Chip Bee Bistro is a modern Australian restaurant tucked within the greenery of the Chip Bee Gardens estate in the heart of Holland Village. Its stated ethos is refreshingly simple — nothing too fancy, just good food, good drinks and good people. The kitchen serves seasonal brunch, unhurried lunches and generous dinners in a relaxed setting made for dropping by, settling in and staying awhile.
The menu is rooted in relaxed Australian hospitality and shaped by European bistro sensibilities, designed for both social grazing and individual comfort. It mixes small plates, hearty mains and vegetarian-friendly options: pastas from prawn-and-crab casarecce in lobster bisque to Chef Chris's classic beef bolognese, bistro staples like battered snapper, duck leg confit and soy-braised sticky short rib, and a lunch sandwich lineup that runs from the house CB Bistro Burger to a wagyu sumo steak sandwich.
Drinks are a headline act. The cocktail list is anchored in the venue's own in-house distillery, Distillius, which produces equatorial aperitifs, liqueurs and syrups for bright spritzes, bittersweet signatures and creative low-ABV or zero-proof serves that evolve with the seasons and are designed to complement the food.
The menu grows with the neighbourhood — expect seasonal updates, occasional surprises and evolving favourites. Reservations can be made online, and the bistro is fully cashless, accepting Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Alipay and PayNow.
Chip Bee Bistro greets you with a promise rather than a pitch: "Nothing too fancy. Good food, good drinks, good people." The restaurant sits in the heart of Holland Village, tucked within the greenery of the leafy Chip Bee Gardens estate, and it leans into that neighbourhood feel from the moment you step inside. Hand-sewn curtains, warm timber and shelves of champagne flutes and wine glasses set a relaxed, residential tone — this is a room made for dropping by, settling in and staying awhile.
The kitchen keeps a full weekly rhythm, closing only on Mondays. Weekday lunches begin at 11.30am, weekend brunch starts earlier at 9.30am on Saturdays and Sundays, and dinner service stretches late — up to 11.30pm from Thursday through Saturday.
The menu is rooted in relaxed Australian hospitality and shaped by European bistro sensibilities. It's built for both social grazing and individual comfort: a thoughtful mix of small plates, hearty mains and vegetarian-friendly options, all made — deliberately — to go with a drink. Whether you're gathered with friends over a shared spread or settling in solo with a glass and something substantial, the menu invites you to linger, snack and savour at your own pace.
Pasta holds a central place. There's tortiglioni with zucchini, peas and cashew cream (a vegan plate that never announces itself as one), casarecce tossed with prawn and crab in tomato and lobster bisque, fettuccine in pork sausage ragù bianco with charred radicchio, and spaghettini carrying Chef Chris's classic beef bolognese. At lunch, the Chip Bee carbonara — poached egg, bacon and Parmigiano Reggiano — joins the fold.
Larger plates cover the bistro's heartier side: battered snapper with savoury peas and malted tartare, seared Murray cod on cauliflower and fennel purée, duck leg confit with braised pickled red cabbage, twelve-hour slow-cooked Berkshire pork belly with a chilli lime glaze, and a soy-braised sticky short rib over gingered rice. Steak & frites offers a choice of Black Angus ribeye or tenderloin with a bordelaise balsamic sauce.
Lunch is a sandwich affair, and a serious one. The CB Bistro Burger stacks a 270-plus-day Black Onyx Angus patty with bacon, BBQ sauce, zucchini pickle and Monterey Jack; the Sumo Steak Sandwich piles charred, soy-glazed Blackmore's wagyu rump onto sourdough; and there's even Anthony Bourdain's mortadella sandwich — seared pistachio mortadella, Jack cheese and tomato relish on a potato roll — a nod to the late gourmet's famous favourite.
Vegetarians are looked after properly, too: a leaf stack with basil caper vinaigrette, whipped feta toast with pistachio crumb, triple cheese and potato crocchettes, and The Veggie Pile of grilled, roasted and raw vegetables with pesto, white bean and couscous.
The bar is where Chip Bee Bistro truly sets itself apart. The cocktail list is anchored in Distillius, the venue's in-house distillery, which produces equatorial aperitifs, liqueurs and syrups for distinctive serves. Expect bright spritzes, bittersweet signatures and creative low-ABV or zero-proof options — all evolving with the seasons and designed to complement the food. A dedicated champagne list and a broader beverage menu round things out.
Everything here is calibrated toward ease. Reservations can be made online for those who like a plan, while the vibe genuinely welcomes walk-ins who just want to graze and sip. Service comes with local warmth; the team asks only that you flag any allergies in advance, and notes that during busy service the best way to reach them is a WhatsApp message rather than a call.
The menu itself is refreshingly honest about being young. "As we grow, so too will the menu," the team writes, promising seasonal updates, occasional surprises and a few evolving favourites. "We're just getting started. Come hungry, come curious, and come often."
A few practical notes: the bistro is fully cashless, accepting Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Alipay and PayNow, with final bills reflecting a 10% service charge and prevailing GST. It operates under the High Note Hospitality Group banner, alongside Distillius. Whether you come for weekend brunch under the Chip Bee Gardens greenery, a plate of lobster-bisque casarecce, or a spritz poured from spirits distilled in-house, the promise stays the same — nothing too fancy, and all the better for it.