Kopitiam

A kopitiam is a coffee shop before it is anything else, and this one takes both halves seriously — the drinks are as much the reason to come as the food. Kyo Pang cooks the Nyonya dishes she grew up with, and the thing that stands out over repeat visits is how reliably it lands. It hits the spot every time, which is a harder trick than a single great meal.

What to know

Casual seating, first come first served — no reservations, so turn up and take whatever seat opens up. It runs from ten in the morning until ten at night every day, which makes it one of the easier places downtown to actually get into.