avg Price: $40 per person (under $20 for lunch sets)
Culinary host, TV presenter and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Angela May adds yet another title to her long list of accolades — restaurant owner. A joint venture between her and the Deliciae Hospitality Management group, Angela's swanky new pad on the second floor of Robinsons is the perfect place to spend some mother-daughter time together over light bites. Go for Angela's Choux Pastries and opt for a mix of sweet and savoury including the Raspberry Champagne ($4.80), decadent Dark Chocolate Cream ($4.80) and Prawns in Spiced Sesame ($5.90). Don't leave without grabbing a bag (or two!) of her Rosemary Cookies ($8 per 100g) — it pairs very well with English tea.
Avg price: $20 per person
This hidden gem just across Rochor Beancurd in Selegie is just the place to bring your group of friends for excellent tze char in an air-conditioned setting. Start with the Crispy Baby Silver Fish ($6) before moving on to meats like the Drunken XL Spare Ribs ($23 for five) — opt for the finger-licking good Butter Champagne flavour. The star of the show at Big Lazy Chop is their Wok-Fried XL Crabs ($70 per kg) — go for the Indo Curry sauce that Burpple Tastemaker Russell Leong describes as "the love child of laksa and a thick Nyonya curry". If you love crabs, call ahead to reserve chef's well-executed Handmade Fresh Crab Money Bag ($18 for four) — we hear he only makes 21 every day!
Avg price: $30 per person
Hajime Tonkatsu & Ramen takes over the now-defunct Relish at myVillage, serving tonkatsu sets as well as ramen. The man behind it is no other than chef Tan-San, the former founding chef of tonkatsu restaurant Tonkichi and ramen chain Tampopo, who brings with him over 25 years of experience. Order the Premium Pork Loin ($19.90) — pork fillet with a crispy, crunchy coating served with refreshing yuzu miso soup and free flow of rice and cabbage. Other options include the spicy Tonkatsu Ramen ($14.90) and the Salmon Don ($16.90). The latter comes with fried salmon slices and a wobbly onsen egg, and is topped with an addictively tasty umami sauce.
Avg price: $20 per person
This new Korean seafood concept at Prinsep will please both seafood and hotpot lovers. For a truly decadent feast, gather a group of eight for the Seafood Tower ($288.90), which features nine staggering layers of steamed seafood including prawns, scallops, langoustines and squid. The bottom-most layer is the soup base (go for the Korean kimchi if you like your broth flavour-packed), which you can customise with add-ons like ramen, sausages and meatballs (from $2 a plate). If you can't find a crowd to eat with, there are smaller portions available like the three-tiered Seafood Tower ($52.90), which feeds two hungry bellies.
Avg Price: $35 per person
Move aside Shibuya toasts, these Dutch baby pancakes are the next big thing. This Japanese-owned eatery in Paragon is still a hidden gem for many, so make a trip down soonest before the crowd comes! Best for sharing with friends, the pillowy soft pancakes with crispy edges are served with either sweet or savoury condiments. Our Burpplers recommend the Mixed Berries Pancake ($13.80), served with strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. There are also heartier mains available, like the Crab Croquette Curry Rice ($17.80) and Eggplant Baked Cheese Curry ($13.80).
Avg price: $20 per person
There's no need to travel to Hong Kong to try Honolulu Cafe's famed egg tarts or pineapple buns (otherwise known as polo buns). Honolulu Cafe has officially opened its first Singapore outlet in Centrepoint. Come with your family members for an early yum cha session before spending the rest of the day shopping in town. The Honolulu Egg Tarts ($1.70 each) are a must order — buttery, flaky pastry encasing a lightly sweetened custard, alongside the Honolulu Pineapple Bun ($1.50), extra $0.50 for butter — totally worth the calories. Wash it all down with their Iced Yuan Yang ($3.50). There are also more substantial noodles and rice dishes available too. Pro tip: Head down early to secure your egg tarts — supply is limited and they run out very quickly!
Avg price: $5 per person
This inconspicuous burger shack has no signboard whatsoever, only a neon burger sign with an arrow directing you to a door in the back alley of Gemmill Lane. Don't be alarmed by its shady appearance; step inside with a few friends and enjoy the sight of chunky beef patties and crispy bacon slices sizzling on the grill, 18 craft beers on tap and doodle-friendly walls with blast from the past movie posters (spot our hand drawn Burpple doodles!). The menu is written on makeshift signboards pinned to the side of the cashier. While we would recommend the Double Bacon Cheeseburger ($27.40) for its super satisfying quality, it comes with a hefty price tag. Instead, go for the Cheeseburger ($13.80) with the medium-well, juicy beef patty and get the Fries ($5.50) to fill your hungry belly. Ask for "the works" — lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, ketchup, mayo and mustard sauce before seasoning your patty with a tiny bit of salt and pepper that is readily available on each table.
Avg price: $20 per person
If you think that the noodles served at this stall in Kopitown Sixth Avenue very much resemble the springy wanton noodles at Crystal Jade, you're on the right track. Owner Mr Tang was formerly the head trainer at the restaurant chain, and more recently ran a stall in Chinatown. Mr Tang's noodles here are springy, the dumplings are plump and juicy, and the accompanying chilli paste packs a whole lot of punch. The icing on the cake? Prices are a fraction of what you would pay at an upmarket Cantonese noodle house — the Wanton Noodles cost only $3.50. Pro tip: According to Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua, patrons tend to order several portions at a go, so be patient.
Avg Price: $5 per person
For Jessica, who goes by the moniker @shiberty on Instagram, bringing people and desserts together has been her dream. Located at Owen Road, Shiberty Bakes is her dream come true, and the perfect setting for an intimate catch up over all things girly. Come with a group of girlfriends after lunch and share the Rocher Shiberty Toast ($16). The nicely crisp, buttered toast has a soft interior, and comes topped with a generous amount of Kinder Bueno bars, chocolate wafers, luscious fudge sauce and vanilla ice cream. Don't leave without having Jessica's melt-in-your-mouth macarons ($2 each) and look out for innovative flavours like Salted Egg and Honey Lavender!
Avg price: $20 per person
Located within the lobby of Hotel YAN, this cosy cafe is a refreshing change to lunching at the hawker stalls in the vicinity. It's also a great place to spend a weekend afternoon with a good read. Start with a Latte ($5.50) or for non-coffee drinkers, the Iced Soy Milk with Gula Melaka ($3.50). For food, try the NIDO Homemade Pork Burger ($18.90) — a tower of bacon, onion rings and a fried egg stacked precariously on a thick, very satisfying 150g pork patty. The sesame bun is placed leaning against the burger to soak up all the runny goodness from the fried egg. Save space for the sweet potato fries that are served with the burger — super addictive! The Homemade Laksa with Charred Crayfish ($12.90) is also worth a try — flavourful, creamy broth with boiled egg and crisp beancurd, made elegant with the lightly charred slipper lobster.
Avg price: $20 per person
By the good people behind Bedok's Refuel Cafe comes two-week-old Fuel Plus+ in Telok Blangah. Tucked away on Morse Road, between Telok Blangah and Harbourfront MRT stations, the light-filled cafe serves up affordable and hearty options for brunch, lunch and dessert. We enjoyed the Rosti, Egg and Sausage ($16) and the Honey BBQ Babyback Ribs ($19), though we do wish they could have been more generous with the barbecue sauce. Judging from the reviews on Burpple, it seems like the Burpple community also has good things to say about the Bacon Aglio Olio ($15) and Soft Shell Crab Curry ($18). Portion sizes are generous so don't fill up too quickly with drinks — go for their wonderfully balanced and robust Piccolo Latte ($4.50). The service is enthusiastic and efficient, and prices are nett.
Avg Price: $25 per person
Before you fend off these egg tarts as another gimmicky snack (it doesn't even have a flowy centre!), here's why we think you should queue for these golden yellow babies. Hailing from Hokkaido, Japan, Bake Egg Tarts ($3.50 for one, $19.50 for box of six) are called as such because of the double baking process. Unlike its other outposts in Hong Kong where you get to watch them pipe the tarts at a near-robotic speed, the tarts in Singapore have already been piped in Hokkaido before they are baked twice in the shop at ION Orchard's basement. These tarts are known for their light-as-air cheese filling, and we recommend heating them up for maximum enjoyment! Pro-tip: The snaking queues lasts for as long as three hours, so bring a book or a buddy to kill time!
Avg price: $3.50 per person