1-day Katong and Joo Chiat food itinerary
When my friends ask where I’m at on weekends, the answer is rarely anywhere other than Joo Chiat. As a cafe girlie, Katong and Joo Chiat—technically two separate but adjacent neighbourhoods, though most people, myself included, use the names interchangeably—are the place to be, whether you’re after a solid cup of coffee, a TikTok-viral cafe, or heritage names that have been around for decades.
The Katong neighbourhood is known for its rich Peranakan heritage, a legacy you can still see in the area, most prominently in the colourful shophouses along Koon Seng Road that have become quite the IG hotspot. Some argue Katong has become more gentrified over the years, with newer cafes and concept stores standing alongside the old, but it’s still one of my favourite pockets of Singapore to spend a day in.
This is the loop I’d send anyone on if they only had 12 hours to explore the area. While it mostly covers places to eat, I’ve also woven in a bit of shopping in case you’d like to walk off those calories between feasts.
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Breakfast: Janggut Laksa (Roxy Square)
Whenever I have friends visiting from another country, I always bring them to Janggut Laksa, since it pretty much embodies what Singapore laksa is all about. Plus, it takes a certain pedigree to call yourself “The Original Katong Laksa,” and Janggut Laksa claims to be just that, having served up the dish for over 50 years.
There’s only one item on the menu: laksa, in Small ($6), Medium ($7), or Large ($8). I usually go for the medium bowl, featuring rice noodles loaded with three prawns, a smattering of fishcake strips, tau gay, and a generous helping of cockles.
Janggut’s version carries a distinctive yellowish tinge from its heavier use of coconut milk, and the spice takes a backseat here—good news if you’ve got a lower spice tolerance. That said, I’d recommend stirring in the sambal on the side for a more piquant kick.
In true Katong tradition, you’ll be eating with a spoon only, no chopsticks provided, so don’t worry if you haven’t mastered how to use chopsticks yet.
Read our Janggut Laksa review.
Address: 50 East Coast Road, Roxy Square, #01-64, Singapore 428769
Opening hours: Daily 10:30am to 4:30pm
Janggut Laksa (Roxy Square) is not halal-certified.
Janggut Laksa Review: Does The “Original Katong Laksa” Hold Up Today?
Lunch: Nyonyas And Gentlemen
Think twice before you get seconds at Janggut Laksa, because you’ll need tummy space for the buffet lunch at Nyonyas And Gentlemen. Tucked within Village Hotel Katong, the restaurant specialises in Baba-Nyonya dishes, with its weekday lunch buffet going for $38.90++ per person, available Monday to Thursday from 12pm to 2:30pm.
The mains rotate daily, but you can expect Peranakan staples including Beef Rendang, Ayam Buah Keluak, and Chicken Pongteh, alongside a spread of traditional Nyonya desserts.
If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend going for the Ayam Buah Keluak, which loosely translates to “chicken with black nut,” referring to the buah keluak seed used in the dish. I like their rendition: a rich, savoury gravy mashed with the black nut paste, giving an earthy depth rounded off by a subtle tang from the assam.
What really sets this buffet apart, though, is the DIY station, where you can build your own rojak and kueh pie tee. The latter is a Peranakan snack made of crispy, top-hat-shaped shells that you fill yourself with turnip, egg, crushed peanuts and a drizzle of sweet sauce.
Save room for dessert too. Some of my favourites include Kuih Ketayap, featuring thin pandan crepes rolled around a sweet coconut and gula melaka filling, as well as the Durian Pengat, a rich, custardy dessert made by simmering durian flesh with coconut milk and sugar.
Read our Nyonyas And Gentlemen review.
Address: 25 Marine Parade Road, Level 4, Katong V, Singapore 449536
Opening hours: Daily 6:30am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6241 4850
Website
Nyonyas And Gentlemen Restaurant is halal-certified.
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Shopping: Echo Vintage
Image credit: @danan_525
After lunch, I’d typically spend some time on a bit of vintage hunting in the area, since there are plenty of small shops packed with knick-knacks.
Image credit: @danan_525
One place worth checking out is Echo Vintage. Run by a devoted collector of vintage jewellery, the shop is a treasure trove of accessories, rings, earrings, Japanese pearls and one-of-a-kind costume pieces, spanning Art Deco styles from the 1920s through the 1980s.
Image credit: Vintage Flea Market by The Retro Factory
If your visit happens to line up with the right weekend, it’s also worth swinging by Vintage Flea Market by The Retro Factory, held on the first weekend of every month at Katong Square.
Image credit: Vintage Flea Market by The Retro Factory
Expect a mix of indoor and outdoor booths, with vendors selling everything from vinyl records and vintage fashion to antiques and collectables, all set to live DJ sets spinning old-school tunes as you browse.
Address: 392 Joo Chiat Road, #01-15, Singapore 427624
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 9:30pm
Tel: 8679 0791
Website
Tea time: June Coffee
Joo Chiat is home to a plethora of aesthetic cafes, with notable ones including Seng House and Common Man Coffee Roasters, but if you’re looking for pretty drinks and matcha lattes, I’d recommend dropping by the mega-viral June Coffee.
Fair warning, it’s popular enough that queues can stretch up to an hour, but I’d say it’s worth dining in if you’ve got time to kill. The cafe leans into an earthy, wood-panelled interior with both indoor and pet-friendly outdoor seating. If queuing isn’t your thing, there’s also a takeaway window where you can grab your drink to go.
Matcha lovers should order the Iced Kinako Matcha ($8++), topped with sea salt soy foam and kinako powder, a full-bodied option if you like your matcha with some depth. If you’re after something more indulgent, the Iced Pistachio Latte ($9++) comes with a thick layer of pistachio cream for a nutty finish, while the Black Sesame Latte ($8++) is another popular pick among regulars.
Pair your drink with something off their toast menu; the Honey, Lemon and Ricotta French Toast ($17++) is their most well-known item, served on thick brioche with whipped ricotta, candied pecans and a drizzle of honey, best shared to split the calories.
Read our June Coffee review.
Address: 49 East Coast Road, Singapore 428768
Opening hours: Tue-Thurs 10:30am to 6:30pm, Fri-Sat 10am to 7pm, Sun 10am to 6pm
Website
June Coffee is not halal-certified.
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Dinner: Sta Western
Dinner calls for something heartier, and if I’m in the mood for old-school Western food, I’d drop by Sta Western. This fairly new diner, run by the same team behind Star Western in Kovan, is hard to miss with its bright blue neon sign and old-school arcade machines out front, priced at just $1 a play if you want to squeeze in a game before your food arrives. Prices here are also nett.
Their most raved-about dish is the Chicken Chop ($9.90), available with Mushroom, Black Pepper, or Hainanese sauce, and the portion is massive enough to share between two, for those with smaller appetites.
If you’re feeling adventurous, the Lamb Chop ($14.50) is also worth trying. It’s roughly the size of a palm, with a smoky, charred edge that isn’t overly gamey, even if lamb usually isn’t your thing.
If the mains aren’t enough to fill you up, Sta Western also serves sides including Onion Rings ($11.90), Classic Fries ($6.50), and Curly Fries ($5.50). I always order the USA Baked Potato ($3.50), a whole potato baked till fluffy on the inside with a slightly crisp skin, loaded with a generous amount of sour cream.
Read our Sta Western review.
Address: 197 East Coast Road, Singapore 428901
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10:30pm
Tel: 8292 9478
Website
Sta Western is not halal-certified.
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Dessert: Wan Mei Dessert
Now’s the time to activate your second tummy; round off the night with some snow ice and traditional Chinese desserts at Wan Mei Dessert!
Here, you can fully customise your bowl by picking a flavour, a syrup, and three of 24 available toppings, some of which, including mango hor fun and xiao man tou, are genuinely unexpected additions to a bowl of shaved ice.
The Wan Mei Snow Ice Set ($13.90) is the one to build your own combination with. I always go for matcha snow ice paired with milk syrup and a mix of Oreo crumble, mini mochi, and xiao man tou, for a fun contrast of textures in every spoonful.
If you’re here for something more traditional, the Cheng Tng ($5.90) is worth ordering too. It comes loaded with the usual suspects: lotus seeds, barley, ginkgo nuts, and dried longan, simmered in a warm, sweet broth. That said, it does lean sweet compared to other renditions around Singapore, so it’s best suited for those with a sweet tooth.
Read our Wan Mei Dessert review.
Address: 11 East Coast Road, The Odeon, #01-14, Singapore 428722
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 12pm to 10pm
Tel: 8884 9248
Website
Wan Mei Dessert is not halal-certified.
Wan Mei Dessert Review: Snow Ice With 24 Toppings To Choose From In Katong
12-hour Katong and Joo Chiat food trail
There’s so much more to eat and explore in Joo Chiat and Katong. 12 hours is honestly not enough, but if that’s all the time you have, this food itinerary pretty much covers the must-eats in my favourite neighbourhood in Singapore.
For more cafes in the area, I recommend checking out our Katong cafes guide too. If you’re also visiting Chinatown, our 12-hour Chinatown food itinerary will help you make the most of your time there.
How To Spend 12 Hours In Chinatown: $30++ Dim Sum Buffet, Thrifting And More
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