What makes a hidden gem in food-obsessed Singapore? Great prices, good food and under the radar
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Content creators say eateries with low footfall, good food and affordable prices can be considered hidden gems.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
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SINGAPORE – Follow me to a hidden gem in Singapore. Here it lies, tucked away in a sleepy industrial estate. Or here: hidden in plain sight, matcha flowing from its taps like water. It is probably affordable. “Authentic” too.
All the best invitations contain an element of exclusivity, the prospect of venturing where few people have gone. Especially in Singapore, where content has been mined from every possible crevice, and all surprise seemingly stripped away.
And yet, hope springs eternal. Across Instagram and TikTok, food influencers seem to have done the impossible, continually chancing upon underrated haunts in the most Instagrammable of locations.
The idea of “hidden gems” remains evergreen because it taps consumers’ curiosity bias, says Ms Patrina Ng, a senior lecturer at Republic Polytechnic’s School of Business. “Humans are naturally wired to seek new experiences, which makes them want to explore and be among the first to try something new.
“Discovering such gems often triggers positive emotions and a sense of reward. This marketing strategy is especially effective among younger or experience-seeking consumers.”
Little wonder, then, that the excavation of hidden gems has boomed with TikTok. The term started gaining traction in 2015, and has steadily risen in prominence over the last two years, according to Google Trends for Singapore. The internet is now so saturated with hidden gems that the concept itself has reached the point of parody.
“Eh, how many hidden gem Singapore got ah?” rails one frustrated content creator, who goes by the handle @benwoah, in a December 2024 TikTok video that has racked up nearly a million views. “Every corner also hidden gem. Now Singapore what? Diamond mine ah?”
Some chefs are equally disillusioned.
“The word ‘hidden gem’ is used too loosely in Singapore. Unfortunately, as much as I do not want to disappoint, there are hardly any hidden gems in Singapore,” says Damian D’Silva, 68, chef-owner of Singaporean restaurant Rempapa.
The Patio SG, a hawker bar that offers unblocked views of the Johor Strait, was uncovered as a “hidden gem” in Sembawang on Instagram.
PHOTO: SG HIDDEN GEMS
But hidden gem fatigue has not deterred content creators like Ms Natasha Leah Conceicao, 28, one-half of the couple behind lifestyle account @onericeplease; or Jem, a 31-year-old who runs @hiddenjemmmig on Instagram. She works in tech and declined to give her last name.
Ms Conceicao says: “I don’t really care if it’s overused. We’ll use the term if it makes sense, but we do try to be more creative with how we frame our food recommendations.”
What does she consider a hidden gem, then? “If the price is really good or if the food slaps and there’s no queue. Then we really feel like early discoverers.”
To Jem, it is an interesting experience that is not talked about enough, ideally located off the beaten track. For instance: The Patio SG at PAssion Wave @ Sembawang, a hawker bar that offers unblocked views of the Johor Strait.
After she posted about the restaurant in a March 2024 video that has received over two million views, footfall doubled and wait times stretched to two hours.
While owner Saravanan Bhupathy, 53, was heartened to see the long queues of eager diners, the kitchen struggled to keep up. “We had to be realistic and informed the patrons at the end of the queue of the wait time. Unfortunately, some decided to leave, which was understandable,” he says.
To fend off complaints about long delays, he put in place queue management poles, signs and notices about the wait times. Reinforcements were called in too. Family members helped to wait tables on weekends, and customers-turned-friends chipped in to help.
Lok Fu Lala Pot in Geylang saw a surge in customers after Onericeplease posted about it in May 2024.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Lok Fu Lala Pot – a “hidden gem” in Lorong 11 Geylang that Ms Conceicao is especially proud of chancing upon – experienced a similar surge in customers after Onericeplease posted about it in May 2024.
Co-owner Allen Sim, 44, estimates that the number of customers swelled by around 30 per cent in the two months following the post. It got so crowded, in fact, that Ms Conceicao herself could not get a table for a while.
“We didn’t expect to go viral,” Mr Sim says. “When we started Lok Fu Lala Pot, our main focus was just to serve good food to the people nearby — something comforting, affordable and with a bit of fun. We never imagined people from all over Singapore would come down to try our food.”
Dr Seshan Ramaswami, associate professor of marketing education at the Singapore Management University, points out that, once found, a hidden gem might lose some of its lustre. As American baseball star Yogi Berra once quipped: “Nobody goes there any more. It’s too crowded.”
Still, Mr Saravanan says in this climate, restaurateurs cannot afford to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“While we like our establishment to have its charm of being a quiet little spot with a one-of-a-kind view of the Johor Strait, it is very expensive running a food and beverage business in Singapore, with so many overheads to look after. We definitely want people to know about us to make it a sustainable business model.”
Plus, the crowds do not linger forever. In The Patio SG’s case, the social media-induced hype lasted around five months. Things have since quietened down, but the business is still able to break even on most months.
“Honestly, it was good to get the word out there,” he says.
Chefs share their hidden gems
Is your TikTok or Instagram feed flooded with hidden gem recommendations? Are you having trouble figuring out whom to listen to?
Let the pros guide you. In the name of supporting their fellow cooks, six chefs share their favourite underrated places to dine at – their hidden gems, if you will.
Louis Han runs one-Michelin-starred restaurant Nae:um.
PHOTO: NAE:UM
Who: Louis Han, chef-owner of steakhouse Gu:um in Keong Saik Road and one-Michelin-starred Nae:um, a contemporary Korean restaurant in Telok Ayer.
Where:
The Test Kitchen, 01-13, 18 Cross Street: “This bakery has been going viral, helmed by chef Daniel Lim, who used to work as my sous chef at Nae:um. The prices are reasonable and the pastry quality is top-notch.”
Hoodadak Korean Restaurant, 01-10 Galaxis, 1 Fusionopolis Place: “Authentic ‘mum-style’ hearty Korean cooking in the west of Singapore. It has a large menu and gets pretty crowded during peak dinner time. I like its gimbap and tteokbokki, and it serves very good stews. I have been recommending this restaurant to my staff who come from Korea and miss their mum’s cooking.”
Indo Bakmi, 01-19 Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road: “I like to order the bak chor mee from this stall. It gets long queues during lunch hour, so we try to go earlier or later to enjoy the noodles.”
Daylight Coffee, 02-126 Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road: “It has a few interesting items on the menu, such as Spanish latte, which I last had in Spain and haven’t chanced upon in Singapore so far.”
Nicolas Tam of one-Michelin-starred Willow.
PHOTO: WILLOW
Who: Nicolas Tam, chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Willow, a contemporary Asian restaurant in Hongkong Street.
Where:
Iru Den, 27 Scotts Road: “Chef-owner Javier Low focuses a lot on Taiwanese produce, and runs the business with his Taiwanese sommelier wife Emily. Going there always feels like dining in a friend’s home.”
The Weirdoughs, 01-10, 211 Serangoon Avenue 4: “A bakery in Serangoon with viennoiserie and delicious breads. It recently opened, quietly. Top-quality ingredients are used, from the flour to the butter to the fillings, and you can really feel everything is made from the heart. My must-order is the kurobuta ham and gruyere croissant.”
Dill, 33 Duxton Road: “This Scandinavian restaurant uses real Scandinavian ingredients – even butter. When paired with its housemade sourdough, it’s truly a match made in heaven. During lunch, it also bakes a brilliant cardamom bun that is delicious with filter coffee.”
Chocolatier Janice Wong has stores at Paragon Shopping Centre and Gardens by the Bay.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Who: Janice Wong, founder of 2am: dessertbar in Holland Village, and confectionery brand Janice Wong Singapore, with outlets at Paragon Shopping Centre and Gardens by the Bay.
Where:
Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee, 01-58 Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, 531A Upper Cross Street: “I’m always surprised by the aromatic flavours of the curry that pairs so well with the tender bites of deboned chicken and soft tau pok that has soaked up all the spices.”
Canchita, 9A/9B Dempsey Road: “I’ll always be a fan of the patacones with guacamole at Canchita, where it double-fries green bananas before garnishing them with a housemade guacamole.”
Latido, 40 Tras Street: “Latido flies under the radar, but it’s a great place to visit for casual Colombian-inspired plates.”
Coda, 02-07A InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay, 1 Nanson Road: “Coda is always a great place to end a night out, with my favourite drink being The Fling.”
Chef Damian D’Silva is chef-owner of Singaporean restaurant Rempapa in Paya Lebar.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Who: Damian D’Silva, chef-owner of Singaporean restaurant Rempapa in Paya Lebar.
Where:
Sek Tong Gai, 02-076 Commonwealth Crescent Market and Food Centre, 31 Commonwealth Crescent: “Cindy, the boss, knows her food, and her recommendations are always spot-on. My suggestion when eating here is to let Cindy decide on the menu. Go early as she believes in freshness, and things usually run out quickly. And be prepared to pay more as she uses premium ingredients. One of the best mui fan I’ve had was at Sin Lee (the original stall) in the 1990s. Seafood is what she does best and her husband, the chef, is a star.”
Chin Lee Restaurant, 01-285, 115 Bedok North Road: “I’ve been going to Chin Lee for the past 30 years and the quality has always been outstanding. I love the chye poh kway teow, especially how it is so crispy on the outside. Other dishes worth trying are the chilled pork trotter jelly, stewed mustard greens and oyster omelette – just be sure to ask if live oysters are available, as it makes a difference. It also serves the best coffee pork ribs I’ve ever had.”
Dylan Ong runs The Masses and Choon Hoy Parlor.
PHOTO: CHOON HOY PARLOR
Who: Dylan Ong, chef-owner of Franco-Asian restaurant The Masses and Singaporean restaurant Choon Hoy Parlor in Stamford Road.
Where:
Hai Sing Kway Chap, 01-15 Geylang East Market & Food Centre, 117 Aljunied Avenue 2: “Super clean and light in flavour, especially the innards, and the way every type of offal is prepared. Each cut is meticulously cleaned and cooked to just the right texture. It is tender without being mushy, flavourful without being overpowering. I’ve been eating here since I was a kid. Till today, I see the same uncle and auntie running the stall, just a little older now. There is something deeply comforting about that kind of consistency.”
Aik Kee Haslet Soup, 01-56 Geylang East Market & Food Centre, 117 Aljunied Avenue 2: “A humble pig stomach soup stall that serves a solid variety of offal. The soup is peppery and robust, yet clean and well-balanced – it wakes you up without overwhelming your palate. Its housemade ngoh hiang is made from scratch and packed with ingredients – you can taste the difference. It’s juicy, fragrant and full of crunch from the water chestnuts.”
Liang Liang Cooked Food, 01-74 Whampoa Food Centre, 90 Whampoa Drive: “It’s my sister’s stall, and it’s been around for over 40 years. The satay bee hoon and cuttlefish kang kong bee hoon are made from scratch. The satay sauce is made with hand-ground roasted peanuts and simmered until thick and fragrant. You just don’t find that kind of effort any more.”
Iqbal Soup Kambing, 02-128 Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre, 1 Geylang Serai: “The soup is rich and velvety, with a deep aroma of spices that hits you the moment you walk past. Every bowl is generous, with cuts ranging from tender mutton to offal like kidney, brain and tongue – a true paradise for those who love full-bodied, hearty flavours. It’s soulful food that hits the spot every time.”
Raj Kumar is the head chef at modern Indian restaurant Firangi Superstar.
PHOTO: FIRANGI SUPERSTAR
Who: Raj Kumar, head chef at modern Indian restaurant Firangi Superstar in Craig Road.
Where:
Saffrons Restaurant, with outlets at 01-1163, 201D Tampines Street 21, and other locations: “This place is popular among those living in the east, but people from the rest of Singapore don’t seem to know about it. It makes really good prata and, along with your choice of curry, it gives a sweet-spicy sambal that adds another flavour dimension to the dish. It also makes really good biryani, which is something you don’t tend to get outside Little India.”
Le Xuan Hong Kong Dim Sum, 01-2053/2055, 5 Changi Village Road: “It makes pretty good handmade dim sum and great noodle dishes. Its zi char items are good as well, with a large variety always available. I’ve even asked for a few off-menu items, and it has made them for me – all delicious, of course.”
Bambooze Bar & Bistro, 01-2043, 5 Changi Village Road: “Even though the word ‘bistro’ is part of its name, this place stopped selling food a few years back. However, it allows food to be delivered from restaurants nearby, and that’s how I discovered Le Xuan Hong Kong Dim Sum. Bambooze gives you the vibe of the popular sitcom Cheers (1982 to 1993), where people from different walks of life gather regularly to share experiences and everybody knows your name.”
Pete’s Mediterranean Grill, 125 East Coast Road: “I simply love the food here. Meat skewers, falafel, salads – everything. So tasty and fresh all the time. It occupies a space at Alibabar, which serves great beers and has an awesome Hokkien mee stall. It’s a bar in a hawker setting.”
Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we listed one of Janice Wong’s recommendation as Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee. She has since clarified that she meant to recommend Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee instead.
