Business · Companies · 3 hrs ago
The Coconut Club marks 10 years of premium nasi lemak in Singapore
The Coconut Club opened in Singapore in 2016 with nasi lemak priced at S$12.80, a cost that surprised people used to finding the dish at hawker centres.
Co-founder Lee Eng Su set out to elevate the local dish through careful ingredients, including freshly squeezed coconut milk.
The restaurant gained a loyal following and Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition, and its business later continued under new ownership after Eng Su died in 2019.
The flagship moved to Beach Road in 2022, and the business added outlets in Siglap and New Bahru.
A plate of ayam goreng berempah nasi lemak now costs S$22, which managing partner Daniel Sia links to inflation and rising costs.
The restaurant has grown beyond its signature dish to offer other local-inspired food and drinks, while keeping nasi lemak at the centre of its menu.
Sia says the team plans to keep improving the dish and take its work championing Singaporean food further over the next 10 years.
The Coconut Club is marking 10 years since it opened in Singapore in 2016.
Its original S$12.80 nasi lemak challenged expectations of local food commonly associated with inexpensive hawker fare.
The restaurant focused on ingredient quality, including freshly squeezed coconut milk, and later earned Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition.
It now has outlets and dining concepts at Beach Road, Siglap and New Bahru.
A plate of ayam goreng berempah nasi lemak costs S$22 today, which managing partner Daniel Sia linked to inflation and rising costs.
- Who
- The Coconut Club, co-founded by Lee Eng Su in Singapore. Managing partner Daniel Sia leads the restaurant.
- What
- The restaurant is marking 10 years of serving premium nasi lemak.
- When
- It first opened in 2016. The anniversary was reported on Oct 15, 2026.
- Where
- Singapore, where the restaurant opened and operates outlets.
- Why
- Lee Eng Su set out to elevate nasi lemak through careful attention to ingredients, particularly freshly squeezed coconut milk.
People who complain about the price
The Coconut Club
Price of nasi lemak
People who complain about the price
Some people continue to complain about the pricing.
The Coconut Club
Sia said the current S$22 price reflects inflation and rising costs.
Value of the meal
People who complain about the price
The article describes the original S$12.80 price as having raised eyebrows.
The Coconut Club
Sia said that after trying it, he considered the meal worth the money compared with similarly priced products.
The Coconut Club opened in Singapore, serving nasi lemak for S$12.80.
Then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hosted then-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte at the restaurant.
Co-founder Lee Eng Su died.
Hospitality group The Lo & Behold Group acquired the business.
The restaurant moved from Ann Siang Hill to a larger flagship on Beach Road.
The Coconut Club opened a Siglap outlet in 2023 and an all-day dining concept at New Bahru in 2024.
- Founded
- Singapore, 2016
- Original nasi lemak price
- S$12.80
- Current ayam goreng berempah nasi lemak price
- S$22
- Co-founder
- Lee Eng Su
- Beach Road flagship opened
- 2022
- Michelin recognition
- Bib Gourmand
1 source
What people are saying
I myself was skeptical when it first opened. I was like, ‘Seriously? Why is it so expensive?’
If you compare this to a similarly-priced product, it's worth the money.
Coconut Club, when it first opened, really was one of the very first to serve local food in a restaurant kind of setting, with a dish that is found in hawker centres.
constant improvement on a daily basis, making the nasi lemak better than it was the day before.