Date Night #3: Sssssslithering into the Year of the Snake at Chinatown (Singapore)

One of the many reasons I love living in Singapore is how every culture is celebrated. From Chinese New Year to Diwali, Eid, Christmas, and more, there’s always something to learn, experience, and, most importantly, celebrate! These festivities make Singapore such a vibrant, exciting place to call home – and means we get lots of public holidays! 

My husband and I have this fun tradition of theming our date nights around what’s happening in the city, and with Chinese New Year right around the corner, we knew exactly where to go—Chinatown! Visiting Chinatown during CNY has become a yearly tradition for us, and it never fails to put us in a festive mood. This year, we decided to share the fun with friends who are just as committed to their weekly date nights. Here’s how we welcomed the Year of the Snake. 🐍

Where?

Location: Chinatown

• Dinner: Dumpling Garden, Pagoda Street
• Drinks: Smith Street Taps, Chinatown Food Complex
• Sights: Chinatown Street Market and New Bridge Road lantern displays

What?

Our first stop was dinner at a new spot for us—Dumpling Garden. It’s located right in the heart of Chinatown on Pagoda Street, which was buzzing with energy because of the festive season. The restaurant is casual, affordable, and offers a mix of vegetarian and meat dishes, which worked perfectly since one of our friends is vegetarian.

Here’s what we ordered:

• Pork Dumplings with Chive (classic, juicy, and full of flavour!)
• Egg Dumplings with Chive (surprisingly tasty, even for the meat lovers in the group)
• Egg Fried Rice and Sautéed Chinese Lettuce with Garlic (simple but flavourful)
• Stir-Fried Noodles with Shredded Chicken (comfort food vibes)
• Pot Cauliflower (charred, spicy, and the standout dish of the night—I’d come back just for this!)

We chose an outdoor table, soaking in the lively street scene. The best part? The entire meal, beers included, cost just $100 for the four of us! Affordable, delicious, and perfect for a casual night out—we’ll definitely return to explore the rest of their menu.

After dinner, we admired the New Bridge Road lantern displays. I couldn’t help but notice how all the snake-themed lanterns were on the “cute” side—cartoonish and smiley. Don’t get me wrong, they’re fun, but I think a more realistic, striking snake design could’ve been awesome. Maybe next Year of the Snake? Only 12 years to go!

Then we strolled through the Chinatown Street Market, which was a sea of red and gold, with every stall showcasing vibrant lanterns, zodiac trinkets, and festive treats. It’s a yearly tradition for my husband and I to pick up one decoration to add to our collection!

We wrapped up the night at Smith Street Taps, a quirky little hawker stall on the second level of the Chinatown Food Complex. The place has an undeniably gritty charm—think sticky floors, the smell of stale beer, and run-down vibes—but the craft beers are excellent.

There’s something so uniquely fun about sitting above the hustle and bustle of Chinatown, sipping on a cold, hoppy beer while soaking in the festive atmosphere. It’s a no-frills spot, but that’s part of its appeal. The beer was a perfect end to the night—cheers to another great CNY date night!

WOW tips:

• Order the pot cauliflower at Dumpling Garden — you won’t regret it.
• Stroll through the Chinatown Street Market — yes, it’s crowded, but that’s part of the fun!
• Take a photo with the lanterns — they’re too pretty to miss.
• Buy a festive keepsake — we love the zodiac-themed chopsticks from the market!
• Wear something red – red is considered the lucky colour for CNY, symbolizing good fortune and happiness.

Worth it?

I’m giving this date night an 8/10.

I love celebrating Chinese New Year in Chinatown—it’s familiar, festive, and always puts me in the mood for CNY. Dumpling Garden was a great find, and I’m excited to try more of their dishes in the future. Sharing the experience with friends made it even more special, and I hope we’ve started a new yearly tradition with them, too!

What HE said…

“Dumpling Garden was good value for money with some good veggie options. And always love an excuse to go to Smith Street Taps. I was a bit apprehensive about skipping Yellow Chair this year (our usual spot), but it turned out to be a good change!”

My husband, who’s from Hong Kong, also chimed in with a hearty Cantonese “Gong Hei Fat Choy” and gave the evening an 8/10. (That’s three times in a row now that we’ve rated the date night exactly the same —looks like we’re perfectly in sync!)

Wanna see?

For more photos, check out Instagram.

Wrap-up

There’s just something about celebrating Chinese New Year in Chinatown that never gets old. The lights, the street market buzz, the lanterns, and of course, the food—it’s such a vibe. For my husband and I, this tradition has become a highlight of the year, one we both look forward to as part of our little collection of date night rituals.

Every year, it feels like we’re layering new memories onto the old ones. I still remember our first CNY together in Chinatown—getting lost in the crowd, overordering (and finishing it all), and coming home with way too many decorations. Now, it’s about reconnecting in the middle of all that energy, with a craft beer in hand.  

Chinatown during Chinese New Year is a must-visit for us, and I can’t wait to keep building on this tradition for years to come.

What’s your favourite way to celebrate Chinese New Year? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your ideas! And don’t forget to come back next week for another fun and festive date night story!