For a city that rarely slows down, Singapore has a longstanding love affair with hotel buffets and it shows. From champagne-laced Sunday brunches to quiet weekday lunch spreads and late-night seafood feasts, the island's top hotels are keeping the chafing dishes hot and the carving stations lively.

These aren't just meals; they're ceremonies of plenty, where breakfast runs into lunch and dinner feels like a curated tasting tour across continents. 

Whether you're in it for lobster and caviar or nostalgic local comfort, these hotel buffets offer something more than just a full plate. They deliver a certain kind of rhythm, indulgence, and generosity that's become a genre of its own.

Cafe Mosaic, Carlton Hotel Singapore

Buffet spread at Cafe Mosaic, Carlton Hotel Singapore featuring roast beef, seafood, salads, desserts, and fresh bread — part of the Weekday International Lunch Buffet and SG60 celebration.

As part of its SG60 nod to Singapore's culinary heritage, Cafe Mosaic is serving up two distinct midday experiences. The spotlight falls on the Weekday International Lunch Buffet, a spread of hearty global fare anchored by dishes like Scallop with Kabayaki Sauce, Pork Rib in Oriental Marinade, and Oven-Roasted Lamb Leg.

Cold entrees and desserts round out a lunch that's built for variety without excess. Running alongside it, a Local Delights Menu ($19.90 per set) offers pared-back comfort such as Hainanese Chicken Rice, Seafood Mui Fan, or Char Kway Teow. Designed for solo diners seeking something quick, warm, and unmistakably Singaporean. 

Meanwhile, evenings are reserved for the 'Truly Singapore Flavours' Seafood Buffet, where Black Pepper Crayfish, Sambal Sotong, and Steamed Fish take centre stage, backed by oysters, shellfish, and the quiet rhythm of weekend dining.

Weekday Lunch Buffet:

Mon-Fri, 12.00pm-2.30pm

$58++ per adult (30 per cent off with selected cards), $18++ per child

Seafood buffet (Dinner Thu-Sat & Lunch Sun):

6.00pm-10.00pm / 12.00pm-2.30pm

$128++ per adult (50 per cent off with selected cards), $38++ per child

• 76 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189558
• Thu-Sat Dinner: 6.00pm-10.00pm | Sun Lunch: 12.00pm-2.30pm
• 6311 8195

Edge, Pan Pacific Singapore

Sunday brunch at Edge feels less like a meal and more like a full-scale production. Running from noon to late afternoon, the Sunday Funday Brunch pulls together over a dozen live stations, a live band, and a dedicated kids' area complete with toys, cartoons, and its own mini buffet. 

On the plate, there's no shortage of theatre: expect pan-seared Hokkaido scallops with beet puree and caviar, whole turbot off the charcoal grill, handmade sausages from the hotel's in-house butchery, and pulled beef brisket pasta. 

Local signatures like wok hei-heavy Penang Char Kuay Teow share space with Peking duck, dim sum, sushi, and freshly shucked oysters. It's a buffet designed to impress without rushing you, the kind of brunch you settle into with a second drink and nowhere else to be.

Sunday brunch:

• 12.00pm-3.30pm

$118++ per adult (soft drinks & juices)

$178++ per adult (incl. Taittinger Champagne, wine, cocktails, spirits)

$59++ per child (6-12 years)

• 7 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039595
• Sunday: 12:00PM-3:30PM
• 6826 8240

Colony, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Colony trades in spectacle, but in the quietly assured way you'd expect from The Ritz-Carlton. Across seven conservatory kitchens — from The Ice Bar to The Wok and The Patisserie — the all-day buffet reflects Singapore's colonial-era culinary crossroads. 

At lunch, you might find slow-braised beef short rib, sashimi platters, rotisserie meats, and à la minute handmade pizzas. Dinner turns up the richness with dishes like Grilled Boston Lobster in Madagascan curry, Hokkien Mee, chilli crab, and foie gras fried rice. 

Fridays and Saturdays introduce a seafood-forward slant, while Sundays are reserved for the Champagne Brunch complete with unlimited pours and a 30g serving of Oscietra caviar for those opting in at the top tier. Come hungry, and bring a curious palate.

Lunch: Weekdays from $74++ | Saturdays from $78++

Dinner: Weeknights from $96++ | Seafood Dinner (Fri-Sat) from $118++

Sunday Champagne Brunch: From $228++ per adult

• 7 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039799
• Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (timings vary)
• 6434 5288

Estate, Hilton Singapore Orchard

Estate's all-day buffet experience walks a fine line between residential elegance and open-kitchen theatre. The weekday Lunch Buffet offers a rotating lineup of globally inspired comfort plates, think Herb-Marinated Roast Beef Sirloin and Nasi Kerabu. Dinner brings the 'Meat the Sea' Buffet (Sun-Thu), spotlighting individually plated Chef's Signatures like King Crab Pasta and Roasted London Duck. 

On Fridays and Saturdays, the Premium Seafood & Wine Night ups the ante with Alaskan King Crab Legs, Lobster Thermidor, and free-flow house pours. Sundays are reserved for the Lobster, Wagyu & Champagne Brunch, where Brittany oysters, sashimi, and a ceviche bar set the tone before à la minute signatures — from Nyonya Lobster Laksa to Black Truffle Wagyu Ravioli — arrive at the table. A dessert room and kid-friendly activities round out a brunch designed for all ages, with just enough sparkle to call it a celebration.

• Lunch: Weekdays from $72++ | Weekends from $78++
• Dinner: Weeknights from $98++ | Weekends from $128++
• Sunday Brunch: $138++ per adult (top up $80++ for champagne & wines)

Children aged 6-12 dine at 50 per cent off; under five dine free.

• Level 5, Hilton Singapore Orchard, 333 Orchard Road, Singapore 238867
• Daily: Breakfast 6:30AM-10:30AM | Lunch 12:00PM-2:30PM | Dinner 6:30PM-10:00PM | Sunday Brunch 12:00PM-3:00PM
• 6831 6270

Crossroads Buffet, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

At Crossroads Buffet, seafood isn't a theme, it's a commitment. The Great Lobster Feast, available every Friday and Saturday night, is a shellfish-heavy spectacle for those who like their decadence served hot, grilled, or poached on ice. 

Expect baked lobster in two styles, lobster baked rice, baby lobster with burnt garlic butter, and the requisite slipper lobster laksa. It's the sort of offering that fits right into a weekend night ritual. Generous, familiar, and easy to settle into.

By day, A Taste of the Ocean offers a more cosmopolitan spread. From Monday to Saturday, the lunch buffet features over 50 items, including a ramen-meets-omelette "Ramelette" live station. 

Try the Seafood Kimchi Ramelette if you've got something to prove. Weekday dinners come with smoky Binchotan-grilled meats like lamb T-bone and pork belly. Not every dish lands with fireworks, but the variety delivers something for every palate, from polished tourists to discerning locals.

Lunch buffet (A taste of the ocean)*:

• Mon-Fri, 12.00pm-2.30pm: $68++ per adult, $42++ per child
• Sat, 12.00pm-2.30pm: $82++ per adult, $42++ per child
• Eve of/On Public Holidays: $102++ per adult, $42++ per child

Dinner buffet (A taste of the ocean)*:

• Sun-Thu, 6.30pm-10.00pm: $88++ per adult, $42++ per child

Dinner Buffet (The great lobster feast)*:

• Fri-Sat, 6.30pm-10.00pm: $118++ per adult, $42++ per child

*Available from July 1 to Sept 30, 2025

• 320 Orchard Road, Singapore 238865
• 6831 4605

Food Exchange, Novotel Singapore on Stevens

Oh Shucks! it's Lobstermania! isn't just a buffet. It's a full-on shellfish spectacle pitched squarely at crustacean fanatics. Held every Saturday evening, this ode to lobsters (and their delicious demise) features over ten lobster-forward dishes; from laksa with lobster to a Western-style lobster bisque that wouldn't be out of place in a French seaside town. 

There's a DIY kueh pie tee station too, because Singapore. Live oyster shucking adds flair without the fuss, and for those who like their seafood with a splash of something stronger, the bottomless booze option is a no-brainer. It's not revolutionary. But it's unpretentious, well-executed, and generous. And sometimes, that's all you really need.

Dinner Buffet, Saturdays only

• 6.00pm-9.30pm:
• $128 per adult | $28 per child
• 28 Stevens Road, Singapore 257878

Rise, Marina Bay Sands

Rise offers an expansive buffet experience that traverses Southeast Asia and beyond. Weekday lunches feature dishes like Wagyu Beef Cheek Rendang, Seabass Assam Pedas, and Singapore Laksa, complemented by a seafood selection including tiger prawns and scallops. 

Evenings introduce dishes such as Beef Wellington, Kagoshima Pork Rack, and a variety of sashimi and sushi options. Weekend brunches elevate the spread with offerings like Boston Lobster, Atlantic Snow Crab, and an array of local delights, including Ayam Buah Keluak and Ondeh Ondeh cake. The setting is refined yet welcoming, suitable for both leisurely meals and special occasions.

Lunch: Weekdays from $72++ | Saturdays from $92++

Dinner: Weeknights from $84++ | Weekends from $98++

Sunday Brunch: $102++ per adult

Breakfast Buffet: Daily, $35++ per adult

• Lobby, Hotel Tower 1, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
• Daily: Breakfast 6.30am-10.15am | Lunch 12.00pm-2.30pm | Dinner 5.00pm-9.45pm (Fri-Sat till 10.15pm)
• 6688 5525

Final thoughts

In the end, there's no single definition of a great hotel buffet in Singapore, only rituals, preferences, and cravings. For some, it's the quiet satisfaction of a perfectly poached prawn at breakfast. For others, it's the social theatre of a dinner spread stacked with grilled meats and cold seafood. 

And then there's the long lunch, where one course blurs into the next until coffee arrives and you realise you're still here. From heritage flavours to global luxuries, these hotels aren't just serving food, they're staging experiences, one buffet table at a time.

This article was first published in City Nomads.