Where Chefs Eat: A Singapore Hawker Hit List by Marguerite’s Michael Wilson

Michael Wilson is the chef-patron of Marguerite, a Michelin-starred fine diner in Singapore’s Flower Dome in the Gardens by the Bay. Set inside the world’s largest glass greenhouse, Marguerite serves boundary-pushing contemporary degustations. While other restaurants of the same calibre can feel stuffy, Wilson brings his affable nature to the venue. His collection of knick-knacks punctuates the space, from a boomerang to a framed photo of his dog, Milo.

Singapore is a long way from Wilson’s home town of Melbourne, where he left school in year 10 to pursue an apprenticeship. After cutting his teeth working under Guy Grossi at Florentino and Andrew McConnell at Cutler and Co, he left our shores for Shanghai to lead the kitchen at Phenix, in Shanghai’s Puli Hotel and Spa, which received its first Michelin star five months after opening.

Having lived in Singapore for more than half a decade, Wilson is now deeply familiar with the local food and drink scene. Here are his favourite spots to eat and drink in the Lion City.

Go-to coffee spot: PPP Coffee roasts its beans locally in small batches. I usually go for a regular hot latte with milk – no sugar and never iced. They’ve opened a new spot in New Bahru, a gorgeous cluster of shops and restaurants set in a restored schoolhouse.

Lunch on the go: I can’t go past a good banh mi. 233 Banh Mi in Joo Chiat bakes their baguettes fresh daily (crisp on the outside, chewy in the middle). My picks are the barbeque beef or the traditional with pâté, pork sausage, chilli sauce and coriander.

Where you take visitors when they’re in town: My restaurants, Hortus and Marguerite, are both inside the Gardens by the Bay Flower Dome, which is a must-visit. We’ll either do a casual Mediterranean meal at Hortus or a tasting experience at Marguerite, before going for a stroll through the Flower Dome. After that, I like taking guests to Spago at the top of Marina Bay Sands. Watching the city lights with the breezy playlist in the background always puts me in holiday mode.

Best place for a drink and snacks: Jigger & Pony in Tanjong Pagar is an institution – amazing classic cocktails and punchbowls, and a perfect launchpad for bar hopping in the area. Their sister bar Gibson, about 10 minutes away in Bukit Pasoh, is just as good.

Best hawker centres and dishes to order: Hawker centres are the beating heart of Singapore’s food culture – nothing beats the variety you can find under one roof. Honestly, ask any Singaporean and they’ll swear by a different hawker centre. Best advice? Follow the longest queue; it’s usually worth it.

I love Maxwell Food Centre for the famous Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. Closer to my home, Tekka Centre is my go-to for some of the best biryani. For prata, I can’t resist Mr and Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Prata in Joo Chiat. It lives up to the name – light, flaky, super crispy. I’m a plain prata guy (always with mutton curry), but their coin prata is dangerously good too. Be ready to queue.

For something a little more tucked away, I love Yang Ming Seafood in Ubi. It’s in an industrial estate, slightly pricier than hawker fare but incredible value. The Andrew Lobster and black pepper crab are fantastic, but my all-time favourite is the crab bee hoon – vermicelli braised in rich, savoury gravy with loads of crab. It’s a total flavour bomb. Best enjoyed family style with a big group.

Special occasion spot: Three-Michelin-starred Zen is my pick for a truly special occasion. The experience unfolds over multiple floors with a level of detail that makes it unforgettable.

Best dessert: Atipico’s Rock’n’Roll cake is the stuff of dreams – hazelnut dacquoise, chocolate Chantilly, hazelnut praline, dark chocolate shards. They also do a killer pavlova filled with passionfruit curd and topped with fresh berries and Madagascan vanilla cream.

Favourite late-night feed: Swee Choon Tim Sum is a classic – they’ve been serving handmade dim sum favourites for decades and they’re open till 4am. On nights that end a little earlier, I love heading over to Khansama Tandoori. Nothing beats tearing into a hot butter naan fresh from the tandoor with kebabs and mutton masala.

Hidden gem: The Bakehaus on Owen Road. It’s my local neighbourhood bakery for bread and viennoiserie, and in my opinion, it outshines some of the more famous spots. The hazelnut chocolate danish is unreal, and I’ll often grab a za’atar loaf or focaccia to take home. Every pastry shows real craft – you can appreciate the caramelised layers and delicate flakiness in each bake.

Restaurants you think best represent the city: Hawker centres, hands down. They embody the diversity and spirit of the city. For restaurants, Candlenut showcases a modern, elevated interpretation of Peranakan cuisine. Meanwhile, its sister, Pangium, in the Botanic Gardens, serves contemporary Straits cuisine. Both are representative of the story of Singapore: migration, cultural blending and tradition evolving over time. They’re also modernising this incredible cuisine – just as Singapore is always innovating, elevating and finding new ways to celebrate heritage.