The 7 Best Restaurants in Katong (2026)

Updated November 2026 · 7 picks

The best restaurants in Katong and Joo Chiat in 2026 include Guan Hoe Soon and Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant for Peranakan food, Katsuya for tonkatsu, Sin Hoi Sai Eating House for late-night zi char, Stirling Steaks for steak buffets and Seng House for modern Hainanese and cafe plates.

Katong and Joo Chiat, on Singapore's east side, are best known for Peranakan food, and the pastel shophouses of Joo Chiat Road and Koon Seng Road are where the cuisine is still cooked in family-run restaurants. The area has more to it than Peranakan: tonkatsu, zi char, charcoal-grilled steak and Hyderabadi biryani all sit within a short walk of East Coast Road. This guide covers sit-down restaurants; for the area's famous single-dish stalls, see our laksa, chicken rice, Hokkien mee and kaya toast guides.

1. Guan Hoe Soon — Joo Chiat

A family-run Peranakan restaurant whose website says it has been serving since 1953.

$$ Mid-range

Guan Hoe Soon cooks Peranakan (Nyonya) food at 200 Joo Chiat Road, in the heart of the Peranakan quarter. Its own website describes it as serving authentic Peranakan cuisine since 1953 and says the dishes have been passed down through generations.

Recent reviews single out the ayam buah keluak, and the menu also covers the Nyonya staples you would expect, such as assam fish and otak-otak. Portions are meant for sharing, and the cooking can be spicy, so ask if you would like it milder. Tables can be booked on the restaurant's website or by phone.

Good to know: Book for dinner and ask the staff how spicy each dish will be before you order; the restaurant's website does not state halal certification.

200 Joo Chiat Road, #01-01, Singapore 427471

Google Maps Website

2. Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant — Joo Chiat

A casual, affordable Peranakan restaurant on Joo Chiat Place, known for its sambal belacan.

$$ Mid-range

Chilli Padi is a well-known Peranakan restaurant on Joo Chiat Place, a few minutes' walk from Joo Chiat Road. A recent review calls it a household name for Peranakan food and notes it has had a facelift. It has a reputation for spicy sambal belacan and everyday Nyonya dishes at reasonable prices.

Reviewers have praised the curry assam fish head (around S$27 in an August 2026 review) and the ayam buah keluak (about S$19), though some side dishes were rated more plainly. It serves lunch and dinner, and an Eatbook article from September 2026 says a weekend high tea runs at this outlet, so check its current offer before you go.

Good to know: Go for lunch or an early dinner on weekdays to avoid the weekend crowd, and confirm the current opening hours by phone on +65 6275 1002.

11 Joo Chiat Place, #01-03, Singapore 427744

Google Maps

3. Katsuya — Tanjong Katong

A tonkatsu specialist that moved to Tanjong Katong Road in 2023 and uses premium Hokkaido pork.

$$$ Upmarket

Katsuya is a small tonkatsu restaurant run by chef-owner Kervin Tay. It opened on East Coast Road in 2011 and moved to Tanjong Katong Road in 2023. Eatbook's August 2026 review says it uses top-grade pork loin flown in from Hokkaido for its pricier sets.

The same review lists the Hire Tonkatsu Set at S$38++, the Tokujyo Rosu Set at S$46++, and Dory Katsu and Unagi Katsu at S$33++ and S$36++. It serves lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Sunday, and is closed on Mondays. It is not halal-certified.

Good to know: It is open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch (12pm to 2:30pm) and dinner (6pm to 9:30pm).

258 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437046

Google Maps

4. Sin Hoi Sai Eating House — Katong

A late-night zi char restaurant listed as open from 4pm to 3am every day.

$$ Mid-range

Sin Hoi Sai is a zi char (cook-to-order Chinese) restaurant on East Coast Road. RICE Media's July 2026 profile says the original opened in Tiong Bahru in 1980 and the East Coast Road branch two years later, and that it runs from 4pm to 3am daily, closing for only one day a year for a deep clean.

The dishes the profile names are pig trotter bee hoon, red wine pork ribs and salted egg prawns. Sharing is the point, so go with a group and order several dishes with rice or bee hoon.

Good to know: It opens at 4pm, so it is a good choice for late dinners and supper; confirm hours before a late visit.

187 East Coast Road, Singapore 428893

Google Maps

5. Stirling Steaks — Katong

A charcoal-grilled steak restaurant with a free-flow buffet on East Coast Road.

$$ Mid-range

Stirling Steaks serves charcoal-grilled steaks and runs a 60-minute steak buffet at its East Coast Road outlet, across from i12 Katong. Its website lists free-flow sirloin, picanha and hanger steak alongside grilled meats, fish, salad and fries, served medium by default.

The website lists the buffet at S$40++ per person at lunch and S$45++ at dinner at the time of writing, and requires the whole table to choose either the buffet or a la carte. Reservations can be made on the website or by WhatsApp.

Good to know: Everyone at the table must choose the same format, so decide between the buffet and a la carte before you book.

115 East Coast Road, Singapore 428804

Google Maps Website

6. Seng House — Tanjong Katong

A 70s-style coffee house serving Hainanese pork chop, claypot chicken rice and fish and chips.

$$ Mid-range

Seng House is a family-run cafe on Tanjong Katong Road that opened in 2020 as a 70s-inspired coffee house. Its menu mixes Hainanese-inspired plates with Western cafe food, and the evening signatures on its website are the Hainanese pork chop, claypot chicken rice and British fish and chips.

It serves breakfast, brunch, dinner and desserts such as mille crepe cake, durian creme brulee and onde-onde ice cream. It is open daily from 8am to 10.30pm with last orders at 10pm, and tables can be booked on its website.

Good to know: It is open all day, so it works for a late breakfast or an early dinner; the website does not say whether it is halal-certified.

214 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437007

Google Maps Website

7. Cilantro The Biryani Club — Joo Chiat

A Muslim-owned restaurant specialising in Hyderabad dum biryani.

$$ Mid-range

Cilantro specialises in Hyderabad-style dum biryani, in which rice and meat are sealed and cooked together. Eatbook's June 2026 review lists the Hyderabad Dum Lamb Biryani from S$21+ and the Wagyu Brisket Biryani from S$29+, with a showpiece Angus tomahawk biryani at S$128+, and also mentions tandoori chicken and mango lassi.

It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 10pm and closed on Mondays. Eatbook describes it as Muslim-owned but does not say it is halal-certified, so check the certification status with the restaurant if that matters to you.

Good to know: Closed on Mondays; ask whether the meat is halal-certified if you require certification.

102 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427396

Google Maps

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Peranakan restaurant in Katong and Joo Chiat?

Guan Hoe Soon at 200 Joo Chiat Road and Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant at 11 Joo Chiat Place are the two names most often recommended. Guan Hoe Soon's website says it has served Peranakan food since 1953 and reviewers single out its ayam buah keluak, while Chilli Padi is a casual, affordable choice for classics such as curry assam fish head. Book ahead for dinner at either.

Where should I eat in Katong at night?

Sin Hoi Sai Eating House at 187 East Coast Road is a zi char restaurant listed as open from 4pm to 3am daily, so it suits a late dinner or supper. Check current hours before a late visit.

Is there halal food in Katong and Joo Chiat?

Some places are Muslim-owned, including Cilantro The Biryani Club on Joo Chiat Road, but owner-run is not the same as MUIS-certified. If you need certified halal food, check the MUIS halal directory or ask the restaurant before you sit down. Katsuya, for example, says it is not halal-certified.

How do I get to Katong and Joo Chiat?

Take the MRT to Marine Parade (Thomson-East Coast line), Tanjong Katong or Katong Park, all within walking distance of East Coast Road, or catch a bus along East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road.

Where can I find laksa and chicken rice in Katong?

Those are mostly stalls and small kopitiam-style shops rather than restaurants, and we cover them separately. See our best laksa and best chicken rice guides for the Katong picks.

1. Guan Hoe Soon — Joo Chiat

2. Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant — Joo Chiat

3. Katsuya — Tanjong Katong

4. Sin Hoi Sai Eating House — Katong

5. Stirling Steaks — Katong

6. Seng House — Tanjong Katong

7. Cilantro The Biryani Club — Joo Chiat

Frequently asked questions

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