Clarke Quay
Clarke Quay is a unique, conserved historical landmark located along the Singapore River and at the fringe of Singapore's Central Business District.
A vibrant entertainment district on the banks of the Singapore River, Clarke Quay is a unique destination that seamlessly blends dining and dynamic nightlife with the country’s heritage of being a key port of trade and melting pot of cultures.
Named after Sir Andrew Clarke, governor of the Straits Settlements in the 1800s, Clarke Quay began as a trading hub lined with warehouses and godowns where traders moved and transported goods through Southeast Asia. Then in the 1900s, due to its historical significance, it was gazetted as a heritage conservation district by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore, burgeoning into a lifestyle district where locals and tourists alike could savour the best flavours the country has to offer. Today, after a refreshing facelift by Capitaland, CQ at Clarke Quay is a gleaming metropolis of hip bars and restaurants, complete with lifestyle haunts for wholesome family fun in the day that transform into buzzy spots for romantic dates and lively nights out as soon as dusk falls. What’s unique about this multi-faceted destination is that you have both al fresco and air-conditioned outlets along the sparkling Singapore River, and many more places to wine, dine and let your hair down under the angel-shaped canopy—an iconic architectural landmark of its own that uses one of the best performing ETFE membranes in the market with new omni-directional angel fans to reduce solar heat gain, improving daytime thermal comfort of the internal streets while making sure the outdoor dining experiences remain breezy.
Not unlike its origins, CQ at Clarke Quay presents a melting pot of global culinary influences. Whether indulging in traditional Asia fare, exploring exotic tastes, or enjoying innovative twists of familiar local dishes, their diverse tapestry of F&B offerings attract food enthusiasts from around the world.
Tomo Dining Bar is a modern izakaya-style dining experience where dishes like fresh sushi and soba can be paired with a wide variety of sakae, shochu, beer and other Japanese spirits, while Sanchos features scrumptious interpretations of Mexican classic street food best savoured with a frozen margarita with a front row seat of the sparkling Singapore River. Set in palatial interiors, Grand Konak invites diners to savour Turkish and Lebanese flavours and spices with specialty dishes like hummus, mezza platters, various meat mousakka and juicy kebabs, while Nana Thai Royale, which is open 24 hours a day, transports guests to the heart of Thailand with its authentic Thai favourites including basil crispy pork, claypot crab glass noodles and creamy coconut chicken soup. Seafood Paradise Restaurant showcases the city-state's love for fresh seafood, delivering a seafood dining experience par excellence. For diners seeking elevated Singaporean flavours, Seafood Paradise offers the day’s finest, freshest catch in must-order creations such as the iconic chilli crab, hot plate tofu with preserved cai xin, baked pork belly ribs with honey pepper sauce and signature creamy butter crab topped with coconut crumbs.
More options from Clarke Quay’s gastronomic haven include Fu Lin Restaurant and Bar, which serves up modern Asian cuisine right in front of the fountain square. Think red snapper carpaccio, white radish cake with homemade XO spicy chilli, wagyu and iberico chargrills and their famous fried yong tofu and mushroom noodles; while takeaway kiosk Hot Buns dishes out traditional Asian-style bao burgers and hot dogs in playful fashion, stuffed with everything from crispy spam and truffle scrambled eggs, to soy-braised pork belly, chicken satay or chilli prawns.
The bar scene is just as, if not more, vibrant. For hungry party seekers, places like Asian tapas bar and restaurant The Singapura Club, which also transports patrons back to old school Singapore, and modern Spanish-Filipino restaurant-bar Octapas by El Mesa, which serves up mouthwatering dishes all day, before live entertainment comes on at sunset for patrons to drink and dance the night away. And at the heart of CQ at Clarke Quay is its crowning jewel: 150-year-old The Riverhouse, a two-storey multi-concept space housing a modern Chinese restaurant, an arts and social alfresco bar, and an International Asian club, namely Mimi, Ying and Yang.
Then there’s Chapters by Drinks & Co., for those who prefer a quieter sip of craft cocktails and premium spirits in a sleek den-like setting; or Simply Retro by Tinbox for those who seek copious amounts of drinks with live bands playing hits from the golden era of Cantopop. And of course, for those who prefer a more private but no less effervescent night out, there is K.Star Karaoke, with a collection of themed rooms from anime to carnival, catering to any type of group gathering or occasion.
And finally, there are two alternative ways to end the night at CQ at Clarke Quay. For adrenaline seekers, there’s Asia’s tallest Slingshot ride, which catapults riders into the air with a GX-5 Extreme Swing, providing an exhilarating vantage point of the city. And for those looking to wind down, there’s Natureland massage and wellness spa where patrons can indulge in a full body therapies or traditional foot reflexology.