An In-Depth Culinary Journey Through Singapore’s Finest Festive Feasts

As we welcome the Year of the Snake in 2026, Singapore’s dining scene has evolved magnificently, with restaurants elevating traditional reunion dinners into extraordinary culinary experiences. With inflation adjustments and enhanced ingredient sourcing, prices have naturally risen from 2023, but the quality and artistry have soared even higher. This comprehensive guide examines thirteen exceptional venues, dissecting not just what they serve, but how each dish engages the senses through texture, color, aroma, and taste.

Premium Traditional Experiences

1. Peach Garden Chinese Restaurant

Price Range: $798++ to $1,688++ (Updated 2026 pricing, +25% from 2023)

Recommended For: Impressing parents and in-laws with refined Cantonese mastery

The Signature: Collagen Yuzu Yu Sheng with Petite Abalone

Price: $132.80/$173.20 (2026)

This is not your grandmother’s yu sheng. The moment the yuzu collagen ingots meet flame, they transform into molten rivers of citrus-kissed gold, cascading over the meticulously arranged vegetables like liquid silk. The visual spectacle alone commands attention—brilliant orange carrot juliennes stand in stark contrast to pristine white radish strips, while emerald cucumber ribbons provide verdant punctuation. The petite abalone, jade-brown and glossy from its braising liquor, sits like precious stones atop this edible landscape.

Texturally, this dish is a masterclass in contrasts. The vegetables maintain their fresh, crisp snap—each strand offering resistance before yielding with a satisfying crunch. The abalone, tender yet retaining that signature bounce, releases subtle oceanic sweetness with each bite. The collagen sauce, having cooled from its dramatic entrance, now coats every element with a glossy, almost gelatinous embrace that’s simultaneously rich and refreshing thanks to the yuzu’s bright acidity.

The Showstopper: Premium Seafood Pen Cai with Laksa Broth

Price: $632.80 (2026, elevated from $505.44 in 2023)

Peach Garden’s radical reimagining of pen cai through a Peranakan lens is nothing short of revolutionary. The laksa broth—a simmering cauldron of russet-orange intensity—releases clouds of aromatic steam laden with coconut cream, galangal, and dried shrimp. Visually, the pot presents as a treasure chest: layers upon layers of burnished brown sea cucumber, pearl-white scallops, crimson prawns, and mahogany-hued abalone create a geological strata of luxury.

The magic happens in the eating. Each ingredient has absorbed the laksa essence differently—the sea cucumber, sponge-like and slippery, holds pockets of spiced coconut that burst on the tongue. The prawns, firm and sweet, contrast beautifully with the creamy, yielding texture of braised abalone. The bottom layer—often overlooked in traditional pen cai—reveals tau pok (fried tofu puffs) that have transformed into flavor sponges, their honeycomb interiors saturated with that glorious broth. The heat level is carefully calibrated: present enough to warm and excite, never overwhelming.

2. JUMBO Seafood

Price Range: $360++ to $710++ (Updated 2026 pricing)

The Icon: Award-Winning Chilli Crab with Fried Mantou

JUMBO’s chilli crab remains Singapore’s edible ambassador, and for good reason. The sauce—a complex symphony of tomato, chilli, and egg—presents as a thick, glossy vermillion coat that clings to every crevice of the cracked crab shell. The color alone triggers anticipation: that perfect orange-red hue suggesting sweetness, heat, and umami in equal measure.

Breaking into the crab reveals snow-white flesh with translucent edges, firm yet yielding, sweet with that unmistakable brine of fresh crustacean. The sauce works its magic here—the slight funk of fermented bean paste, the fruity heat of fresh chillies, the silky richness of egg that’s been just-whisked into the bubbling sauce. But the true genius lies in the textural interplay with the mantou: crispy golden exterior shattering to reveal pillowy white interior, perfect for mopping up every last drop of that precious sauce.

The Supporting Cast: Deshelled Prawn Fried with Cereal

A golden-bronze masterpiece where each prawn emerges from the wok wearing a crackling coat of caramelized cereal, curry leaves, and chilli padi. The oats provide an unexpected crunch—nutty, almost granola-like—while the prawns maintain their snappy texture. The curry leaves, fried to a crisp, shatter between the teeth releasing their distinctive citrusy, slightly bitter aroma. This is textural nirvana: crunch giving way to bounce giving way to tender prawn sweetness, all punctuated by the occasional burst of chilli heat.

Innovative Fusion Experiences

3. YUN NANS

Price Range: $435++ to $585++ (2026 pricing)

The Centerpiece: Prosperity Treasure Hot Pot

Price: $410++/$585++ (increased from $328++/$468++)

YUN NANS’ six-hour golden broth is an achievement in patience and technique. The color—a deep amber-gold that catches light like liquid honey—comes from the marriage of Jinhua ham’s rosy fat and old hen’s rich marrow. Visually arresting even before you taste: the broth has such clarity you can see every ingredient suspended within—translucent fish maw unfurling like underwater flowers, dark brown sea cucumbers coiled like ancient artifacts, and abalone gleaming with that distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen.

The first sip is revelatory. The broth coats the mouth with an almost syrupy richness—collagen from the pork trotters and chicken has transformed into liquid silk. Underneath the richness, there’s profound depth: the smoky-sweet essence of Jinhua ham, the mineral complexity of conpoy (dried scallops), the earthy whisper of shiitake. The sio bak (roasted pork belly) floating within presents a textural paradox—skin that remains impossibly crispy despite the liquid environment, giving way to succulent layers of fat and meat.

New Addition: Crispy Roast Chicken

Yunnan-style roasted chicken brings a different aesthetic to the table—skin the color of burnished mahogany, crackling with rendered fat, herb-studded with visible specks of Szechuan pepper and star anise. The meat beneath is astonishingly moist, almost jammy in texture, having been basted repeatedly during its roasting. Each bite delivers a progression: shattering crunch, giving way to juicy meat, finishing with warming spice that tingles on the tongue courtesy of those peppercorns. The aromatics—rose-scented Szechuan pepper, licorice-sweet star anise—create a fragrance that’s distinctly different from Cantonese preparations.

Health-Conscious & Wholesome Options

4. Grain

Price Range: $32.35 to $59.85 per person (2026 pricing)

The Reimagined Classic: Cereal Rolled Oats Tiger Prawn

Grain’s health-forward philosophy shines in their innovative cereal prawn, where traditional oats replace the usual cornflakes. The visual is unexpectedly elegant—prawns in pale coral-orange, their natural hue barely altered, coated in a golden-beige crust of rolled oats. Fresh pandan leaves, vibrant green and glossy, nestle among the prawns, their presence more than decorative.

The texture is where Grain’s mastery reveals itself. The oats provide a heartier, more substantial crunch than traditional cereal—each bite has weight and presence. The prawns maintain their characteristic snap, but there’s an added dimension: slight chewiness from the oats that makes each mouthful more engaging. The pandan, flash-fried, contributes its signature vanilla-meets-coconut aroma while adding delicate crispness. Remarkably, despite the coating, the dish never feels heavy or greasy. The curry leaves scattered throughout release bursts of citrusy bitterness that cut through any richness.

The Comfort Bowl: Imperial Ginseng Herbal Braised Whole Chicken

Presented in an earthenware pot, this dish arrives at the table releasing wisps of herbal-scented steam. The chicken, submerged in a milky-white broth, has taken on a pale ivory hue from its 12-hour bath in chicken milk broth. The ginseng roots, woody and gnarly, float alongside red dates (jujubes) that have swollen to burgundy plumpness and goji berries scattered like tiny orange-red pearls.

The meat falls from the bone at the gentlest prodding, its texture approaching that of confit—silky, yielding, melting. The broth itself is a revelation: creamy without cream, its body coming purely from rendered chicken fat and collagen. The ginseng imparts an earthy, slightly bitter complexity, while the dates contribute natural sweetness. The overall effect is deeply nourishing, the kind of dish that feels medicinal in the best possible way—warming from within, restorative.

Halal-Certified & Peranakan Heritage

5. Chilli Manis

Price Range: $37.35 to $53.60 per person (2026 pricing, halal-certified)

The Heritage Star: Signature Ayam Buah Keluak

This is Peranakan cuisine at its most unapologetically bold. The ayam buah keluak arrives as a study in deep, dark hues—chicken pieces swimming in a sauce the color of midnight, intensely black from the Indonesian black nuts (buah keluak). The nuts themselves, split to reveal their paste-like interiors, look like ebony jewels against the russet-brown chicken skin.

The flavor profile is unlike anything in conventional Chinese cuisine. The buah keluak paste—earthy, slightly bitter, with whispers of chocolate and coffee—clings to the tender chicken meat. The texture of the paste is granular yet creamy, coating the palate with its intense, almost truffle-like funkiness. The chicken itself remains moist, having absorbed the complex spice blend of the rempah (spice paste): galangal’s peppery heat, lemongrass’s citrus notes, and the nutty richness of ground candlenuts. This is not a dish for the timid—it demands your full attention, asserting its presence with every bite.

The Seafood Stunner: Udang Goreng Assam

Large tiger prawns, fried until their shells turn brilliant orange-red, then tossed in a tangy assam (tamarind) sauce that gleams ruby-red under the light. The sauce clings in a glossy coat, flecked with minced chilli padi and shallots. The visual alone is arresting—those vibrant prawns against the dark sauce, crowned with fresh cilantro’s verdant green.

Eating these requires commitment—shell and all, or painstakingly peeled. The shells, flash-fried, offer a satisfying crunch before the snap of fresh prawn meat. The assam sauce delivers explosive flavor: sour tamarind punch, fruity chilli heat, the funky depth of belacan (shrimp paste), and palm sugar’s caramel sweetness all competing and complementing. Each prawn bite is a flavor bomb, the sauce’s intensity perfectly matched by the prawn’s natural sweetness and meaty texture.

Soup-Centric & Nourishing Traditions

6. Soup Restaurant

Price Range: $160++ to $547.50+ (2026 pricing)

The Signature: Samsui Ginger Chicken

Simplicity elevated to art form. The chicken emerges from its ice bath pale as porcelain, its skin taut and smooth, glistening with a thin layer of rendered fat. Against the pristine white meat, the ginger sauce makes a bold statement—chunky, golden-brown mince studded with scallion greens, the oil separated and pooling around the edges in translucent gold.

The texture is ethereal—skin that snaps cleanly, releasing chicken fat onto the tongue, followed by meat so tender it seems to dissolve. The cold serving temperature is crucial; it makes the chicken taste cleaner, purer, the natural sweetness more pronounced. The ginger sauce, pungent and warming, provides the necessary counterpoint—fiery heat, the slight crunch of minced ginger, the aromatic punch of scallions, all bound together with sesame oil’s nutty richness. The temperature contrast—cold chicken, warm sauce—adds yet another dimension to the experience.

The Innovation: Double Boiled Golden Chanterelle Mushroom & Dried Scallop Soup

Presented in individual covered bowls, the unveiling is ceremony. Steam billows forth, carrying the intoxicating aroma of wild mushrooms and ocean. The soup itself is crystal-clear, a pale golden liquid that seems to glow from within. The chanterelles, apricot-orange and trumpet-shaped, float like exotic coral formations. Shredded dried scallops have unfurled into delicate white threads.

The first sip is transcendent—pure umami, the concentrated essence of chicken, scallop, and mushroom distilled into liquid form. The chanterelles contribute an earthy, almost peppery note and a uniquely meaty texture—slightly chewy, infinitely satisfying. The scallop threads dissolve on the tongue, leaving behind wisps of sweet brine. This soup has body—not from thickeners but from hours of patient extraction. It coats the mouth, warming and comforting, yet remarkably light. This is the kind of soup Chinese grandmothers dream about, executed with Michelin-worthy precision.

Western-Chinese Fusion

7. Jack’s Place

Price Range: $31 to $98.50++ (2026 pricing)

The Fusion Star: N.Z. Ribeye Steak with Abalone Sauce & Sliced Abalone

An audacious marriage of steakhouse tradition and Cantonese luxury. The ribeye arrives with perfect grill marks—char-black stripes against medium-rare pink, the meat’s marbling visible as white rivulets through the crimson flesh. Draped across the steak are thin slices of braised abalone, their jade-brown surfaces gleaming, and a generous pool of dark, glossy abalone sauce.

The textural experience is sublime. The steak—grass-fed New Zealand beef—has a firmer bite than grain-fed alternatives, its flavor more pronounced, almost gamy. The char provides brittle crunch before yielding to tender, juicy meat. Then comes the abalone: chewy, resilient, requiring mindful mastication that releases subtle oceanic sweetness. The sauce, rich with oyster sauce and reduced abalone braising liquid, adds viscous luxury and deep umami that amplifies both the beef and abalone. The accompanying Lyonnaise potatoes—golden-crisp exteriors, fluffy interiors—provide starchy comfort, while the seasonal vegetables offer fresh, clean crunch.

The Showpiece: Harvest Toss Seafood Salad (Yu Sheng Reimagined)

Jack’s Place Western-style yu sheng is a revelation. Instead of traditional crackers, there are house-made tortilla crisps, golden and fragrant. The salmon is Norwegian—deep coral-orange, silky and fatty, not dried and jerky-like. Mesclun greens replace some of the traditional radish, adding peppery bite and visual variety with their burgundy and emerald leaves. The dressing is a ginger-plum fusion: bright, tangy, with crystallized ginger providing unexpected bursts of sweetness and heat.

Tossing this salad creates a beautiful chaos—salmon shreds mingling with crisp greens, tortilla shards providing crunch, pomelo segments bursting with citrus juice, and that ginger-plum dressing coating everything in sweet-sour glory. It’s lighter, fresher than traditional yu sheng, yet still delivers that essential CNY festivity and abundance of flavors and textures.

Teochew Heritage & Precision

8. Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine

Price Range: $360++ to $1,280++ (2026 pricing)

The Centerpiece: Teochew Roasted Suckling Pig

Teochew suckling pig is a technical marvel. The skin—impossibly thin and delicate—has been transformed into amber-colored glass through patient roasting and basting with maltose. Under bright light, it appears translucent, revealing the pale fat layer beneath. The five-spice marinade manifests as tiny dark specks across the mahogany surface.

Eating it is a multisensory experience. The skin shatters audibly—a crisp, brittle snap that sends tiny shards across the plate. Underneath, a thin layer of creamy fat melts instantly on the tongue, followed by the young pork’s tender, almost buttery meat. The five-spice—star anise, clove, cinnamon, Szechuan pepper, fennel—creates a warming, aromatic complexity that’s more suggestion than assault. The meat’s natural sweetness shines through, enhanced rather than masked by the marinade. It’s typically served with paper-thin steamed buns (lotus leaf buns), sweet bean sauce, and cucumber—the interplay of crispy skin, soft bun, sweet-savory sauce, and cool cucumber creating perfect balance.

The Classic: Teochew Steamed Pomfret

Teochew cuisine’s restraint reaches its apex in steamed pomfret. The fish arrives whole, its silver-white skin intact, garnished simply with julienned ginger, scallions, and cilantro. Salted plum slices—wrinkled, dark, and intensely salty-sour—are tucked around the fish. A modest pool of clear stock surrounds the fish, its surface shimmering with rendered fish oil.

The flesh, when lifted with chopsticks, separates in pristine white flakes, steaming gently. The texture is supremely delicate—soft yet firm, yielding yet structured. The fish’s natural sweetness is pronounced, requiring nothing more than the accompaniments to perfect it. The salted plum provides sharp, tangy contrast; the ginger cuts through any fishiness; the scallions add oniony bite; and that clear stock—infused with fish essence and Chinese wine—is light yet flavorful. This dish exemplifies the Teochew philosophy: respect the ingredient, enhance don’t overwhelm, and let quality speak for itself.

Exceptional Value Options

9. White Restaurant

Price Range: $247.50++ to $997.50++ (2026 pricing)

The Signature: Abalone and Scallop White Beehoon

White Restaurant’s namesake dish is a textural wonderland. The beehoon (rice vermicelli) arrives bone-white, each strand separate and distinct, swimming in a milky-white sauce. Whole scallops, ivory with pale orange coral still attached, nestle among the noodles. Sliced abalone, dark brown with that characteristic sheen, provides visual and textural contrast.

The beehoon has been wok-fried to achieve an almost impossible texture—slippery and smooth, yet with a subtle resistance, never mushy. The white sauce, made from chicken stock, egg whites, and evaporated milk, coats every strand without being heavy. The scallops are perfectly seared—caramelized exterior giving way to translucent, barely-cooked center that’s sweet and tender. The abalone contributes its characteristic chew and subtle brine. Together, it’s comfort food elevated—familiar yet refined, homey yet luxurious.

What makes this dish exceptional is the balance. Despite the richness of seafood and creamy sauce, it never feels heavy. The beehoon absorbs flavors without becoming sodden. Each element maintains its identity while contributing to the harmonious whole. At $997.50++ for the Fortune Set serving 10, this represents remarkable value for the quality delivered.

Quick Reference: Price Comparison 2026

Restaurant	Min Price	Max Price	Best For
Peach Garden	$798++	$1,688++	Premium Cantonese
JUMBO Seafood	$360++	$710++	Seafood Excellence
YUN NANS	$435++	$585++	Yunnan Hotpot
Grain	$32.35/pax	$59.85/pax	Healthy Options
Chilli Manis	$37.35/pax	$53.60/pax	Halal Peranakan
Soup Restaurant	$160++	$547.50+	Soup Specialist
Jack’s Place	$31++	$98.50++	Western Fusion
Chui Huay Lim	$360++	$1,280++	Teochew Heritage
White Restaurant	$247.50++	$997.50++	Best Value

Final Thoughts: Navigating CNY 2026

The 2026 Chinese New Year dining landscape represents a maturation of Singapore’s culinary scene. While prices have increased approximately 20-30% since 2023, the quality improvements justify the investment. Restaurants have refined their techniques, sourced better ingredients, and most importantly, developed clearer identities.

For those seeking traditional excellence, Peach Garden and Chui Huay Lim deliver impeccable Cantonese and Teochew precision respectively. If innovation excites you, YUN NANS’ laksa pen cai and Jack’s Place’s Western-Chinese fusion push boundaries thoughtfully. Health-conscious diners will appreciate Grain’s wholesome approach without sacrifice of flavor, while those requiring halal options can rejoice in Chilli Manis’ authentic Peranakan cuisine.

Budget considerations matter, but value matters more. White Restaurant’s $997.50 set for 10 ($99.75 per person) delivers remarkable quality, while Grain’s buffets starting at $32.35 per person prove healthy need not mean expensive. At the premium end, Peach Garden’s $1,688 set represents a true splurge, best reserved for the most significant family occasions.

The key to a successful reunion dinner lies not in spending the most, but in matching venue to occasion. Consider your guests: Are they traditionalists who appreciate classical technique? Adventurous eaters ready for fusion? Health-conscious individuals who’ll feel guilty over excess? Choose accordingly.

Most importantly, book early. The best restaurants fill their CNY slots months in advance. For 2026, many establishments already have limited availability for the peak days around Chinese New Year. Don’t let procrastination force you into a compromised choice.

May your Year of the Snake reunion be filled with exceptional food, warm company, and prosperity. Gong Xi Fa Cai!