Betel Box Bistro 3.36

Our Philosophy

Chinese immigrants arrived in Southeast Asia as early 12th century and many married the natives of the region. The children of these early Chinese immigrants are known as the Peranakans; " Local Born". The Peranakan Chinese are also known as Baba-Nonya and Straits Chinese. And, due to their associations with the British during the colonial era; are also known as " The Queens Chinese". Nonya Cuisine is true in the spirit of the development of the people of this region.

The legacy of the British in Singapore is obvious in many aspects of our lives; such as, language, law and even popular culture. However, colonial British cuisine is now not normally found in the older neighbourhoods of Singapore.

We are proud of our cultural roots and we aim to reintroduce authenic renditions of these cultural cuisines and to create more fusions of our colonial past.

Betel Box is a proud advocate of Singapore Heritage. Our walls are lined with artwork by local artists including a 8 metre mural of Joo Chiat town. Conservation of old towns in Singapore deals mainly with the protection of buildings but the essence of a community is that of its residents and small businesses. Mural artists Lim Zhi Wei and Angela Yeo have captured the spirit of Joo Chiat/ Katong in this mural project. We also stock books of “Singaporeana”; of various local topical interests such as architecture, food, art and culture. These books are available for sale as well as for on-site reference.

In tandem with the opening of the restaurant, we will be launching a new food tour which includes a wet market and kitchen equipment shop visit and a hands-on cooking class. All our signature tours and tourist attraction tickets are available for sale and booking over the counter. Bicycles are available for hourly hire and Joo Chiat/ Katong trail maps are provided to allow for extended touring of our town.

A multi-purpose events room is available for private booking. The primary use of this space is for weekly public events, such as talks/ forums/ exhibitions that focus on Singapore Heritage and Travel which free for members of public to participate.

The Betel Box Living Bistro has taken over 2 years to materialise since the idea was mooted, a lot of thought and consultation with discerning neighbours have gone into the planning and design of the menu and furnishings. We are open every day 8am to 10pm, except Tuesdays when we are only open 8am-12noon. For reservations, please call 6440 5540. For more information, go to http://www.betelbox.com/bistro . We look forward to serving you!