What makes Singapore’s culinary landscape a peerless one is how it truly is a melting pot of literal flavours. As the home to a complex medley of cultures and heritage, this confluence brings forth a myriad of cuisines, each brimming with its own distinct palette of tastes and colours.
Beneath the veil cast by the dominant cuisines of major ethnic groups, there still exists multiple unique culinary heritages awaiting our discovery. Of this collective, one of the more prominent marginal ethnic groups is the Peranakan. With a lineage descended from a blend of Chinese, Malay and Indonesian backgrounds, many have since been assimilated into the broader Chinese or Malay ethnic groups.
Despite this dilution of cultural identity, an enduring aspect of their history is their inimitable cuisine. Renowned for having bright, vibrant flavours that are familiar yet fresh, these dishes and the equally rich history behind them have seen a recent resurgence in the local gastronomical scene.
From gourmet Michelin-starred restaurants to humble family-owned eateries, here is a collection of 18 places where you can sample a flavourful slice of Singapore’s Peranakan food heritage.
