We went on a self-guided quest with Singapore’s first food treasure hunt Gourmaze, and here’s a sneak peek

Walk, eat, and repeat

Over the course of two to three hours, you’ll follow a trail of riddles and puzzles that dive into Singapore’s cultural history. 

All of the clues and instructions are sent via Whatsapp, guiding you through seven curated pitstops, where you’ll get to taste local delights.

The adventure kicks off with a traditional local breakfast and a blank Wheel of Fortune card to fill along the way.

We won’t say exactly where, but our first stop was in a charming, retro-inspired kopitiam reminiscent of the 1950s. It feels like a step back in time, where Chinese immigrants once gathered over coffee to unwind.

And while there’s a timer to track your Gourmaze journey, it pauses during food stops to let you savour the treats! So don’t worry: You’re free to take your time and enjoy the experience at your own pace.

Stroll through Chinatown and you’ll be greeted by vibrant, colourful murals and structures that you may have overlooked (just like us!). 

It’s not just for decorative purposes — they play a significant part of the walking trail, too, reflecting Chinatown’s lesser-known history. 

The trail is done and dusted once you’ve completed every single stop and secured all of the stamps, after which, you’ll receive two souvenirs to commemorate the experience.

Our hot take

We thoroughly enjoyed each pitstop featured in the Gourmaze foodie trail — timeless classics with local staples that we Singaporeans never tire of. What’s not to love?

Still, some of the food stops were delightful surprises, serving up a few “a-ha!” moments that opened our eyes to what Chinatown has to offer, beyond our usual go-tos.

My favourite activity was getting hands-on with grilling some mouthwatering bakkwa (barbecued pork jerky). It was deeply satisfying to watch the meat caramalise over the charcoal flame, and then savouring the fruits of my labour afterwards. 

Thankfully, all that indulgence comes with plenty of walking, too — we racked up over 5,000 steps in just two hours — just sufficient to keep the food coma away. 

Beyond being just a food trail built to stuff us to the brim with good eats, Gourmaze really shook things up. What started as a fun foodie adventure quickly turned to be an eye-opening experience.

This well-loved heritage area has long been a vibrant hub of culture, too — but how often do we stop to appreciate its rich history?

We found ourselves uncovering Chinatown’s cultural roots and learning about the stories behind its beloved, long-standing establishments — something that we realised how little we knew about until today.

Each stop comes with a delicious bite and a side of heritage we never knew we needed. 

But one small hiccup was that navigating to the next stop can be a little confusing — some instructions lacked clarity and we occasionally went off-track in Chinatown’s maze of small alleyways.

Fortunately, Gourmaze was there to steer us back, though asking for more hints does come with a small time penalty. 

All in all, it felt like snacking our way through a history excursion in Chinatown, and we’re so here for it.

Did we have as much fun as we’d hoped? Hell yeah!

This was an invited tasting.

For the latest eats, read more about the Messy Munching menu at Intercontinental Singapore and Pizza Hut’s first-ever hand-stretched sourdough pizzas.

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to try Gourmaze’s fun-filled food adventure.