Our little red dot is home to a surprisingly large number of buffets, hawkers and cafes. But only the very best stands the true test of time, so we found some eateries that have been around for a very, very long time.
Here are 7 old timey restaurants in SG that are still around from the 1900s.
1. Hua Yu Wee (open since 1920s)
The last bastion of Chinese seafood cuisine left standing along Upper East Coast Road, Hua Yu Wee first opened its doors sometime in the 1920s. It’s still operating from the same colonial bungalow today, and you can find various iterations of different kinds of seafood here, such as sambal crayfish, chilli crab and white pepper crab.
Address: 462 Upper E Coast Rd, Singapore 466508
Contact number: 6442 9313
More information: Hua Yu Wee
2. Spring Court (open since 1929)
Spring Court (once known as Wing Choon Yuen) has changed homes quite a few times over its long history, before finally settling down in a massive 4-storey building in Chinatown, with a seating capacity of 650. The restaurant serves a mix of Hokkien and Cantonese dishes, and they’re also pretty well known for their dim sum, particularly their spicy popiah. The fourth floor of the restaurant even has karaoke rooms that you can book.
Address: 52-56 Upper Cross St, Singapore 058348
Contact number: 6449 5030
More information: Spring Court
3. Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant (open since 1953)
Don’t let its low-key facade mislead you, because Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant has a great Peranakan menu. You can expect all the Nyonya staples here: sambal prawns, assam fish and babi pongteh. They also offer bento sets and take-away options.
Address: 40, 38 Joo Chiat Pl, Singapore 427764
Contact Number: 6344 2761
More Information: Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant
4. Islamic Restaurant (open since 1921)
Exactly a century old this year, Islamic Restaurant has served a number of notable figures in Singapore’s history, including the likes of Yusof Ishak and Lee Kuan Yew. And if their trademark biryani was good enough for our founding fathers, then it’s definitely worth trying.
Address: 735 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 198703
Contact number: 6298 7563
More information: Islamic Restaurant Singapore
5. Tong Ah Eating House (open since 1939)
Tong Ah Eating House was originally seated at where the popular Potato Head is standing today. Though their space was bought over by the new establishment, they managed to relocate just across the street.
Today, they’re still serving their famous crispy kaya toast, which is toasted three times before being filled with homemade kaya that is slow cooked over a fire for 10 hours.
Address: 35 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089142
Contact number: 6223 5083
More information: Tong Ah Eating House 东亞
6. Roland Restaurant (open since 1956, chilli crab creator)
Image credits: @rolandrestaurant
As one of Singapore’s well-loved and most famous national dishes, the chilli crab had its humble beginnings at a small restaurant along the Kallang River, where there were only a few kerosene lamps and wooden stools, and seafood was cooked over an open charcoal fire.
Eventually, the business grew and they moved to Bedok Beach before finally settling down as Roland Restaurant at Marine Parade Central. Today, the massive 1100-seater restaurant serves Cantonese cuisine, dim sum, and of course, seafood. They are also recommended in the Singapore Michelin guide and credited with the invention of the chilli crab.
Address: 89 Marine Parade Central, #06-750, Singapore 440089
Contact number: 6440 8205
More information: Roland Restaurant
7. Tiffin Room (open since 1892)
Image credit: @tiffinroomsg
Tiffin Room has been a part of Raffles Hotel Singapore since 1887, and the decorations in this elegant restaurant will make you feel like you’re royalty in colonial times. They specialise in North Indian cuisine, with signature dishes such as their dabba and Lucknowi Murgh Biryani.
Tiffin Room offers both a la carte and buffet options for their North Indian cuisine, and from now till 10 March, they’ll be featuring a menu done in collaboration with Samy’s Curry. Samy’s Curry is a South Indian specialty eatery found in the 1960s known for their legendary Masala Chicken, Fish Head Curry, Fish Cutlet, and Mysore Mutton.
Address: 1 Beach Road, Singapore 189673
Contact number: 6412 1816
More information: Tiffin Room
