Neighbourhood Guide: What to See, Do and Eat in Kampong Glam
Singapore's oldest heritage quarter blends royal history, street art and some of the city's best independent eating and drinking.
Kampong Glam may be firmly on the tourist trail in Singapore, with the neighbourhood buzzing with visitors on weekends, but it’s also one that’s easy to spin around quickly, missing some of the area’s best local spots. Spend a proper afternoon here, ideally stretching into the evening, and you'll find a neighbourhood different to any other in Singapore.
The streets around Bussorah and Arab Street here are narrow and packed with colour. Handmade Turkish rugs spill out of doorways, mosaic lamps glitter in the shade, and the gold-tipped domes of the Sultan Mosque catch the sunlight above it all. It's vibrant, bright and feels like you've stepped into another country completely.
But where does that stem from? Kampong Glam's history stretches back more than two centuries to 1824, when Sultan Hussein Shah was granted this 56-acre plot by the British as part of the treaty that handed over the rest of the island.
It became the seat of the Malay royal family and quickly drew merchants, scholars and traders from across the Islamic world. The street names still carry those connections: Baghdad, Muscat, Kandahar, Bussorah, each one a reference to a port or city that once traded directly with this corner of Singapore.
Sultan Mosque
The neighbourhood's centrepiece is the Sultan Mosque on Muscat Street, originally built in 1824 and reconstructed in its current form in 1932. It's the largest mosque in Singapore and accommodates up to 5,000 worshippers.
Look closely at the base of the two golden domes and you'll spot something unexpected: a band of dark glass, made from the ends of bottles donated by members of the community who couldn't afford to contribute financially but wanted to be part of the mosque's construction.
Visitors are welcome outside of prayer times (daily from 10am to 4pm, with a break from 12pm to 2pm). Modest dress is required, and robes are available at the entrance.
Malay Heritage Centre
Just behind the mosque on Sultan Gate sits the Malay Heritage Centre, housed in the Istana Kampong Gelam, the original palace grounds granted to the Sultan. After nearly four years of renovation, the centre reopened in April 2026 with six refreshed galleries and 279 artefacts tracing the evolution of Malay identity in Singapore.
The building and its grounds are as much of the experience as the exhibitions: the former royal compound is peaceful and shaded, a welcome change from the busier streets outside.
Haji Lane
From the mosque, Haji Lane is a two-minute walk. This narrow lane is the indie heart of the neighbourhood: thrift shops, local boutiques, vintage stores and cafes squeezed into colourful shophouses, with murals climbing the walls between them.
It fills up by mid-morning and stays busy until late, so come early if you want to explore without the crowds.
For something quieter, duck into the back alleys off Muscat Street to find the Gelam Gallery, an open-air collection of more than 30 murals by local and international artists spread across two parallel walls.
Bussorah Street and Arab Street
Bussorah Street is the wide pedestrianised road that leads directly up to the mosque where you’ll notice many tourists tend to congregate. Despite the crowds, it’s the perfecting starting point for shopping. From Turkish lamp shops to handmade rugs and delicate perfumes, you’ll find it all here.
SIFR Aromatics on Arab Street, widely considered one of the finest independent perfumers in Southeast Asia, creates custom fragrances if you’re keen to discover your own signature scent.
Arab Street itself runs parallel and feels a little less curated. Textile merchants and fabric shops that have traded here forever sit alongside homeware dealers and traditional craftsmen.
Eating and drinking
Kampong Glam's dining is as layered as everything else in the neighbourhood. Zam Zam, directly opposite the mosque, has been serving murtabak and biryani for more than a century and remains an institution.
But if murtabak isn't for you, cross a few streets to Hjh Maimunah on Jalan Pisang, which holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its melt in the mouth nasi padang: choose from the counter try to arrive early.
For something less well known, Rumah Makan Minang on Kandahar Street has been serving authentic Minangkabau cuisine from West Sumatra since 1954, and their rendang is arguably one of the best in the neighbourhood.
We wouldn’t leave you without a sweet recommendation, and Rich & Good Cake Shop is it. This tiny, no-frills bakery bakes limited batches of Swiss rolls each morning in flavours like pandan, kaya and durian, and once they're gone, they're gone. Arrive early.
For drinks, Bar Stories on Haji Lane serves entirely bespoke cocktails with no set menu: tell the bartender what you're in the mood for and be prepared for a surprise.
Maison Ikkoku on Kandahar Street also recently relaunched with an in-house gin distillery, or for a simple teh tarik (hot milk tea), Bhai Sarbat on Bussorah Street is where the Singaporeans go.
Getting there
Kampong Glam is just a short walk from Bugis MRT, which sits on both the East-West and Downtown lines. The neighbourhood is compact enough to cover on foot in a few hours, though you could easily spend a full day once you factor in eating, shopping and getting happily lost in the side streets.
