Red, White, and Bite: Best National Day 2024 Dining Delights

You’ve seen the red and white flags billowing on the walls of every HDB flat, heard the parade’s theme song blasting from every public speaker imaginable, and caught the planes ripping through the skies overhead. You’ve guessed it: National Day is coming soon!

With National Day 2024 just around the corner, there’s no better way to celebrate than with the one thing we can all agree on — good food! More specifically, good local food. Maybe it’s just me being extra patriotic on the big day. Still, my love for local may never die down, and I can’t think of anything more befitting to commemorate our nation’s birthday than local fare! 

From local classics to elevated hawker fare and Singaporean dishes being creatively spun, check out our list of the best National Day-themed eats to rouse some celebratory cheer! 

Restaurants

YÀN

They say, “Good things come in small packages,” and this couldn’t be truer for the perennial favourite of many Singaporeans — dim sum! 

At YÀN, these bite-sized delicacies have been combined with local inspirations to make YÀN’s National Day Dim Sum Menu! Some highlights in the assortment include the Steamed Hainanese Chicken with Sticky Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaf (S$8++ for 1 piece), a Cantonese interpretation of one of Singapore’s star dishes. The tender chicken thigh is steamed with aromatic ginger, garlic, and lemongrass and is served with condiments that are a must-have with chicken rice —  chilli sauce, dark soy sauce, and ginger sauce!

Another Singaporean staple which has also been turned into a steamed bun is bak kut teh, a pork rib dish cooked in broth. Aptly titled Xiao Long Bao with Minced Pork in Bak Kut Teh Stock (S$8 for 4 pieces), the handcrafted dumplings are stuffed with minced pork and peppery pork bone broth.

Ever wondered how the iconic Singaporean dish laksa would taste with bean curd? The Steamed Bean Curd Sheet with Shrimps, Pork, and Singapore Laksa Sauce (S$7.50 for 3 pieces) is the answer! The bean curd sheets envelop pork and shrimp marinated in an in-house-made laksa sauce, which you can also drizzle over the bean curd before eating!

For more shrimp-filled delight in a bite, try the Deep-fried Shrimp Dumplings with Diced Celery and Shrimp Soup Stock (S$12 for 3 pieces), an homage to the local prawn noodle soup. Deep-fried wontons filled with diced shrimp and celery, as well as the rich shrimp stock boiled from prawn heads, make this dumpling densely stuffed with flavour and comfort!

YÀN is definitely trying to cover all bases, as they’ve incorporated the iconic breakfast item, Chwee Kueh (steamed rice flour cake topped with preserved radish), into the Steamed Preserved Radish Dumplings filled with Peanuts (S$7.50 for 3 pieces). 

Of course, we can’t talk about Singaporean staples without mentioning the chilli crab, and luckily, YÀN has its Pan-fried Singapore Chilli Crab Meat Buns (S$12 for 3 pieces). These meat buns model the famed Chilli Crab, with spicy, savoury crab meat stuffed in its inseparable companion, the deep-fried man tou.

Finally, we have the perfect end to the dim sum collection, the Deep-fried Satay Chicken Dumpling (S$9 for 3 pieces), the ultimate indulgence stuffed with succulent chicken marinated in savoury satay sauce.

🗓️Date: 1 July to 31 August 2024
📍Location: 1 St Andrew’s Rd, #05-02 National Gallery, Singapore 178957
Opening Hours:

The dim sum spread of your dreams can be found here at YÀN! To book a table or for more information, head over to YÀN’s official website

CUT by Wolfgang Puck

Fancy something a little more bougie? Then drop some money on the Michelin-starred restaurant CUT by Wolfgang Puck! This National Day, savour a one-day-only three-course National Day menu inspired by local flavours!

To start, have yourself sambal fried rice, which offers a symphony of textures and flavours, as well as the wok-kissed U.S.D.A prime beef hor fun features the quintessential silky rice noodles enveloped in a rich and aromatic sauce. Talk about taking a humble dish to the next level! Finally, round up the meal with some locally inspired, exquisite desserts, like the Ondeh Ondeh chiffon cake with a scoop of delicate red bean ice cream.

🗓️Date: 9 August 2024
📍Location: 10 Bayfront Ave, B1 – 71, Singapore 018972
💲Price: S$45++ per person
Time: 12pm to 3pm

You’re one step away from having dinner with a view (and maybe catch the fireworks)! For reservations, visit CUT by Wolfgang Puck’s website! For more information, check out Marina Bay Sands’ socials on Facebook and Instagram.

The Gyu Bar

Fusion food is nothing new, but The Gyu Bar has put unique twists on your local favourites that I bet you’ve never had before! Especially for National Day, The Gyu Bar presents two limited-edition creations.

The two new dishes include the Wagyu Bak Kut Teh (S$35++), a play on the traditional pork rib soup. The broth has plentiful succulent Kagoshima rib fingers, bean curd puffs, and bean curd skin and is infused with cloves, cinnamon, star anise, garlic, and other spices.

The Gyu Bar only uses premium wagyu beef sourced from Japan, so best believe they’ll put this high-quality ingredient to good use! And for those familiar with the sando, a Japanese sandwich made with shokupan (Japanese milk bread), you’re in for a treat! 

The Wagyu Otak Katsu Sando (S$32++) combines minced Kagoshima Wagyu with otak, the savoury, spicy fish paste, in a golden-brown, juicy cutlet. In the sandwich, the cutlet is nestled between the must-have shokupan, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, creamy scrambled eggs, house-made barbecue sauce, and honey mustard.

While you can order them individually, they have also been bundled as a National Day Combo at S$59++, the price saluting Singapore’s 59th birthday.

🗓️Date: 1 to 11 August 2024
📍Location: 30, #01-08 Stevens Rd, 257840
💲Price:

Opening Hours

Taste the best of Japanese and local fusion at The Gyu Bar this National Day! To make your reservation, book on The Gyu Bar’s official website. For more information, head over to The Gyu Bar’s socials on Facebook and Instagram.

The Masses

Franco-Asian restaurant The Masses celebrates National Day with a communal set menu guaranteed to make your ah ma and ah gong, or your mademoiselle and monsieur happy. 

Priced at S$59.90++ per pax, a cheeky nod to Singapore’s grand age, the stars of the show include the Steak Tartare served with shiso Kueh Loyang. A delectably tender Dry Aged Spiced Roasted Chicken paired with a piquillo pepper chilli jam that pays tribute to chicken rice chilli, parsnip puree, and soy sauce chicken jus.

We can’t forget about the signature C&C&C&C&C&C Pasta, which has an extra C that cleverly refers to the “5C”s of the “Singaporean Dream! This capellini pasta is served chilled with confit lemon, chorizo, clams, crab meat, and caviar in a lobster bisque.

🗓️Date: 1 to 10 August 2024
📍Location: 15 Stamford Road, @, #01-84 Capitol Singapore, The Arcade, 178905
💲Price: S$59.90++ per pax
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 10.30pm daily

The Masses is bringing a feast fit for a king to the masses this National Day! To reserve a spot, visit The Masses’ official website. For more information, check out The Masses’ social media on Facebook and Instagram

Chatterbox

If you just want the real deal without any sort of fusion or twists, Chatterbox is where you can find authenticity in their elevated hawker fare.

For this National Day, Chatterbox introduces a specially curated National Day Set Menu, a five-course experience at S$75++. Kick off the celebrations with a tantalising mini-trio of Lemon Butter Prawn, Kueh Pie Tee, and Chicken Satay, complemented by a Mini Portion of Bak Kut Teh.

Then, savour the Singaporean classic, Chilli Crab with Mantou, and end it off with Chatterbox’s most famed dish, their best-selling Mandarin Chicken Rice. To put the cherry on top, end your meal with Chatterbox’s star dessert, the Signature Coconut Ice-cream, for a refreshing and sweet finish!

Can’t get enough crab? Chatterbox also serves live crabs cooked three ways from August to October! As part of Chatterbox’s all-new Chatterbox Crab Fiesta, each month will feature a different delectable crab flavour.

In August, you’ll be treated to the classic Chilli Crab. Then in September, the Curry Crab takes centre stage before the Black Pepper Crab takes over as the star flavour in October. Priced at S$168 per portion (approximately 1.5kg, which is perfect for 2 to 3 people), all crabs are guaranteed fresh, unfrozen, and served in iconic cooking styles!

You can’t have crab without mantou, so each portion also comes with 8 mini mantou! Also, as if having crabs isn’t luxurious enough, if you’re not up for cracking them, the crabs come cracked, or you can simply request the kitchen to do it for you!

🗓️Date:

📍Location: 333 Orchard Rd, #05-03 Hilton, Singapore 238867
💲Price

Opening Hours

To experience elevated hawker fare in a classy setting, Chatterbox is the place to be! For more information, check out Chatterbox’s official website or their socials on Facebook and Instagram.

Snacks

CHOCOELF

It only feels right to support local brands during a national holiday celebrating Singapore, so why not support CHOCOELF, a homegrown chocolate brand? 

Established in 2005, CHOCOELF has worked with three iconic Singaporean brands: Tai Hua Food Industries, Fragrance Foodstuff, and Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee. These are well-known soy sauce brands, a brand famed for its bak kwa (a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky), and a coffee brand. Just how did these three very contrasting brands and flavours come together with CHOCOELF?

Well, CHOCOELF has infused chocolate bars with one product from each brand to make three new uniquely flavoured chocolate bars! These three latest additions are to add to CHOCOELF’s 100% Made in Singapore range, a range that honours Singaporea’s culinary diversity.

These three new flavours are Umami Soy Brew Chocolate Bar, a collaboration with Tai Hua; Fluffy Chicken Floss Chocolate Bar, made with the help of Fragrance Foodstuff; and Black Cold Brew Chocolate Bar, which was only possible with Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee’s support.

While combining some of these local flavours with chocolate might seem wild, maybe even illegal, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! Plus, these make great souvenirs for foreign friends or loved ones coming from overseas who are curious about Singapore’s culinary landscape.

To get your hands on these unique chocolate bars, you can go to CHOCOELF’s official retail distributor, The Cocoa Trees: The Best Candy Shop in Singapore, which is conveniently located at its 11 duty-free chocolate stores across all four Changi Airport terminals.

You can also go to Taste Singapore to get them. The stores are located at T1 Changi Airport and T4 Changi Airport

💲Price: S$12.50 per box (duty-free)

Discover the best of Singaporean flavours in one place—or, more accurately, in one CHOCOELF chocolate range. For more information, visit CHOCOELF’s official website or their socials on Facebook and Instagram.

Miracle Coffee Singapore

If you haven’t heard of Miracle Coffee, where have you been? Miracle Coffee is a partnership between Marina Bay Sands and award-winning, homegrown musical artist JJ Lin. Yes, the JJ Lin. During this National Day celebration, Miracle Coffee Singapore welcomes its newest speciality drink, the Miracle Oasis, exclusively available at its flagship café at ArtScience Museum. 

A homage to Singapore’s tropical climate, this single-origin espresso-based brew is blended with creamy coconut ice cream, a favourite fruit amongst locals, and a sprinkle of cocoa powder with chocolate drizzle for you to sip into a refreshing paradise!

📍Location: 6 Bayfront Ave, Art Science Museum, Singapore 018974
💲Price: S$9
Opening Hours: 10am to 7pm daily

Get your caffeine fix whilst celebrating Singapore at Miracle Coffee Singapore! For more information, visit Marina Bay Sands’ website or Miracle Coffee Singapore’s socials on Facebook and Instagram.

Rempapa

As the saying goes, “There’s no place like home”, and Rempapa is here to back this statement up with their Multi-ethnic Kueh Box! Inside the box, you’ll find five handmade kueh varieties from local ethnicities’ culinary traditions.

These include the colourfully layered Gao Teng Kueh, the kueh representative of the Chinese ethnicity. Fun fact! This soft kueh is named “nine-layer kueh” due to its distinctive coloured sections. Rempapa’s Gao Teng Kueh has a fresh pandan and coconut fragrance, where each coloured layer is meticulously measured, poured, and steamed layer-by-layer.

As for the Malay ethnicity, their representative kueh is the Sarang Semut, which has origins in Batam. For those unfamiliar with this specific kueh, its name derives from its honeycomb-like texture. Aside from its honeycomb-like texture, the Sarang Semut is also just as sweet as a honeycomb with its rich flavours of caramelised sugar. 

For my readers whose ethnicity is Indian, the Putu Bambu is your representative kueh! The roots of Putu Bambu can be traced back to the Tamil Puttu, which are rice cakes steamed in bamboo cane sections. To make this delicacy, rice flour has to be pressed into a cylindrical mould before steaming to tender perfection. Rempapa’s version is served with homemade gula melaka syrup.

Those of Eurasian ethnicity, you haven’t been forgotten by Rempapa! Putugal is a staple in Eurasian homes during festive seasons, so Rempapa has made its own Putugal for its Multi-ethnic Kueh Box!

As per customs, Putugal is made with freshly grated tapioca and coconut milk. A section of this kueh is also dyed in a vibrant blue using butterfly pea flowers and sandwiched between layers of the uncoloured tapioca base and ripened bananas before finishing with a coating of freshly grated coconut.

Last but not least, we have Pulut Tai Tai representing the Peranakans! Just a little trivia on the Pulut Tai Tai: this dish is also known as “Pulut Tekan”, whereby “Tekan” means to apply pressure, which involves pressing glutinous rice into slabs to form the kueh.

The glutinous rice is cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaves, which allows it to absorb its delicate flavours and fragrances. Once completed, the rice is marbled cobalt with butterfly pea flower dye, and as in tradition, Rempapa serves the kueh with kaya.

🗓️Date: 1 July to 11 August 2024
📍Location: 2 Paya Lebar Rd, #01-01/02/03 Park Place Residences at PLQ, Singapore 409053
💲Price: Available for dine-in and takeaway in sets of 5 pieces (S$12) or 10 pieces (S$24).
Opening Hours

Celebrate Singapore’s melting pot of cultures and heritage with Rempapa! To order the Multi-ethnic Kueh Box online, you can place your order on Rempapa’s Oddle website. For more information, head over to Rempapa’s socials on Facebook and Instagram

Lady M Singapore

A birthday celebration doesn’t feel right without a cake as the crowning centrepiece, and Lady M Singapore has an exclusive new flavour for the occasion! Available from 15 July to 15 September 2024, the all-new Kaya Mille Crêpes is a nod to an indispensable breakfast item almost all Singaporeans know and love — kaya. 

This beloved coconut jam is transformed into an exquisite creation, consisting of paper-thin crêpes and kaya-infused pastry cream. It is handmade with the finest ingredients, including pandan juice and coconut cream, before being topped with delicate coconut flakes.

Perfect for sharing with loved ones, the Kaya Mille Crêpes will surely bring many generations of loved ones together with its taste of tradition elevated with a modern touch. Plus, what makes this extra special is that it’s the first time Lady M Singapore is launching a local flavour of its own, so don’t miss out on this limited-time creation!

🗓️Date: 15 July to 15 September 2024
📍Location: Multiple locations 
💲Price: $13 per slice at all boutiques, $16 per slice at Lady M Champagne Bar, and $133 per whole cake online
Opening Hours

Treat yourself to a decadent dessert this National Day with Lady M Singapore! You can place your order directly on Lady M’s official website. For more information, check out Lady M’s social media on Facebook and Instagram.  

IRVINS’ Salted Egg Papadom

We can’t end our section on snacks without giving our flowers to one of Singapore’s favourite snack flavours — salted egg. Likewise, talking about salted eggs will inevitably involve the IRVINS’ brand. We all know and love IRVINS’ salted potato chips, fish skin, and salmon skin snack boxes, but for National Day 2024, we are getting a new name into the mix.

Teaming up with Singaporean-Tamil rapper and songwriter Yung Raja, IRVINS’ has created the IRVINS x Yung Raja Salted Egg Papadom. Papadom is of course a must-have when eating it with Indian dishes like biryani, so getting a salted egg version sounds like a snack dream!

The snack launches officially on 8 August, but if you want to enjoy the IRVINS’ Salted Egg Papadom to the fullest, IRVINS’ is having a Pop Dat Poppadom Launch Event — an experiential pop-up event at Orchardgateway, The Plaza on 16 August 2024 from 8.30pm that features electrifying music amidst a whirlwind of activities, including a claw machine. 300 exclusive vouchers are being given away at the event, and Yung Raja himself will be handing out 200 free signed snack pouches too!

🗓️Date

📍Location: Orchardgateway, 277 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238858
💲Price: $8.50 for an 80g pouch

Ready to celebrate National Day 2024 with a new addition from one of Singapore’s favourite brands? Head over to the IRVINS’ website to pre-order the snack now, which features an exclusive online pre-order bundle with three Salted Egg Papadom snack pouches and an exclusive IRVINS Dangerously Addictive reusable bag available for S$25.50.

High Tea Set

The Marmalade Pantry

The Marmalade Pantry invites you to meet for a mid-afternoon celebratory tea! Their National Day-themed tea set, in particular is extra special, as it commemorates both Singapore’s National Day and The Marmalade Pantry’s own 25th anniversary, hence its aptly titled 25th Anniversary Afternoon Tea set!

From the “Chicken Rice” Quinoa Cake with Sous Vide Chicken to the Bandung Purin infused with rose water that is topped with tangy raspberry coulis and bittersweet rose petals and the Pandan Pulut Cupcake featuring a fragrant pandan cake frosted with velvety pulut hitam crème, and finished with black glutinous rice and toasted coconut shavings — This curated tea set is a selection of sweet and savoury bites reimagined to play on Singapore’s popular flavours. 

🗓️Date: Available from 1 August 2024 onwards
📍Location: Multiple locations
💲Price: Available for dine-in and takeaway in sets of 5 pieces (S$12) or 10 pieces (S$24).
Opening Hours: View all of their outlets’ opening hours on The Marmalade Pantry’s website.

Reserve yourself a spot at The Marmalade Pantry on their website! For more information, find out more on The Marmalade Pantry’s socials on Facebook and Instagram

The Lobby Lounge

A high tea set may seem like a posh but simple midday affair of light bites and tea, but The Lobby Lounge is upping the ante by taking you on a culinary voyage through time with their Singapore Heritage Afternoon Tea!

This isn’t just a reinvention of Singapore’s signature dishes, no. This tea set pays homage to the nation’s origins by allowing you to revisit your favourite dishes as you rediscover Singapore’s history through this afternoon tea experience.

Consisting of three chapters, each chapter celebrates various aspects of Singapore’s history. The first chapter, East Meets West, blends European culinary traditions with Southeast Asian spices and ingredients as it’s inspired by Singapore’s past as a British trading port.

To set sail on your journey, start with a modern interpretation of Chicken Rice, featuring a tender poached chicken breast sat on a fragrant rice ball and complemented by a zesty garlic chilli puree. Then, savour the Hainanese Kurobuta Pork Chop as well, served in a brioche sando with the classic HP ketchup sauce, which acts as a tribute to Singapore’s Hainanese heritage. 

To rekindle memories of one of our favourite breakfast go-tos, try the Kaya Toast, elevated with foie gras butter and a delicate hen’s egg foam. And for a classic afternoon tea bite with a local touch, have a Pandan Scone served with red bean clotted cream. To complement this culinary experience, you can relish a tea pairing of Mist Valley White Shou Mei, a delicate brew that enhances this sumptuous spread.

Moving over to Chapter 2, Local Takes Centre Stage: we celebrate the evolution of Singaporean cuisine and rapid urbanisation as Singapore emerges with a unique identity post-independence. 

Those seeking authentic Singaporean tastes mustn’t skip on the Chilli Crab Petit Pain, a spicy crab filling housed in a soft bun. Another savoury bite is the Otak Otak Toothfish, which infuses chilli paste with kaffir lime which is brought together with the rich toothfish for a harmonious yet surprising flavour.

On the sweeter side, these sweet bites are just as mouthwatering! The Ondeh Ondeh Cake, for example, is adorned with coconut and rich Gula Melaka. The Bubur Cha Cha Panna Cotta is also another sweet delight, topped with a light sweet potato foam. As for the complementary tea, pair these dishes with the Mist Valley Pu-Er tea, an earthy tea that provides a deep, grounding contrast to make your meal a balanced and satisfying one.

The final chapter, The Melting Pot, concludes the gastronomic journey by showcasing the evolution of local cuisine as it unfolds alongside the nation’s rise as a global hub. Here, international influences blend seamlessly with traditional dishes, reflecting Singapore’s status as a cultural melting pot.

The signature dishes in this chapter are must-tries, including the Laksa Espuma, where laksa essence is transformed into a foam atop steamed scallop prawn curd adorned with crunchy dried shrimp floss.

For a taste of nostalgia, the Milo Dinosaur Berliner, in which its choco malt powder, will take you back to the days of your wonderful childhood. Another equally sweet treat that will evoke more childhood memories is the nostalgic Ice Cream Uncle, which includes a cilantro wafer and strawberry dacquoise drizzled with Valrhona chocolate sauce. To mark the end of your journey, complement it with the Mist Valley Lapsang Shouchong tea pairing, a tea that will enhance every dish with its smoky floral notes.

🗓️Date: Available from 1 July 2024 onwards
📍Location: 15 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178906
💲Price: S$52++ per person on weekdays and S$59++ per person on weekends and public holidays
*Upgrade your experience with free-flow Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV (S$59++ per person) or Barocco Prosecco NV (S$20++ per person).
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11am to 9pm

Are you ready to embark on a culinary voyage unlike any other? Book a seat through The Lobby Lounge’s website! For more information, visit The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore’s socials on Facebook and Instagram.

Wildseed Café

Aside from their kueh offerings, Rempapa is also teaming up with Wildseed Café for an exclusive Rempapa x Wildseed Café National Day Afternoon Tea Set

Rempapa and Wildseed Café’s carefully curated line-up features a balance of savoury and sweet indulgences. Savoury bites you can delight in include a Mini Croissant with Chicken Satay, Cucumber & Onion, a modern twist on the beloved local classic satay, and the Mushroom Tartlet with Feta Cheese.

For those with a sweet tooth, some dainties you might enjoy include the Blueberry Almond Tart with Blueberry Mascarpone, which promises a burst of berry freshness on buttery tart pastry and the Scone with Lemon Curd and Honey-Whipped Butter.

The pièce de résistance is, without a doubt, a selection of Rempapa’s own award-winning kueh, showcasing the rich tapestry of local flavours. Each bite celebrates Singapore’s multicultural culinary heritage, perfect for commemorating National Day!

🗓️Date: 1 to 31 August 2024
📍Location: Wildseed Cafe @ 1-Flowerhill: 6 Imbiah Rd, 099696
💲Price: S$58++ for two pax
Time: 2pm to 4.30pm daily

Reserve a high tea session on Wildseed Café’s official website for all-day revelry at an idyllic retreat! For more information, check Wildseed Café’s socials on Facebook and Instagram.


What will you be feasting this National Day?

This National Day, you can take pride in Singapore’s cultural and food diversity by heading to these eateries for a special celebration of Singapore’s birthday that I can guarantee no one will say no to.

If you’ve visited these eateries or gotten yourself a National Day-themed snack on this list, let us know through our socials on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok!


Visuals courtesy of YÀN, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, The Gyu Bar, The Masses, Chatterbox, CHOCOELF, Miracle Coffee Singapore, Rempapa, The Marmalade Pantry, The Lobby Lounge, Wildseed Café, and Lady M Singapore.

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