Where to eat and drink on Neil Road

Wholesome Haunts

From the folks behind Sarnies in Telok Ayer, this cafe is housed in the Goethe-Institut. Coffee aside, they have hearty meals on offer from the pork burger to the house-smoked mackerel. If you’re more of a health nut, it does delicious peanut butter-almond milk smoothies and tons of salads with crunch watercress and quinoa.

If drinking tea is more your pace, this large shophouse space specializes in the art of Chinese tea. Whether you’re just looking for some tea to drink at home or want to learn how to appreciate teas, it’s got a retail store and a workshop space. The place specializes in tea cookies and Pu’er tea jellies but it sells all sorts of teas from green to red to floral. There’s an exhibition of Zisha teapots, too.

Dinner and Drinks

An Italian restaurant that’s pretty easy to miss, this place serves great pasta dishes. The simple and homey interiors don’t belie the finesse of the food with dishes like gnocchi with seasonal vegetables ragout and our personal favorite, the pinched ravioli with roast beef in veal jus.

We love this cocktail bar tucked in between some gay bars. The classy Franco-Asian cocktail bar has a signature woody scent and is decked out in custom-made furniture and dim lighting. On the menu are classic cocktails that are given a local twist, wines and spirits by the bottle. Don’t miss the Screaming Tomatoes or the Champagne Labruyere, if you’re in the mood for something bubbly.

Asian Delights

Aside from its new Palais Renaissance digs, this is the original outlet of this local family restaurant. The family-run establishment serves up comforting Chinese classics like xiao long bao (pork-filled soup dumplings), pan-fried pancakes with minced pork and chives and the famous red bean pancake.

ManBok Korean BBQ

Don’t be confused by the other Manbok that’s down the road in Tanjong Pagar. This one’s a barbecue restaurant through and through. Aside from grilling the meats for you, there are tons of sets that includes a variety of meats like beef, pork, eel and octopus. The restaurant also serves other favorites like beancurd stew and drinks like soju.
116 Neil Rd., 6436-3424.

Late Night Fun

This one’s a favorite for late-night suppers. As far as Neil Road goes, this one’s an institution and is well known for the Dinosaur prawn mee that’s brimming with pork ribs, huge prawns and egg noodles. At night, the no-frills restaurant also serves a variety of zi char dishes like prawns, clams and stingray in their special sauce.

Always with a line out the door, this gay bar and club seems to always be the most happening place with a lounge area and dance floor. There are tons of pretty young things waiting to get in to dance to the house and Top 40s anthems. Just don’t be surprised when the drama spills over to the sidewalks.