Local Guide
Kampong Gelam is Singapore’s undisputed home for Turkish and Mediterranean food. Within a few streets you’ll find long-loved names like Cappadocia on Bussorah Street, Ayasofya steps from Sultan Mosque, the Michelin-recognised Alaturka, Anatolia on Arab Street, and newcomers like ZuZu. Each has its loyal crowd — and the district is richer for all of them.
So how do you choose? If you want spectacle, Ayasofya’s pottery-kebab fire show draws the crowds. For old-school authenticity and premium ingredients, Alaturka has decades of loyal regulars. For sheer volume of reviews, Cappadocia leads. And for a modern, family-run table with an alfresco terrace, a grand banquet floor and the district’s only Sultan-style private lounge, that is the corner we call home at LAYALI, 257 Beach Road — right where Beach Road meets Arab Street.
Our honest advice: walk the neighbourhood, follow the smell of charcoal, and try more than one. But when you want value, hospitality and a table that feels like family, we’d love to host you. Book ahead on weekends — the terrace fills fast.
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Everything we write about, we cook daily — 10:00am to 1:00am at 257 Beach Road, Kampong Gelam. Charcoal-fired, family-owned, five minutes from Bugis MRT.