14 Well-Loved Eateries That Closed Down In 2021

Singapore lost a piece of its food heritage when Chinatown Food Street announced its closure on Oct 22. The tourist-friendly makan stretch originally opened at Smith Street in 2001 to showcase local hawker food sold from traditional carts. Despite a $4mil revamp in 2013 to attract customers, the food street eventually fell victim to the pandemic as travel borders remained closed.

For over a decade, Western-Asian chain JustAcia’s Dhoby Ghaut outlet was known for offering one of the most budget-friendly meal sets in town where one could order a meal with free-flow drinks and dessert for under $8. Last month, the restaurant’s regulars did not get a chance to say goodbye when it suddenly announced on Facebook that it had closed “per landlord’s request”. No other reason was given for the closure. In July this year, JustAcia also posted that it had shuttered its Downtown East branch “based on our landlord’s instruction[s]”.

Despite being popular for its live music performances, Holland Village bar Wala Wala pulled the plug on its second-floor gig space in November. The watering hole had been struggling with the prohibition of live music due to Covid-19. But you can still grab a beer and have a bite at its cafe and bar, which are still operating.

Black Angus Steakhouse has been a longtime Orchard Road fixture for over two decades, though it also could not sustain the prolonged impact of Covid-19 on its operations. In a Facebook post dated July 23, the restaurant’s management wrote: “Thank you for your support and patronage for the past 23 years. We regret that due to the adverse effects of the pandemic on our business over the past 18 months, Black Angus Steakhouse will cease operation from 1st August 2021.”

Food court chain Food Junction announced on Dec 3 that it was closing its Bugis Junction location for good, though it did not explain why. The food court is also known for its rather unique location, tucked away in a nook within the mall.

After eight years in business, lobster specialist Pince & Pints closed its doors in July. In its Facebook announcement, it stated that “we may have lost our battle [with] Covid-19 but not our will to continue serving our dearest and loyal supporters”. Interestingly, Pince & Pints’ owners have since turned to selling hawker food by opening a halal mala xiang guo stall called Mala Mama at Muslim-friendly kopitiam Kedai Kopi’s Haig Road outlet.

English cookie brand Ben’s Cookies closed its Wisma Atria stall on October 7 this year, after shuttering its Northpoint City outlet on July 18. Known for its large chewy cookies and red tins illustrated by Quentin Blake (the English illustrator is well-known for his work for Roald Dahl’s books), the brand was brought into Singapore as a franchise in 2014. It announced its closure with a 7 for $7 cookie sale, which attracted a long queue and caused the Wisma Atria outlet to wrap up its operations four days earlier than planned. The unit has since been taken over by Sushiro Petit, a takeaway kiosk concept by the popular kaiten sushi chain Sushiro.

After 17 years at Odeon Towers in City Hall, rooftop bar Loof will call it a day on Feb 27, 2022. It explained in an announcement that the closure was due to “upcoming building renovations”, and will host a “final hurrah which includes a one-day-only radio station on New Year’s Day”, adding that it’s “set to return as soon as we find ourselves a new home”.

Old-school Western restaurant The Ship, known for its kitschy nautical theme, classic Western food and excellent fish soup, opened a surprise outlet at Nex mall in Serangoon when its flagship at Shaw Centre was undergoing a revamp. The Nex outlet has since quietly closed, though its Shaw branch remains thriving.

Bishan Park visitors would have probably come across burger bistro Grub, which offers park-goers a bite amidst lush greenery. But after nine years at its current premises, it is moving out in January 2022. In a Facebook post, the cafe conveyed its dismay at the closure: “We received the crushing news that our lease at Bishan Park would not be renewed next year… We are still trying to come to terms with the shock that this space will no longer be our home.” But Grub adds that it is “actively searching for places to reopen”.

The Peranakan restaurant at Claymore Connect on Orchard Road announced on Nov 9 that it was “time to move on” and that its closure was a “tough decision to make”. It did not specify a reason for closing. While it was originally slated to shut its doors for good on December 5, the eatery ended up closing earlier on Nov 22 as “contractors need more time to reinstate [the premises]”. It also held a charity sale for its paraphernalia, and had regulars “coming in droves” for a last meal at the restaurant. The Peranakan also shared that “our online orders were also [overwhelmed] as many ordered numerous portions to store in their freezers”.

Roast meat specialist Foong Kee Coffee Shop made some of the best roast meats in Singapore, in our opinion. Which is why it’s a pity when its chef-owner Derrick Wong decided to close his business. He confirmed with 8days.sg that his shop unit had been sold to a “new owner” who was starting their “own business” there. As for why he closed his popular eatery, he said: “Foong Kee needs rest for a long period. More than 20 years’ work, just need rest.” But he reckoned that a comeback is still possible in the future, as he quipped mysteriously: “Maybe one day lost and found. Start business again later.”

Cantonese fish soup eatery Swee Kee Eating House shuttered its 26-year-old shop at Amoy Street on May 30 this year. In a Facebook post, Cedric Tang, the third-generation owner of the family-run business, wrote: “We had weathered the World War, economic depression and Sars; however, the challenges of Covid-19 and a CBD location have proved too much and too challenging for us to sustain with continued monthly losses in this current climate.” His family still runs their Ka-Soh brand of Cantonese restaurants, which has two outlets at Alumni Medical Centre in Outram and Greenwood Avenue, plus online ordering and delivery.