# Restaurants in Bukit Merah

Every restaurant in Singapore must hold an SFA food shop licence, and since 19 January 2026 that licence carries a SAFE grade (A, B, C or NEW) you can check by scanning its QR code. Budget for "++" pricing: 10% service charge plus 9% GST adds about 19.9% to menu prices.

## Key facts
- Listings: 647
- Matched to a government licence/register: 58
- Median years in business: 14

## Licences
- **Food Shop Licence (SFA)** (Singapore Food Agency (SFA), required): Every restaurant, cafe, bakery, stall and food court outlet selling food to the public must be licensed by SFA. Since 19 Jan 2026 the licence carries a SAFE grade (A, B, C or NEW) based on the outlet's food-safety track record; scan the QR code on the displayed licence to see it. Check: https://go.gov.sg/sfa-track-records
- **MUIS Halal Certificate** (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), optional): Voluntary, but MUIS is the only body that can issue halal certificates in Singapore (Administration of Muslim Law Act). Certified outlets must display the original, valid certificate; photocopies are not allowed. Check: https://muis.gov.sg/Halal/Halal-Certification/Certified-Eating-Establishments
- **Liquor Licence** (Singapore Police Force (Police Licensing & Regulatory Department), required): Any outlet selling alcohol for consumption on or off the premises needs a liquor licence, which sets its permitted supply hours. Sale to anyone under 18 is an offence for the licensee. Check: https://www.police.gov.sg/e-Services/Police-Licences/Liquor-Licence

## How to choose
- Check the SAFE grade on the SFA licence displayed near the counter. Grade A means more than three years without a major food-safety lapse; grade C means a recent conviction or licence suspension.
- Work out the real bill: "++" prices are multiplied by 1.199. A nett-priced menu (common at hawker stalls, coffeeshops and many casual chains) already includes everything.
- For Muslim diners or guests, look for the MUIS halal certificate on display or check the MUIS directory. "No pork, no lard" signs and Muslim-owned labels are not certification.
- Book ahead for Friday–Sunday dinners and public-holiday eves; many popular restaurants release slots online and some take a deposit or card guarantee for larger groups.
- Ask about corkage, cake-cutting fees and minimum spend when planning celebrations. These are set by each restaurant and are not regulated.

## Red flags
- No SFA licence visible, or a licence showing grade C.
- Halal signage or Quranic verses without a MUIS certificate – MUIS says these do not confirm halal status.
- Service charge or surcharges that only appear on the bill and were not disclosed on the menu or at booking.
- Pets allowed indoors at an outlet that does not hold an SFA pet café licence.

## Listings (top 30)
- [Soup Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/soup-restaurant-harbourfront), HarbourFront · 1 HarbourFront Walk, #02-143 · 2 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1998
- [Nature Vegetarian Catering](https://lookup.sg/biz/nature-vegetarian-catering), Bukit Merah · 11 Jln Bukit Merah · 11 min walk from Queenstown MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2003
- [Nature Vegetarian Delights](https://lookup.sg/biz/nature-vegetarian-delights), Bukit Merah · #01-201 Blk 112 Bukit Purmei Road · 7 min walk from Cc30 MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2003
- [San Laksa Steamboat](https://lookup.sg/biz/san-laksa-steamboat-bukit-merah), Bukit Merah · 404 Telok Blangah Rd · 6 min walk from Telok Blangah MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2007
- [Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup](https://lookup.sg/biz/tuan-yuan-pork-ribs-soup), Tiong Bahru · 127 Kim Tian Rd #01-01 · 6 min walk from Tiong Bahru MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2012
- [Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh](https://lookup.sg/biz/ya-hua-bak-kut-teh), Tiong Bahru · 593 Havelock Rd, #01-01/02 · 2 min walk from Havelock MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2011
- [Makko Teck Neo](https://lookup.sg/biz/makko-teck-neo), Bukit Merah · Blk 35 Telok Blangah Rise #01-303 · 10 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2016
- [Atrium Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/atrium-restaurant), Tiong Bahru · 317 Outram Rd · 1 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 1990
- [Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/xin-cuisine-chinese-restaurant), Tiong Bahru · Outram Rd, Level 4 · 1 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 1990
- [Brinda's](https://lookup.sg/biz/brindas), Bukit Merah · 162 Bukit Merah Central, #01-3533 · 8 min walk from Redhill MRT · registered 2003
- [Ji Xiang Confectionery](https://lookup.sg/biz/ji-xiang-confectionery), Tanjong Pagar · Blk 1 Everton Park #01-33 · 2 min walk from Outram Park MRT · registered 1987
- [Homemade Italian](https://lookup.sg/biz/homemade-italian), Tiong Bahru · 3 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 2007
- [Lao Beijing](https://lookup.sg/biz/lao-beijing), Tiong Bahru · 302 Tiong Bahru Rd · 1 min walk from Tiong Bahru MRT · registered 2002
- [Taste Original](https://lookup.sg/biz/taste-original), HarbourFront · 1 Maritime Sq · 2 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · registered 2006
- [Monster Curry](https://lookup.sg/biz/monster-curry), HarbourFront · 1 HarbourFront Walk, #02-126/127/129 VivoCity · 2 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · registered 2009
- [Paradise Teochew Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/paradise-teochew-restaurant), HarbourFront · VivoCity 1 Harbourfront Walk #01-53 · 3 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · registered 2011
- [Penang Culture](https://lookup.sg/biz/penang-culture), HarbourFront · #B2-23E, VivoCity · 1 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · registered 2011
- [Atrium Bar 317](https://lookup.sg/biz/atrium-bar-317), Tiong Bahru · 317 Outram Rd · 1 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 2014
- [Dancing Crab](https://lookup.sg/biz/dancing-crab), HarbourFront · 1 HarbourFront Walk, #03-10 VivoCity · 2 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · registered 2014
- [Lynnette's Kitchen](https://lookup.sg/biz/lynnettes-kitchen), Bukit Merah · 118C Jln Membina, Block 118C · 5 min walk from Tiong Bahru MRT · registered 2014
- [Brotzeit German Beer Bar and Restaurant - VivoCity](https://lookup.sg/biz/brotzeit-german-beer-bar-and-restaurant-vivocity), HarbourFront · 1 HarbourFront Walk #01-149 VivoCity · 2 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [Penyet King](https://lookup.sg/biz/penyet-king), HarbourFront · 1 HarbourFront Walk · 1 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · registered 2015
- [Dian Xiao Er](https://lookup.sg/biz/dian-xiao-er-harbourfront), HarbourFront · 1 HarbourFront Walk, #02-138 9 VivoCity · 2 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · registered 2016
- [House of Peranakan Petit](https://lookup.sg/biz/house-of-peranakan-petit), Tiong Bahru · 42 Eng Hoon St · 4 min walk from Havelock MRT · SFA licensed
- [Forketta](https://lookup.sg/biz/forketta), Tiong Bahru · Blk 58 Seng Poh Ln · 3 min walk from Havelock MRT · SFA licensed
- [Summer Garden](https://lookup.sg/biz/summer-garden), Bukit Merah · 2 Telok Blangah Wy, #02-05 SAFRA Mount Faber Club · 14 min walk from Telok Blangah MRT · SFA licensed
- [Dapur Penyet](https://lookup.sg/biz/dapur-penyet-tiong-bahru), Tiong Bahru · #02-137 Tiong Bahru Plaza · 1 min walk from Tiong Bahru MRT · registered 2015
- [Secret Recipe Singapore](https://lookup.sg/biz/secret-recipe-singapore), HarbourFront · Vivocity, 1 Harbourfront Walk · 2 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [The Orange Lantern](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-orange-lantern), HarbourFront · 1 Maritime Sq · 2 min walk from Harbourfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [Torio Japanese Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/torio-japanese-restaurant), Tiong Bahru · 50 Tiong Bahru Rd #01-01 Link Hotel · 3 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 2018

## FAQs
### What happened to the A, B, C, D hygiene grades in Singapore?
From 19 January 2026 SFA replaced the annual A–D hygiene grade with the SAFE framework. Outlets now get A (more than three years with no major lapse), B (one to three years), NEW (operating under a year) or C (a court conviction for a food-safety offence or a licence suspension under the demerit-points system). Scan the QR code on the SFA licence at the counter to see the current grade.

### What does "++" mean on a Singapore menu?
"++" means a 10% service charge and 9% GST will be added. GST is charged on the service charge too, so the multiplier is 1.1 × 1.09 = 1.199 – a $50++ meal costs about $59.95. IRAS lets restaurants that levy a service charge show pre-GST prices, but they must state prominently that prices are subject to GST and service charge.

### Is service charge mandatory in Singapore restaurants?
Service charge is not set by law; each restaurant decides whether to levy it, and 10% is the norm at full-service restaurants. CCCS's price-transparency guidelines say mandatory charges should be disclosed clearly alongside the headline price. If a restaurant charges it, GST (9%) is applied on top of the service charge as well as the food.

### Can I bring my dog to a restaurant in Singapore?
Since 1 January 2025, restaurants can let diners bring pets to their outdoor refreshment area without extra SFA approval. Pets still cannot go indoors unless the outlet holds an SFA pet café licence (which it needs if it serves pet food). Halal-certified premises cannot admit pet dogs, and hawker centres remain off-limits to pets.

## Sources
- SFA – New Safety Assurance for Food Establishment (SAFE) framework: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/news-publications/newsroom/new-safety-assurance-for-food-establishment--safe--framework--to-strengthen-food-safety
- IRAS – Displaying and quoting prices (GST): https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/goods-services-tax-(gst)/basics-of-gst/invoicing-price-display-and-record-keeping/displaying-and-quoting-prices
- CCCS – Guidelines on Price Transparency: https://cccs.gov.sg/media-and-consultation/newsroom/media-releases/guidelines-on-price-transparency-7-sept-20
- MUIS – Certified Eating Establishments: https://muis.gov.sg/Halal/Halal-Certification/Certified-Eating-Establishments
- MCCY – Educating F&B operators on halal labelling and halal certification: https://www.mccy.gov.sg/about-us/news-and-resources/educating-f-b-operators-on-the-use-of-halal-labelling-and-halal-certification/
- SFA – No additional approvals needed for pets at outdoor refreshment areas from 1 Jan 2025: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/news-publications/newsroom/no-additional-sfa-approvals-needed-for-patrons-to-dine-in-with-pets-at-outdoor-refreshment-areas-from-1-jan-2025

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Source: Lookup (https://lookup.sg) · Data as of October 2026 · Listings compiled from Singapore government open data (data.gov.sg), OneMap and Overture Maps places. Free listings never show contact details; featured listings are labelled.