Food Republic has uniquely themed food courts in Singapore
Food courts and hawker centres are the foundation of Singapore’s colourful F&B scene, but let’s be honest: most of us don’t think of them as dining destinations the same way we do restaurants or cafes. Food courts bear the burden of being functional—they’re where you’d go for a quick and simple meal or to dabao dinner when you don’t have time to cook, not spaces with decor and vibes that excite as much as the food. Food Republic, however, is the exception.
Founded in 2005, with their flagship in Wisma Atria, Food Republic has always set out to stand apart from your run-of-the-mill mall food court. They were one of the first brands to introduce thematic food courts in Singapore, and now, 20 years later, they’re celebrating two decades of creating immersive spaces that spotlight the best of local heritage eats.
Take Food Republic @ VivoCity, for example. Established in 2006, the 2,700sqft food court has recently been renovated. Now, its striking interiors take you on a 30-year trail through local Chinese history. While some areas still echo the humble 1920s Chinese fishing village from before the revamp, much of the space is now inspired by a bustling 1950s to 1970s settlement. The storyline continues from the earlier theme: the villagers, having ventured out to work and earn a living, have now returned to upgrade and enliven their community.
Naturally, you go to a food court to eat, and this Food Republic outlet does not disappoint on that front either. Their whopping selection of 35 stalls spans award-winning brands, beloved eateries that have been around for generations, mini restaurants, and even five kiosks that sell snacks such as kacang puteh and tutu kueh from pushcarts.
Chicken rice is the go-to dish of choice for many Singaporeans when at food courts. At Food Republic’s VivoCity outlet, get your fix from Sergeant Chicken Rice. Their 1 Pax Single Set Steamed Chicken Rice ($7.90) features steamed white chicken with meat that’s oh-so-tender, and skin that has a welcome gelatinous bite.
Unlike most chicken rice sellers, Sergeant’s recipe stands out with 14 different ingredients infused across their rice, meat, and broth, giving each component its own unique depth of flavour. Each set also comes with a bowl of soup and Vegetables with Oyster Sauce.
Another must-try is Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh, where Klang-style BKT takes centre stage. Unlike its more peppery Teochew counterpart, the Malaysian take on this pork bone broth is built on a medley of Chinese herbs, resulting in a dark, aromatic broth.
Try it for yourself in Feng Xiang’s Herbal Bak Kut Teh Soup (from $8.90), generously loaded with pork ribs, pig stomach, lean meat slices, enoki and more. While lightly herbaceous, the broth’s richness from slowly simmered pork bones keeps you coming back for more. Don’t forget to dunk some you tiao ($1.20) in the broth to soak up all that goodness.
We jump forward in time at Food Republic’s City Square Mall outlet, going from mid-century to the 1980s. Revamped in 2024, its 13 vendors are united by a retro ‘80s hawker street aesthetic, complete with stalls styled to look like pushcarts, nostalgic graffiti, and old-school photo zones.
A couple of Michelin Bib Gourmand names have set up shop at Food Republic City Square Mall, giving heartland diners easy access to some of Singapore’s finest budget eats.
One can find Hjh Maimunah serving up kampung-style nasi padang sets here, as well as other Malay specialities. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer amount of dishes to choose from, go for their best-selling Nasi Sambal Goreng Set ($9).
Each mouth-watering portion comes with a variety of sambal dishes, including sotong kembang, sambal goreng jawa, paru belado—AKA fried spiced beef lung—sambal tunis, and rice, all topped with serunding, a fried grated coconut topping.
Spice lovers continue to be spoiled with Ju Bao Xuan Mala, where Sichuan dishes reign. The main attraction here is the DIY Mala Fragrant Pot and Mala Soup, priced from $1.60 for 100g. Ingredients here are fresh, with a decent variety, including seafood such as prawns and squid, as well as cuts of pork belly.
The mala spice blend here is also award-winning, made with 40 spices. Many mala stalls tend to have broths or spice pastes that are just plain hot and numbing, with little complexity. Not Ju Bao Xuan Mala, though—even our resident mala sceptic writer was won over by their fragrant xiao la soup.
Leaping forward into the present day is The Food Place by Food Republic, the brand’s Raffles City dining hall. Instead of a blast to the past, the food court here has a bright and airy “farm fresh” theme—a product of their recent July reopening.
The 20 stalls on site are a good mix of long-standing local favourites, trendy crowd-pleasers, and even international brands.
As the food court offshoot of one of Singapore’s best burger joints, SMASH by BugerLabo is one of The Food Place’s highlights. You can really taste the quality with their signature SMASH Burger, priced at $9.80 for a single or $12.80 for a double patty.
Each burger comes with a beef patty smashed to order, with crispy edges and still-juicy middles. The seasoning is spot on, enhanced by red onion pickles and a creamy house-made sauce. All this is sandwiched between buttered and toasted burger buns.
Don’t skip the Cheese Truffle Fries ($7.80). Crisp, golden fries are topped with shavings of sharp parmesan and a drizzle of truffle oil that’s fragrant without being cloying.
Of course, the food court is also home to several Michelin-recognised concepts, including LiXin Teochew Fishball Noodles.
LiXin’s Signature Noodle ($8.60) is an absolute must. Choose your preferred noodles, between dry or soup. Here, fishballs are made entirely by hand from 100% yellowtail fish, giving them that unmistakable QQ-ness. The fish cakes are springy, and the dumplings are equally delicious thanks to the firm skin made from yellowtail fish and juicy minced pork filling.
As mentioned, Food Republic is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. Their campaign, titled 20 Years of Blooming Flavours, will run from 20 October till 16 November, and comes with a slew of deals and promotions for diners.
Spend a minimum of $12 in a single receipt and get an Instant Sure-Win Peel Card, where prizes range from a free cup of hot kopi or teh to $2 off your next purchase.
There will also be a Weekly Lucky Draw by ShopBack, where paying with the cashback app gets you a chance to win a Nespresso Vertuo Pop Coffee Machine, a Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, and more.
Finally, select stalls at Food Republic branches islandwide will be offering $2 food deals across a 20-day affair. $2 deals are limited to 100 redemptions per day, so head down early if you want to snag a super-affordable bite.
Find out more about Food Republic’s 20th anniversary celebrations!
Photos by John Lery Villanueva.
This post was brought to you by Food Republic.
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