Restaurants In High Places Where The Food And The View Make You Go "Wah Seh!"
It is the garden destination of the moment, the outing of choice for everyone from young plantsmen and anthophiles to elderly retirees who wait patiently for the elevator, which can take an eternity to float 51 storeys skywards.
The draw: a 10,000sqft rooftop Food Forest blossoming with edible plants. Come before dusk on a warm day and you could even leave with a bonus tan.
When you’re done strolling through the terraced foliage, you could lunch at the adjoining Kaarla Restaurant and Bar where executive chef John-Paul Fiechtner dishes out delicious contemporary Australian fare using much of the bounty that grows right outside. Come at dusk and you could enjoy a beautiful sunset and dinner with a sparkling view of the CBD and beyond.
Restaurants with a view have always been a draw in Singapore, but these days, they’ve all levelled up thanks to incredible food and experiences that are integral parts of their sum.
So aside from the captivating Kaarla, here are several others that you’ll want to bookmark for the next time you’re in the market for a meal with stunning views and so much more.
No longer just restaurants, today’s sky-high establishments are often sprawling multi-concept spaces that offer varying experiences for myriad tastes.
1-Atico, a penthouse destination that occupies the 55th and 56th floors of ION Orchard, is home to Japanese-Peruvian sumiyaki bar and grill, FLNT; Argentinian restaurant FIRE; and the swanky ATICO Lounge.
As its name implies, FIRE serves Argentinian fare cooked over open fire fuelled by the likes of apple, almond and oakwood.
At the buzzy FLNT, watch chefs deftly cook ingredients over a binchotan grill while sipping on sake-infused cocktails such as the Mizuame made from Kyoho grape sake, blood orange liqueur and cherry blossom.
ATICO Lounge, meanwhile, is a playground for sophisticated grown-ups who like low-slung tables and plush seats on which to enjoy their well-made libations.
A spectacular view is requisite with a name like Level33. Besides being the world’s highest urban microbrewery, it is also a restaurant and lounge split into different spaces including a dining room and raw bar.
But for the best view, you’ll want a seat at the terrace where you’ll get stunning vistas of the Marina Bay waterfront.
Executive chef Jake Kowalewski recently revamped the menus, turning the focus to sustainability. Expect dishes incorporating spent grains used for brewing beer and richly flavoured pasture-fed free-range beef and lamb.
Of course, there’s plenty of beer in elements like Blond Lager pickled shallots and in the range of small-batch brews tended to by resident brewmaster Gabriel Garcia.
Prime cuts of meat and seafood sourced from some of the best farms in Australia and the United States make up the menu at this handsome steakhouse. But the view of the city and ocean beyond might distract your attention from their scrumptiousness.
Set on the 38th floor of Andaz Singapore, 665°F is stylishly cavernous, with tan and teal accents set against dark wood and gilded walls. Among the signature dishes are slabs of Rangers Valley Tomahawk and perfectly done beef Wellington with truffle mashed potatoes.
A great place for intimate date nights or to seal a coveted business deal.
With its stunning view of the Marina Bay and Merlion Park from its floor-to-ceiling windows, Riviera is a great spot for a romantic meal, wedding or special occasion. That view is also the reason why it is booked weeks in advance on the weekends leading up to the National Day Parade.
It helps that the food by executive chef Remy Carmignani is superlative. Taking inspiration from a wide swathe of the Mediterranean – think France to Italy and as far as North Africa – Carmignani serves winning dishes such as traditional Morrocan lamb tangia with faggotini and milk-fed sweetbreads with preserved lemon.
A vista of Marina Bay and the city skyline? Double check. But these views seldom come more sweepingly breathtaking than at VUE’s rooftop alfresco spritz bar. Arched ceilings in its adjoining glass-walled restaurant give it a sense of grandeur as you tuck into tasting menus often defined by dishes kissed with the smokiness of a binchotan grill.
Set on the 19th floor of OUE Bayfront, VUE serves excellent value-for-money prix fixe menus, with dishes that change with the seasons. Think pan-seared Hokkaido scallops in summer and grilled salmon with morel and clam beurre blanc in the fall.
Reservations are crucial since it sits in the heart of the business district where corporate types already have a hold on this hidden gem.
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