Sometimes the best dates are the ones where you ditch the fancy outfits, get a little sweaty, and earn your dinner. For Date Night #18, we swapped cocktails and candlelight for forest trails and fried rice —ending up at 99 Buona Vista Kitchen, a no-frills Chinese eatery where the portions are generous and the food hits the spot after a solid hike.
Where?
🥾 Southern Ridges Hike – Mount Faber to Kent Ridge
🍚 Dinner at 99 Buona Vista Kitchen – Chinese restaurant, 22 South Buona Vista Road
What?
We kicked things off at the top of Mount Faber (I suggest a cab ride – unless you’re in the mood for an uphill warm-up from Vivocity, which adds at least 30 extra minutes to your hike). From the cable car station, we soaked in panoramic views: lush greenery on one side, glimmering high-rises on the other, before beginning our descent toward the Southern Ridges trail.
First stop: the iconic Henderson Waves bridge. With its distinctive curved wooden slats and undulating form, it’s one of Singapore’s most photogenic spots. The views are pretty special too – you get a great glimpse of the Keppel Bay towers peeking through the canopy like silver sails. If you’re the kind of couple (or one half of a couple… like me!) who insists on pausing for a photo, this is the place.
We had planned to take the Forest Walk — an elevated metal pathway through the treetops, but it was closed due to a recent landslide. Still, in true Singapore fashion, there were clear signs announcing the closure and suggesting an alternative route, which we followed. The detour took us along the Earth Trail, a quieter path beneath the suspended walkway, where the towering trees gave us plenty of shade and that rare sense of being truly away from the city.
We continued through HortPark, passing plant displays, butterflies, and the occasional jogger, before reaching Kent Ridge Park. By that point, we were sweaty, hungry and absolutely ready to reward ourselves.
A short walk more and we reached 99 Buona Vista Kitchen. If you’ve never been, imagine an open-air, hawker-style Chinese restaurant with plastic tables, ceiling fans and zero pretension. It’s the kind of place where your food arrives hot, fast and in generous portions – and no one bats an eye if you show up in sweaty hiking gear!
Here’s what our well-earned dinner looked like:
- Fried French beans (ridiculously addictive)
- Yang Zhou fried rice
- Sweet and sour pork
- Creamy chicken curry
- Salt and pepper prawns (my favourite—crispy, salty/spicy perfection)
Yes, we ordered a lot. Yes, it was just the two of us. And yes, we polished off every last bite. The food came quickly, the flavours were bold – and afterwards, we were very full and very happy.
WOW Tips:
- Take a cab to Mount Faber to avoid an uphill start
- Bring insect repellent! We forgot and I live to regret it!
- Go top to bottom if you prefer an easier walk, or reverse for a fitness challenge (and a celebratory drink at Faber Peak)
- 99 Buona Vista Kitchen is great for groups, more people = more dishes to try
Worth it?
Absolutely. A healthy(ish) date night that ended with delicious Chinese food? We’re calling that balance.
It wasn’t glamorous, and there were definitely moments of sweat and mosquito-swatting—but there was also fresh air, uninterrupted conversation and that satisfying feeling of earning your dinner.
There’s something grounding about doing something low-key and real together—no pressure, no heels and no bookings required.
The scenery was lush, the trail was peaceful (even with the detour) and the food was a perfect reward at the end.
7/10 – simple, satisfying and a little sweaty. Would do it again with friends!
What HE said…
“For a healthy date night, nothing beats a nice hike with your spouse. Hiking was something we used to do a lot before kids, so it was nice to find a way to do that again—even if it’s harder in Singapore. The food at 99 was very good, but honestly, most Chinese food in Singapore is. In this case, it was the journey, not the destination, that made it special.”
(Yes, I cringed too at that last sentence)
7/10 (same!)
Wrap-up
There’s something really grounding about moving through nature together, with nothing to focus on but the path ahead and each other. It gave us time to talk about everything and nothing, and just enjoy being in each other’s company. And of course time to work up a proper appetite!
Plus, I got to spend time chatting with my husband — and remembered just how boring yet hilarious he is!
Have you ever done a hiking date in Singapore? Got any other hidden food gems near a good trail? Let me know in the comments or message me on Insta!
Wanna see?
📸 For photos and videos from the night, check out Instagram.
