Find out where international stars are flocking to in the food capital Singapore.
From hawker centres and wine lounges, to heritage restaurants, celebrities are no stranger to Singaporean fare.
Bookmark these addresses to chance upon a Hollywood or K-pop star.
Discover the celebrity-favourite restaurants in Singapore where stars unwind and celebrate.
Even the biggest international celebrities have to eat, and in the food capital Singapore — where globally renowned fine-dining seats beside the city’s multicultural local fare — many have made appearances out and about town on their visit to famed restaurants here.
From crowded tables at Singapore’s most popular hawker centres and an eating house that has been running for over five decades, to a jazzy wine lounge and five-star tourist attraction, these are the restaurants one may serendipitously bump into an A-list star.
Maxwell Food Centre
When it comes to the best restaurants Singapore has to offer, Maxwell Food Centre remains a household name among locals and a must-visit fixture in dining guides. After all, it was voted Singapore’s favourite hawker centre for three consecutive years in a nationwide poll. Among its most popular stalls are Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, Old Nyonya Laksa, and Alimama Green Chilli Chicken Rice & Prawn Noodle. Beyond its reputation for serving some of the city’s most beloved local fare, Maxwell Food Centre has also attracted a rolodex of international stars, including Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa — who summed up her experience here as “a true Singaporean haven.”
Where: Maxwell Food Centre, Kadayanallur Street, Chinatown, Singapore
Contact: https://www.nea.gov.sg/
Keng Eng Kee Seafood
This reputable eating house first started its business in the 1970s, and through its five decades of operations, Keng Eng Kee Seafood’s signature ocean catch fare has been recognised by the MICHELIN Guide, World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and featured in the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s food documentary series Parts Unknown. Patrons who have found themselves making repeated visits include the K-pop veteran performer Rain. His favourite dish? Fish head curry.
Where: Keng Eng Kee Seafood, Alexandra Village, Bukit Merah Lane, Singapore
When: Daily from 11am to 1:45pm, 5pm to 10pm
Contact: https://www.instagram.com/kengengkee/?hl=en
temper. Wine Room and Lounge
This intimate nightspot, famously known for its custom cellar that houses one of Singapore’s largest collections of wine varieties, boasts a cocktail lounge, and a restaurant accompanied with a menu curated by the MICHELIN-starred chef Nicholas Tam. Designed as a playfully social space, with high ceilings, warm dim lighting, and live jazz performances, temper. Wine Room and Lounge is where to be to see and be seen. Famous guests here include the chart-topping rapper and musician Lalisa Manobal — better known by her stage moniker LISA, of BLACKPINK — who stopped by for a nightcap with friends in tow on more than one occasion.
Where: temper. Wine Room and Lounge, Mondrian Singapore Duxton, Duxton, Singapore
When: Monday, Wednesday to Saturday, from 5pm till 1am
Contact: https://www.instagram.com/temper.sg/?hl=en
Lau Pa Sat
A visit for foreigners on a gastronomic prowl about the city may most likely find themselves downtown at Lau Pa Sat — an iconic food court housed in a 130-year-old Victorian building from Singapore’s colonial days. While patrons will find numerous international cuisines here, fan favourites remain local cuisine from stalls such as Warong Pak Sapari, Seng Kee Local Delight, Satay Street, and more — a number of which were also featured in the MICHELIN Guide. And here’s exactly where the Thai singer-dancer of the K-pop group NCT Ten; born Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul, found himself on a stopover for a meet-and-greet in 2024. Other celebrities spotted here include musicians Ed Sheeran, Jackson Wang, and Jason Derulo.
Where: Lau Pa Sat, Raffles Quay, Downtown, Singapore
Contact: https://www.laupasat.sg/
Newton Food Centre
Along with Lau Pa Sat and Maxwell Food Centre, Newton Food Centre rounds up the must-visit list of hawker centres for the celebrity-spotting culinary adventurer. Since its major revamp was completed in 2006, this spot is famous for its collection of local specialities, and has found its way to the big screen in Crazy Rich Asians. Coincidentally, one of the latter film’s leading stars, Gemma Chan and Hollywood’s Brie Larson documented their visit to this hotspot on social media, reviewing satay and other local dishes along the way.
Where: Newton Food Centre, Clemenceau Avenue, Newton, Singapore