For a place with a notably strict shutdown policy, Singapore restaurants have held their own since the start of the pandemic. The food-obsessed city-state, which has one of the world’s highest vaccination rates, has watched its best-known restaurants evolve and a spurt of new eateries and creative concepts open.
In November, restaurants totaled S$706 million ($521 million) in food-and-beverage sales, according to the Singapore Department of Statistics, the highest level since March 2021. The most upscale restaurants have done solid business—well-off locals spent money on dining when they couldn’t travel, and many places expanded their business model with products like S$55 ice cream at the Michelin three-star Les Amis. As Singaporeans continue to clamor to go out, places can be booked weeks or even months in advance.
