Explore Singapore’s Orchard Road with This All-In-One Guide

Klook ANZ

Last updated 2 Jan 2024

Image credits to @aangelabautistaa, @katsuronz, and @discoverasrsingapore on Instagram

What's a vacation without a shopping trip or two? If you're in Singapore, one of the most popular—if not the most popular—places to shop and eat at is Orchard Road.

The bustling neighbourhood is every shopaholic's dream. With chic boutiques and luxury stores left and right, you can buy anything at Orchard Road's shops, from mooncakes to vintage books to locally-made jewellery! There are even fantastic coffee shops, cocktail bars, and Michelin-star restaurants of different cuisines for you to try.

Best places to eat along Orchard Road

Although mostly renowned as being Singapore's shopping hotspot, Orchard Road is also popular for its diverse and delectable food scene.

Best for brunch

1. Leckerbaer

Leckerbaer originally hails from Copenhagen, but they've recently brought their Danish pastries to Singapore. They attract a pack of customers daily with their småkagers (Danish cookies), which come in various flavours, like passion fruit, matcha & raspberry, and salted caramel. They've also got different puffs, tarts, and butter cookies for you to check out.

2. Bacha Coffee

Bacha Coffee is known for using 100% Arabica coffee beans and having an extensive menu of 200 different coffees. You'll be spoiled for choice, but their best sellers are Sidamo Mountain Coffee, 1910 Coffee, and Caramelo Morning Coffee.

3. Maccha House

Get your matcha fix at Orchard Central's Maccha House. They have a ton of matcha-infused drinks for every coffee lover's taste, such as a Maccha Latte Float and Houji Tea. They're most popular for their delectable dessert, the Maccha Tiramisu, which has generous layers of ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, and a sprinkle of matcha powder on top.

4. Violet Oon

If you're in the mood for something more local, head on over to Violet Oon for a delicious dose of Nyonya cuisine. This chic restaurant will have you returning for more with Nyonya best sellers, like their Beef Rendang, which is tender beef shin covered in creamy coconut sauce.

They also serve high tea from 15:00 to 17:30. You can choose from classic tea flavours or some interesting tea infusions.

5. Social Place

Sink your teeth into the most aesthetically pleasing dumplings you've ever seen. The Social Place exudes a quirky retro charm with its fun wall designs and Instagram-worthy plating. The Truffle Shiitake Buns and Steamed Rose Floret Buns aren't only satisfying to look at, but they're also full of flavour that'll keep you ordering more.

6. Arteastiq

Speaking of tea, Arteastiq is a tea room specialising in all things tea. You can sample a wide range of artisanal teas. But, their Iced Lychee Tea is one of their best sellers that you absolutely have to try. It's a dessert tea with fruity notes and a light sweetness, perfect for the summer season—or if you're just missing the season.

7. PS Cafe Palais Renaissance

If you want a cafe experience to brag about, head to PS Cafe Palais Renaissance. It's got a tasteful mix of vintage and modern interiors that make an Instagram-worthy backdrop for a chill brunch. Order their signature Truffle Shoestring Fries—because who doesn't love truffle and fries?

Best for dinner

8. Inasal

When exploring Orchard Road's shopping malls, you'll quickly discover that Lucky Plaza is a haven for Filipinos and Aussies in Singapore. There are a ton of Filipino places to choose from, and Inasal takes the top spot. Here, you'll discover Singapore's best chicken inasal, a perfectly barbecued chicken from Bacolod in the Philippines. You have to have it with rice!

9. Dancing Crab

Prepare to get your hands deliciously dirty at the Dancing Crab Seafood Place. They blend American-style seafood with rich Singaporean flavours for a swimmingly good meal, like their Chili and Black Pepper Crabs and Live Crab with their Signature Cajun Sauce. Its relaxing atmosphere lets you enjoy your food just how you want to—using your hands is encouraged!

Snap up the Dancing Crab's perfectly cooked seafood sets!

10. Les Amis

End your day of shopping with a dinnertime splurge at Les Amis. Prepare to be transported to France with every dish expertly crafted by three-Michelin Star Chef Sebastien Lepinoy using ingredients directly from France. They have various curated tasting menus if you wanna try a little bit of everything.

11. Lawry's The Prime Rib

Meat lovers will absolutely love the mouth-watering dishes at Lawry's The Prime Rib. You'll be treated to their signature prime rib's tender and flavourful meat that's been aged for 28 days. Served with different kinds of fixers, such as Yorkshire Pudding and US Idaho Mashed Potatoes, you'll be coming back for more.

12. Koh Grill & Sushi Bar

Koh Grill & Sushi Bar should be on your itinerary if seafood is more your speed. Come for the fresh sushi, and stay for the incredibly cheap prices—which is why there's always a line outside!

Their most popular dish by far is the Shiok Maki. It's unagi sushi topped with fresh salmon and rich cream cheese.

Want more affordable dining options? Head to a Singapore Hawker Centre! Hawker centres let you have a taste of several kinds of dishes all in one place without breaking the bank. Here are some of Singapore's best hawker centres for your itinerary—find out which are near MRT stations and your accommodation!

Eat & Drink

7 Best Hawker Centres in Singapore for a Mouthwatering Feed

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13. 8 Korean BBQ

Another upscale restaurant you have to try is 8 Korean BBQ. They're most famous for their signature 8 Colour Set. This set includes thick, long strips of Mangalitsa pork belly flavoured in 8 different ways: original, wine, curry, garlic, miso, herb, kalbi, and red pepper paste. They also have other classic Korean delicacies, like kimcheese fried rice and japchae, to eat with your perfectly-grilled meats.

14. Basilico

After a day of strolling around Orchard Road, fill up with scrumptious traditional Italian food at Basilico at Conrad Singapore Orchard. They have a weekday lunch buffet with a spread of antipasti, classic Italian pasta and pizza, and a range of house-made gelato flavours. It's the perfect midday break for all the shopping or for when you're strolling along Orchard Boulevard.

15. Manam

Treat your taste buds to flavourful Indian cuisine right in the heart of Singapore. Manam's dishes are inspired by traditional home recipes that are elevated with the freshest ingredients. They have 15 different curries on the menu, but their Eral Maangai Masala and Kongunadu Kozhi Kuzhambu are said to be the best.

Get a taste of Indian comfort food at Manam!

16. Tampopo

For more classic Japanese eats, head to Tampopo for the crispiest and juiciest tonkatsu, or deep-fried pork cutlets. Tampopo is famous for being the first restaurant to bring Kurobuta pork (black pig) to Singapore. So if you're there, you must try their Black Pig Loin Tonkatsu or have it in a bowl of authentic Japanese ramen.

Best bars

17. The Other Room

Let The Other Room's exceptional delights take you to another world. This stylish hideaway serves up vintage, rare cocktails made of spirits from the 1970s. Don't miss out on the opportunity to try these finely aged bottles! Pair your drinks with small bites from their tapas menu.

18. Alleybar

With over 20 years of experience, Alleybar knows how to serve tasty cocktails. They first opened at Emerald Hill in 1999, and every part of their bar has been inspired by Peranakan heritage and Nyonya flavours. What should you try? The Lapsang Souchong. It's the world's first pine-smoke black tea with smokey and herbaceous notes.

19. Manhattan

Since you're already at the Conrad Singapore Orchard, go for some after-dinner drinks at the Manhattan. The hotel's luxurious bar is inspired by 19th-century New York, a.k.a the Golden Age of Cocktails. It's consistently ranked in the World's 50 Best Bars, and its Solera-Aged Negroni and Bespoke Manhattan are extremely popular.

Singapore has many more amazing hotels to keep you comfy during your stay, and we've rounded them up in this list.

Image credits to @swankytraveler, @joo_t_aime, and @dominiccc on Instagram.

Accommodation Travel essentials

10 Most Iconic Hotels in Singapore Worth Checking Into for an Unforgettable Stay

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20. Acid Bar

Once the sun sets, you can head to the Acid Bar for a swimmingly good time. This bar adds an edge to Singapore's nightlife with live performers and a wide range of fun drinks, from Pink and Lime Margaritas to Clover Club cocktails and even more!

Best places to shop along Orchard Road

Exploring Orchard, Singapore's shopping scene is a whole-day (or two!) affair, so you might want to map out the stores you're most interested in ahead of time.

1. Ngee Ann City

There's something for everyone at Ngee Ann City with its six levels of shops and brands. You can find luxury jewellery brands, like Van Cleef & Arpels and Tiffany & Co., and high-end fashion designers, but they also have Asia's most prominent bookstore, Kinokuniya, and the Japanese electronics shop Best Denki.

2. Wisma Atria

Find a fashionable mix of local and international brands available at Wisma Atria. You can find the Singapore flagship stores of luxury brands like Coach and Tory Burch on their second floor, but why not explore the local fashion scene?

Little Match Girl is an exciting Singaporean brand that once mass-produced garments but has now refocused to slow fashion using eco-friendly fabrics so you can shop mindfully.

3. Scotts Square

Scotts Square is an upscale mall that houses designer stores and crowd-favourite cafes, like Tiong Bahru Bakery and Maison Kayser. It's a great spot for more relaxed days, especially since it's easily accessible for those staying at the nearby Grand Hyatt and Marriot Tang Plaza hotels.

4. Ion Orchard

More than just a mall, Ion Orchard is the most popular and most glamorous destination on Orchard Road. Here, you'll find luxury couture straight from the runways with brands like Christian Louboutin and Alexander McQueen!

5. Wheelock Place

Another easily recognisable building, Wheelock Place, is both an office tower and a shopping mall. What sets them apart is that they offer various beauty services here, from brow salons to dental clinics to hair salons.

6. Lucky Plaza

As we mentioned, you'll feel lucky leaving Lucky Plaza after scoring great deals at the secondhand shops and novelty stores inside. It's the place to go for cheap yet unique souvenirs.

7. Palais Renaissance

Experience luxury living at Palais Renaissance. Aside from the home & living stores, this mall has different aesthetic clinics, a nail salon, and a hair salon, making it great for a pampering day.

8. Design Orchard

Design Orchard is a special space for Singaporean creators and local brands. Visitors can browse over 100 brands for unique finds and support independent designers.

9. Shaw House and Shaw Centre

The Shaw House and Shaw Centre are neighbouring buildings offering visitors an all-in-one shopping and entertainment experience. You can catch a movie at their IMAX theatre, explore top-tier eats, and purchase new closet must-haves at Isetan, the famous Japanese fashion and department store.

10. Far East Plaza

Prepare to leave Far East Plaza with several bags in your arms. It's impossible to turn down the prices at the affordable to mid-range boutiques here; plus, there are a ton of cute finds!

11. Paragon

The Paragon shopping centre has everything: designer labels, kid's clothing, grocery stores, and art galleries. This premier shopping destination boasts a great line-up of designer brands, which include Balenciaga, Miu Miu, Versace, and more!

12. Tangs Plaza

You might go into Tangs Plaza not needing anything but come out with several things you didn't know you needed. Meet the mall that keeps up on the latest trends and innovations in fashion, beauty, electronics, and home essentials for you. Find brands like Jo Malone, Burberry, and Samsonite under one roof.

13. Knightsbridge Mall

The Knightsbridge Mall is most famous for its massive Apple Store, but it's also home to other stylish brands. Shop for the latest trends at Tommy Hilfiger and The Hour Glass Limited, a specialty luxury watch retailer that carries Hublot, Philip Stein, and more.

14. Orchard Central

Head to the tallest shopping mall in Singapore. The Orchard Central features an incredible range of restaurants and cafes for whatever you crave. They also have some of the most unique shops, like Sugoi Beauty and Collection for skincare, make-up, and toy collectables.

15. Orchard Gateway

Orchard Gateway is well-known for its two-storey public library, but you can also get some serious shopping done here. Try the luxurious Orogold Cosmetics, or find your new go-to sneaker at East Eight.

Stay connected in Singapore!

Go mall-hopping along Orchard Road with hassle-free navigation, and post about your adventures from anywhere with 4G pocket WiFi. You can even connect up to five devices for the whole day, thanks to its 12-hour battery life. Book your 4G Pocket WiFi today on Klook, then all you have to do is pick it up and drop it off at the airport!

Stay connected with your vacation buddies using 4G pocket WiFi

More restaurants to explore in Singapore

1. Smith Marine Floating Restaurant

What first began as a fish farm is now Singapore's first Kelong restaurant. The Smith Marine floats entirely on the waters of Pulau Ubin and serves live and fresh catch throughout the day—everything from steamed scallops and black pepper crab to a mouth-watering seafood fried rice.

Taste the freshest seafood directly from farm to table at Smith Marine!

2. Slappy Cakes

Anyone and everyone can be a chef at Slappy Cakes. Each table is equipped with its own griddle, so you can make your pancakes just the way you like 'em! Choose from different kinds of flavoured batter, including the Singaporean-exclusive Pandan-flavoured batter, and add in a variety of fixins, like chocolate chips, bananas, sausages, and bacon.

Cook up your very own pancake creations at Slappy Cakes.

3. Tong Ah Eating House

Chinatown is a hotpot (pun intended) of delicious restaurants, and Tong Ah Eating House fits right in. Start your day right with their iconic Kaya Toast and perfectly soft-boiled eggs for brekkie. Or, end your day off on a good note with their Tze Char menu of tasty dishes, like the Coffee Ribs and Scallop Rolls!

Find out why everyone raves about Tong Ah's Kaya Toast!

We hope you're no longer wondering if Orchard Road in Singapore is still worth visiting because the simple answer is yes! Not only is it one of the best areas to stay in Singapore, but there are also great shopping opportunities, one-of-a-kind dining experiences, beauty services for all budgets, and so much more! There really is something for everyone in this busy neighbourhood.

But if you prefer a different vibe to the bustle of Orchard Road, we have some more picks for great places to stay in Singapore right here.