NOX - Dine in the Dark

NOX – Dine in the Dark is a restaurant on Club Street where you eat a mystery dinner in total darkness. Blind and visually impaired hosts guide you to your seat and serve you through the meal. Without sight, you rely on taste, smell, touch and sound to work out what is on your plate.

NOX first opened in Singapore on Beach Road. After that site closed, NOX reopened in early 2022 in a two-storey shophouse at 83 Club Street.

How the evening works

1. You start in the lit lounge on the ground floor. Staff explain the evening, you can order a drink, and an amuse-bouche is served.
2. Phones, smartwatches and anything else that gives off light go into free lockers.
3. A host leads you upstairs to the dark dining room. Here you eat 12 dishes spread over three courses.
4. Back in the lounge, you guess what you ate. Then the menu is revealed with photos and descriptions.

The time in the dark room is about an hour to an hour and a half. That does not include drinks before or the reveal after. The hosts are at home in the dark, and the meal is a lesson in trust as much as taste. It also raises awareness of what life without sight is like.

What to expect from the menu

Dinner is a set menu of 12 mystery dishes, and it changes regularly. The cooking is broadly European with some local touches. Sample menus have included dishes such as wagyu short ribs, scallops, duck leg and chocolate fondant. The details stay secret until the end, so the surprise is part of the fun.

A vegetarian menu is available if you ask when you book. The chef can also adjust the menu for allergies, and for pregnant guests. The kitchen cannot prepare a meal that is both vegetarian and gluten-free.

For drinks, you can add a tasting of three wines, three cocktails or three mocktails.

Good to know before you go

• Children: children aged 7 and above are welcome. Younger children may find the dark frightening.
• What to wear: dress comfortably, and skip your most expensive clothes in case of spills.
• Restrooms: the toilets are fully lit and on the ground floor.
• Booking: reserve online through the NOX website (bookings run on Chope), by phone or on WhatsApp. Tell the team about dietary needs at the same time.
• Groups: NOX also hosts private parties and corporate events.

It makes a memorable date night or birthday dinner. See our ideas for couples in Singapore for more.

Nearby

Club Street sits between the CBD and Chinatown, so it is easy to add a walk before or after dinner. Our Chinatown guide covers the streets around it. For a drink after the meal, see our list of cocktail bars. The Clan Hotel Singapore on Cross Street is a short walk away. You can also browse more restaurants in Marina Bay and the CBD.