Dining room, National Kitchen by Violet Oon

National Kitchen by Violet Oon

Top choice in Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay


Chef Violet Oon is a national treasure, much loved for her faithful Peranakan dishes – so much so that she was chosen to open a restaurant inside Singapore's showcase National Gallery. Feast on made-from-scratch beauties like sweet, spicy kueh pie ti (pastry cups stuffed with prawns and turnip), dry laksa and beef rendang. Bookings two weeks in advance essential.

True to its name, the restaurant also touches on Singapore's other culinary traditions, from Indian and Eurasian to Hainanese. The high tea (3pm to 4.30pm) offers a wonderful sampling of Violet's signature flavours – the perfect afternoon break. There are several other branches in town, including one at Clarke Quay – the National Gallery outlet is the best, though.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay attractions

1. City Hall

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It was here that Lord Louis Mountbatten announced the Japanese surrender in 1945 and that Lee Kuan Yew declared Singapore's independence in 1965. Today,…

2. National Gallery Singapore

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Connected by a striking aluminium and glass canopy, Singapore's historic City Hall and Old Supreme Court buildings now form the city's breathtaking…

3. Padang

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This grassy field is home to the Singapore Cricket Club and Singapore Recreation Club. During WWII, the invading Japanese herded the European community…

4. New Supreme Court

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Singapore's New Supreme Court is a sci-fi statement co-designed by Sir Norman Foster's firm Foster + Partners.

5. St Andrew's Cathedral

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Funded by Scottish merchants and built by Indian convicts, this wedding cake of a cathedral stands in stark contrast to the glass and steel surrounding it…

6. Old Parliament House

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Built in 1826, the Old Parliament House is Singapore's oldest government building. Originally a private mansion, it became a courthouse, then the Assembly…

7. Parliament House

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Often referred to as 'new Parliament', the building is situated behind the Old Parliament House. It was opened in 1999 and proceedings are open to the…

8. Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall

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Completed in 1862, the Victoria Theatre was one of Singapore's first Victorian Revivalist buildings, inspired by the Italian Renaissance. It reopened in…