Inside a quiet block in Ang Mo Kio – one of Singapore’s oldest neighbourhoods and just six MRT stops away from Orchard Road – is a flat that has become a pilgrimage site for those plugged into Singapore’s underground food scene.
From the corridor, it looks like any other Housing Development Board (HDB) unit, the type of public housing where more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans live. But step inside TJBBQ and it feels like entering a boutique steakhouse. A 3m teak table takes centre stage, while soft lighting and a red accent wall set the tone for a refined, intimate experience.
The chef-host is Ng Tiong Jin, a former photographer who began hosting curated barbecue dining meals for groups of up to 12 diners in 2023. Meals start at S$148 per person and the $168 Turf & Surf menu includes hickory-smoked wagyu tomahawk. For a Singaporean flourish, the meal ends with piquant sambal prawns with prawn keropok crackers and homemade otah (spiced fish cake) sliders.
“I love that the meals are casual but memorable,” says Tiong Jin, whose private kitchen has hosted 138 of these feasts and is part of a quietly growing trend of supper clubs, cocktail bars and cafés operating out of the most unexpected of venues: people’s private homes.
Supper clubs in Singapore are not new, but a new batch of hosts surfaced during the pandemic after the government relaxed rules around home-based businesses. Under the Home-Based Business Scheme, aspiring chefs could serve from home – provided they remain low profile, quiet and hygienic.
The result is a growing list of private kitchens offering everything from Vietnamese banh mi to elaborate Peranakan dishes. Prices hover around S$100 per person, and there’s no goods and services tax. Most chefs offer a distinct sense of place and heritage, and part of the appeal is being able to glimpse into everyday Singaporean life.
“It is not just about the food but about people from all walks of life coming together at my table and enjoying a good conversation in my home,” Tiong Jin says, as we keep piling the condiments – crisp anchovy sambal, pickled green chillies, a squeeze of calamansi lime – onto our spicy prawn crackers, unable to stop ourselves from polishing off every last bite. “My grandmother would approve of this sambal,” one guest says between mouthfuls.
Across town, in the residential enclave of Dover, just two MRT train stops from the bohemian buzz of Holland Village, more homegrown culinary magic is unfolding.
Inside a condo unit, guests gather in Sherine Chua’s living room, swirling glasses of wine they have brought along, as she puts the finishing touches on the elaborate prep for The Drunken Chef private dinner session (from S$98 per person).
A self-taught chef who has been cooking since she was 15, Sherine sheepishly reveals she first learnt to cook for her friends about 10 years ago by watching YouTube videos. These days, she has added her own elevated spin on her seven-course Chinese zichar-inspired (cooked-to-order) meals, with many dishes requiring intensive days-long preparations.
For instance, a drunken chicken roulade is brined in premium, locally brewed rice wine for two days to deeply infuse the meat with flavour. The result is silky, succulent slices of chicken laced with a mellow sweetness and a heady fragrant finish.
Sherine turned her side hustle that she started in 2017 into a full-time, home-based restaurant about one-and-a-half years ago.
“What is most rewarding is watching people truly enjoy the food I have put my heart and soul into creating. There is something special about doing it in my own home as it is comfortable, intimate and creates the kind of atmosphere where everyone can just relax and connect,” Sherine says.
Another highlight is her crispy sio bak (roasted pork belly) with a masterfully blistered crackling that shatters at the bite, giving way to juicy layers of meat and fat.
Sherine nails both technique and timing with finesse, operating out of her modestly sized condominium kitchen that is equipped with just the usual home kitchen appliances like a stove and an oven.
Her signature paofan is a comforting pot of seafood and rice in a rich, umami-packed broth made from hours-boiled fish bones. The savoury, almost milky soup is infused with the natural sweetness of the sea and tastes deeply nourishing.
When the sun sets, the city’s most discreet home bars come to life. These intimate setups echo hidden speakeasies, with addresses shared only after a confirmed reservation, usually via word-of-mouth or a booking link.
Among the pioneers of this scene is Dannon Har, who, along with his wife Jamie, launched Section D in 2020. Nestled within their executive condominium in Sengkang, about a 10-minute drive from Changi Airport, they offer guests a cosy setting in their living room adorned with a floor-to-ceiling liquor shelf.
Dannon, a former drinks editor turned mixologist, often draws inspiration from personal experiences. For instance, he proposed to Jamie with his signature drink The Proposal, a smoky concoction featuring peated whisky, fresh orange juice and agave syrup. “I gave her a whole jug,” he quips.
He also experiments with spirits not typically associated with cocktails, such as Chinese baijiu, challenging himself to craft inventive drinks that bridge traditional flavours with modern mixology. Section D now runs by appointment only as they have a toddler, but Dannon continues to collaborate with brands on pop-ups and guest shifts.
For late night vibes, Vagabond Mixology is a one-man operation by cocktail whiz Ben Lim, who literally shakes things up from his breezy HDB flat in Braddell. He has set up a small cocktail bar counter in the living room, and with low lighting and soft music, the space transforms into an atmospheric drinking den.
Ben started his home bar in 2021 after rave reviews from a pop-up event at a former workplace. His cocktails feature boundary-pushing techniques and unexpected combinations like lacto-fermented strawberry honey and sweet-potato-infused bourbon.
Ben’s Lemon Cheesecake, which tastes almost like the dessert itself, features miso honey for a sweet, umami flavour, artichoke liqueur for balance and honey yoghurt for a creamy texture.
His menus are often themed to his pop culture inspirations like the HBO series Succession or UK neo soul band Jungle, along with bar staples and bespoke orders. For instance, The Heat, one of the drinks on the thematic menu inspired by Jungle, is a spicy margarita riff featuring szechuan pepper and chilli padi syrup, green fire-roasted poblano chilli liqueur and a few drops of Lao Gan Ma chilli oil on the top.
“I wanted a space to push creative boundaries, experiment and where people would feel at ease and be open to trying something new, maybe even leave with a new friend,” Ben says.
Indeed, in a city known for its architectural feats and high-concept dining, these homespun ventures prove hospitality does not need to be flashy.
Instead, it is the spirit of generosity and community in Singapore’s quiet corners where strangers become buddies and meals turn into a shared bonding experience. After all, unforgettable nights do not always start in a five-star lobby. Sometimes, they begin at a stranger-turned-friend’s front door.
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