Empress Singapore - Cantonese Dining In A Colonial Icon

Few restaurants in Singapore can claim a setting quite like this. Empress sits within the storied Asian Civilisations Museum at 1 Empress Place — a 19th-century colonial landmark that faces the Singapore River with unhurried grace.

Inside, rattan-backed chairs and circular tables with lazy Susans nod to the Cantonese dining rooms of old, while the contemporary interiors keep the atmosphere lively and unpretentious. It is the kind of place where a bowl of prawn dumpling soup feels completely at home beside a river view that hasn’t changed much in a century — and that’s exactly the point.

Double-Boiled Superior Soup in Young Coconut — $15

The Double-Boiled Superior Soup in Young Coconut is one of those dishes that reveals the kitchen’s patience in a single bowl. Prawn, dried scallop, bamboo fungus, and chicken are sealed inside a whole young coconut and double-boiled low and slow — a technique that coaxes every layer of flavour into the broth without rushing it. The result is a soup that is naturally sweet from the coconut, deeply savoury from the dried scallop, and clarified to the kind of clean finish that only comes from hours of careful cooking. It is understated in the best possible way, and at $15, it is one of the most quietly impressive things on the menu.

Triple Roast Platter — $34 (12pcs) / $51 (18pcs)

The Triple Roast Platter is a reliable crowd anchor — Empress Char Siew made from Spanish Duroc pork, crackling roasted pork with skin that pops, and sweet and sticky pork ribs finished low and slow. Each component is served in its own right, not as an afterthought. The char siew in particular is a consistent favourite, caramelised at the edges with a smoky depth that lingers. For a table looking to sample broadly, this platter is the natural entry point.

King Prawn Dumpling in Supreme Broth — $15

Cantonese cooking at its most considered is often found in the soup, and Empress’s King Prawn Dumpling in Supreme Broth makes a compelling case. Plump prawn dumplings arrive in a stonepot of clear, long-simmered broth — the kind that rewards patience and restraint in the kitchen. Clean-flavoured, warming, and deceptively simple.

Royal Peking Duck — $45 (half) / $78 (whole)

The Royal Peking Duck is the showstopper, and it earns the title. Roasted to a burnished finish and carved tableside, it arrives with silky crepe wrappers, fresh scallions, and cool cucumber — the full traditional presentation, executed cleanly. The skin shatters on contact, and the meat beneath is tender without being dry. Diners who have made the trip specifically for this dish describe it as among the finest versions available in Singapore, with at least one reviewer calling it the highlight of their entire trip. It sells out, so ordering in advance is strongly advised.

Seared Angus Beef Tenderloin Cubes — $36 (small) / $54 (large)

The Seared Angus Beef Tenderloin Cubes bring wok-fire energy to the table — diced beef seared over high heat and tossed with garlic, crispy Chinese fritters, water chestnut, and a black pepper sauce that coats without overwhelming. The water chestnut adds a recurring crunch that keeps the dish lively from the first bite to the last.

Sticky Date & Longan Pudding — $15

Dessert takes a clever East-meets-West turn with the Sticky Date & Longan Pudding. The warm pudding is served with gula melaka butterscotch, walnuts, and a goji berry and vanilla swirl ice cream — the dried longan folded in as a nod to cheng teng, giving the whole thing a familiar warmth that Singapore diners respond to. An abillion Top 50 Vegan Dishes finalist in past years, it remains one of the kitchen’s most talked-about finishes.

Weekend Dim Sum Brunch — $63 per person

On weekends, Empress trades its à la carte rhythm for something altogether more indulgent. The Weekend Dim Sum Brunch at $63 per person unfolds across two-hour seatings — 11am to 1pm or 1pm to 3pm — with unlimited servings of the kitchen’s full dim sum spread running alongside a curated selection of Chef’s Signatures. Har Gau and Siew Mai arrive in steady rotation, alongside Steamed Seafood and Spinach Dumplings packed with scallops, prawns, and crab, and Steamed XO Chicken Feet for those who know to order them. The porridge options — Dried Scallop and Shredded Duck, and Preserved Egg and Pork — are the kind of slow-cooked comfort that makes a long weekend brunch genuinely difficult to leave. Beyond the dim sum, the table shares signatures like the Triple Roast Platter, Seared Angus Beef Tenderloin Cubes, and Crispy King Prawns in Salted Egg Yolk. Pair it all with free-flow Prosecco, Heineken, and house wines for an additional $45 — or upgrade to Champagne for $20 more — and what begins as a Sunday brunch quietly becomes the best few hours of the week.

Empress has held its position as one of Singapore’s more distinctive Chinese dining addresses by doing something harder than it looks — maintaining genuine quality inside a location that could easily coast on views alone. With Tatler Dining Awards recognition in 2022 and 2023, a Michelin Guide listing in 2017, and multiple Wine & Dine Top Restaurants accolades, the kitchen’s track record speaks clearly. Whether it’s a weekday business lunch, a weekend dim sum brunch by the river, or an evening settling into the Canton Room for a private dinner with the CBD skyline in the background, Empress delivers a version of Cantonese dining that is rooted in tradition and thoroughly worth the table.

Address: 1 Empress Place, #01-03, Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore 179555
Phone: +65 8970 8048 (WhatsApp only)
Email: [email protected]
Opening Hours:
Mon–Fri: Lunch 11:30am–3pm (LO 2:30pm) | Dinner 6pm–10:30pm (LO 10pm)
Sat–Sun: Lunch 11am–3pm (LO 2:30pm) | Dinner 6pm–10:30pm (LO 10pm)
Instagram: @empress_acm
Facebook: /empresssg