Sisters Sarah and Sonia Tan run Salt Salon, a private supper club spreading like fire through word-of-mouth among creative circles, thanks to the duo’s eye for detail. With Sarah in the kitchen and Sonia on mood, lighting and design, they host intimate gatherings where the food is approachable but deeply felt—and the vibes are always immaculate. Their first cookbook, Soup, is a collection of modular, nostalgic recipes tied to family, travel and memory.
Today, ‘home’ is a loaded word for the duo. “I am always grateful to have had the privilege to experience life in a different country. My sister and I lived in New York together for most of our 20s and they were such formative years for the both of us,” says Sarah. “I would say that home is not a place or geography in particular, but a feeling and energy we have harnessed for ourselves. In a literal sense, I love that I can be physically close to my family now.”
“From the food we prepare by hand to the content we create together, the act of making helps us feel rooted to home”
Sonia echoes this sentiment: “Over time, I’ve come to understand that home is an internal space where I feel safe, grounded and free to create. It’s wherever my people are, but also wherever I can move with intuition, using my hands or eyes to shape something from everyday living. At Salt Salon, we place great emphasis on the act of making. From the food we prepare by hand to the digital content we create together, everything begins with the act of creating. In this way, making helps me feel rooted—and I hope it opens the door to a community that shares this impulse.”
Here, the sisters share their favourite third spaces in Singapore—from the local eateries they’d rather gatekeep to under-the-radar stores, bars and side neighbourhoods they keep coming back to.
1 / 5
The local restaurant you tend to gatekeep:
Sarah: My Cosy Corner at Coronation Plaza for the popiah and mee siam. We’ve been going there for over 10 years and it is our go-to for a quick lunch or even to bring friends visiting Singapore from abroad. I never tire of that first bite of popiah— it’s a textural dream come true.
Sonia: I missed tutu kueh so much when I was living in New York that I bought the moulds and tried to make it myself (I was extremely humbled). Unfortunately, it now feels like a dying trade as I remember there being so many more stalls around as a kid. Mr Ho’s Tutu Kueh in Boon Keng is a recent favourite; he mills the rice flour every day and you can taste the freshness.
2 / 5
The third space where you feel the most you:
Sarah: I love waking up early in the morning to make a trip to the wet market. I frequent Chia’s Vegetables Supply. I especially love when I spot an unfamiliar herb or green, and the shopkeeper tells me about new ways of preparation. For poultry, I love James Lim Chicken & Duck Supplier, a family-run store at Empress Market.
Sonia: I love going to the National Library on Middle Road, specifically for the reference library on the eighth floor. They have a great collection of art and design books that I love to browse when I’m in need of inspiration.
3 / 5
A hidden gem shopping address:
Sarah: Lau Choy Seng on Temple Street in Chinatown has a wide array of everything you might need in the kitchen, from a simple Microplane grater to the coveted Robot Coupe. For table accoutrements, my go-to in Singapore is Asian Palette in Tanglin Mall. The owner, Fiona, sources antiques and curios from all around the world in addition to designing her own pieces, often collaborating with artisans in Southeast Asia.
Sonia: There’s a real hidden gem nestled among the mass of long-time shops in Holland Road Shopping Centre: Han’s Treasures. I stumbled upon it one day and was really taken by his curation of jewellery. Sometimes he even works with craftsmen in the Southeast Asian region to create custom pieces, like silver artisans in Bali.
4 / 5
Best date-night spot:
Sarah: It’s not a date night spot per se, but a nostalgic eatery where my siblings and I spent Friday nights with our grandparents growing up is Tims Restaurant & Cafe in Toa Payoh. The owner is Nepalese and this neighbourhood joint serves Western food. When I think of dining out as a kid (and way before I was even remotely functional in the kitchen), this place will always come to mind.
Sonia: Lafiandra Ristorante in Tanglin is cosy, simple and feels like a trattoria. The restaurant has been around for almost 20 years and we started dining there when they were still at the old Singapore Art Museum. The couple who first opened it still run the place and it always feels like returning to a part of my childhood whenever we visit.
5 / 5
Your favourite coffee haunt:
Sarah: There is a cafe-cum-bakery in the vicinity of where I live called Banelé. It specialises in a very crusty banana bread (that virtually tastes like a canelé, hence the ingenious name) but I usually just swing by for a coffee as well.
Sonia: I love going to YY Kafei Dian for my Kopi Siew Dai. If I’m feeling like having third-wave coffee or somewhere a bit more quiet in general, Narrative Coffee at Bras Basah is my go-to cafe. They have a bar counter for single seats and I love going there to do a quick sketch whenever I feel like working outside.
Vogue Singapore’s July/August ‘Home’ issue will be out on newsstands from 13 July and available to preorder online.
