13 Best Boat Quay Restaurants in Singapore | Best of Food 2023

One of COVID-19’s numerous consequences is a change in Singapore’s dining environment, which has impacted certain places more than others, such as Boat Quay. Despite being a small neighbourhood, Boat Quay has a dizzying selection of restaurants and pubs. The street comes alive after an evening with drinkers, visitors, and foodies. Boat Quay, with its beautiful waterside surroundings, is the ideal place to drink and dine while watching the sunset. Along the riverbank, there are several restaurants, pubs, and cafés, but some of these F&B establishments have gone above and beyond to stand out. With an extensive variety of boat quay restaurants in the market, which then are the best boat quay restaurants in Singapore? In our Best of Food series, we introduce the 13 Best Boat Quay Restaurants in Singapore, providing quality recommendations based on your lifestyle and budget needs.

13 Best Boat Quay Restaurants in Singapore

1. HANS IM GLÜCK German Burgergrill

Famous for its signature burgers

Hans IM Glück is a German burger grill, as its name suggests.  This German restaurant is famous for its burgers. It features a relaxing atmosphere created by modern industrial design set against an indoor forest and a variety of hardwood textures. They have a variety of vegetarian, vegan, and chicken burgers, but the beef burgers are the reason to come out here. The burgers are anything but normal, with basic and excellent ingredients sandwiched between sourdough or multigrain buns alongside the intriguing trademark sauce. They also have a deal for two burgers, two cold drinks, two hot drinks, and a tray of sides, which is more than enough for two people. Thus, Hans IM Glück is without a doubt one of the top restaurants in Singapore to satisfy your burger cravings.

2. FOC Restaurant

Collaboration of Michelin-starred chef and award-winning mixologist

Another best boat quay restaurant is the FOC Restaurat. FOC is a buzzy, interactive dining experience in the heart of Singapore, a colourful Spanish affair with amazing cuisine and outstanding beverages. They provide a broad variety of tapas, both traditional and modern. FOC Singapore specializes in the trendy tapas style of Spanish food. On Saturdays, a Pintxos menu, or little finger appetisers, is available, with tapas dishes ranging in price from $3 to $6. Each item simply refers to a single serving of a certain tapas item. So as a result, you had to place a large order.

3. Southbridge

Oyster and Gin bar

Southbridge, an oyster and gin bar, offers a spectacular 360-degree view of Singapore’s skyline, as well as quality oysters, caviar, and an extensive variety of tipples. Try Southbridge’s Signatures, a magnificent menu that includes Signature Oysters and Octopus Taco. Look to their Live on Top for romantic evenings. Thus, a bottle of prosecco, white wine, or rosé is included in this combo for two. They have a lot of locations across town, and they’re all professional, well-run, and well-maintained, and they provide a terrific experience. Consider outdoor eating on a cool Singapore evening while sitting above the river’s banks if you’re in the Boat Quay neighbourhood.

4. Molly Malone’s Irish Pub

First Irish pub in Singapore

Molly Malone’s earned the title of being Singapore’s first Irish pub. At Singapore’s oldest Irish pub, enjoy a couple of cool pints of stout while listening to live Irish music. For more than two decades, this pub has served as an original den of all things Irish, in all its warm, wood-paneled beauty. On the other hand, Molly’s sells classic Irish drams including Jameson, Tullamore Dew, and Bushmills. Moreover, it is also a good spot to get some hearty Irish meal like beef and Guinness pie or bangers and mash.

5. Neon Pigeon

Vibrant restaurants that serves local’s favourites

Head Chef Paul Lim, formerly of Fat Prince, another of The Dandy Collection’s franchises, is in charge of the kitchen. A glance at the newly redesigned menu reveals that the cuisine, like the vibrant bursts of colour throughout the restaurant, seeks to stand out. The Raw Bar is a new addition to the menu at Neon Pigeon. Kumamoto oysters are one of the restaurant’s seasonal specialties, served with smoked dashi gelee, ponzu, and chilli. They also offer the night’s favourite, the Tokyo Hummus, which is a regular on the restaurant’s menu for good reason. This dish defies and, in my opinion, greatly exceeds any chickpea-related expectations.

6. Harry’s

Most well-established bar and dining chain

Harry’s, one of Singapore’s most popular dining and bar chains, is decorated with memorabilia from the owner’s travels across the world. The atmosphere is laid-back and welcoming, ideal for an unpretentious, no-judgment get-together with friends over a few drinks and some tasty snacks. This pub is supposedly the greatest spot on the island for jazz, in addition to having a nice selection of American food for lunch and dinner. From Tuesday through Saturday, jazz legend King Richard performs live music, and there’s a lovely terrace where you can dine and drink at any time of year. Thus, the Great Heineken Bar of the World award has been given to this place.

7. Pasta Fresca Da Salvatore

Have history of serving quality foods

It is no surprise that Pasta Fresca is a household brand when it comes to Italian food, with a 28-year history, three branches, and 336 pasta recipes under its belt. Pasta Fresca is well-known for its vast variety of pasta meals, as you would have anticipated from the restaurant’s name. Thus, with its commitment to freshly prepared pasta and warm service, this Italian brand continues to grow. Pasta Fresca has kept its menu fresh for thirty years, with modern favourites such as alle vongole (pasta with clams sautéed in olive oil) and crespelle al Funghi (Italian-style crepe baked with mushrooms, onions, and parmesan), and risotto al Frutti di mare (seafood risotto).

8. Un-Yang-Kor-Dai

Authentic Northeastern Thai cuisine

Un-Yang-Kor-Dai, Thailand’s largest community restaurant, has launched its first branch on South Bridge Road. The Un-Yang-Kor-Dai specialises in Northeastern Thai or Isaan cuisine, which implies “anything goes.” Un-Yang-Kor-Dai, on the other hand, included some seafood to appeal to Singaporeans’ tastes. Isaan cuisine, which is well known for som tam (green papaya salad) and kai yang (grilled chicken), is famous for its high heat and sourness, yet the food here is well-balanced.

9. The Dragon Chamber

One-of-a-kind dining experience

The Dragon Chamber is a surprisingly huge 93-seater venue hidden under a Kopitiam’s beer fridge that prides itself on its unique guerilla-style cuisine. Its beverage selection is as distinctive as its tasty yet unconventional Chinese food. The Land of the Rising Sun, a delicious cocktail prepared with yuzu-infused whiskey and elderflower liqueur, is one of our favourites. The Dragon Chamber is dedicated to providing a unique dining experience. An unconventional cuisine, ranging from nose-to-tail animal preparation techniques to age-old, ‘forbidden’ in mainstream Chinese delicacies, awaits.

10. Ricciotti (Riverwalk)

Italian home in the heart of Singapore

A beautiful and comfortable restaurant located in the accessible location of Boat Quay – Ricciotti brings you the ambience of current Italian culture. Unlike other Italian restaurants, Ricciotti doesn’t simply provide pasta and pizza but also uses fresh ingredients and a unique cooking method that will make you feel like you’re eating a great meal prepared with love by your Italian mother. The light menu features a variety of pasta, pizzas, salads, and main courses with distinct flavours that will tempt your taste buds. Hence, Ricciotti isn’t your typical fine dining restaurant. It is “the” cheap Italian restaurant with modern art, musical performances, and excellent service.

11. The Mask

Serves North Indian cuisine at its finest

The Mask Restaurant and Bar has a tempting selection of dishes perfect for casual dining and social events, including some of the greatest Western, North Indian, Italian, and Middle Eastern cuisines in Singapore. There is something on the menu for everyone, with a selection of appetisers, main dishes, desserts, and drinks. With a cool beer, chicken reshmi kebabs, mutton rogan josh, and samosas are delicious. Pizzas, burgers, bar snacks, and quesadillas are also available for those who don’t like spicy cuisine.

12. Dallas Restaurant & Bar

For the meat-lovers kind of restaurant

Do you want to eat with a bunch of friends? Along with garden greens, tomatoes, and potatoes, the meat plate includes lamb cutlets, Angus prime rib, and spicy braised pig ribs. So, moving away from the typical Chinese New Year delicacies at Chinese restaurants and thus dive into the western culinary delights with a touch of Asian flavours at Dallas Restaurant & Bar. Drink a couple of pints of beer to wash it all down. Dallas is a modern bar-bistro concept with two sites, one at Boat Quay and the other in Marina Bay Sands. Both feature unique themes, and you can grab a bite to eat at the Boat Quay site. Hence, this one is for the carnivores. 

13. Braci

Open kitchen Italian restaurant

Braci, an even more beautiful Italian hideout, is perched on top of a lovely vintage shophouse along the Singapore River. This Michelin-starred Italian restaurant and rooftop bar offers an open kitchen and contemporary Italian cuisine. Chef Mirko Febbrile and his staff create multi-course meals that are specifically chosen. Seasonal foods like swordfish belly, Hokkaido scallops, and Iberico pork take centre – stage on the degustation menu. Retire to the rooftop bar after dinner and enjoy the cool wind while sipping a beverage. On the other hand, the open concept kitchen also allows diners to interact with the chef and have a full view of their meal being prepared in front of them. Hence, Braci serves up respectable Italian food in an imitate setting, and it is not difficult to understand why it was awarded the Michelin star.

Other Boat Quay Restaurants in Singapore:

Above these places, we hope that our guide on the 13 Best Boat Quay Restaurants in Singapore will help you to choose where to dine out and spend your meals in the very beautiful skyline of Singapore. Please do share this along with your friends if you have found this useful. Do look forward to more buying guides that we will be releasing soon!