The bright and beautiful The Clifford Pier (The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, tel: 6597 5266) is ideal for relaxing tete-a-tete sessions over afternoon tea. The Singapore Heritage Afternoon Tea, curated by cookbook author Shermay Lee is served daily from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. Sink your teeth into a variety of sweet and savoury bites presented in an elegant three-tier set, and have refills of your favourite item if you wish. Munch on the superbly succulent braised Kurobuta pork kong ba bao sandwiched in between steamed buns as well as the deep-fried mantou brimming with piquant chilli crab. The Nonya chicken curry wrapped in lacy roti jala wrap is just as delicious. Standout sweet items include the moist pandan Swiss roll and blushing pink Bandung macarons. Complement your afternoon tea with beverages such as aromatic local kopi, teh tarik, or milo dinosaur.

Over at the Axis Bar and Lounge (Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, tel: 6885 3500), guests can enjoy different locally-themed afternoon tea menus every month. The highlight is the range of durian treats such as French toast with durian and butter, durian scones, durian creme brulee, and D24 durian teacake. If that proves too overwhelming for you, there are savoury creations such as pot pie filled with rich beef rendang, and chilli crab pie. Pair these refined bites with your choice of fine TWG Tea or a glass of Ruinart champagne. The five-course afternoon tea set of sweet and savoury items is available daily.

If you like variety, head to Edge (Level 3 Pan Pacific Singapore, tel: 6826 8240) for its Makan Makan lunch buffet on Saturdays. Aside from the usual spread, the sprawling restaurant is laden with Nonya dishes such as Assam fish and ngoh hiang luxed up with spiced lobster, prawns and chestnuts. Robust dishes to try include traditional Peranakan chicken curry serve with baguette, babi pongteh, and freshly grilled satay. The dessert spread here is memorable, particularly the flaky Portuguese egg tarts, luscious durian mousse cake, and durian pengat. Meanwhile, to celebrate Singapore’s golden jubilee, from August 6 to 8 and 10, diners can relish in claypot fish head curry served tableside at lunch.

Housed in a narrow shophouse in Tiong Bahru, is the charming House of Peranakan Petit (42 Eng Hoon Street, tel: 6222 1719). The passionate Bob Seah helms the kitchen, while his daughter Bee Leng runs the floor. Homey dishes to try include the golden ngoh hiang with minced pork, prawns, water chestnuts and turnip, and the otak otak, a family recipe featuring steamed ikan parang (sai toh fish) perfumed with ginger blossom and laksa leaves. There’s also Bob’s pork bun composed of caramelised braised pork belly sandwiched between soft white bun with lettuce and coriander leaves. Rich durian chendol complete the meal.

The refurbished Violet Oon’s Kitchen (881 Bukit Timah Road, tel: 6468 5430) now sports stylish interior adorned with beautiful original Peranakan tiles culled from old properties. On the menu is a wider repertoire of Nonya and local favourites like sio bak kiam chye soup (pork and salted vegetables soup) and a robust prawn bisque prepared the old fashioned way, where prawn heads are boiled with pork bones. This soup is filled with bouncy pork balls and bamboo shoots. Great for sharing is the Indonesian-inspired daging chabek beef cheek, which is slathered in a thick sauce redolent of tamarind, coconut milk, fragrant gula Melaka, and spices. To round it off, the gula Melaka and cashew crumble cake is moist, and perfect with a cup of kopi. A new Violet Oon outlet is also set to open in October.