Best Restaurants and Bars at Esplanade Singapore: Where to Go for Pre-Theatre Dinner and Drinks

PUBLISHED February 7th, 2022 06:00 am | UPDATED February 14th, 2022 08:03 pm

Come for the food for thought, stay for the fabulous cuisines. Besides world-class productions, the Esplanade is home to a stellar slew of dining options, from Michelin-starred fine-dining to fuss-free cuppas. Whether you’re fueling up before a show or quenching your thirst after, these are the best restaurants and bars at the Esplanade to do that.

Restaurants

Dopo Teatro

Stomach growling after a show? Dopo Teatro (aka ‘after theatre’ in Italian) has your back with a satisfying range of comfort carbs, from housemade pastas and hand-stretched pizzas. Here, you’ll find Italian fare given a Japanese twist – the Gamberi Aglio Olio (S$22), for one, takes the classic pasta up a notch with bird’s eye chili, smoked rayu, and shio kombu. For pizzas, you’ll want to snag a slice of the Unagi (S$26) with its indulgent toppings of smoked unagi and kebayaki sauce, or the Gorgonzola Salsiccia (S$26) drizzed with binchotan-smoked rosemary honey. Check out our review here.

Dopo Teatro is located at 8 Raffles Ave, #01-11 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802. +65 6534 5188. Open Mon-Fri 12pm–3pm & 5pm–10.30pm, Sat 12pm–4pm & 5pm–10pm, Sun 12pm–4pm & 5pm–10.30pm.

Sanity Coffee Bar

You might need to hunt a bit to find your dose of sanity, but it’s worth it. Tucked in a quiet corner of Esplanade Mall, Sanity Coffee Bar is the eclectic brainchild of local Mandopop singer Chen Diya. The little café whips up some mean cuppas, including cold brews (S$7) and soda espressos (S$7), along with a range of light bites. Her cheeky ‘piakssants’ – flattened croissants – come in savoury and sweet flavours, from the Hawaiian (S$10) with homemade chili pineapple jam to Sea Salt Nutella (S$5). Check out the #MrLorbak Toastie (S$14.50) too – think stewed pork belly pillowed in buttery herb toast.

Sanity Coffee Bar is located at 8 Raffles Ave, #02-19 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802, p. +65 9627 9865. Open Wed-Fri 9.30am–5pm, Sat 11am–5.30pm, Sun 11am–5pm. Closed Mon & Tues. 

Restaurant Labyrinth

‘Excuse me, there’s… chili crab in my ice-cream?’ More a lab than a restaurant, Labyrinth is Chef LG Han’s daring interpretation of mod-Sin cuisine. Drawing heavily on local produce, this one-Michelin-starred concept deconstructs heritage recipes and transforms them into startling yet nostalgic flavour bombs. His current menu (S$138++ for lunch, S$218++ for dinner) features boundary-pushing bites like Bak Kut Teh with winter truffles and confit egg yolks, and Cereal Prawn Soft Serve with muah chee. Check out our review here.

Restaurant Labyrinth is located at #02-23, 1 Esplanade Dr, Singapore 038981, p. +65 6223 4098. Open Wed 6.30pm–10.30pm, Thurs-Sun 12pm–2.30pm & 6.30pm–10.30pm. 

Straits Chinese Nonya Restaurant

In the mood for belly-warming Nyonya nosh? Straits Chinese Nonya Restaurant dishes up homely heritage fare in a colourful space decked out in shophouse prints. Be sure to come hungry, because their Tok Panjang À La Carte Buffet will have you rolling stuffed out the door. Priced at S$33.90++ per pax from Mondays to Thursdays and S$39.90++ from Fridays to Sundays, you can expect over 25 Peranakan favourites in the spread. Bakwan kepiting, ayam buah keluak, babi pongteh, udang sambal… the list goes on. Don’t forget to save space for their chendol and durian pengat.

Straits Chinese Nonya Restaurant (Esplanade) is located at 8 Raffles Ave, #02-21 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802, p. +65 6339 3683. Open daily 11.30am–2.30pm & 5.30pm–9pm. 

Supply & Demand

Another stellar spot for your Italian fix, Supply & Demand’s Esplanade branch serves up pasta and tipples with a side of breezy views. Wine down at the alfresco tables with their pocket-friendly house pours (from S$11/glass) and boozy slushies, or head up to the rooftop terrace to feast on Italian classics. You can’t go wrong with fresh housemade pasta like the Seafood Tagliatelle (S$37), paired with their addictive Garlic Truffle Fries (S$13++). If you like your thin-crust pizzas, they’ve got a solid selection from Truffle & Egg to Parma Ham (S$22++). Good news for the indecisive: you can get two flavours in the same pizza too!

Supply & Demand (Esplanade) is located at 8 Raffles Ave, #01-13 Annexe, Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802, p. +65 6336 0588. Open Tues-Fri 12pm–3pm & 5pm–10.30pm, Sat-Sun 11am–10.30pm. Closed Mon. 

Noosh Noodle Bar & Grill

East meets west in Noosh Noodle Bar & Grill’s extensive melting pot of a menu. As the name suggests, the noods are the specialty at this Halal restaurant – where else could you find char kway teow, ramen, and pasta in one place? This spaghetti, however, comes bathed in coconut gravy and chili padi; meanwhile, the bestselling Szechuan Beef Ribs Noodle features ramen in a tongue-tingling broth. Fusion specialties come hot off the grill as well, with the likes of Curry Chicken Chop paired with roti jala.

Noosh Noodle Bar & Grill is located at 8 Raffles Ave, #01-13B Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802, p. +65 6327 9396. Open daily 12pm–10.30pm. 

Jiak Modern Tzechar

Giving tzechar dishes an inventive twist, Jiak Modern Tzechar is undoubtedly a spot for the whole fam. This Halal restaurant is known for its Signature Curry Fish Head (S$28) – a meaty fish head in a rich, fiery curry, alongside generous fixings like taupok and eggplant. Another signature dish is their striking ‘black’ beehoon aka squid ink bee hoon, packed with the likes of slipper lobster, scallops, and prawns. Wash it all down with fun drinks like Iced Calpis Soda Fizz with Red Tea Jelly (S$5) or Fresh Soursop (S$3).

Jiak Modern Tzechar (Esplanade) is located at 8 Raffles Ave, #02-14 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802, p. +65 6252 8765. Open daily 11.30am–9.30pm. 

Bars

The ExciseMan Wine & Whisky Bar

It’s rare that you find a specialist bar devoted equally to wine and whisky, but The ExciseMan pulls it off with flair. Run by wine and spirits veterans Patricia Britton and Lewis Mitchell, this hideout feels like a portal back in time with its dark wood, gilded accents, and oldies tunes from the ’50s and ’60s. Sink into a leather armchair and peruse their dizzying array of whiskies numbering well into the hundreds, from American whiskey to Japanese drams and single malt scotch. The wine list is just as impressive, spanning Old World regions and lesser-known New World finds from Chile, Lebanon, and even Yunnan.

The ExciseMan Wine & Whisky Bar is located at 8 Raffles Ave, #02-27 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802, p. +65 6963 1192. Open Mon-Sat 5pm–10.30pm. Closed Sun. 

Mischief

With its cocktail towers and shots by the half-dozen, Mischief more than lives up to its name. This chilled-out bar’s specialty is their housepour towers (S$59.90), dispensing thirst-quenchers like Dark & Stormy and Soju Yakult. We’ve also got a soft spot for their Mochatini (S$24) – think espresso martini taken up a notch with cocoa powder and cocoa pops. The bar grub spans burgers, grilled meats, and fried bites, including Ghost Pepper Wings (S$18) for folks who like a challenge.

Mischief is located at 8 Raffles Ave, #01-10 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802, p. +65 6532 0481. Open Mon-Sun 4pm–10.30pm.

Top Image: Supply and Demand