lemiA “salad bowl” rather than a melting pot of cultures, Singapore is a diverse city-state known as one of the world’s top destinations
Taming Wee Hour Cravings
Singapore
Finding Singapore’s round-the-clock diners is like stumbling upon an oasis in the midst of 2:00AM darkness. When everything is closed, and your tummy is rumbling, the city has a selection of 24-hour diners serving everything you could ever crave for. Skip the fast food and enjoy the real stuff, from Malay to Thai, to Chinese cuisine. When insomnia strikes, let a food coma do the trick!
Stuff your face with all the prata (pan-fried flatbread) you can eat at Al Jasra Restaurant! Note your order on a slip of paper, and they will whip it up especially for you. They have 15 varieties to choose from, and for only SGD7.90, it’s a total steal. Al Jasra Restaurant’s prata offerings are not too greasy and are made perfectly crisp. Enjoy the classics such as Plain, Egg, and Cheese; sate your sweet tooth with Chocolate, Strawberry, and Banana; or take your taste buds on an adventure with offbeat flavors like the Ikan Bilis (dried anchovy), Masala, and Cheese and Mushroom Prata! These are best enjoyed hot, so look out for a fresh batch!
- +65 6742 5786
459 Changi Road, Singapore
- https://www.facebook.com/PrataCornerSingapore
Feast on Indian, Malay, and Thai dishes at Al-Azhar Eating Restaurant! Lightly charred Satay, Chicken Biryani (Indian rice dish), and Egg Thosai (a thin, crisp pancake) are just some of the best they have to offer. At the end of every meal, take your Garlic or Cheese Naan and wipe the pot clean of its Butter Chicken Masala like a true local. The chicken is tender, and gravy is rich—just spicy enough for a kick. Al-Azhar is an enduring part of the eat street of Cheong Chin Nam Road, taking up two store spaces on the long street. Students, families, and friends pack in around the tables day in and day out. Keep an ear out for some nostalgic stories because you just might hear the next table reminiscing how they’ve been coming here since they were in school.
- +65 6466 5052
11/11A Cheong Chin Nam Road
- https://www.facebook.com/AlAzharRestaurants/
A lip-numbing spoonful of Tom Yum (hot and sour soup) from Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant ought to wake you right up! The kick of chili peppers mingles perfectly with the refreshing stock of seafood, lemongrass, and lime juice. Other Thai classics are also available, from Green Curry Chicken to Crispy Catfish with Mango Salad, and Phat Thai (stir-fried rice noodles). Ask your server to turn down the heat, but where’s the fun in that? Diandin Leluk has been spicing up the culinary scene since the early 1980s. They built a following by selling packed lunches around the city to Thai construction workers. Now, a seat’s been opened to anybody craving a homey plate of Thai cooking whatever the hour.
- +65 6293 5101
5001 Beach Road, #01-67/68/69 Golden Mile Complex, Singapore
- https://diandinleluk.com/
Build a tower of bamboo steamers as the wee hours stack on at 126 Wan Dou Sek Dim Sum. Their menu is encyclopedic, with more than 100 items of dim sum to choose from. Quick solution: don’t choose, get everything you want! Work your way through Prawn Rice Rolls (虾肠粉), Braised Chicken Feet (Feng Zau), and Shrimp Dumplings. Their Siew Mai is a bit small, even for dim sum, but their hefty bowl of Century Egg Porridge (Pei Dai Dok) makes up for it. The rice is smooth and mixed in with a generous amount of century egg. While here, avoid the back corner if there’s a karaoke session going on next door as it gets pretty distracting.
- +65 6746 4757
126 Sims Avenue, Singapore
- https://www.126.com.sg/
A piping hot bowl of soup from 333 Bak Kut Teh will soothe any itching 3:00AM thoughts. Bak Kut Teh is a hearty soup of pork ribs simmered with spices—a few being pepper, garlic, and star anise. The meat is boiled tender and easy to get off the bone. Enjoy with a bowl of rice and a bit of soy sauce. A bevy of side dishes is also available to complement the soup like Salted Vegetable or Tou Fu.
- +65 9089 6622
333 Balestier Road, Singapore
A late night craving for sushi has one solution: Cold Storage Jelita. Grocery store sushi may not always be your go-to, but when hunger strikes… Luckily, Cold Storage Jelita stocks up on fresh servings every morning. After all, their tag is “The fresh food people,” so your tummy is safe. Their takeaway selection of sliced sashimi, nigiri (raw fish on vinegar rice), and maki (hand-rolled sushi) is the solution to your emergency needs. Horde the plastic packs of pre-made sushi and take them back to your happy place—wherever that is.
- +65 6469 3877
293 Holland Road, #01-01 Jelita Shopping Centre, Singapore
- https://coldstorage.com.sg/
Ming Fa is committed to making everything in-house—whether it’s noodles or fish balls. It’s come with great reward, as regulars drop by for a simple joy: Fishball Noodles. Ming Fa needs no frills for patrons to devour each bowl down to the last satisfying slurp. The restaurant started out as a humble pushcart on the street. Now, they've opened seven outlets around the island, expanding their menu with other dishes along the way. For your next visit, enjoy local staples like Laksa and Minced Pork Noodles!
Block 529 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, #01-2361, Singapore
- https://www.mingfafishball.com/
Slurp through bowls of Noodle Soup and Soya Bean Soups at Yong He Eating House. Their green and yellow shophouse rises like a stark beacon on the corner of Geylang Road. Here, they serve a medley of simple Chinese dishes and staples from beyond the city’s shores at all hours of the day. Yong He’s Taiwan Noodle, Braised Mince Pork Rice, and Dumplings have come a long way from China, so each bite brings a familiar flavor.
- +65 6745 5682
458 Geylang Road, Singapore
Join overnight campers and day-trippers at East Coast Park’s beach at Enak Enak Hong Kong Teahouse. Why rough it out in the “wild” with camping food when you can enjoy a spread of Chinese, Indian, and Singaporean dishes? Long red tables stretch from the restaurant toward the waterfront. There is ample space for Steamed Dumplings, Nasi Goreng, and Kebab side-by-side at the table. Dine under the open skies, whether it’s a sunny day or a starry night.
- +65 6876 5911
1202 East Coast Parkway, #01-01 East Coast Park, Singapore
- http://www.enakenak.sg/
Enjoy your noodles with a twist at Yan Kee Noodle House! Thin Mee Sua noodles replace the usual thick ones of Bak Chor Mee. Yan Kee manages to cook it just right, avoiding the soggy side of overcooked. Minced meat, dried anchovies, mushrooms, and dried fish (the usual Bak Chor Mee toppings) heap over the noodles. Order their dry version, pick up your chopsticks, and dig in!
21 South Bridge Road, BK Eating House, Singapore
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