Peranakan or Nyonya cuisine is standing its ground amidst the mushrooming of many other types of restaurants all over Singapore. This unique cuisine comes from the Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore, and Indonesia inter-marrying with local Malays and combines Chinese, Malay and other influences.

Nonya cooking is the result of blending Chinese ingredients with various distinct spices and cooking techniques used by the Malay/Indonesian community. This gives rise to Peranakan interpretations of Malay/Indonesian food that is similarly tangy, aromatic, spicy and herbal.

Key ingredients include coconut milk, galangal (a subtle, mustard-scented rhizome similar to ginger), candlenuts as both a flavoring and thickening agent, laksa leaf, pandan leaves (Pandanus amaryllifolius), belachan, tamarind juice, lemongrass, torch ginger bud, jicama, fragrant kaffir lime leaf, rice or egg noodles and cincaluk – a powerfully flavored, sour and salty shrimp-based condiment that is typically mixed with lime juice, chillies and shallots and eaten with rice, fried fish and other side dishes.

New Peranakan restaurants have opened in recent years and Singapore can even boast of the first Peranakan restaurant in the world to be awarded a Michelin Star.

Peranakan Cuisine

Tok Panjang Peranakan Cafe
392 East Coast Road
Singapore 428992

Tel: +65 9663-3392

Opening Hours:
9 am to 9 pm Tuesday to Sunday
closed on Monday

Babalicious
1000 East Coast Parkway,
#01-02 Marina Cove,
Singapore 449876

Tel:  +65 6636 3681

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu : 10.30am – 10pm
Fri & Sat : 10.30am – 11pm

Candlenut
Block 17A Dempsey Road,
Singapore 249676

Tel: 1800-304-2288 (Local calls only)

Opening Hours:
Lunch, Mon – Sun 12:00pm – 2:30pm
Dinner, Sun – Thu 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Fri, Sat, Eve of Public Holidays And
Public Holidays 6:00pm – 10:30pm

Chong Wen Ge Cafe
168 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068619

Tel: +65 9168 3208

Opening Hours: 10 am – 6 pm

Nearby MRT Stations: Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar

The Peranakan

442 Orchard Road
#02-17
Claymore Connect
Singapore (238879)

Tel: +65 6262 4428

Opening Hours : 11:00 – 22:00

Nearby MRT Station : Orchard

Ivin’s Peranakan Restaurant
19 Binjai Park
Singapore 589827

Tel : 6468 3060

(Closed on Thursdays)

True Blue Cuisine
47/49 Armenian Street
Singapore. 179937

Tel: +65 6440 0449

Opening Hours
11:30 – 14:30; 18:00 – 21:30

PeraMakan Restaurant

Level 3, Keppel Club
10 Bukit Chermin Road
Singapore 109918
(5 minutes drive from Vivo City/HarbourFront)

Nearest MRT: Telok Blangah

Tel: 65 63772829 / 62701618

Lunch: 11:30 am to 3:00 pm
(last order: 2:00 pm)
Dinner: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
(last order: 9:00 pm)

Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant
38/40 Joo Chiat Place
Singapore 427762

Tel: +65 6344 2761

Opening Hours: 11am–3pm, 6pm–9:30pm

5 Little Monkey Cafe

20 Kallang Avenue, #11-00 Pico Creative Centre
339411 Singapore

Tel: +65 8533 9168

Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 9:30 am – 7:00 pm
Closed on Sat & Sun.

Nearby MRT Stations: Lavender

Baba Chews 

86 East Coast Road
Katong Square
Singapore (428788)

Sun-Thu: 6:30am-11pm
Fri-Sat: 6:30am-12am

Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant

11 Joo Chiat Place #01-03
Singapore 427744

Tel: +65 6275 1002