Boat Quay is one of Singapore's most atmospheric date-night stretches: a curve of restored shophouses and rooftop bars along the Singapore River, minutes from Raffles Place and Clarke Quay MRT. This guide gathers ten currently-open venues in and immediately around Boat Quay (including Circular Road, North Canal Road and Customs House across the river) that genuinely suit a romantic evening — from rooftop oyster and skyline bars to intimate Spanish, Italian and Japanese spots. Ambience and pricing vary widely, so reserve ahead and check the venue's own channels before you go, as riverside tenancies here change often.
Last verified: September 2026. Hours and prices can change — we re-check our guides regularly, but do confirm before a special trip.
The list
Southbridge Rooftop bar (European small plates, oysters & seafood) · $$$
Fully open-air rooftop bar (ilLido Group) with 360-degree skyline views over Marina Bay Sands, Parliament and the river; strict 21-plus policy makes it a grown-up al fresco date.
- Cuisine: Rooftop bar (European small plates, oysters & seafood)
- Price: $$$
- Must-try: Fresh oysters, Seafood platters, Champagne & cocktails
- Where: 80 Boat Quay, Rooftop Level 5, Singapore 049868
- Area: Boat Quay (riverside)
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW/NS Line); Clarke Quay (NE Line)
- Hours: Daily 5pm-12am
- Halal: No
Kinki Restaurant + Bar Modern Japanese · $$$
Modern Japanese restaurant with a rooftop terrace bar (L3) overlooking Marina Bay; smart-casual dress code and skyline views, roughly a 10-minute walk across the river from Boat Quay.
- Cuisine: Modern Japanese
- Price: $$$
- Must-try: Aburi sushi, Sashimi, Mod-Japanese small plates
- Where: 70 Collyer Quay, #02-02 Customs House, Singapore 049323
- Area: Collyer Quay / Customs House (~10-min walk across the river from Boat Quay)
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW/NS Line)
- Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm; Dinner Mon-Sat & PH 6pm-11pm; Rooftop daily 5pm-12am; closed Sun
- Halal: No
My Little Spanish Place Spanish (tapas & paella) · $$$
Rustic, warmly lit Spanish meson-style restaurant on Boat Quay serving home-style tapas and paella; intimate and conversation-friendly for a date.
- Cuisine: Spanish (tapas & paella)
- Price: $$$ · ~$60-90/pax
- Must-try: Pulpo de la Casa (octopus), Fideua, Migas
- Where: 54 Boat Quay, Singapore 049843
- Area: Boat Quay
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW/NS Line); Clarke Quay (NE Line)
- Hours: Dinner Tue-Sun 5pm-10:30pm; Lunch Thu-Fri 12pm-3pm; closed Mon
- Halal: No
Pasta Fresca Da Salvatore (Boat Quay) Italian · $$
Long-running (25-plus years) riverside Italian with handmade pasta and Singapore River views; a relaxed, dependable date over pasta and wine.
- Cuisine: Italian
- Price: $$ · ~$45/pax
- Must-try: Handmade fresh pasta, Spaghetti vongole, Burrata
- Where: 30 Boat Quay, Singapore 049819
- Area: Boat Quay (riverside)
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW/NS Line); Clarke Quay (NE Line)
- Hours: Mon-Thu 11:30am-3pm & 6pm-11pm; Fri-Sun & PH 11:30am-11pm (last orders 10:30pm); indoor tables by reservation, alfresco walk-in
- Halal: No
The Hitsuji Club Japanese (Jingisukan / Hokkaido lamb BBQ) · $$$
Intimate roughly 20-seat specialist in Hokkaido-style jingisukan (grilled lamb over a domed skillet) on Circular Road; small, cozy and hands-on for a Japanese-food date.
- Cuisine: Japanese (Jingisukan / Hokkaido lamb BBQ)
- Price: $$$
- Must-try: Jingisukan grilled Hokkaido baby lamb, Grilled vegetables
- Where: 65 Circular Road, Singapore 049419
- Area: Circular Road (one block from Boat Quay)
- Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line); Raffles Place (EW/NS Line)
- Hours: Lunch 11:45am-2pm; Dinner Mon-Sat 6pm-11pm; closed Sun (confirm before going)
- Halal: No
Dum Pukht Grill & Curry North Indian / Awadhi · $$
Riverside North Indian and Awadhi restaurant with indoor and outdoor river-facing seating and a cozy, romantic feel; known for slow-cooked (dum) curries and biryani.
- Cuisine: North Indian / Awadhi
- Price: $$
- Must-try: Dum biryani, Slow-cooked (dum) curries, Tandoori kebabs
- Where: 67 Boat Quay, Singapore 049855
- Area: Boat Quay (riverside)
- Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line); Raffles Place (EW/NS Line)
- Hours: Daily 12pm-3pm & 6pm-11pm
Suishin Izakaya & Sake Bar Japanese (izakaya) · $$
Dimly lit, cozy Japanese izakaya and sake bar on Boat Quay with warm wooden interiors; a relaxed date over sashimi, skewers and sake.
- Cuisine: Japanese (izakaya)
- Price: $$
- Must-try: Sashimi, Yakitori / grilled skewers, Sake
- Where: 52 Boat Quay, #01-01, Singapore 049841
- Area: Boat Quay
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW/NS Line); Clarke Quay (NE Line)
- Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm & 5pm-11pm; Sat 4pm-11pm; closed Sun (confirm before going)
- Halal: No
Craft Pizza Italian (pizza) · $$
Small, highly-rated upstairs pizzeria above the Boat Quay street level; casual and cozy for a low-key date over artisan pizza and craft beer.
- Cuisine: Italian (pizza)
- Price: $$ · ~$20-30/pax
- Must-try: Artisan pizzas, Calzone, Pesto alla Genovese pasta
- Where: 35A Boat Quay, Second Floor, Singapore 049824
- Area: Boat Quay
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW/NS Line); Clarke Quay (NE Line)
- Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-4pm & 5pm-10:30pm; closed Sun
- Halal: No
Dallas Restaurant & Bar (Boat Quay) Western (burgers, steaks) / bar-bistro · $$
Three-storey riverside shophouse (since 2004) with breezy alfresco waterfront seating and skyline views; a casual Western date, though it also screens live sports so it can get lively.
- Cuisine: Western (burgers, steaks) / bar-bistro
- Price: $$
- Must-try: American burgers, Steaks
- Where: 31 Boat Quay, Singapore 049820
- Area: Boat Quay (riverside)
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW/NS Line); Clarke Quay (NE Line)
- Hours: Approx Sun-Thu 11:30am-12am; Fri-Sat 11:30am-1am (confirm before going)
- Halal: No
Shako-Ba Japanese (izakaya bar) · $$
Hidden daruma-themed izakaya bar near Boat Quay (opened 2024) with inventive bar bites and a big drinks list; a fun, lively date-night hangout rather than a quiet dinner.
- Cuisine: Japanese (izakaya bar)
- Price: $$ · small plates ~$8-28
- Must-try: Salmon Treasure Box, Lobster/Unagi crispy rice, Minced chicken tsukune
- Where: 12 North Canal Road, #02-01, Singapore 048825
- Area: North Canal Road (beside Boat Quay / Circular Road, CBD)
- Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line); Raffles Place (EW/NS Line)
- Hours: Daily 5pm-12am
- Halal: No
At a glance: compare every spot
| Spot | Cuisine | Price | Area | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southbridge | Rooftop bar (European small plates, oysters & seafood) | $$$ | Boat Quay (riverside) | No |
| Kinki Restaurant + Bar | Modern Japanese | $$$ | Collyer Quay / Customs House (~10-min walk across the river from Boat Quay) | No |
| My Little Spanish Place | Spanish (tapas & paella) | $$$ | Boat Quay | No |
| Pasta Fresca Da Salvatore (Boat Quay) | Italian | $$ | Boat Quay (riverside) | No |
| The Hitsuji Club | Japanese (Jingisukan / Hokkaido lamb BBQ) | $$$ | Circular Road (one block from Boat Quay) | No |
| Dum Pukht Grill & Curry | North Indian / Awadhi | $$ | Boat Quay (riverside) | — |
| Suishin Izakaya & Sake Bar | Japanese (izakaya) | $$ | Boat Quay | No |
| Craft Pizza | Italian (pizza) | $$ | Boat Quay | No |
| Dallas Restaurant & Bar (Boat Quay) | Western (burgers, steaks) / bar-bistro | $$ | Boat Quay (riverside) | No |
| Shako-Ba | Japanese (izakaya bar) | $$ | North Canal Road (beside Boat Quay / Circular Road, CBD) | No |
Your questions answered
Which MRT and exit is best for Boat Quay date-night restaurants?
Raffles Place (East-West / North-South lines) is closest to the eastern, riverside end of Boat Quay — leave via the exits toward Bonham Street / the Singapore River. Clarke Quay (North-East line) is handier for the western end, Circular Road and North Canal Road. Both are roughly a 5-10 minute walk to most venues listed here, and Kinki at Customs House is a short walk across the river from Raffles Place.
How much should we budget for dinner for two?
It varies a lot along this stretch. Casual spots like Craft Pizza run about S$20-30 per person, and izakayas or Italian such as Suishin and Pasta Fresca sit around S$40-50 per person. Rooftop and premium options like Southbridge, Kinki and My Little Spanish Place can reach S$60-100-plus per person once drinks are added. Treat all figures as indicative and check current menus, as prices change.
Do we need to make reservations?
For weekend evenings, yes — book ahead, especially for rooftop tables at Southbridge and Kinki and small venues like The Hitsuji Club (around 20 seats). Many places take reservations through their own site or platforms like Chope. Some, such as Pasta Fresca, reserve indoor tables but keep alfresco seats for walk-ins, so ask when you book.
What's the most romantic option if we want a view?
For skyline and river views, the rooftop bars are the standout picks: Southbridge (Level 5 above Boat Quay) and Kinki's rooftop terrace across the river at Customs House. For waterfront-level dining, Pasta Fresca, Dum Pukht and Dallas all have river-facing or alfresco seats along the Boat Quay promenade.
Are any of these halal-certified, and is there a dress code?
None of the venues listed are confirmed halal-certified, so Muslim diners should verify directly with the restaurant before booking. Most Boat Quay spots are smart-casual; Kinki specifically enforces smart casual (no singlets or flip-flops) and Southbridge has a 21-and-over policy. When in doubt, dress neat-casual and confirm details with the venue.