(TL;DR: This is the list of food your friends will be bugging you to eat this year — unless you beat them to it.)
Food is a huge part of Singaporeans’ lives, and we’re no strangers to food trends. In fact, we possibly embrace them. From the rise and fall (and rise again) of bubble tea to the cupcake craze, the best foodies always knows what food is in, and what has long left the building.
If you want in on what to expect in 2016, here are the top food trends you need to get in on.
Hong Kong Food
As far as Tim Ho Wan and Jenny Bakery is to go on, Singaporeans love their Hong Kong food. In fact, there seems to be a rise of Singaporeans travelling to Hong Kong to boast their amazing dim sum craze. This has brought a wave of Hong Kong brands to Singapore, such as Mr Rich Bakery with their melt-in-your-mouth cookies, Tai Cheong Bakery with their savoury egg tarts, and Kam’s Roast Goose for — well, the roast goose.
We can also thank the HongKongers for salted egg croissants, made popular by Urban Bakery in Hong Kong. Ugh, too good!
Jenny Bakery
Address: 422 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, #01-2534, 560422
Tel: 6988 6136
Dutch Babies
We’ve seen waffles and layered crepe cakes, but the dessert of the year looks set to be the Dutch Baby (aka German pancakes!), a delicious creamy pancake with the thickness and shape of a tart and a crispiness around the edges of a biscuit. It’s typically served in a skillet pan and dusted with icing sugar, making it the ultimate Instagram star.
To make things even better, Bedok-based Hot Pans even tops these babies with ice cream, fruits, and syrup. BRB while I die and go to pancake heaven.
Hot Pans
Address: #02-14 Bedok Market Place, 348 Bedok Rd, S469560.
Tel: 9690-1079.
Salted-egg everything
The salted-egg game is on! From the salted egg chicken in Toa Payoh to Salted egg croissants from Antoinette, we can resist anything covered in this salty-sweet cholestrol-filled goodness and gives the classic liu sha bao a run for its money.
If you’re nervous about dipping your toes into this trend, then start small with Charcoal Waffles with Salted Egg Sauce from Fat Cat Ice Cream Bar in Bedok North, and move your way up to TAO’s Cripsy Fish Skin with Salted Egg Sauce. And this also wouldn’t be complete if without salted egg fish skin and salted egg chips from Irvin’s!
If you’re already in on this trend, then make your way to Tom’s Palette for some salted-egg ice cream.
You can atone for your food sins later.
Antoinette
Address: 30 Penhas Road (off Lavender Street), Singapore 208188
333A Orchard Road, Mandarin Gallery #02-33/34, Singapore 238897
TAO
Address: 12 Marina View, Asia Square Tower 2, #02-10 Singapore 018961
Fat Cat Ice Cream Bar
Address: 416 Bedok North Avenue 2, Singapore 460416
Tom’s Palette
Address: 100 Beach Rd #01-25 Shaw Tower Singapore 189702
Tel: 6296 5239
Natural and Healthy
With all the yummy-but-less-healthy food trends comes the healthiest one of all. With more Singaporeans becoming health-conscious and busier than ever, people want healthy food, and they want it now. A report by Baum + Witman states that there is a rise of so-called ‘clean’ menus,with food is free of artificial ingredients and other chemical enhancers, emphasising natural products and vegetables and catering to dietary measures. Whether you’re going gluten free or vegan, this is the year that you get many more choices.
You can get back to your roots with Afterglow’s plant-based meals, or get fast healthy Japanese fusion choices from Shinkansen during your lunch hour. If you have more of a sweet tooth, swap that ice cream with Project Acai in Orchard for a bowl filled with superfruits for a delicious detox.
Afterglow
Address: 24 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089131
Tel: 6224 8921
Shinkansen
Address: Ocean Financial Centre, 10 Collyer Quay, #B1-08, Singapore 049315
United Square, 101 Thomson Road, #B1-60A, Singapore 307591
100am @ Tanjong Pagar, 100 Tras Street, #03-22, Singapore 079027
Project Acai
Address: 391 Orchard Road, #B2-32A, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Ngee Ann City, Singapore 238872
Fancy Hawker Food
Let’s be frank here, hawker food will never go out of style. But what will come back in is the fanciest food you’ll see in a hawker stall ever. After The Good Beer Company showed us how we can revolutionise the hawker stall, we’ve seen Ah Bong’s Italian and Immanuel French Kitchen with upscale food in hawker stalls and coffeeshops. Now, you can even indulge in great burgers from Hambaobao in Beauty World Food Centre, or get your pork knuckle fix at Stew Küche at Bukit Merah.
Ah Bong’s Italian
Address: #01-46, 56 Eng Hoon St, 169793
Tel: 9650 6194
Immanuel French Kitchen
Address: 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1, 151119
Tel: 9297 3285
Hambaobao
Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #04-49588177
Tel: 9667 5254
Stew Küche
Address: Blk 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-40, Singapore 151119
Tel: 6276 6445
Food Delivery
Move aside pizza delivery, these days you should be able to deliver whatever you want at any time of day. Thanks to the rise of delivery services this year, not being able to leave the office doesn’t mean you can’t eat well. Food Panda has been met with success in the last few years, but the new player in Singapore, Deliveroo, is giving the bears a run for their money with piping hot meals in a short time from smaller chains like Sumo Salad, and upscale restaurants like PS Cafe and Modestos.
If you’re looking for healthier lunch options, food delivery service Grain has you covered.