Dempsey & Holland Village Food & Drink Restaurants

The 10 Best Restaurants in Dempsey & Holland Village (2026)

Updated November 2026 · 10 picks

The best restaurants in Dempsey Hill in 2026 are Burnt Ends for wood-fired barbecue, Candlenut for Michelin-starred Peranakan food, Claudine for French cooking in a former chapel, Min Jiang for Peking duck and dim sum, and Samy's Curry for fish head curry on banana leaf. Jim Thompson and PS.Cafe suit groups.

Dempsey Hill is a cluster of former British Army barracks set in greenery off Holland Road, now filled with restaurants, bars and galleries. There is no MRT station at the top: take a taxi or ride-hail, or walk about 15 minutes uphill from Napier MRT on the Thomson-East Coast Line. Most places are on Dempsey Road, Harding Road and Minden Road, close together, and the busy nights are Friday and Saturday, so book. For Peranakan food across the island, see our Peranakan restaurants guide.

1. Burnt Ends — Dempsey Road

Wood-fired barbecue cooking that is on the World's 50 Best extended list.

$$$$ Splurge

Burnt Ends cooks almost everything over wood in custom brick kilns and grills, with a counter facing the fire. Its menu runs from smoked quail eggs with caviar to king crab with garlic brown butter and thick-cut steaks, and it is listed at No. 89 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list for 2026.

It is the Dempsey booking people plan around. Sit at the counter if you can, and save room for the bakery's bread.

Good to know: Reservations are hard to get; check the booking page as soon as new dates open and be flexible on time.

#01-04, 7 Dempsey Rd, Singapore 249671

Google Maps Website

2. Candlenut — COMO Dempsey

Michelin-starred modern Peranakan cooking.

$$$$ Splurge

Candlenut, run by chef-owner Malcolm Lee, serves refined Peranakan dishes and holds a Michelin star. The "ah-ma-kase" tasting menu works through classics such as buah keluak and wagyu beef rendang, and a short à la carte menu is available.

It is the place for a special-occasion Nyonya meal, and the tasting menu at lunch is a gentler price than dinner.

Good to know: Order the Westholme wagyu beef rib rendang if you go à la carte.

Block 17A Dempsey Rd, Singapore 249676

Google Maps Website

3. Claudine — Harding Road

French cooking from Odette's Julien Royer in a former chapel.

$$$$ Splurge

Claudine is chef Julien Royer's warmer, more casual French restaurant, named after his mother and set in a converted 1930s chapel on Harding Road. Expect generous French classics such as onion soup, vol-au-vent and a bouillabaisse for sharing, in a high-ceilinged room with stained glass.

It suits a long weekend lunch or a celebration for people who want great French food without a tasting menu.

Good to know: Weekend lunch books up first; ask for a table under the chapel windows.

39C Harding Rd, Singapore 249541

Google Maps Website

4. Min Jiang at Dempsey — Dempsey Road

Wood-fired Peking duck and dim sum in a garden-side Chinese restaurant.

$$$ Upmarket

Min Jiang at Dempsey is the Goodwood Park Hotel's Chinese restaurant on the hill, known for its wood-fired Beijing duck, carved at the table, and for weekend dim sum. The dining rooms look onto greenery.

It is a reliable choice for family celebrations and business lunches, with private rooms for groups.

Good to know: Pre-order the duck when you book; it can sell out at busy meals.

7A & 7B Dempsey Rd, Singapore 249684

Google Maps Website

5. Samy's Curry — Dempsey Road

A family curry house from the 1960s, serving fish head curry on banana leaf.

$$ Mid-range

Samy's Curry has been serving South Indian curries since the 1960s and moved to its airy Dempsey building years ago. Rice comes on a banana leaf, with dishes ladled from trays at the table, and its fish head curry is the signature.

It is the best-value proper meal on the hill and a favourite for family lunches.

Good to know: It is closed on Tuesdays and shuts between lunch and dinner.

Blk 25 Dempsey Rd, Singapore 249670

Google Maps Website

6. Jim Thompson — Minden Road

Thai food in a colonial barracks building, run by the Thai silk brand.

$$$ Upmarket

Jim Thompson's restaurant fills a colonial-era barracks on Minden Road, with dining rooms dressed in the brand's silks. The menu covers Thai classics such as pandan-wrapped chicken and soft-shell crab with curry, with starter sets for two.

It suits groups and visitors who want a polished Thai meal, and the kitchen will tone down the spice on request.

Good to know: Ask for milder spice if you have children or guests who do not eat chilli.

45 Minden Rd, Singapore 248817

Google Maps Website

7. Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey) — Dempsey Road

Black pepper crab and chilli crab in a garden setting.

$$$ Upmarket

Long Beach is one of Singapore's long-running seafood restaurants, and its Dempsey branch serves black pepper crab, chilli crab, live seafood and handmade beancurd in a large building with alfresco seating.

It is the easiest place in Dempsey to have a crab dinner with a group, and the outdoor area is pet-friendly.

Good to know: Live crab is priced by weight; ask for the price before you order.

25 Dempsey Rd, Singapore 249670

Google Maps Website

8. PS.Cafe Harding Road — Harding Road

A glass-walled cafe in the trees, for brunch, truffle fries and sticky date pudding.

$$ Mid-range

PS.Cafe's Harding Road branch sits in a glass building surrounded by trees, and it is one of the most popular brunch spots in Singapore. The menu covers big breakfasts, salads, pastas and burgers, and the truffle shoestring fries and sticky date pudding are fixtures.

It is busy and buzzy, good for groups and families, and open all day.

Good to know: Weekend brunch has long waits; arrive at opening or book.

28B Harding Rd, Singapore 249549

Google Maps Website

9. Atout — Harding Road

A relaxed French bistro with a grocery attached.

$$$ Upmarket

Atout is a French bistro on Harding Road with a small French grocery, serving escargots, lobster bisque, steak and other classics. Its chef previously cooked at Au Petit Salut.

It is a good date-night or birthday choice when you want French food at a gentler price than Claudine.

Good to know: Pick up cheese or charcuterie from the grocery on the way out.

40C Harding Rd, Singapore 249548

Google Maps Website

10. Canchita — Dempsey Road

Peruvian ceviche and pisco sours in a lively room.

$$$ Upmarket

Canchita brings Peruvian cooking to Dempsey: ceviche clásico, lomo saltado and grilled octopus, with pisco sours from the bar. It stays open late on Friday and Saturday and is pet-friendly.

It suits a fun dinner with friends and something different from the hill's European and Asian restaurants.

Good to know: Order a ceviche and a pisco sour to start; both are what the kitchen is known for.

#9A/9B Dempsey Rd, Singapore 247698

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Dempsey Hill?

Most people take a taxi or ride-hail. The nearest station is Napier on the Thomson-East Coast Line, about a 15-minute walk away, partly uphill. Buses along Holland Road stop at the bottom of the hill, and there is paid parking around the blocks.

What is Dempsey Hill known for?

Restaurants and bars in colonial-era army barracks surrounded by trees, plus antiques, galleries and wine shops. It is close to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, so many people combine a morning walk with lunch here.

Which Dempsey restaurants are the hardest to book?

Burnt Ends, which is listed in The World's 50 Best Restaurants extended list for 2026, and Candlenut, which holds a Michelin star, are the hardest. Book as soon as reservations open and try weekday or late seatings.

Where can I eat cheaply at Dempsey?

Samy's Curry is the most affordable sit-down meal on the hill, with curries and rice served on banana leaf, and PS.Cafe has mains at cafe prices. Most other restaurants here are mid-range to expensive.

Is Dempsey good for families with children?

Yes. PS.Cafe, Jim Thompson and Long Beach Seafood have space for groups and easy menus, and the green surroundings make it a relaxed place for a family lunch, especially at weekends.

1. Burnt Ends — Dempsey Road

2. Candlenut — COMO Dempsey

3. Claudine — Harding Road

4. Min Jiang at Dempsey — Dempsey Road

5. Samy's Curry — Dempsey Road

6. Jim Thompson — Minden Road

7. Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey) — Dempsey Road

8. PS.Cafe Harding Road — Harding Road

9. Atout — Harding Road

10. Canchita — Dempsey Road

Frequently asked questions

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