New Bahru is a trendy lifestyle enclave in River Valley with retail shops, creative studios, and fitness clubs, all within the grounds of the now-defunct Nan Chiau High School. It’s also packed with trendy cafes and restaurants worth checking out, and with a fresh wave of new openings recently added to the mix, there are now even more spots to look forward to. Check out our guide to the best food places in New Bahru!
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Michelin Bib Gourmand regular The Coconut Club is known for their excellent ayam goreng berempah and flavourful coconut rice, where jasmine rice, aged for two years, is first cooked with a house-made rempah, then infused with fresh coconut milk.
Be sure to try their Signature Ayam Goreng Berempah ($21++), featuring spiced fried organic chicken that’s crispy on the outside and succulent within. You can also opt for the Rendang ($26++) and Homemade Otah ($16++) as alternative proteins for your nasi lemak.
Unit number: #01-14
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11am to 3:30pm, 5:30pm to 10:30pm, Fri-Sun 11am to 10:30pm
Tel: 9030 0634
Website
The Coconut Club is not halal-certified.
IG-famous Dearborn has its flagship cafe here in New Bahru, offering diners a range of breakfast and brunch items, alongside their signature granola, fresh bakes, and coffee.
Fans will be happy to know that they can enjoy the brand’s Granola here, priced from $9 a bowl. You can also look forward to freshly made toasts such as Smoked Cheddar and Chilli Sourdough Toast ($7) and Sweet Potato Roll Toasted ($6). Drinks-wise, get your caffeine fix in the form of a Black ($6), White ($7), or Matcha Latte ($8)!
Unit number: #03-04
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 9am to 3pm
Website
Dearborn is not halal-certified.
Headed by the multi-award-winning local chef Bjorn Shen, Artichoke has transformed from a Mediterranean restaurant into a retro pizza parlour. Unlike the popular artisanal Neapolitan-style pizzas, Chef Bjorn keeps his pizzas simple, with crisp crusts and tasty toppings.
A must-try is the Bacon Apple Pie Slab ($32++ for six slices), topped with pancetta, baked apples, brie, mozzarella, and house-made apple butter, finished with hazelnuts and rosemary. Our favourite, however, is the Tropic Thunder Round ($32++), loaded with Parma ham, jackfruit, ginger flower, and creamy burrata, plus Pecorino, mint, and a drizzle of honey.
Read our Artichoke review.
Unit number: #01-02
Opening hours: Tue 5pm to 10pm, Wed-Sun 11am to 10pm
Website
Artichoke is not halal-certified.
If you’re hitting up New Bahru at night, here’s a vibey restaurant to bookmark: Kotuwa. The Sri Lankan restaurant bar, founded by the famous Chef Rishi Naleendra, was awarded a spot on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list.
Here you’ll find the restaurant’s signature Kottu Rotti (from $25++), which is essentially chopped-up roti cooked with veggies, eggs, and gravy, alongside mains such as Lamb Shank ($42++) and a rich Crab Curry (seasonal price). For those who want something to drink, their cocktail menu is equally noteworthy, with options such as Mai Chai ($25++)—Dark Rum, White Rum, Spiced Orgeat—and Silvertip White Negroni ($25++), a blend of Colombo gin, Silvertip Tea vermouth, cardamom, and Ceylon olive bitters.
Unit number: #01-03
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 6pm to 11pm, Fri-Sun 12pm to 11pm
Website
Kotuwa is not halal-certified.
You can get Huevos‘ cult-favourite tacos and nachos at New Bahru! The popular eatery often sports long queues at its OG North Bridge restaurant, so fans can consider this outlet for their Mexican fix.
You won’t go wrong with their tacos, available in flavours such as Baja Fish ($15++/$19++) and Birria Beef ($16++/$20++). Tacos are served in portions of two or three. Their Loaded Nachos ($21++), topped with chicken, guacamole and more, is another hot favourite for its massive serving!
Read our Huevos Bugis review!
Unit number: #01-16
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11am to 2:15pm, 5pm to 10pm
Website
Huevos is not halal-certified.
Odem is an artisanal makgeolli bar and restaurant by popular franchise, Ajumma’s Korean Restaurant. Here you’ll find an extensive array of spirits by craft brewers from different regions of Korea, alongside contemporary Korean dishes.
If you’re visiting for brunch, try their Kalbi Sando ($30++), where a juicy beef short rib patty is paired with pickles, aged cheddar, aioli, and house-made sando sauce, sandwiched between shokupan slices. Else, their Duck Guksu ($28++), a cold and refreshing dish of buckwheat noodles, barbecued duck, perilla seed sauce, and cucumber kimchi, is equally moreish.
Unit number: #01-17
Opening hours: Tue-Thurs, Sun 11:30am to 11pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 12am
Website
Odem is not halal-certified.
After becoming a household name at One-north, One Fattened Calf opened its second outlet at New Bahru! The brand is known for its delicious beef burgers prepared with house-baked potato buns and grass-fed beef.
Check out the OFC ButterBurger (from $16.50): this signature burger stars two slabs of cold grass-fed a 150g patty of premium New Zealand grass-fed beef, smashed on the grill and blowtorched before serving.
Read our One Fattened Calf review.
Unit number: #01-11
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 8pm
Website
One Fattened Calf is not halal-certified.
While Zhup Zhup serves Michelin-approved claypot prawn noodles at MacPherson, One Prawn & Co, its swankier sister restaurant, serves up some unique ramen with a local twist.
We recommend the Prawn Bisque Ramen ($30++), starring a rich bisque made from slow-roasted prawn heads and shells. The broth is simmered for over 20 hours with 18kg of prawn heads and 30kg of pork bones, resulting in a deeply flavourful, umami-packed soup. For something spicy, try the Cold Mala Crack Noodles ($18++), featuring chewy sweet potato noodles tossed in fragrant mala oil and served with vegetable tempura on the side.
Read our One Prawn & Co review!
Unit number: #01-10
Opening hours: Wed-Fri 11am to 3 pm, 6pm to 10pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 4:30pm, 6pm to 10pm
Tel: 8366 0130
Website
One Prawn & Co is not halal-certified.
TopTable is Singapore’s first table tennis-themed bar and cafe. Practise your serves while enjoying food and drinks, with quality tables from Swedish brand Stiga and plenty of bats and balls so you can play right away.
Rates start from $13++ per person for 55 minutes of play, or opt for group packages that include games, food, and drinks. Food-wise, their pizzas are a highlight, from classics such as Pepperoni ($29++) to Prosciutto ($32++). Drinks come with fun names such as Smasharita ($19++) and Pong-jito ($19++).
Read our TopTable coverage.
Unit number: #04-12
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 12pm to 11pm
Tel: 8068 2866
Website
TopTable is not halal-certified.
If you’re looking to wine and dine in style, consider Le Clos. This French restaurant in New Bahru has a bar area, main dining room, alfresco terrasse, and private wine room, so you can pick the setting that best suits the occasion.
Feast on exquisite mains such as O’Connor Grass-Fed Angus Striploin ($39++), Homemade Mafaldine Spanner Crab & Bisque ($35++) and more, while pairing them with sides including Brittany Oysters ‘Perle Noire’ ($12++) and Octopus Tempura Leg & Espelette Pepper Mayo ($19++). Don’t forget to order some wine as well—the restaurant has over 2000 labels of fine wines.
Unit number: #01-18
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 12am
Tel: 9387 4969
Website
Les Clos is not halal-certified.
Dumpling Darlings, opened by the team behind Lola’s Cafe, is well-loved for its dumplings and al dente noodles. Good news for fans: the homegrown brand is setting up shop at New Bahru soon!
The dumplings here are served in portions of five, with crowd favourites such as The Original ($8++), filled with minced pork collar, napa cabbage, and paired with ginger soy sauce and black vinegar. If you’re in the mood for something different, try their Smoked Duck ($10++) dumplings, which feature shiitake mushrooms, caramelised leek, hoisin, and mustard for a bold flavour profile.
Unit number: TBD
Opening hours: TBD
Website
Dumpling Darlings is not halal-certified.
Widely hailed as serving some of Singapore’s best roast meats and wonton noodles, Laifaba has developed a cult following, with even IG-famous foodies singing its praises. Don’t want to travel all the way to the Bukit Batok industrial estate to try their famed noodles? You can enjoy them in New Bahru soon.
There are two signature options at Laifaba: Signature Rice and Signature Noodles. Both are priced at $12++ per portion and come with the same toppings—bu jian tian char siew, poached and fried wontons, Hong Kong kai lan, and a bowl of pork bone and scallop broth. We’ll update this article once we get more details on their New Bahru opening.
Read our Laifaba review.
Unit number: TBD
Opening hours: TBD
Website
Laifaba is not halal-certified.
Sushi fans definitely know Sushiro—Japan’s largest conveyor belt sushi chain, famous for its quality sushi. With over 100 varieties of sushi and side dishes, the choices here feel endless. Classics including swordfish, salmon, tuna, and grilled mackerel start from just $2.30++, while premium plates, such as Bluefin Fatty Tuna and Red Snapper, go for $4.90++. If you’re feeling thirsty, a free-flow drinks bar is also available for just $3++ per person.
Unit number: TBD
Opening hours: TBD
Sushiro is not halal-certified.
KULON is run by native Javanese Madam Wati and her son, Haris Ahmad. While their menu offers a variety of Javanese comfort food—including some dishes you don’t often see locally—their true specialty is bakmi.
Go for their signature dish, the Bakmi Komplit ($13.80). “Komplit,” or “complete,” means it comes with all the possible toppings on the menu. A zhnged-up version of their Bakmi Spesial ($11.80), this dish features a sweet soya sauce-braised egg and fried kulit pangsit. If bakmi isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy other dishes such as the Nasi Ayam Geprek Ijo ($9.20).
Unit number: TBD
Opening hours: TBD
KULON is halal-certified.
PPP Coffee is no stranger to Singapore’s cafe scene, brought to you by the team behind the famous Chye Seng Huat Hardware. This specialty roaster goes beyond your usual cup of joe with its Coffee Omakase, where you get to sample rare coffees from around the world. You can enjoy it every Friday at 5:30pm, priced at $55++ per person.
Beyond coffee, PPP Coffee also serves up a solid all-day dining menu. Go for the Big Breakfast ($28++), loaded with cheese, pork sausage, sauteed wild mushrooms, sourdough, bacon, baked beans, and your choice of eggs. Alternatively, the popular Duck Rosti ($24++) features shredded duck confit, crispy potato rosti, a sunny-side-up egg, and herbs.
Unit number: #01-06
Opening hours: Daily 8am to 10pm
Website
PPP Coffee is not halal-certified.
We hope this New Bahru food guide comes in handy on your next visit to the River Valley mall!
Pro tip: New Bahru is about a 10 to 15-minute walk away from Fort Canning MRT Station on the Downtown Line. If you’re not keen on walking, you can also hop on the free shuttle bus from Fort Canning MRT Station (Exit B) or Orchard Gateway.
If you’d like to feast on unlimited steak, read our best steak buffets guide. Alternatively, read our guide to the best dim sum places in Singapore if you’re looking for cheap and good bao.
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