Family-Friendly Restaurants in Singapore

UPDATED JULY 2024By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak
Young family eating lunch together

What makes a restaurant family friendly? Ask most parents of small kids and they’ll likely say play areas and activity corners first, baby-changing facilities second and a decent kids’ menu third (or, better still, a kids-eat-free option). Good news: Singapore is a fab destination to visit as a family, boasting not only a world-class zoo, great theme parks, an aquarium and dozens of other kiddie-tastic attractions, but also a plethora of cafés and restaurants that are perfect for families and that raise the bar well above the usual soulless international fast food joints. Don’t worry though, there are plenty of those too!

We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite family-friendly Singapore eateries, from toddler-pleasing cafés with playgrounds to rip-roaring restaurants for ravenous teenagers.

Open Farm Community

Let’s start as we (sort of) mean to go on with a healthy option that won’t have the kiddos turning their noses up in disgust. The Open Farm Community is a verdant urban oasis, just south of Singapore’s sprawling Botanic Gardens. Wander among beds of organic herbs and vegetables in the restaurant’s expansive grounds, the air heavy with the scent of basil and thyme. Pause for family selfies by the arty sculptures and challenge the kids to a game of bowls on the lawn. Appetite well and truly worked up, you’ll love the menu of garden-fresh crowd-pleasers that includes bolognese, fish and chips and flatbreads for the kids, and sharing platters of salmon, duck and eggplant for the grown-ups. Yum.

Find it: 130E Minden Road, Singapore 248819

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Tiong Bahru Bakery Safari

Sticking with the green theme, Tiong Bahru Bakery Safari is pretty much next door to the Open Farm Community, so an ideal pitstop if you’re staying in the sassy Dempsey Hill neighborhood. Expect a range of breads and pastries and dine-in dishes including sourdough waffles and fresh garden salads. The safari theme includes plenty of lush tropical foliage around a large tent (for that outdoorsy eating vibe), as well as a fab playground and an edible garden for intrepid young jungle explorers to discover. It’s from right here that the ingredients for this eatery’s salads are plucked daily, though you can of course opt for a great big slab of carrot cake and a coffee instead.

Find it: 130E Minden Road, Singapore 248819

Bayswater Kitchen

Lazy weekend brunches don’t get much more perfect than at Bayswater Kitchen, a breezy, informal diner overlooking Keppel Bay Marina. The Sunday menu, served 11AM–3PM (also public holidays), is particularly good. Parents can grab a table al fresco and gorge on freshly shucked oysters and whole grilled snapper with bottomless prosecco while watching the yachts bobbing gently in the turquoise waters. For kids: classics including burgers and fish and chips. Foosball and ping-pong tables and a playground should also keep them entertained long enough to justify just one more glass of prosecco...

Find it: 2 Keppel Bay Vista, Singapore 098382

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Trapizza

Just across the bay on the northern tip of sunny Sentosa Island, Trapizza is about as family-friendly as Singapore restaurants come. Close enough to the shore to dip your toes in the bay’s warm waters, this is a pizza joint par excellence, with a huge range of 16-inch sharing options with classic toppings from Siciliana to quattro formaggi and – love it or loathe it – Hawaiian. Kids can go solo with build your own bento lunches including a choice of pasta, sauce, veggies and juice, plus a slice of pizza on the side. Dedicated play zones and a coloring corner will also keep little uns busy while the grown-ups finish their Singapore Slings.

Find it: Shangri-La Rasa Resort, 101 Siloso Road, Singapore 098970

SandBank

You don’t need an excuse to visit Singapore’s East Coast Park with its white sands, swaying coconut palms, abundant wildlife and – critically – excellent play areas. But if you did, SandBank is it. A dedicated kids’ menu and a 15-meter plunge pool keep kids of all ages entertained, while parents tuck into chargrilled meat and seafood dishes, handmade pizzas and freshly baked treats from the on-site bakery.

Find it: 920 East Coast Parkway, Parkland Green, Singapore 449875

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Platform 1094

Singapore’s roster of themed restaurants ranges from Hello Kitty to Japanese animé. Harry Potter-inspired eatery Platform 1094 lies somewhere in between, with wizard-themed decor, fun dressing up materials and, naturally, oodles of Instagram opportunities. We’re talking cute owl-shaped cookies, wizardy tableware, cauldron-shaped serving plates, Quidditch-themed desserts, and magical dry smoke effects aplenty. There are brightly colored flaming cocktails for the grown-ups, too. For a treat, book the Enchanted Afternoon Tea which includes savory snacks and sweet treats such as chocolate frogs and golden blood mousse.

Find it: 1094 Serangoon Road, Singapore 328192

Baker & Cook

Baker & Cook’s belly-busting brunches and foot-log sourdough pizza ‘planks’ are fast earning it a reputation as a Singapore institution. Hit up the Dempsey location for all of the above, plus a kids’ menu that includes irresistible Nutella sandwiches, truffle fries and mini cheeseburgers with fries. The airy glasshouse dining area overlooks a large leafy garden with a shaded play area, so the kids can let loose while adults enjoy some much-needed downtime accompanied by great pizza, healthy garden salads, grazing platters and a long list of excellent red and white wines from New Zealand.

Find it: 30C Loewen Road, Singapore 248839

Waffle Place

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Kampong Glam, Singapore’s Muslim district, isn’t short on great places to eat, but for family-pleasing goodness, the Waffle Place is hard to beat. This eye-catching halal café serves up a kaleidoscope of waffle toppings with flavor combinations to satisfy every palate. Try crispy-skin salmon with spicy mentaiko mayo sauce or go for crispy chicken with fried egg, mayo and maple syrup. Kids will no doubt insist on sweeter options like strawberry cheese and classic apple pie flavors, or can have fun creating their own topping combos with fruit, marshmallows, chocolate flakes, whipped cream and more.

Find it: 56 Kandahar St, Singapore 198904

Hawker Centers

Singapore’s legendary hawker centers are a sensory explosion of steaming hot plates, heady spice-laden aromas and Instagrammable food stalls. Take the kids to any one of around 100 of these bustling foodie meccas across the city for maximum selfie opportunities and to give them as wide a choice of different cuisines as you’re likely to find under one roof. Sizzling BBQ pork, zingy fried noodles, fish head curry and lime-drenched chili crab might be at the more adventurous end for younger kids, but sticky peanut satay, melt-in-the mouth steamed bao buns and more takeaway desserts than you can shake a very large stick at should be enough to keep everyone happy. Check out the likes of the Old Airport Road Food Centre, Ghim Moh Market and Adam Road hawker center for some of the most mouthwatering snacks in the eastern hemisphere!

Find them: everywhere!

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Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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View of Singapore's downtown skyline from a rooftop pool.
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Things to do in Downtown Singapore Business District

Singapore’s Central Business District, also known as the CBD, financial district or downtown core, is a gleaming jungle of soaring skyscrapers with sensational waterfront views and more landmark attractions than you can shake a very large stick at. Add to that Michelin-starred restaurants, trendy cocktail bars and some of the best shopping in the city and you have the recipe for a fantastic break. Hera are just a few of our favorite things to do in downtown Singapore’s business district, including: Merlion Park The SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands National Gallery Singapore Singapore Flyer Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Shopping at Orchard Road and Marina Bay Bay cruises Gardens by the Bay Cocktails at Raffles Mythical Beasts and Dizzy Heights A stroll around Marina Bay is a fine way to get your bearings in the downtown area. Here, close-up views of the CBD’s sensational skyscrapers give you a sense of the scale of the place and the iconic Merlion statue, emblem of Singapore’s growth from humble fishing village to mighty all-conquering lion is a must-see. Grab a selfie by this 70-tonne fish/lion hybrid with its arc of spouting water that crashes into the Singapore River below, then head up to the SkyPark atop the Marina Bay Sands resort for a different perspective. Steady your nerves with a cocktail before taking in exception 57th-floor views of the Singapore skyline and out across the bay. National Gallery Singapore Immerse yourself in 200 years of Singaporean art and culture at the National Gallery. Appropriately, this stately collection of of more than 9,000 modern and contemporary pieces from Singapore and southeast Asia is housed within two immense national monuments in the heart of the CBD; namely Singapore’s former City Hall and Supreme Court. Step inside to goggle at works that range from 19th-century oil paintings and woodcuts to 21st-century video installations. Visiting in the middle of monsoon season? There’s plenty here to fill an entire day, with major works by Singaporean artists including Georgette Chen, Liu Kang and Cheong Soo Pieng to admire, plus art-inspired shops for unique souvenirs, and two Michelin-starred restaurants. The Singapore Flyer It should come as no surprise, in a city where the title of tallest building is highly prized, that the observation wheel is one of the biggest on the planet, soaring to a knee-trembling 541 feet at its highest point. Steel your nerves for the 30-minute flight aboard the Singapore Flyer from where you can expect views across the CBD skyline to Sentosa Island and even, on a clear day, as far as Indonesia and Malaysia. That’s assuming you haven’t closed your eyes in absolute terror by the time you reach the top. One rotation lasts 30 minutes and you can book tickets that include cocktails and champagne, should such nerve-settling measures be required. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Back on terra firma, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is a stunning (and surprisingly recent) example of the Chinese Buddhist architectural style, all decorative flourishes, pagoda-style rooftops and cavernous indoor spaces. Built in 2007, the temple contains what is said to be one of the Buddha’s teeth, though skeptics may question its provenance given the proliferation of Buddha tooth temples in the region and, well, the size of the tooth itself which, at 7.5cm in length, is likely to raise a quizzical eyebrow at the very least. Visit this stunning temple and make up your own mind! Shop ‘Til You Drop There are more malls and brand-name stores along the 2.5-kilometer shopping mecca that is Orchard Road than you could hope to explore in a lifetime, never mind on your two-week vacation. Orchard Central is one of the most interesting, with its digital-art skin, huge indoor climbing wall, public art installations and roof garden. Further opportunities to max your credit card await at Marina Bay Resort’s cavernous Shoppes mall which, in spite of its ye olde name, is an ultra-modern, ultra-luxe shoppers’ paradise that’s guaranteed to give your bank manager serious palpitations. Venetian-style canals and sampan boat rides make for a fun way to get from store to store. Singapore River Cruise Hop aboard a traditional bumboat to get a new perspective on the CBD’s many highlights. Ideal for the lazy sightseer, these scenic cruises tick off a number of the city’s big ticket attractions in one short jaunt along the Singapore River. Expect to see highlights including Marina Bay Sands, with its space-age triple towers topped by what, from way down here, looks for all the world like a giant surfboard, as well as the legendary Raffles hotel, the Gardens by the Bay and the Old Parliament House. Hopeless romantics can catch the golden hour on a sunset cruise as the Singapore skies puts on their colorful daily show and lights twinkle on across the city. Gardens By The Bay With its gargantuan durian-shaped glass hothouses, tranquil East Bay Garden and iconic supertree structures complete with fun elevated walkway, Gardens By The Bay is a treat at any time of day. But it’s arguably at its most enchanting in the evenings, when the Supertree Grove puts on an epic display of colored light accompanied by a rousing symphonic soundtrack, sure to enliven your Instagram feed. Better still, this event is free! Light and music themes change with the seasons but the show generally runs twice per evening, with some variation for holidays and special events. Sip a Singapore Sling at Raffles Hotel What’s the first thing you think of when someone says the word ‘Singapore’? Skyscrapers? Orchids? No! The answer is of course a Singapore Sling, that delightful gin-based tropical cocktail that’s as iconic a symbol of this island nation as its Merlion mascot. And where better to sample one than in the very place they were invented? We’re talking, of course, about the legendary 19th-century Raffles Hotel, where bartender Ngiam Tong Boon first mixed gin with cherry brandy, grenadine, pineapple, bitters and lime juice back in 1915, and the Singapore Sling was born! Join such illustrious former guests as Hemingway, Kipling and Grahame Greene and try one for yourself in the hotel’s smart Long Bar. Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
The Jewel Bridge at Punggol Waterway park in Singapore.
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Things to do in Punggol Singapore

Nestled on the Tanjong Punggol peninsula in northeast Singapore, Punggol is one of the island’s most family-friendly neighborhoods, chock-full of glorious outdoor spaces, cool cafés and top restaurants. Activities here are wide and varied, from hiking the wetlands to exploring Coney Island by bike and catching and cooking your own prawns! Read on for our guide to the best things to do in Punggol, Singapore. How to Get to Punggol The waterfront district of Punggol is well connected to the rest of Singapore via the MRT, the country’s super-efficient Mass Rapid Transit system, which speeds millions of passengers around the island every day on its automated, driverless trains. Simply hop on the purple North East Line from downtown Singapore to reach Punggol, at the end of the line, in under an hour. From here, the Punggol LRT (Light Rail Transit) runs a loop around the district, allowing you to step out right in front of the attractions you want to visit, including: Punggol Beach Coney Island Punggol Waterway Park Northshore Plaza Mall Pulau Ubin Punggol Beach Forget touristy Sentosa; Punggol is where it’s really at for laid back beach vibes, and don’t the locals just know it! We’re talking bone-white sands, lush tropical foliage and great, sea-smoothed boulders that dot the beach, providing the perfect backdrop for those essential Instagram snaps. Grab your sunscreen, parasol and wide-brimmed straw hat and you could easily spend a lazy day here, just lounging and gazing out at the azure waters. There’s an epic wooden boardwalk for strolls along the waterfront, where fishermen vie with brightly plumed native birds for the catch of the day and cute little sheltered seating areas offer widescreen views of the famous Singapore sunset, all flaming oranges, flamingo pinks and bruised purples. A small heritage sign at the beach commemorates the role Punggol Point played in the 1942 Sook Ching Massacre, which saw around 300–400 Chinese men shot and killed here by occupying Japanese forces. You can pay your respects at the Civilian War Memorial by the Esplanade MRT station on Beach Road. Punggol Waterway Park Further Insta opportunities await in Punggol Waterway park, where you might even be forgiven for believing the series of weird, wonderful and downright wacky bridges were designed specifically to attract the social media generation. The Sunrise Bridge in the east of the park is a case in point, it’s pillarbox-red railings and snakelike shape making it great for those all-important sunrise selfies. At the other end of the day (and park), hit up the Jewel Bridge for its distinctive dome and more of those crazy Singapore sunsets. Keep your eyes peeled too for otters gliding silently through the water and – if you’re very lucky – the distinctive blue flash of a collared kingfisher diving for its dinner. As well as these impressive bridges, there are several different zones to explore, running the gamut from exceptional waterfront views, to sand and water play areas and a therapeutic garden with a fitness zone and aromatic plants including pandan. Coney Island Like its New York namesake, Singapore’s Coney Island is not so much an island as a peninsula, which makes it perfectly possible to visit by bike. And that’s precisely what we’d suggest you do! Hire a bike at Punggol Jetty and whiz into Coney Island via the western entrance. It’s a small park and you can cycle around it in no time at all, but don’t do that! Pack a picnic of sandwiches and ripe mangosteens and take your sweet time exploring the ancient trees, dense mangrove forests and beaches so secluded you might find you have them all to yourself, save for the occasional monitor lizard or mischievous macaque. Prawn Fishing And now for something completely different. Ever wanted to catch and cook your own prawns? Now’s your chance, thanks to Hai Bin Prawning, where – just like hooking a duck at a funfair – you’re all but guaranteed to snare your prize from the crustacean-rich pools, even if it requires you to book yourself into the bumper all-day fishing session. Kids and adults alike can fish the ponds before chargrilling their catch in the BBQ pits. Alternatively, there’s a bar and grill on site to save you the effort. Nearby Riviera Prawn Fishing offers more of the same, but minus the bar and grill. Northshore Plaza Northshore Plaza is Punggol’s brand spanking new waterfront shopping and entertainment complex, the kind of place it would be quite easy to while away a whole day. It’s split into two sections, with Northshore Plaza II right on the waterfront. This is the place for dreamy seafood lunches, sea views and gentle strolls around the dragonfly pond, where the colorful critters flit from lily pad to rock to palm leaf, while the kids let off steam in the quite excellent pirate-themed playground. The dinosaur safari-themed Nomstar food court is also not to be missed; a surefire hit with kids from three to 93. Plaza I is the place for fast food, takeaway coffee and more mega chain stores than you can shake a stick at, some of them very large indeed. Stores like Decathlon, which uses two floors to showcase just about every piece of sporting equipment you can imagine, with enough space to try most of them out, too. Pulau Ubin Located a short way off the coast from Punggol, Pulau Ubin is a boomerang-shaped island (a proper island, that is; not the kind you can cycle to!) with abundant wildlife to be discovered in and around its traditional kampongs and disused granite quarries which, long-since abandoned, now teem with diverse flora and fauna. Rent a bike to explore the well-marked cycle paths or take the looping walkway through the wild Chek Jawa Wetlands where, if you listen carefully, you might even hear the melodious song of a bulbul calling to its mate. Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Singapore skyline showing the Marina Bay Sands Resort
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Singapore in November

It’s hot, it’s humid and it’s often wet. But in reality, Singapore’s climate is pretty uniform year-round, with very few weather extremes to worry about. November heralds the start of monsoon season so yeah, you can expect a few short, sharp downpours in the afternoons and evenings, but nothing a small umbrella or pocket poncho can’t handle. You’ll find it pleasantly warm the rest of the time, so be sure to pack light cottons and linens, floppy sun hats and sunscreen as you would for any vacation in the tropics. Oh, and don’t forget the mozzie repellent – those bitey little blighters just adore that sweet Singapore humidity! As ever, booking well in advance is the best way to lock in cheap prices on flights and accommodation but, as this is low season, you can also expect late deals as hotels push to fill rooms. Either way, November is one of the best times of year to grab a Singapore bargain. Things to do in Singapore in November Mandai Wildlife Reserve Nature lovers need look no further than Singapore’s premier wildlife reserve. This vast expanse of jungle, rainforest and wetland north of the city boasts not one but four distinct parks. Bird Paradise, the newest addition at time of writing, is a colorful cornucopia of pretty plumage and sweet birdsong; an enormous aviary where you can get up close to pink flamingos, turacos, toucans, rockhopper penguins and all manner of other feathery critters. The reserve is also where you’ll find Singapore Zoo and the famous Night Safari, as well as the awesome River Wonders attraction, where water-loving beasts of the world – manatees, piranhas, Indian gharials, giant pandas and more – live their best lives. Sentosa Island A day trip to Sentosa is a quintessential part of any Singapore experience. Heck, you could spend at least a week on this fun-packed south coast resort island, and still not have enough time to see it all. Start with the quite excellent cable car ride from the main island, easily Singapore’s most scenic ride, before diving into everything else this tropical playground has to offer. We’re talking the epic Universal Studios Singapore, SEA Aquarium and Adventure Cove water park. And that’s just for starters! Hit up Siloso Beach for powdery white sands, balmy waters and, um, forest luge tracks, or take the scenic route to Fort Siloso – an elevated Skywalk that takes you high above the forest canopy. Foodie Fantasia All that activity making you hungry? Singapore’s hundreds of world-class food courts and hawker centers have your back. Dodge the afternoon downpour to while away a few hours in old-school favorite Lau Pa Sat, a Singapore landmark with street food so exquisite it might just prove life-changing. The sheer variety of international cuisines here – Vietnamese, Filipino, Malaysian, Korean, Indonesian – is mind-boggling, so you’re sure to find something to tickle those tastebuds. Our advice? Look for the stalls with the longest lines and gorge on small plates from as many vendors as you can manage. Think umami chili crab (the Singaporean national dish), delicious sambal-laced laksa, red-hot rendang curry and – for the truly adventurous (and unsqueamish) only – fried pigs’ fallopian tubes in kung pao sauce. Yum! Get Some Culture Singapore’s galleries and museums are second to none. Start by immersing yourself in thousands of years of Asian history at the epic National Museum of Singapore where trying to decipher the enigmatic Singapore Stone is just one of the many fun activities available. The National Gallery houses more than 9,000 contemporary and modern artworks from Singapore and southeast Asia, with highlights including Georgette Chen’s evocative series of family portraits and Singaporean Choo Keng Kwang’s woodcuts and oil paintings. Hit up the futuristic ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands for immersive exhibitions and a gallery that’s packed with eye-popping VR artworks. The museum’s in-house cinema screens a curated selection of classic movies, documentaries and arthouse films for Singapore’s hip crowd. What’s on in Singapore in November? Visitors to Singapore in November – especially late November – will find a city already gearing up for the festive season. Never anything short of spectacular, the gorgeous Gardens by the Bay ramp things up to the all-singing all-dancing max with their awesome Christmas Wonderland event. Get your snow fix at Blizzard Time, visit Frosty’s Fairground for all manner of prize-winning opportunities, and enjoy a romantic stroll beneath the 75,000 festive bulbs that illuminate the aptly named Walk of Lights. And if it’s lights you want, you’ll find some of the very best along Orchard Road, which also just happens to be home to the finest (and largest) malls in town. This popular annual attraction, titled ‘Christmas on A Great Street’, more than lives up to its boastful name, with oodles of street food stalls, pop-up gift stores and more carnival rides and Christmas villages than you can shake a candy cane at. November is also when the Singapore International Film Festival rolls into town, giving fans of (mostly) Asian and world cinema a rare chance to catch exclusive screenings, as well as attending industry workshops, discussions, director Q&A\s, awards ceremonies and more at glittering venues across the city. It’s always worth going along, even if just for the celeb-spotting opportunities alone! Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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