Eat. Give. Feed.

Singapore is a food paradise that offers an abundant spread of diverse cuisines ranging from gourmet to street hawker fares. Amidst its sumptuous smorgasbord are F&B social enterprises that are hard at work to help improve the lives of those who have less. 

There are more than 50 F&B social enterprises that serve good food for a good cause. These are places that shine light on the marginalised members of society – the disadvantaged and disabled – while serving tasty and hearty food. 

Here are a few eating places where the bucks we pay for good food feed meaningful causes and help sustain the business:

Nox 

Dubbed the most unique dine-in experience in Singapore, Nox’s dine-in-the-dark set-up will have you eating in total darkness.  The gourmet European restaurant offers diners a pre-set dinner consisting of 12 unique dishes served over three courses. Blind and visually impaired hosts, who have been trained to offer guidance and reassurance to sighted guests, will be taking care of you throughout dinner. It is a complete epicurean sensory experience that will enhance your sense of taste, smell, touch, and sound in a pitch-black dining room. Dine in, take-away, delivery and catering available.  (Image: Nox | +65 6298 0708 | enquiries@noxdineinthedark.com) | Location: 83 Club Street, Singapore 069451

Five &2

Through its gastronomy of bistro comfort food, Five &2 is taking small steps to feed the world. It believes that sustenance is the cornerstone of one’s body and mind development, yet not everyone has access to such basic provision. Thus, it has dedicated itself to reach out to the young and underprivileged so they too can enjoy good nutritional food necessary for productive and positive living. Five &2 works with family welfare organisations to invite underprivileged families to Five &2 for nutritious meals. It’s also able to provide equal job opportunities for all, including persons with disabilities and ex-inmates, creating a sustainable and meaningful future for multitudes in the community. Dine in, take-away and delivery available. (Image: Five &2 | Contact: +65 6282 8801 | Location: 97 Hougang Ave 8, Punggol Park, Singapore 538792

My Nonna’s 

Founder Geraldine Tan loves Italy and Italian food, which inspired the Italian menu of My Nonna’s. The delicious pasta dishes and antipasti are made from original recipes of her grandmother. It operates three food outlets in Singapore to provide meaningful employment for the disadvantaged. Its Match-and-Train programme under Inclusion Inc trains differently-abled persons and employers who are keen to hire them to ensure sustainability in their employment.  Dine-in, take-away, delivery and catering are available. (Image: My Nonna’s | Contact +65 8188 8368) | Locations: SUN Community Café at 600 Upper Thomson Road, Block E Upper Thomson Community Hub; CJC at 129 Whitley Road, Catholic Junior College; and NHS at 2 Linden Drive, Nanyang Girls’ High School

Dignity Kitchen 

Singapore’s first hawker training school for the mentally and physically disabled and disadvantaged with a mission to build and restore dignity through vocation with passion. Since its launch in 2010, Dignity Kitchen has grown from three to seven stalls that serves tasty local hawker street food menus (Malay, Chinese, Western, rojak, noodles, claypots, baked goods) for dine in, delivery, take-away and catering for corporate lunch-ins, business meetings and special events. 

When Koh Seng Hoon founded Dignity Kitchen he had to dispel perception that it was just another social enterprise looking for donations. It did not discourage him from helping build and restore dignity to those who most need it. Dignity Kitchen provides vocational training for people with disabilities and special needs, gainful employment by helping place them in the F&B/retail industry with fair wages, and employs some to work in its kitchens. (Image: Dignity Kitchen | Contact +65 9853 9086 or +65 8189 7678 | Email: kitchen@projectdignity.sg) | Location: 69 Boon Keng Road, #01 Red Building, Singapore 339772

Crossings Café

Nourishing connections in the community is at the heart of Crossings Café.  Tasty and filling dishes are on the menu. Its profits go to charity and social causes, support charities by providing meals for their beneficiaries, and provide employment opportunities, personal development and dignity for the disadvantaged. It collaborates with organisations, such as Assumption Pathway School and Bettr Barista, to take interns and graduates to work at the café as servers, cooks and baristas. Dine-in, take-away and delivery available. (Image: Crossings Café | Contact: +65 6338 2669 | Email: manager@crossingscafe.com.sg) | Location: 55 Waterloo Street, #01-01 Catholic Centre, Singapore 187954

Bizlink Café

A collaboration between Bizlink Centre and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Bizlink seeks to empower individuals with disabilities and the disadvantaged, especially those recovering from mental health conditions, to achieve independence, dignity and inclusion into the society through training and employment. (Image: Bizlink | +65 6449 5652, +65 6249 811 | Email: catering@bizlink.org.sg) | Location: Main Block IMH at 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747 

There are plenty more eating places we can support. Here’s a guide to 52 F&B Social Enterprises In Singapore compiled by tech social enterprise Savour! categorised into restaurants, cafes, snack and dessert shops, bakeries, and grocery wholesalers and retailers – each serving good food for a good cause. 

Debbie | ws