Tips for Solo Dining in Singapore

Solo dining in Singapore (or any where else for that matter) is not my first choice. But there are times when it cannot be avoided. Instead of dreading these occasions, it is possible to make the best of the situation and enjoy some moments of solitude and good food with great company (yourself). Here are some tips on how to enjoy dining solo in Singapore.

Tip #1 – Choice of Restaurant: Ambience

The most important decision to make is the choice of restaurant. Remember the Rule of ACE: Ambience, Cuisine and Experience. When selecting a restaurant for solo dining in Singapore, I choose one with the ambience to suit my mood. If I am in a sociable mood, perhaps a pub with good pub food might work. I may even strike out a conversation with a stranger. But on this occasion I wanted some peace and quiet. The glamorous and still atmosphere of Ippudo at Mandarin Gallery was a perfect fit for my mood that day.

Tip #2 – Choice of Restaurant: Cuisine

The best part of dining solo is that you get to choose what you want. There is no need to consult anyone. Having said that there are some cuisines that are more suitable for dining solo than others. I would usually not think of traditional Chinese restaurants. The sharing plates dining concept of Chinese is not suitable. Also, they tend to have large round tables intended for big groups. Small tables are tucked away into odd corners. Of course this may not apply to some modern Chinese restaurants. In my case I selected Japanese ramen at Ippudo as it is something I enjoy. My regular dining companion does not like it (she says they are over-priced noodles). So I took the opportunity to go to Ippudo. I asked for lots of extra garlic as well.

Tip #3 – Choice of Restaurant: Experience

When selecting a restaurant for solo dining in Singapore, I will go for one that I have experience with i.e. a restaurant you have been to before. Knowing the seating arrangements, the type of food, size of portions, service standards etc. Trying new restaurants is exciting but when dining alone, I prefer not to have surprises. At Ippudo, I more or less knew what I wanted to eat and they are not a restaurant that would force solo diners to eat at the bar or some second rate table even when the restaurant is not crowded.In fact I got what was probably the best table in the house with a great view.

Solo Dining in Singapore Tip #4: Moderate Drinking is OK

Ippudo Mandarin Gallery probably has one of the cheapest beer at Orchard Road Singapore. They normally cost $10 a pint. There is a 50% discount during happy hour (3.30pm to 6.30pm weekdays). Drinking alone is sometimes frowned upon. I don’t see anything wrong with a drink or two to go with the meal. In fact some food and drink pairing are very natural. Examples – satay and beer, sushi and sake, steak and wine.

Tip # 5 – Avoid dishes that require long waiting times

The main difference between dining alone and with company is the lack of conversation. Time passes slowly when there is no conversation. These days we have our mobile phones to entertain us while we wait, so it is not so bad. But still it is best to avoid dishes that take a long time or multi-course meals that have intervals between each course.

Applying these tips for solo dining in Singapore, my best recent experiences when eating alone were at Ippudo (above picture) and at Sushiro Isetan Scotts (picture below). In fact the conveyor sushi restaurant was even better as the ordering was done electronically and watching the food arrive automatically provided entertainment throughout the meal.

We hope you find these tips for solo dining in Singapore to be useful. Happy Earing!

Ippudo
333A Orchard Road, #04-02 /03 /04 Mandarin Gallery, Singapore 238897

Open: Monday to Sunday 11am – 10pm(Last Order 9:20pm)