Singapore's Underrated Neighborhood Is Filled With Generations-Old Restaurants And A Rich History

In Singapore, venturing to lesser-known districts rewards travelers with both great sights and fantastic bites. It's certainly the case for Katong-Joo Chiat, a hidden gem packed with family-run restaurants that have filled visitors with delicious and inexpensive food for centuries. Singapore's diverse cuisine makes it one of the top culinary destinations in Asia, and the Katong area will leave you with no doubt as to why.

Katong-Joo Chiat's enchantment is the result of it oozing with colors coming from its street markets and its Peranakan heritage buildings. The neighborhood is home to a strong Peranakan community, which consists of Straits-born people of Chinese, Malay, or Indonesian heritage. In Singapore, the term is generally used to mean mixed-heritage people. With a rich and diverse community comes a variety of unique experiences, from unmissable home-hosted museums to antique shops and houses filled with kaleidoscopic trinkets.

Maybe you've already visited this neck of the woods to witness spectacular lunar year celebrations, and are now curious about what's on the other side. You can easily reach Katong-Joo Chiat in 25 minutes on the bus from Singapore's central station of Brang Basah. Alternatively, you can hop on the metro or bus for about 40 minutes if you're coming directly from the airport, and you want this to be your first bite of the dazzling metropolis.

Once a British trading port, Katong-Joo Chiat has retained its coastal importance but shifted its economy from foreign trade to local hospitality. Its rich history welcoming people from across the globe has made it an intriguing multicultural spot, where Singaporian cuisine meets Peranakan flavors. Often, that involves Chinese cooking techniques adapted to ingredients and flavors of the Straits. The best place to start your culinary tour of Katong-Joo Chiat is Kim Choo Kueh Chang. This famous dumpling shop is a staple of Peranakan cuisine, and worth a stop for delicious rice dumplings (called 'nonya'), which are glutinous, savory, and oozing with tangy pork or beef filling in a rich sauce.

After you have indulged in dumplings, make sure you save space for a steaming-hot bowl of laksa. A delicacy originally from Malaysia and Indonesia, this dish has become an adoptive culinary heritage of Singapore, granting it the name of Katong Laksa. 71-year-old chef George is the last of a generation of cooks who have perfected the recipe at George's Katong Laksa since the 1970s. The dish typically features rice noodles, chicken, prawn, and is doused in hot sauce with coconut milk.

You can't leave Katong without trying popiah, a thin and crisp 'dough skin' filled with all sorts of delicious ingredients, from chilli crab and crispy tofu to a-char, and sambal chilli. Popiah skin takes real skill to make, with its technique often passed from father to son for generations. That's the case for Kway Guan Huat, a local gem based out of a food cart. Its popularity and longevity has earned it the title of 'Singapore's original popiah shop'.

Traditional Peranakan architecture and heritage are the defining traits of Katong-Joo Chiat. As you stroll along Joo Chiat street, giving the name to this colorful side of town, you will notice house fronts and shops alike painted in bright pink, turquoise, light blue, and green. It's not unusual to spot decorative elements recalling the natural world, such as butterflies, frogs, or sea creature motifs. The name of the neighborhood itself, 'Katong', means marine turtle — a nod towards a species that used to inhabit the Eastern bay and is now extinct.

Katong-Joo Chiat is recognized as a stunning neighborhood, with over 800 buildings preserved by the Urban Authority. The district is also known as the 'Peranakan Enclave', as it is home not only to the community but also to its museums and heritage references. The best way to actively explore this corner of the city state is by joining a side-car tour. This way you can experience life like a local, riding your way through the district on a colorful vintage Vespa. But you can also replicate the same buzz by exploring on foot.

To find out about Katong-Joo Chiat's rich history, start at The Intan. This quirky museum is home to a vast collection of Peranakan artifacts, from antiques to every-day objects. The unique thing about it? It's also owner Alvin Yapp's home. He acts as curator and tour leader. Admission to The Intan must be pre-booked, so make sure you arrange a visit in advance. Head to Katong Antique House, a brisk 18-minute walk away, to experience a typical Peranakan family home, filled with glossy furniture, portraits, and typical local costumes.