PUBLISHED March 19th, 2015 04:00 pm | UPDATED June 10th, 2020 05:15 pm
In the mood to eat in but craving fanciful cafe food or a fresh sushi meal? Or simply can’t find the ingredients fresh enough for your nutritious salad? Don’t worry; we’ve been there before, so we’ve got you covered with our go-to online specialist grocery stores that ensure you can whip up dishes to your heart’s content without having to leave the comfort of your home.
Organic
SimplyFresh is a subscription service for weekly deliveries of organic, freshly harvested produce from farms in Europe. Each box contains 5-7kg of organic produce, with 8 types of subscription boxes to suit each person’s needs, ranging from the ‘Simply Fruits’ Box ($126 – $138) to the ‘Grandma’s Garden’ Box ($126-$138). Simply Fresh also sells fruit and vegetables individually – you can purchase everything from Bavarian organic oak leaf green lettuce ($9.50/1 pc) to organic wild variations of Dutch tomatoes ($12.90/300g) that cannot even be found in the USA, Russia and Mexico. Talk about exclusive!
Meat
Zacbutchery is what every lazy carnivore needs: a gourmet meat shop that delivers right to your doorstep. Planning a steak dinner for your significant other? Order the Wagyu Striploin ($22.50/100g), which sports of a rich marbling score of 7/8 – the higher level of fat means that the meat practically melts in your mouth. If you have to feed your meat loving comrades, try a Boneless Venison Leg ($35/1kg), aged for taste and texture, or the Tandori Marinated Chicken Wings ($9.95/kg) if you’re in the mood for some spice.
Local Artisanal Foods
Batch is basically a digital farmers’ market, aiming ‘to build a sustainable lifestyle around living and eating well’, with snacks, condiments, and even coffee extracts handcrafted by local foods artisans on offer. Expect things like spreads infused with ingredients familiar to the Singaporean palette – Roselle flower jam ($8) and organic longan honey ($12) – and hard-to-find craft spirits, with interesting picks such as the crisp Asian-style lager named Lucky Buddha Beer ($36/6 pack) and the Alaska Distillery’s Smoked Salmon Vodka ($108, to be enjoyed in a Bloody Mary!).
Premium Japanese
Zairyo has found a niche market in freshly imported premium Japanese products meant for your kitchen. For instance, the seafood is directly purchased from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market and flash-frozen before being flown over to ensure freshness. Their best sellers include bento boxes of sashimi-grade Hokkaido Uni (sea urchin, $140/250g) and chunks of Honmaguro Chutoro (medium fatty tuna, $155/600-800g). The site also provides recipes (uni risotto, here we come!) and serving suggestions, even offering packages such as the Zairyo Pantry Basics Pack ($51.80) of condiments for budding cooks.
Cheese
As its name suggests, The Cheese Shop stocks a wide variety of imported cheeses, to be paired with accompaniments such as Miller’s Damsels Charcoal Crackers ($7.50) and the truly traditional Old Yorkshire Chutney with Real Ale ($10). We’re not kidding when we say there’s something for even the pickiest of cheese connoisseurs. The dense Applewood Smoked Cheddar ($17.50/250g) will delight hard-cheese fans those looking for more intensity can try the 18-month aged fruity Beaufort ($22.50/250g). Want to luxe up your cheese board? There’s also the truffle-infused College White cheese ($22.50/250g).
Seafood
With partner Julian Lee (the co-founder of Freshable Marketing, a key supplier of fresh and live seafood to top restaurants in Singapore), the brother duo behind Groupon Singapore started GoFresh, a fresh (duh) meat and seafood delivery service. Those constantly craving seafood will be delighted to know the vast selection Go Fresh boasts, from hearty Frozen Atlantic Cod Loin ($7.90/~230g) to sumptuous pre-cooked Alaskan King Crab legs ($8.43/100g). For those who prefer their seafood live, there is even the succulent live Maine Lobster ($8.43/100g) and the divine deep-cupped Pacific Oysters ($6/piece).
Desserts
Born out of a love for food, surprises, and for convenience’s sake, Nom Nom believes in delivering happiness, one cake at a time. Functioning as both a cake subscription service (think a Memebox for desserts!) and an e-commerce platform for local partners, their marketplace offers cakes, pastries, and even healthy snacks. We’re swooning over the decadent Fraiche cake ($40/whole cake) and intrigued by the Ugly Sue Meringue ($7/3 pieces), which is rolled with 3 types of berries and passion fruit mousse.