Satisfy your hunger (for food AND adventure) at these unique restaurants in Singapore.
For a relatively small country on the world map, Singapore has a crazy number of options when it comes to good food! From Michelin-guide hawker stalls to fancy fine-dining. But what if you’re craving something extra?
Read also: Ultimate Singapore Food Guide — 54 Local-Approved Things to Eat in Singapore
Imagine dining in an aquarium, an actual aeroplane, or even in total darkness! Even non-foodies will be impressed with these unique dining experiences.
If you’re ready to bring your dining experience to the next level, or want to impress someone for a special occasion, check out these 12 dining experiences in Singapore:
1) ANDSOFORTH — Dining that’s out-of-this-world
Photo credit: ANDSOFORTH
Fancy having a whimsical Dinner in Wonderland? Or dining with the magical Marie & the Nutcracker? Escape into a magical world at ANDSOFORTH — surrounded by elaborate, themed sets and quirky characters. The menu is also made specially for each experience so you’re in for a new gastronomic experience with each edition.
Photo credit: ANDSOFORTH
Their latest edition is based on Around The World In 80 Days, Jules Verne’s adventure classic. You’ll enter the story’s exotic scenes, from the jungles of Calcutta to a vintage steam train. If you miss travel, this is your chance to ‘visit’ seven different destinations during dinner!
You’ll also get to enjoy various activities like cocktail-making, knot-tying, and venturing down a mine shaft.
Photo credit: ANDSOFORTH
P.S. The menu and dinner location are kept secret till the day of the event, for even more of a surprise!
Around The World In 80 Days
Cost: S$153 (incl. S$5 booking fee)
Experience timings: Multiple sittings from 7PM – 10:30PM (Thu – Sat), until Oct 2021. Each dinner lasts ~2.5hrs
How to get there: 24hrs before the dinner, participants will receive an SMS with details on the secret location
2) NOX Dine In The Dark — Dining without sight
Photo credit: NOX Dine in the Dark
How a dish looks could play a big part in your gastronomy experience. But what happens if you can’t see your food? Dial things down a notch at NOX Dine In The Dark, where you’ll be eating in complete darkness.
It’s an eye-opening (closing?) experience, giving you a taste of what life is like for the blind. The restaurant employs blind and visually-impaired waiters, who’ll guide you through the three-course meal.
And you’ll definitely need guidance, since dining in the dark can be disorientating at first. But once you get the hang of it, it’s a fascinating sensory experience.
Photo credit: NOX Dine in the Dark
The highlight is trying to guess what you’re eating — the dishes are kept a secret until the end of the meal. Have fun honing your other senses as you try to figure them out!
Cost: ~S$103 for the Prixe Fixe Dinner (three-course mystery set menu and cocktail drink)
Experience timings: Reservations are in 30min intervals from 6PM – 10:00PM (Tue – Sun), closed on Mon. Each dinner lasts ~2hrs
How to get there: 7min walk from Exit A of Nicoll Highway MRT Station
3) Smith Marine Floating Kelong — catch your own seafood
Photo credit: Smith Marine
Get a taste of kampong (village) life on the Smith Marine! This modern kelong (floating restaurant) serves some of the freshest seafood in Singapore.
After all, how can it get any fresher when you catch the fish yourself? Before your meal, try fishing for a snapper or sea bass at Smith Marine’s ‘sure-catch’ pond. It’ll then be cooked and served as part of your meal.
Photo credit: @therealjasonong via Instagram
The experience also comes with a short ferry ride from Changi Point ferry terminal. If you’re on a date, opt for a romantic dinner to enjoy the sunset on the waters.
Photo credit: @beckalim via Instagram
From a ferry ride to fishing on the waters, this is definitely one of the more unique restaurants in Singapore!
Cost: ~S$270 for a four-course meal and two-way ferry transfer (for two to three pax)
Experience timings: 10:30AM – 7PM, closed on alternate Mon. Last ferry to the restaurant leaves at 4:30PM. Call 97927609 for restaurant and ferry bookings
How to get there: Ferry pickup from 51 Lorong Bekukong, S499172
4) Le Petit Chef — 3D Sensory experience
It’s one thing to watch your chef prepare your meal. It’s something else when your chef walks across the table… which is exactly what happens at Le Petit Chef.
Located in the Grand Hyatt Singapore, this fine-dining restaurant uses 3D projection to create a cinematic experience, right on your table. Even your plates and cutlery become part of the vibrant landscapes!
The story follows the world’s smallest chef as he travels down the famous Silk Road. Along the way, you’ll enjoy meals from a unique six-course menu, crafted with ingredients that the chef collects on his journey.
Photo credit: Le Petit Chef
This two-hour dinner is extremely immersive, using scents, soundtracks, and props. You’ll be transported to exotic destinations like the icy Himalayan mountains, to the rich and heady Arabian souks.
It’s an educational and entertaining experience — definitely one of the must-try unique restaurants in Singapore!
Cost: From S$188++ per person
Experience timings: 12:30PM, 3PM, 6PM and 8:30PM, until 31 Oct 2021
How to get there: 5min walk from Orchard MRT Station to mezza9 La Cave wine cellar
5) CHIJMES or Capitol Singapore — Picnic in bubble domes
Photo credit: CHIJMES
Instead of social distancing in a restaurant, how about a private picnic? That’s what you’ll get at CHIJMES or Capitol Singapore‘s bubble dome pop-up.
The experience is basically free — you just have to buy food or drinks from the respective CHIJMES or Capitol Singapore restaurants, no minimum spend required!
Your food and drinks will then be served in the air-conditioned dome. For more fun, you can also rent complimentary board games like The Singaporean Dream.
Photo credit: Capitol Singapore
Each of the 10 domes is unique, with different furniture and embellishments. There’s even a music-themed dome, which comes with a keyboard, cajón, and guitar — perfect for a teatime jamming session!
Photo credit: @flower.pan via Instagram
Each dining slot lasts up to two hours and can take a maximum of five guests per dome. Slots are filling up fast, so do make a reservation now!
Dome dining at CHIJMES
Cost: Free with purchase of food and drinks from CHIJMES
Event period: 2hr slots from 20 Nov 2020 – 3 Jan 2021 (Booking required)
How to get there: 3min walk from City Hall MRT Station
Dome dining at Capitol Singapore
Cost: Free with purchase of food and drinks from Capitol Singapore or Arcade @ The Capitol Kempinski
Event period: 2hr slots from 20 – 25 Nov 2020 (Booking required)
How to get there: 3min walk from City Hall MRT Station
*Update: Dome dining at CHIJMES and Capitol Singapore are no longer available
6) Ocean Restaurant — Fine-dining in an aquarium
Photo credit: Resorts World Sentosa
This might sound strange but at the Ocean Restaurant, you’ll get a fine-dining experience, and get up close to your meal — while it’s alive!
The restaurant’s ‘walls’ are lined with the world-famous SEA Aquarium, home to over 100,000 marine animals. You won’t be tempted to browse your phone when manta rays and sharks are swimming right by!
Photo credit: @dear_day via Instagram
Some of the exotic dishes here include the Drunken Abalone and French Bouchot Mussel AOP. It surely is a fascinating experience that you won’t find anywhere else in Southeast Asia.
Cost: From S$68++ for the lunch set menu; from S$168++ for the dinner set menu
Experience timings: Lunch at 11:30AM and 1:30PM, dinner at 6PM and 8:30PM (Mon – Tue, Thu – Sun). Closed on Wed, except on PH and eve of PH
How to get there: From VivoCity, take the Sentosa Express to Resorts World Station, then walk 8min to Ocean Restaurant
7) Sushi Airways — Dine in an ‘aeroplane cabin’
Photo credit: Sushi Airways
From going on staycays to planning our travel bucket list, we’re all itching to cure the no-travel bug. So why not take a ride on Sushi Airways? This unique restaurant in Singapore replicates a flight to Japan, with an interior that looks like an aeroplane cabin.
Photo credit: @chuasaypeng via Instagram
Sushi Airways are totally committed to their theme, with stainless steel stairs, overhead compartments, and meal carts.
Photo credit: Sushi Airways
Pretend you’re in business class by opting for the seasonal omakase, or pick from the menu of delicious sushi and sashimi.
Cost: ~S$26+ for a three-course set lunch
Experience timings: 11:45AM – 2:00PM, 5:45PM – 9:00PM
How to get there: 5min walk from Bugis MRT station
8) SIA’s Restaurant A380 @Changi — In-flight dining experience
Photo credit: Singapore Airlines
For an even more authentic experience, dine with Singapore Airlines’ Restaurant A380 @ Changi! You can now board the world’s largest passenger aircraft for a delicious inflight meal — an experience many of us miss.
Just like going on holiday, buy a ticket for your cabin class and enjoy an SIA meal with their world-class service. The experience also comes with two alcoholic beverages and free-flow drinks (we can’t promise the warm face towel though).
Photo credit: Singapore Airlines
Unfortunately, Restaurant A380 @Changi is over after running for two weekends. With the sell-out response, however, they might add more dates (we’ll update here if they do)!
There’s also SIA@Home if you don’t fancy stepping back on a plane so soon. This home-dining experience features a unique menu by SIA’s world-renowned chefs. The experience starts from S$258 for a Business Class meal for two. It’s a great chance to try the First or Business Class experience right at home!
Photo credit: Singapore Airlines
Cost: From S$53.50 for an Economy Class dining seat on Restaurant A380 @Changi
Experience timings: New dates to be announced
How to get there: 1min walk from Changi Airport MRT Station
*Update: Restaurant A380 @Changi is no longer available
9) GOURMETbus — Michelin meals on wheels
Photo credit: GOURMETbus Singapore
Singapore has amazing local food, but let’s face it, hawker centres aren’t that romantic. Instead, take your date on the Singapore GOURMETbus! This one-of-a-kind scenic tour serves dishes from Michelin’s Bib Gourmand Award hawkers, like the famous Tian Tian Chicken Rice and Kok Sen Tze Char. And all this on a comfortable city bus.
Photo credit: GOURMETbus Singapore
The route will take you around landmarks like the Singapore Flyer, Chinatown, and the Esplanade. Both the lunch and dinner tours also stop by the Gardens by the Bay — we’d recommend the dinner though, as you’ll get to watch the supertrees light up!
Photo credit: GOURMETbus Singapore
Cost: ~S$67 for lunch and ~S$97 for dinner
Experience timings: Lunch from 12PM – 1:30PM, and dinner from 7PM – 9PM (Tue, Thu, Sun). Fully booked until 1 Feb 2022.
How to get there: 10min walk from Promenade MRT Station to DUCK&HiPPO Hub @ Suntec City
10) ORTO or Fish@Bugis+ — Late night prawning
Photo credit: ORTO
This is perhaps better as a post dinner activity as it’s one of the few places that’s still open in the wee hours of the night! If you’ve not gone prawning, now’s the best time to give it a try! Just grab (four) friends and try catching your dinner, before throwing a BBQ party. Prawning also makes a fantastic supper activity, since most sites are open almost 24/7.
For the quintessential prawning experience, head to ORTO, Singapore’s largest prawning facility.
A more central option is Fish @ Bugis+ — a great way to unwind further after a late-night movie. Plus, it’s fully air-conditioned.
Prawning at ORTO
Cost: From ~S$20/hr
Experience timings: 24hrs
How to get there: 8min walk from Khatib MRT Station
Fish @ Bugis+
Cost: Varies
Experience timings: 9AM – 6AM
How to get there: 2min walk from Bugis MRT Station
11) Royal Albatross — Fine dining on a pirate ship
Photo credit: Royal Albatross
The Royal Albatross looks like a real-life pirate ship, complete with four grand masts and 22 billowing sails. It’s the only luxury tall ship in Asia, and was even featured in Hollywood blockbuster The Dark Knight!
The grand ship makes the perfect backdrop for the beautiful scenery. Choose from two routes — the dramatic Sunset cruise brings you along the Southern Islands, while the romantic City Lights cruise sails along the Marina Bay skyline.
While taking in the sights, you’ll feast on a three-course international dinner, along with free-flow soft drinks. Bon voyage!
Cost: From S$195 per adult
Dinner timings: Departure varies from 5PM – 8:30PM (sailing schedule here)
Starting point: 6min walk from Resorts World Station
Read also: 12 Things to Do in Sentosa for Travel-Starved Singaporeans
12) Cable Car Sky Dining
Photo credit: One Faber Group
Take dinner to the next level by going Cable Car Sky Dining. These gondolas aren’t just a scenic form of transport — they’re also one of the most unique restaurants in Singapore!
Photo credit: One Faber Group
Feast on a sumptuous dinner while you soar above Mount Faber Park, Sentosa, and Universal Studios. It’s like your own private dining room, above city lights! As the cabin makes its rounds, check out how the crew smoothly swaps out finished plates for new ones.
The Stardust Cabin comes with a four-course set menu, house wine, and a souvenir.
And of course, enjoy a toast with complimentary glasses of house wine, amidst sparkling Sentosa lights. The package also comes with a wishing bell token — a romantic souvenir after a magical night.
Cost: ~S$192.50 for two pax
Dinner timings: 5:30PM – 8PM (Last boarding at 6:30PM)
Starting point: 10min walk from Harbourfront MRT Station to Mount Faber Cable Car Reception
Experience something new at these unique restaurants in Singapore
The Imaginarium of Disco David, a past event at ANDSOFORTH. Photo credit: ANDSOFORTH
Now that travel is off the cards, we can’t help craving new experiences. Why not get adventurous during mealtimes as well?
Try something new at these unique restaurants in Singapore — we guarantee those calories will be worth it.
Featured photo credit: GOURMETbus Singapore
Facebook photo credit: Resorts World Sentosa, GOURMETbus Singapore
Have you tried any of these unique restaurants in Singapore? Share your experience in the comments below!