Dining on the waterfront: 5 top restaurants with a view

Singapore’s skyline will be fully aglow this year once the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort opens this week. Eateries nearby are gambling on a billion-dollar view. Naturally, the ones directly opposite the resort, such as those within the Fullerton Heritage dining and entertaining complex, will be privy to the best waterfront panorama within these shores. CNNGo picks five of the best dining options with a view.

Forlino

Forlino is synonymous with Italian fine dining and impeccable service. Perched on the top of the two-story One Fullerton, Forlino also enjoys some of the best views of Marina Bay. The restaurant maximises the view with floor-to-ceiling glass panes which are themselves framed by the famously opulent setting designed by Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders. Chef Giuliano Dacasto who has trained at three-star Michelin restaurants, creates sophisticated menus for discerning gourmets. Artisanal ingredients are sourced from Italy, or made fresh on the premises. A 1,000-label wine cellar ensures you won’t go without your favorite, but don’t miss the extremely good coffee after a meal here.

1 Fullerton Road, #02-06, Singapore. tel +65 6877 6995. Open daily for lunch from 12pm to 2.30pm and for dinner from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. www.forlino.com.

One on the Bund

You’ll be transported into another world the minute you step into Clifford Pier. Chef-owner Calvin Yeung designed the interior to evoke memories of old Shanghai, and it feels like a cultural museum. Many pieces of the antique furniture and vintage luggage come from his own collection.

Watch Peking ducks being roasted in the open flame oven using apple wood chips imported from Beijing. The crispy lamb ribs are also divine. Food here focuses on yuan wei or "original flavor", so guests expecting heavy sauces and highly seasoned food will be surprised at how light and delicate some of the dishes are. There is a bar and Western dessert parlor at the harbor side of the pier, with al fresco seating directly facing the Marina Bay Sands across the waters.

80 Collyer Quay, Clifford Pier, Singapore. tel +65 6221 0004. Open daily from 12pm to 3pm for lunch and 6pm til late for dinner, with weekend brunch from 11am - 5pm on Saturday & Sunday.

Bacchus Boathouse

The romantic and retrospective Bacchus Boathouse serves contemporary European cuisine at the 90-year-old Fullerton Waterboat House. This heritage maritime building once helped the transporting of fresh water to offshore ships, and still commands a breath-taking view of the harbor.

On the inside, Bacchus Boathouse is stark, spacious and lofty with nautical white and natural woods dominating the palette. Long glass doors open out to the wooden deck and that stellar view. Rooftop bar [Prel.ude] is just upstairs, giving you an unrivaled 360 degree panorama of the bay and city lights. Boathouse is an intimate place and seats only 40, but deliberately so to allow dining privacy. Signature dishes include the dramatic sea bass fish chowder, crab cakes, mushroom tagliatelle and braised beef ribs.

#03-01, The Waterboat House, 3 Fullerton Road, Singapore. tel +65 6538 9038. Open Monday to Saturday for lunch from 12pm to 2pm, and dinner from 6.30pm to 11pm (last order 10.15pm). www.bacchusboathouse.com.

Society Bar

One would figure the Society Bar is good for drinks, which it is, but the real surprise is the comprehensive food and dessert menu. Tunisian braised chicken leg pilaff with brown rice, beer battered fish & chips, and even wagyu burgers. The individual baked apple tartlet with toffee sauce and ice cream is so good, you won’t want to share it.

Society Bar is on the quieter side of One Fullerton, where you can enjoy the bay breeze in peace with choice of tipple outdoors. You have the grand Fullerton Hotel at one side and the Marina Bay on the other, along with the Merlion in between. It’s a great spot for people-watching.

One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Road, #01-11, Singapore. Tel +65 6423 9689. Open daily 10.30am to 10pm.

Palm Beach Seafood

Located near the iconic Singapore Merlion, Palm Beach Seafood also has a great view of the Marina Bay Sands. It’s so close you can almost watch details of the construction going on. But the real draw has to be the fresh seafood and giant Sri Lankan crabs, prepared 11 different ways here.

You won’t have to travel outside the city to get your fix of chili crab or black pepper crab. The very spicy Honey Tangy Marble Goby and the Coco Lobo (lobster with vermicelli in superior stock) are two other award-winning dishes that are also popular.

One Fullerton #01-08, 1 Fullerton Road, Singapore. Tel +65 6336 8118. Open daily for lunch from 12noon to 2.30pm, and for dinner from 5.30pm to 11pm. www.palmbeachseafood.com.