With the launch of plant-based meat substitute products in Singapore like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, vegan restaurants and faux meat dishes are fast becoming a trend here. As Singaporeans become more health- and environmentally-conscious, it’s only natural that we start seeing more restaurants serving meat substitutes.
And we’re not talking about the starchy mock meats you get from vegetarian stalls. In fact, you probably won’t even be able to tell the difference between the foods in this list and genuine meat dishes, thanks to advancements in food science and genetic engineering.
In fact, meat alternatives on the market these days may even taste as good as the real deal!
Impossible Foods, which produces plant-based alternative meats and launched in Singapore earlier this year, claims to have engineered the “meaty” taste present in actual meat products, which actually comes from “heme”, a molecule found in all living organisms. This soy-based meat doesn’t contain gluten, animal hormones or antibiotics. It’s also said to have zero mg cholesterol, 14 grams of total fat and 240 calories in a quarter-pound patty. Impressive!
If you’re still on the fence about the texture and flavour of faux meat, here are 23 places in Singapore to take the plunge and become a convert:
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The hotel’s two restaurants, Pacific Marketplace and Poolside Bar, have launched a promotional menu featuring a selection of meatless dishes using Impossible meat.
If you love Thai food, give their Phat Kaphrao rice dish a go at Pacific Marketplace, which features a fiery combo of stir-fried minced “meat”, chillies, egg, Thai basil, long beans and baby romance lettuce. There’s also a flavoursome meat-free quesadilla and a burger if you’re craving western.
At Poolside Bar, you can choose from a brick oven-baked Pizza or Satay Skewers (or both!). Available until June 30, 2019.
Pan Pacific Singapore is at 7 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square, Singapore 039595.
Fans of Japanese cuisine, you’ll want to make a reservation at this modern Japanese restaurant overlooking Marina Bay. They’ve come up with three contemporary creations for their dinner menu featuring Impossible meats, the first Japanese establishment to do so here.
Savour the Impossible Omu Rice Burger ($28++) (pictured, left) that will please egg lovers, while the Impossible Katsu Sando with Apple Curry ($26++) (pictured, right) features a juicy deep-fried meat-free patty that will leave you hankering for more. Also on the meatfree menu is the Impossible Okonomiyaki ($28) that’s great for sharing.
Kinki Restaurant + Bar is at #02-02 Customs House, 70 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049323, tel: 6533 3471.
In celebration of World Meat-Free Week (17 to 23 June), this local soup chain has collaborated with renowned meat substitute brand Quorn to roll out nine exclusive, meat-free soups that promise to be tasty, wholesome and and sustainable. Six of these soups are new flavours, while the remaining three are meat-free renditions of beloved classics, including Tokyo-Style Stew, SG Ragout and Hungarian-Style Goulash.
The exciting new flavours are inspired by various cultures around the world, from a tangy Buttery Tikka Masala featuring tender Quorn fillet slices, to a spicy Budae Jigae (pictured) with Quorn hot dogs. Available until July 25, 2019.
The Soup Spoon has 26 outlets. For more information, go here.
The homegrown bistro, which is known for serving up modern comfort food, has updated its menu with four new creations using meat alternatives. There’s a Baked Cheesy Pasta ($26++) (pictured, left), as well as Rendang Meatballs ($24++) (pictured, right) that features meatballs that have been marinated with rempah for extra kick.
If you love burgers, you’ll want to order their ION Orchard-exclusive Truffle Beef Burger ($30++).
The Marmalade Pantry has three outlets: #04-11a ION Orchard, Singapore 238801; #01-01 Oasia Hotel Downtown, Singapore 079333, tel: 6385 0741; and #01-02/04 Oasia Hotel Novena, Singapore 307470, tel: 6664 0348.
For busy professionals who prefer to pick up lunch on-the-go, Japanese takeaway chain Ichiban Bento has partnered with Quorn to come up with four new meat-free options. They include Katsu Curry Bento (pictured), Tsukune (meatball) Bento, Nuggets with Yuzukosho Dip and Chawanmushi, all at really affordable prices. Available until July 22, 2019.
Ichiban Bento has 10 outlets. For more information or to order online, go here.
The purveyor of gourmet comfort foods has added three new meat-free creations to their menu. Pictured above is the crispy Sloppy Joe Quesadila ($24) that’s stuffed with spiced Impossible meat, guacamole and melted cheese.
The other two savoury options are a flaky-crust Sausage Roll ($22) and a belly-warming Cottage Pie ($24) that’s made with Impossible mince and baked to golden brown perfection.
Dean & Deluca has two outlets: #01-01 Far East Square, 47 Pekin St, Singapore 048777, tel: 6536 2460; and #01-01 HillV2, 4 Hillview Rise, Singapore 667979, tel: 6710 7282.
For good coffee to go with your meat-free meal, hop to Oriole Coffee & Bar for some delish cafe classics made with Impossible meat. Pasta lovers can dig into the Impossible Spaghetti Bolognese ($26++), while burger fans can opt for the Impossible Juicy Lucy Quarter Pounder ($26++) featuring a thick and tender Impossible meat patty.
Or go the sharing route with the Impossible Sloppy Joe Pizza ($24++) with a topping of tomatoes, melted cheese and ground “meat”.
Oriole Coffee & Bar is at #01-01 Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard, 96 Somerset Road, Singapore 238163, tel: 6238 8348.
Potato Head and Three Buns, home of delectable burgers, are a couple of the restaurants here that have picked up Impossible Foods. Burger fans can go down to try their two new creations: The Impossible Dream ($27) that’s served with a plant-based meat patty, XO mayo, cheese, tomato, ketchup, onion marmalade, all between toasted demi brioche buns; as well as the Impossible Chedda ($23) served with double ketchup, cheese, onion puree and pickle.
Potato Head is at 36 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089143.
Thought alternative meats were all about burgers? You couldn’t be more wrong. This smart casual Chinese restaurant at the iconic Asian Civilisations Museum serves traditional cuisine in a contemporary and vibrant setting. Also adopting Impossible Foods as their meat alternative source, Empress is dishing out five new appetizers and mains to satisfy Chinese food lovers.
For starters, there’s the Impossible Crispy Pancake with Chinese Chives ($6.80), Pan-Fried Impossible Gyoza ($6.80) and Black Pepper Impossible Meatball Skewer ($8.80) perfect for sharing. For mains, give the Sichuan Mapo Tofu with Impossible Meat ($18) and Dragon’s Breath Fried Kuay Teow with Impossible Meat Balls ($18) a go. Consider this a huge upgrade from your typical vegetarian options!
Empress is located at 1 Empress Place, #01-03, Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore 179555.
After first launching in the United Kingdom, Plant Kitchen by Marks & Spencer (M&S) is now available in Singapore. It’s an all plant-based series of ready meals, snacks and ingredients by M&S in response to consumers demand for healthier, vegan options.
If you’re looking for something to snack on whilst catching up on your favourite Netflix series, try the Cauliflower Popcorn ($11.90) for a guilt-free yet delicious option. And when you’re feeling #fomo because all your friends are enjoying their yummy Katsu Don (deep fried pork cutlet with rice), go for M&S’ Sweet Potato Katsu Curry ($12.90) (pictured above), which is an appetising offering of sweet potato wedges coated in a crisp Japanese style panko crumb and served on a bed of rice with a rich, lightly spiced katsu curry.
Or try the Green Thai Curry ($13.90) served with edamame, sweet potato, tenderstem broccoli and jasmine rice. Their intent was to emulate the complex flavours of the beloved dish—and frankly, they’ve done an excellent job. Check out their other wonderful smaller bites (from $6.90) and meals (from $11.90) available exclusively at M&S Wheelock Place and Vivocity.
Plant Kitchen is located at Wheelock Place and Vivocity.
Touted as one of the best places to experience international food fare, Mezza9 at Grand Hyatt Singapore can now be your go-to spot for your vegan burger fix, with the launch of the Beyond Burger in August 2018.
Created by Beyond Meat, the Beyond Burger first made splashes in the United States, Canada and Hong Kong before making its Southeast Asian debut at Grand Hyatt as a humble food truck outside the hotel, and then later becoming a staple at Mezza9. The burgers are known for their patties (100 per cent plant-based, non-GMO gluten-free and soy-free) that supposedly look and taste just like real meat patties.
Available as part of Mezza9’s two-course ($35++) or three-course ($45++) set lunch and for dinner as an a la carte option ($26++), the patties come with dairy-free brioche bun, dairy-free cheddar, plant-based mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce, red onion and mustard. You can have the option of choosing from more than 10 sides for lunch, including Caesar Salad, Wood Roasted Beetroot Salad, and Thai-style grilled eggplant. Flavoursome food and fabulous ambience, what’s not to love?
Mezza9 is located at Mezzanine Level, Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Road, Singapore 228211, tel: 6732 1234.
You’re probably already familiar with multi-Michelin star chef Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant and bar serving British European fare. Led by executive chef Sabrina Stillhart, their new meat alternative options include The Impossible Flatbread ($24++) that’s topped with caramelised onions, walnuts and rocket pesto, as well as The Impossible BSK Burger ($25++) which features a 7oz patty with Monterey Jack Cheese and smoked bacon ketchup. Perfect for when you’re craving for something indulgent, but still want to watch your cholesterol levels!
Bread Street Kitchen is located at L1-81, Bay Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956, tel: 6688 5665.
Prominently located just outside Wheelock Place along busy Orchard Road, Prive is known for all-day alfresco dining in a trendy and comfortable space. Besides its usual menu, the family-friendly restaurant is now serving up three plant-based meat options made with Impossible Foods “meats” that will excite both kids and adults. There’s the Juicy Lucy Impossible Meatball Spaghetti ($19) and Impossible Satay Sliders ($15) served with mango, cucumber and red onions. On the kids’ menu, there’s the Nothing Is Impossible Beef Cheeseburger ($12) that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Prive Orchard is located at 501 Orchard Road, #01-K1, Singapore 238880.
Hailing from San Francisco, VeganBurg is reportedly the world’s first 100 per cent plant-based burger joint and also the first vegan fast food restaurant in Singapore. We recommend their crowd favourite Char-grilled Satay burger ($9.90) made with succulent soy patty, spicy satay sauce, fresh lettuce leaves, red onions and cucumber. The GMO-free patty is so tender, juicy and tasty that you’d almost forget that it isn’t real meat.
For something less spicy but equally delectable, try the Creamy Shrooms burger ($8.90) comprising a soy patty, dairy-free cream sauce and lettuce. Another notable dish is their Tangy Tartar burger ($8.90) consisting of a soy patty, pickles, tartar sauce and lettuce—think McDonald’s filet-o-fish burger sans fish, and with a gourmet twist.
Diners also have the option between wholemeal buns or a lettuce wrap for their burger, which can be upgraded for $3 to include seaweed fries, broccoli and a drink. It’s great value for money!
VeganBurg is located at 44 Jalan Eunos, Singapore 419502, tel: 6844 6868.
If burgers are not your thing, how about a hotdog bun? Over at the Oasis Restaurant, also at Grand Hyatt Singapore, the same people behind Beyond Burger have rolled out the Beyond Sausage ($18++ on the lunch and dinner a la carte menu) in January 2019.
Made of peas, fava beans, rice, beet, and coconut oil, it is a 100 per cent plant-based non-GMO gluten-free and soy-free sausage that apparently looks, sizzles and tastes just like traditional sausage. The sausage is grilled for that nice charred flavour and wrapped in a house-made vegan bun, before it is finished with dill pickled Japanese cucumbers, shallots, tarragon mustard, and ketchup. It’s served with a dressed cabbage salad and french fries for an authentic hot dog experience.
Oasis is located at Level 5, Terrace Wing, Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Road, Singapore 228211, tel: 6732 1234.
The Green Dot is your one-stop vegan restaurant. They’ve got everything from burgers made with Konnyaku (konjac with taro derivatives) patties to Laksa ($7.50) and Soya Nuggets ($5.90). We recommend trying their Forest Arugula Portobello Mushroom Burger ($16.90) comprising sesame seed buns, mustard sauce, portobello mushrooms, smoked soy patty, arugula, tomatoes and lettuce. The smokiness from the patty, spiciness from the arugula coupled with refreshing tomatoes and lettuce make for a hearty and delicious meal.
Another notable dish is their Black Pepper Soya Burger ($8.90) consisting a soya patty, tomato slices, lettuce and side of chunky fries. Affordable yet fulfilling.
The Green Dot is located islandwide.
The Chilli Crab is one of Singapore’s most signature dishes; in fact, some might say it’s a must-try national dish. It’s a mix of sweet and spicy, with a richly flavoured sauce accompanied with firm chunks of crab meat (that you’d have to dig out of the shell with your fingers for a more authentic experience). But what about our vegan friends?
The answer to that is Hello Baby—a fast food kiosk in the middle of Chinatown offering vegan Chilli Crab Sliders ($10). Here, they’ve replaced crab meat with enoki mushroom bathed in chilli crab sauce and sandwiched between two golden mantou buns. The crunch of the mushroom paired with the fragrant crispy bun makes it all so satisfying. They also offer hearty burgers made with Beyond Meat patty—the same patty used by Mezza9—fused with creative names such Ang Mo burger ($15), which is essentially a vegan cheese burger. We highly recommend checking them out.
Hello Baby is located at 10 Trengganu Street, Singapore 058476, tel: 8738 5770.
This award-winning establishment by Californian-born celebrity chef David Myers is known for its innovative and artfully-plated dishes of luxury meats, seafood and more. It’s also jumped on the Impossible Foods bandwagon with the Impossible Sausage Roll ($14++) that looks deceivingly simple. The juicy plant-based sausage packs tons of flavour, as its spiced with fennel, nutmeg, garlic and onion, before it’s swaddled in French puff pastry and baked until golden.
Adrift by David Myers is located at Marina Bay Sands Hotel Tower 2 (Lobby), 10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956.
Situated within Orchard Central, Real Food cafe is set up by the same people behind the organic grocery store, Real Food Grocer. They have several vegan options such as the Beet (Millet) Burger ($13.80), which contains a handmade patty with beetroots, carrots, onions, millet and potatoes, and stacked with onions, tomatoes and avocados.
The ingredients in the patty balance each other really well, and it gives a unique burst of flavour with each bite. Another equally delicious dish is their Lentil (Quinoa) Croquette Burger ($13.80) consisting of a patty handmade with Himalayan lentis, roasted walnuts, quinoa and sautéed mushrooms. It also comes stacked with fresh greens, homemade tomato sauce and vegan mayonnaise. If you love mushrooms, you’ll love their Portobello Burger ($14.80) comprising a herb battered portobello mushroom bundled with fresh greens and vegan mayonnaise.
Real Food is located #02-16, Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road, Singapore 238896, tel: 6737 9516 and at #B1-19, South Beach Tower, 26 South Beach Road, Singapore 189768, tel: 6384 2206.
This American-style deli in Telok Ayer is known for serving up delicious sandwiches dripping with cheese just like they do in New York. One of the newest items on their menu is the Impossible Patty Melt ($22) which uses Impossible Foods’ soy-based meat patty as its star. The patty melt is seared on both sides, topped with caramalised onions, dill pickles and a special sauce, before being press between two rye breads and toasted to serve.
Park Bench Deli is located at 179 Telok Ayer Street Singapore, 068627.
Tucked away in serene Changi Business Park, Soul Alife offers a menu that’s entirely plant-based and free of cholesterol, trans fats, MSG and palm oil. Their most popular dish is the Teriyaki Burger ($9.90), which consists of a mushroom patty dressed in vegan cheese sauce enveloped in a toasted bun and served with sweet potato fries.
And if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, try their Teriyaki Udon ($8.90) comprising fresh udon, mushroom, edamame, carrots, sesame and teriyaki sauce. Wallet-friendly and fuss free, but hits the spot.
Soul Alife is located at #02-40 Changi City Point, 5 Changi Business Park, Central 1, Singapore 486038.
Pronounced “Nom-v-nom”, this bistro strives to provide innovative and contemporary vegan food to appeal to both vegans and non-vegans alike. And with over 20 different vegan burgers and an array of soups, sides and dessert on their menu, they’re doing a pretty good job thus far. All of their burger patties are either soy, potato, mixed vegetables or mushroom-based and are also dairy-free.
We recommend trying their Beetroot Hummus burger ($8.90) comprising a mushroom patty for a sumptuous and unique dining experience. For those with spicy tastes buds, try their Meatless Mexican burger ($7.90) consisting a steamed soy patty with yellow mustard sauce. By the way, they deliver islandwide so you can enjoy all that vegan goodness from the comfort of your home.
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NomVnom Bistro is located at 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, #03-105/106/107, Singapore 059817, tel: 6224 4996.
Situated along Peck Seah Street is Whole Earth, the first plant-based restaurant to make it to the Michelin Bib Gourmand list. They offer their rendition of vegan dishes with a Thai-Peranakan twist that’s refreshing and brimming with flavour.
Their most popular dish is the Nyonya Curry ($21)— a dish slow-cooked for hours comprising shiitake mushrooms and potatoes in a rich poignant sauce that’ll hit the spot for curry lovers. We also recommend trying their Penang Rendang ($20.90), which is a dish of shiitake mushrooms made to look and feel like chicken pieces. It’s a a delectable full-bodied dish that will impress.
Whole Earth is located at 76 Peck Seah Street, Singapore 079331, tel: 6221 6583.
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Text: Navin Pillay / Additional Reporting: Elizabeth Liew
Photos from respective restaurants