Overview: Navigating the Holiday Dining Drought
Chinese New Year in Singapore presents a unique culinary challenge. As shutters come down across the island, families face a dilemma: celebrate tradition at home or venture out when options dwindle. This year’s selection of CNY-operating restaurants reveals both opportunity and compromise.
The Traditional Champions
Soup Restaurant: Comfort in Familiarity
What Works: The decision to keep all outlets open throughout CNY demonstrates commitment to serving the community. Their signature Samsui Ginger Chicken remains a reliable choice—tender, aromatic with that characteristic ginger punch that cuts through rich festive meals.
The Reality: While comforting, Soup Restaurant represents the safe play. The homestyle dishes lack the theatrical flair some families seek during celebrations. However, for multi-generational gatherings where palates vary widely, the accessible menu proves strategic. The nourishing soups serve as palate cleansers between house visits laden with pineapple tarts and bak kwa.
Best For: Large family groups, elderly relatives who prefer gentle flavors, last-minute gatherings.
Dian Xiao Er: Festive but Formulaic
The Offering: Set menus featuring Signature Herbal Roast Duck and Smoked Salmon Yu Sheng position this as festival-ready dining. The duck typically delivers on flavor—crispy skin yielding to herb-infused meat.
The Limitation: Limited opening (only Jewel on day 1, expanding day 2) means accessibility issues. Set menus, while convenient, can feel restrictive. The “new auspicious dishes” claim warrants scrutiny—how innovative can these really be within traditional parameters?
Best For: Smaller celebrations at Jewel/Vivocity/Jem locations, those seeking semi-traditional fare with modern presentation.
The Comfort Food Alternatives
En Yeoh’s Bak Kut Teh: A Herbal Respite
The Appeal: Bak kut teh occupies interesting cultural territory—traditionally Chinese yet increasingly associated with casual, any-occasion dining. The four-cut signature offers textural variety from fatty to lean.
The Catch: Severely limited hours (5pm closing on day 1, 8pm on day 2) make this a narrow window option. The dry BKT with dark savory sauce is polarizing—purists may balk, adventurous eaters will appreciate the variation.
Verdict: Better as a mid-afternoon refueling stop than a main celebration meal. The herbal intensity helps counter festive overindulgence.
Monster Curry: The Wildcard
Why It Works: Japanese curry’s thick, sweet-savory profile offers radical departure from CNY flavors. The giant portions suit hungry families post-visiting marathon. Fourteen vegetables and spices in the demi-glace show craft often missing in chain restaurants.
The Drawback: This is comfort food as escape rather than celebration. The creamy eggs and rice lack festival gravitas. Limited day 1 hours (11am-5pm) miss the dinner crowd.
Best For: Families with young children craving familiar flavors, those seeking a break from traditional expectations.
The International Escapes
Ippudo: Ramen as Refuge
Strategic Positioning: Three locations open throughout CNY (Marina Bay Sands, Raffles City, i12 Katong) provide geographic coverage. The Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen—rich, creamy, intensely porky—delivers satisfaction that transcends cultural context.
The Experience: Slurping noodles in a bustling ramen shop couldn’t feel more different from CNY traditions, which is precisely the point. The mazesoba and innovative sushi rolls show a chain willing to experiment beyond core offerings.
Analysis: For mixed-culture families, CNY-fatigued locals, or tourists navigating the holiday, this represents solid middle ground. The fried chicken is better than expected—crispy, well-seasoned, satisfying without being revolutionary.
La Pizzaiola: When You Need Italy
The Refresh: Recently updated menu shows ambition. Pizza Portobello with gorgonzola, bacon, and onion hits umami notes hard. The Pasta Salsiccia in pink sauce with Italian sausage and portobello demonstrates understanding of hearty, crowd-pleasing food.
The Reality: Closed on CNY eve, open from day 1 onward. Three locations (Jalan Riang, Kalidasa, Bukit Timah) skew residential, making this a neighborhood option rather than destination dining.
Assessment: Solid execution of Italian-style comfort food. Not trying to be anything more, which is honest. The portobello emphasis across dishes suggests seasonal availability or supplier relationships—either way, it’s a signature move.
Modu Samgyetang: The Newcomer
The Concept: Singapore’s first samgyetang specialty restaurant opens just in time for CNY. Korean ginseng chicken soup—a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng, jujubes—offers warming, nourishing properties aligned with Chinese medicinal food philosophy.
The Potential: This is smart positioning. Samgyetang feels ceremonial enough for celebrations while offering something genuinely different. The Mandarin Gallery location is accessible, central.
The Unknown: As a new establishment, consistency and service under holiday pressure remain unproven. Operating normal hours throughout CNY (Mon-Fri 11:30am-10pm) suggests confidence.
The Outliers
Citrus By The Pool: The All-Nighter
The Proposition: Open until 5am on CNY eve and the first two days is remarkable. This halal Western-fusion cafe in Woodlands serves families who keep unconventional hours, night shift workers, insomniacs, and late-night revelers.
The Menu: Tom yum fried rice alongside fried chicken burgers represents fusion without apology. It’s not trying to be refined—it’s fuel for marathon celebrations.
The Verdict: The mint walls and neon lights signal this is about energy and accessibility over elegance. For North residents, this could be a lifeline. For others, probably not worth the trek unless you genuinely need 3am sustenance.
The Marmalade Pantry: The Brunch Play
What It Offers: Modern bistro food with local twists across four locations. Pasta, burgers, roasts, pastries—the standard upscale casual repertoire.
The Strategy: Ion opening at 10am on CNY eve suggests courting the brunch crowd. Most outlets maintain business as usual, indicating CNY doesn’t significantly impact their customer base.
The Assessment: This is safe, pleasant, unmemorable dining. When you need something between fast food and fine dining, it fills the gap. The local twists often feel tentative rather than bold.
The Bigger Picture: What This Reveals
Cultural Shifts: The diversity of cuisines remaining open reflects Singapore’s multicultural reality and evolving CNY practices. Not every celebration centers on reunion dinners anymore.
Accessibility vs. Authenticity: Most traditional Chinese restaurants close precisely when demand peaks. Those that open (Soup Restaurant, Dian Xiao Er) represent more commercialized, chain-oriented operations. Intimate, family-run establishments preserve their own celebrations.
The Convenience Factor: Limited hours across most venues (especially day 1-2) mean dining out requires planning. This isn’t spontaneous—it’s strategic. Make reservations or face long waits as limited options concentrate demand.
Geographic Gaps: Heavy concentration in tourist/shopping districts (Jewel, Marina Bay Sands, Ion, Vivocity) versus residential areas. If you’re in the West or Northeast, options thin dramatically.
Recommendations by Scenario
For Traditional Celebrations: Soup Restaurant or Dian Xiao Er, booked in advance.
For Cultural Variety: Ippudo or Modu Samgyetang—both offer ceremonial feeling without Chinese specificity.
For Children/Picky Eaters: Monster Curry or The Marmalade Pantry—familiar formats, mild flavors.
For Late Night Needs: Citrus By The Pool is your only real option.
For Casual Family Meals: La Pizzaiola or En Yeoh’s BKT—neighborhood feel, reasonable prices.
For Something Different: Modu Samgyetang—new experience, still thematically appropriate.
Final Thoughts
The restaurants open during CNY 2025 tell a story about modern Singapore—pragmatic, diverse, occasionally struggling to balance tradition with convenience. None of these options replicate the warmth of home cooking or the significance of family recipes passed down generations. They don’t try to.
Instead, they offer release valves: for those who can’t cook, don’t celebrate, need a break, or simply want something different. The quality ranges from competent to quite good, but rarely exceptional. During CNY, “open and decent” often triumphs over “closed and spectacular.”
Plan ahead, manage expectations, and remember—the company matters more than the cuisine. These restaurants provide the backdrop; your celebrations provide the meaning.
Overall Rating: 7/10 for variety and accessibility, minus points for limited hours and geographic gaps.