The crown jewel of Changi Airport is finally complete, a shining beacon of pride for the best airport in the world and probably cementing its place at the top for years to come. With so much to eat, see and do, we scoped out the entire complex and sussed out the highlights to check out for a guaranteed good time at Jewel Changi Airport.
A&W
Beloved A&W has found a permanent home here once again. If you’re a fan, just be prepared to brave the queues in order to get your hands on the crowd-favourite root beer floats, coney dogs and curly fries. While Jewel will be the only place to indulge in some A&W goodness for now, they’ve confirmed that expansion throughout the island is in the works. No need for a Johor trip just for A&W ever again.
Burger & Lobster
There are many F&B spots at the beautiful Canopy Park, but London’s famed Burger & Lobster is only one of two pavilions to have a second floor terrace space, allowing customers to dine in comfort as you admire the Rain Vortex without worry about the crowds below. Get a prime burger with lobster added in for good measure, or the buttery and toasty lobster roll that’s decked with generous lobster chunks.
HSBC Rain Vortex
The massive Rain Vortex is the center of attention in Jewel that greets every guest as they enter. Essentially a 40m high indoor waterfall, it holds the record for being the tallest in the world, and uses actual rainwater as a means to conserve water use and for usage in the landscape irrigation systems. While the view during the day is already breathtaking, colourful light projections illuminate the centrepiece for the equally amazing nighttime Light & Sound show, happening from 8.30pm to 12.30pm at hourly intervals.
In Good Company
Homegrown fashion boutique In Good Company is among the several local brands to open at Jewel. Style flows seamlessly off this minimalistically-artistic womenswear label and onto the walls of the outlet; bold-coloured curved accent walls of various sizes serve both as backdrops for thin racks of hanging clothes, as well as to direct the flow of motion in the store for shoppers to meander through. In Good Company presents garments that hold character in its own quiet way, reimagining timeless pieces for a spot in every working lady’s wardrobe. While you’re there, pick up a scoop of gelato or two from partnering ice cream boutique, Birds of Paradise, located right at the doorstep of the contemporary fashion outlet.
JW360
Experience Japanese delights with this triple threat concept store, comprising a cafe, retail store and a restaurant. The 140-seater operated by the same people behind Suju offers a menu that marries traditional Japanese tastes with the versatility of Western flavours, resulting in items like hamburg steaks and cream-style chicken. After a hearty meal, purchase your fill of snacks to take home at Nomono mart, where an abundance of tidbits and sweets are made available at relatively affordable prices. There’s sake too, both purchasable as gifts or at the bar for consumption. For a light tea break, the JW360 cafe is unmissable with its extensive Japanese gelato parlour, boasting unique flavours like Hoji-Cha and Japanese Whiskey.
Lady M
Beloved New York patisserie Lady M gets its first 50-seater cake boutique and cafe at Jewel. The airy, open-concept space is the only outlet where you can get your hands on Lady M’s new Bon Bons line—a sweet selection of cocktail-inspired gummies, flavoured nuts, and premium chocolates, available to have in-store or to-go. Aside, find your favourite mille crepe cakes here, including an all-new frozen mille crepe cake that stays fresh even if you’re grabbing it to hop on a flight.
Lavender
A common stop for those who travel to Johor often for a quick getaway, the Malaysian bakery brand’s shop in Jewel marks their entry into Singapore—though we doubt this will stop Singaporeans from still stocking up on their fragrant bakes and pastries while across the causeway.
Manulife Sky Nets (opens Jun 10)
Who says you can’t take on thrilling attractions while in transit at the airport? Stretched across the whole Canopy Park, Manulife Sky Nets is a combination of two concepts: a walking and a bouncing net. Both are designed to take visitors across the tallest level of Jewel while getting their adrenaline pumping. While the walking net is sturdier for a more leisurely stroll, it looks over a void of 25m down to level one. On the other hand, the bouncing net allows the more hyperactive to leap across an 8m-high vantage point. Whatever you do, don’t forget to look down. Not for the faint of heart.
Naiise Iconic
The homegrown design retailer sure is on a roll; after its involvement in Design Orchard, Naiise is the only local store occupying a duplex unit in Jewel. At this new concept, you’ll find over 600 local and international brands (the likes of Hush Candle, skincare label Re:erth, Matter Prints and more), with 50 exclusive to the outlet. A special tea bar in collaboration with Teapasar lets you sample and sip on more than 30 brands of freshly brewed tea—which you’ll need to get in order to get through this whole damn mall.
Nike
Stop by for fresh kicks at Nike’s largest store in Southeast Asia and India. Featuring exclusive murals designed by local artist “Sticker Lady” Sam Lo, the duplex space stocks the most extensive range of Nike footwear, apparel and merchandise you’ll find on the island. The store also houses the region’s first-ever “Nike By You” customisation lab that lets you personalise your very own Nike T-shirts and footwear; you can even get original artwork by Lo printed on selected Nike apparel too.
O’Tah
O’Tah by Lee Wee & Brothers packs a punch despite being a small 12-seater kiosk. They serve up marinated minced mackerel otah with a twist, embedding exclusive flavours into the grilled fish cake. The otahs come in four different variations—pink salmon, scallop, cream cheese and corn, and green petai and anchovy. Besides the conventional sticks of otah, grab a charcoal-bun otah burger, a pesto salmon nasi lemak, or the O’Tah Fries perfect for snacking.
Pokemon Center Singapore
The first Pokemon Center outside of Japan—the birthplace of them cute animated critters that spawned so many video games, movies and cartoon series’—has finally landed, and Singapore welcomes it with open arms. Collect them all with plushies big and small all available at the store, plus local exclusives like the pilot and stewardess Pikachu soft toys that in no way spark concerns about Pokemon gender equality.
Rich & Good
Famed for their swiss rolls that’re made fresh and quickly sold out daily, the local cakery’s first foray outside Kandahar is an important move, marking the brand’s direction to make their bakes more accessible than ever to travellers wanting a taste of Rich & Good. Definitely get the Red Velvet or Kaya flavours (both $10 each), or the dependably yummy Chocolate ($9) one. The pretty shopfront is just icing on the (roll) cake.
Shake Shack
The much-hyped arrival of Shake Shack in Singapore is, surprisingly, well-deserved. Their signature ShackBurger ($9.20) is everything a burger should be—tender, juicy and sized perfectly for chomps—and priced well for a burger of that standard. Otherwise, the cheesy Shroom Burger ($10.80) has definitely made fans out of us, while Singapore exclusives like the Pandan Shake ($7.80) topped with gula melaka crumble is the thing to get for something none of the previous 220 Shake Shacks in the world has. The specially-brewed ShackMeister Ale ($13.50 for roughly a pint) by Brooklyn Brewery pairs well with the umami-laden burgers too.
Shang Social
One of the most massive venues has got to be the over 608 sqm Shang Social, the first ever standalone concept by the Shangri-La Group opened independently from one of their hotels. It’s big, because it houses a fine dining area, a proper bar, a casual eatery, as well as retail spaces, all under one roof. The restaurant itself is helmed by three master chefs, including Shang’s own Michelin-starred Mok Kit Keung, each dishing out fine modern Cantonese, Huaiyang and Sichuan cuisine. So come for a proper sit-down, a cocktail or just a hearty bowl of bamboo noodles—the choice is yours.
Shaw Theatres
While the concept of having a cinema in the airport isn’t unfamiliar for the airport, the opening of Shaw Theatres at Jewel is the first not located within the transit area. There will be 11 screens, comprising of an IMAX theatre (the first in Singapore using laser tech), two premium Lumiere options (the seats here are more awesome), and a kid-friendly Dreamers one (expect babies and toddlers running about).
Shiseido Forest Valley
To truly bring home the “Garden City” branding that Singapore has adopted, four-storey Shiseido Forest Valley dominates the landscape and theming of the mall, filling every facade with lush verdancy. Sectioned into two divisions—East and West trails—the forest provides two different walking routes that enclose around the central Rain Vortex. Encounter cascading waterfalls when walking along the East Trail and a misty trek among glowing neon trees on the West Trail.
Starbucks
Starbucks‘ outlet in Jewel takes the coffee brand that we know and love and kicks it up several caffeinated notches higher. The exterior of this particular Starbucks plays with the consistent theme of heavy foliage throughout Jewel, accented with signboards crafted out of shrubbery and complete with wooden walls and flooring for the spacious two-storey coffee spot. But it’s not just the facade that’s special here—new brews and food await. The Starbucks Reserve Bar sits as the centrepiece, offering caffeine-seekers a selection of the rarest brews and a quick chat. Signature croissants are now baked in-house too, so customers can have their pastry fresh and flaky.
Tiger Street Lab
Found on the topmost fifth floor Canopy Park that’s perfect for a chill out sesh with the crew, Tiger Street Lab is the first concept store in the world opened by Singapore’s own Tiger beer, and they’re making sure both locals and tourists have something to like here. There’s freshly-tapped Tiger lager of course, as well as seasonal experimental brews like a malty orchid-infused dark beer. Pair ‘em with local street food by Keng Eng Kee Seafood (the coffee ribs are sick) and remember to bring home a customisable bottle ($15) of Tiger beer with your initials on it.
Tonito
Tonito is the first all-Latin American restaurant in Singapore, and helmed by Daniel Chavez, best known for his amazing Spanish restaurant Ola Cocina Del Mar. Here, you’ll get to enjoy authentic Mexican, Brazilian, Argentinian cuisines and more, that’s guaranteed to be a comfort hit thanks to the pedigree of the ones toiling away in the kitchen.
YotelAir
The only hotel within Jewel, YotelAir Singapore marks the transit brand’s arrival here (after sister brand Yotel in Orchard). They offer both regular and hourly stays (minimum four hours) and is located landside, so locals can have a staycation here too while enjoying all the amenities that Jewel and the hotel (like their Komyuniti restaurant and bar) has to offer. Choose between Premium Queen, Premium Queen Accessible and Family configurations for your stay.
Jewel Changi Airport is located at 78 Airport Blvd.
