singaporecity360° Candlenut
Candlenut is chef-owner Malcolm Lee's Peranakan restaurant at Dempsey Hill, and the world's first MICHELIN-starred Peranakan kitchen. It has held a star in every Singapore edition of the guide since 2016.
- Cuisine
- Peranakan
- Neighbourhood
- Dempsey Hill
- Nearest MRT
- Farrer Road (CC) — or taxi
- Chef
- Malcolm Lee
- Indicative price
- Ah-Ma-Kase lunch S$108++; dinner S$138++
- Address
- 17A Dempsey Road, Singapore 249676 (COMO Dempsey)
Candlenut is chef-owner Malcolm Lee's Peranakan restaurant at Dempsey Hill, and the world's first MICHELIN-starred Peranakan kitchen. It has held a star in every Singapore edition of the guide since 2016.
Signature dishes
- Aunt Caroline's Babi Buah Keluak — slow-cooked Iberico pork with buah keluak (around S$42++).
- Blue swimmer crab curry.
- Chef's mum's chicken curry.
- Kueh Pie Tee — crisp pastry cups with a savoury filling.
- Kueh Salat for dessert.
The Ah-Ma-Kase menu changes periodically and the a la carte carries seasonal dishes, so the exact line-up varies.
The concept
Peranakan, or Straits-Chinese, cooking marries Chinese ingredients with Malay and Indonesian spice, and Candlenut keeps the traditional flavours while sharpening the presentation. You can order shared, family-style from the a la carte menu or take the chef-curated "Ah-Ma-Kase" tasting — a play on "ah-ma", grandmother — which runs to ten-plus courses. The name refers to the candlenut, buah keras, used in the spice pastes.
The chef
Malcolm Lee is a fourth-generation Peranakan Singaporean who studied at SMU before training as a chef, winning the first Miele Guide Culinary Scholarship to the At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy. He opened Candlenut as a Neil Road shophouse in 2010, cooking from his mother's and grandmother's influence, and now also runs the starred Pangium.
Getting there
Candlenut is at 17A Dempsey Road, within COMO Dempsey on Dempsey Hill. There is no MRT at Dempsey; the closest is Farrer Road on the Circle Line, about a 14-minute walk. Buses run from Orchard and Holland Village, and a taxi or ride-hail is the simplest option.
Prices
The Ah-Ma-Kase is around S$108++ at lunch and S$138++ at dinner. A la carte, starters run in the high teens to low twenties and mains roughly S$34 to S$50++, so budget about S$80 to S$150++ for a la carte lunch and S$120 to S$220++ for dinner. "++" is before service charge and GST.
How to book
Book through the COMO Dempsey or Candlenut site or SevenRooms, or call +65 1800 304 2288; groups of 13 or more go through guest relations. Allow one to two weeks for weekday lunch and three to six weeks for Friday or Saturday dinner and holidays.
Opening hours
Lunch daily, midday to 3pm; dinner daily, 6 to 10pm.
The room & dress
A lofty, airy and serene room of around 90 seats, done in bamboo and rattan by Paola Navone of OTTO Studio — polished but welcoming, and built for communal eating. Dress is smart casual; skip beachwear, flip-flops and sportswear.
A little history
Candlenut began as Candlenut Kitchen on Neil Road in 2010, won its star in the inaugural 2016 Singapore guide — the world's first Peranakan restaurant to do so — moved to Dempsey that year, and has retained the star through 2026.
Who it’s for
For visitors who want a distinctive Singaporean cuisine beyond the usual tourist plates, spice and food-history enthusiasts, and anyone after a refined introduction to Peranakan cooking. Take the tasting for a guided run or go a la carte to share.