Eat around the World…in Singapore!

Calling gastronomic globetrotters!

Far from home, food is a language spoken universally — and perhaps that’s why we travel for it.

The world is full of good food, but if there’s one thing Singapore is known for, it’s being a haven for foodies like no other. In this land of the food-obsessed, you’ll find a melting pot of rich culinary traditions and a voracious appetite for the new and novel. The result: a superlative scene of global cuisines fit for exploration (of the eating sort).

On a quest for your next great meal? Here’s how to take your palate on a tour around the world in Singapore. Onward, tasteful traveller, for:

Food that’ll transport you to another place and time
Unique visions of Japan
Noteworthy visits to tick off your list

HERITAGE, HOME, HEARTFELT MEMORIES

REMPAPA — SINGAPORE HERITAGE CUISINE

It only makes sense to start with the local beat. Chef Damian D’Silva says food is the soul of a nation, and that’s what he shares and perpetuates at Rempapa: Singapore’s vibrant, storied culinary legacy. Known affectionately as the “grandfather of heritage cuisine”, international La Liste Artisan & Authenticity Award recipient Chef Damian fills bellies and hearts with familiar and lesser-known heritage classics alike — some older than a century — picked up from Pop, Grandma, Aunty Zainab and other greats of his childhood kitchen. All dishes are a labour of love, like the Eurasian Baca Assam ($35) cooked and stirred for hours till richly flavourful, a tangy rempah-based stew of meltingly tender beef cheek. A delightful assortment of kuehs, nominated by Singaporeans as a must-try dessert featured in The Museum of Ice Cream’s Sweet Spots guide, are treats not to be missed.

YÀN — CONTEMPORARY CANTONESE CUISINE

Perfect for a little sightseeing while on your culinary expedition, Yàn is located on the 5th floor of the National Gallery Singapore (home to the largest public display of modern Southeast Asian art in the world). The restaurant’s moniker, translating from Mandarin to “feast”, comes to life in a setting that flexibly accommodates all party sizes from communal to individual. Spanning comforting double-boiled soups to expertly roasted meats, diners can take their pick from an extensive repertoire of traditional Cantonese delicacies executed with contemporary flair. An all-time favourite is Yàn’s signature Wok-fried Sri Lankan Crab with Pan-fried Cheong Fun in Chef’s Special Pork Lard Sauce ($11 per 100g crab), deliciously fragrant with the smoky kiss of the wok — a whole crab served atop a bed of glossy rice noodle rolls, topped with crispy pork lard to finish.

BUTCHER’S BLOCK — CONTEMPORARY WOOD-FIRED CUISINE

Butcher’s Block welcomes all with the spirit of ohana (‘family’ in Hawai’ian), warmly inviting guests to savour the best of whole-animal butchery and contemporary wood-fired cooking. Drawing from helming Chef Jordan Keao’s Hawai’ian heritage, wood-fire is wielded with transformative skill to extract and impart nuances of flavour, aroma, and texture to a vast array of meat, seafood, vegetables and fruit. A profound respect for nature drives a whole animal and zero-waste culinary approach, coming to fruition in exceptional signatures and seasonal compositions.

On the IMUA Tasting Menu ($168++ for five-course lunch, $218++ for six-course dinner) are creations such as the Dry-aged Duck, which sees various parts of the bird accentuated in taste and texture with different culinary techniques — the breast dry-aged for up to 21 days then hung above the fire to cook in ambient heat; deboned duck leg seasoned with Chinese barbecue spices and grilled; the tongue deep-fried to golden goodness — paired with vegetables picked from their in-house farm. The business set lunch and an à la carte selection are available to suit the dining experience on the agenda.

BORN — CONTEMPORARY CUISINE

Michelin-starred Born is nestled in the iconic Jinrikisha Station, a local historical landmark. At Born, Chef Zor Tan weaves stories from his childhood memories, professional journey, and personal ideals to be told on every plate. His approach is one led by a Circle of Life philosophy, a rich blend of Chinese influences married with the elegance and subtlety of French gastronomy, as well as precise techniques accrued over a decade-long career in elite French kitchens. Each dish shares with guests cherished memories and expressions of Zor’s “best life”, like the “Aged” Cow / Oyster / Fried Bao on the 9-course seasonal menu ($368++ per guest): a dish of mala marinated vintage Wagyu beef tartare in a golden brown ‘bao’ atop an oyster emulsion, topped with bresaola. Demonstrating how a meaningful cultural exchange can birth new flavours, Zor draws similarities between the ‘bao’ served at Restaurant DiverXO in Spain, and his mother’s oyster ‘hao bing’.

NAE:UM — CONTEMPORARY SEOUL CUISINE

Michelin-starred restaurant NAE:UM is the setting for ‘Contemporary Seoul’ cuisine that models the culinary diversity of the city, with innovative dishes that blend the timeless and the contemporary for flavours that are at once familiar and imbued with cosmopolitan originality. At Chef Louis Han’s hands, the best ingredients sourced from Korea and around the world are worked into episodic menus that meaningfully crystallise a slice of Chef Louis Han’s life.

Beyond a personal, emotive sharing of memories, the latest Episode 7: Jeju Blossoms menu ($218++ per guest for 6-course, $268++ for 8-course) invites guests to experience the island’s idyll by creating lingering memories of their own. To inspire are dishes such as the oi naengguk. Named after a Korean chilled cucumber soup offering refreshment in the Summer, this dish features a fresh sea bass carpaccio atop a salad base of Tosaka nori, cured cucumber, and white onions tossed in a garlic and sesame oil dressing; as a nod to Jeju’s endless stretches of coastal terrains and rich abundance of seafood and seaweed.

THE PRINCE — MODERN ARABIC CUISINE

To set foot into The Prince is to embark on a quest into the heart of the Arabian desert, where riches are found not in gold but in discovery. From food to space to hospitality, guests are enfolded in a sensory journey of captivating visions, beguiling scents, and hidden wisdoms of the Arabic sands. The day-to-night alchemy of the desert is reflected with changes in the space from day to night: in daylight, it blooms as a lively bistro; as twilight descends, the pace eases, blinds lower and candlelight flickers, inviting guests into an intimate reverie. At The Prince, traditional Arabian cuisine finds reinvention with contemporary flair. Named after the spirit of generosity in Arab culture, the Karam menu (from $78 per guest) fills dinner tables with communal plates such as the Mezze Platter, a bounteous 9-dish spread of velvety Cashew Hummus, Salmon Pastirma, Pumpkin Baba Ghanouj, freshly baked Arabic breads, and more.

WASHOKU WORLDWIDE

ESORA — MODERN JAPANESE KAPPO

The Japanese revere Nature like few people do. The climate and landscape, the flora and fauna, the fresh water that flows abundantly throughout the country; these have shaped kisetsukan, a profound connection to the seasons. Located in a conservation shophouse on Mohamed Sultan Road, Michelin-starred Esora combines this bond to Nature with shun, knowledge of the exact moment ingredients reach their prime, to reveal the organic beauty and purity of each season’s finest. Esora delights with the truest taste of Japan’s seasonal harvests, brought into exquisite balance and harmony of flavours with cutting-edge techniques. With the current menu ($328++ per pax for lunch, $368++ per pax for dinner), Chef Araki pays homage to the season and transports one to Japan, in the sphere of calm the restaurant carves with its contemplative interior.

ICHIGO ICHIE — CONTEMPORARY FINE-DINING KAPPO

An unforgettable meal, born of the understanding that as every moment in time is to be valued for its ephemerality, so should the fleeting encounter between chef and guest: this is what Chef Akane Eno brings to life at Ichigo Ichie. With Japanese cooking techniques applied to unconventional elements such as cream cheese, curry leaves, and maqaw peppers, expected flavours gain the depth of unexpected dimensions. Signatures on the menu (from $138++ per guest for lunch, from $350++ per guest for dinner) include the Cold Ebi Somen, inspired by various iterations of prawn noodles across Asia — silky Miwa somen and juicy Japanese prawn in an aromatic prawn broth, accented with tonburi, yuzu, and chilli paste.

HASHIDA SINGAPORE — PROGRESSIVE JAPANESE GASTRONOMY

Hashida is Chef Kenjiro “Hatch” Hashida’s universe, where his dynamic expressions of personal philosophies and perspectives create a one-of-a-kind dining experience. This is a Japanese restaurant serving quintessentially Japanese cuisine, but unlike what you’ll find anywhere else. Unorthodox renditions of sushi, a unique focus on cooked dishes, and a distinctive artistry build sui generis explorations of taste and texture (from $200++ per guest for lunch, from $450++ per guest for dinner). Chef Hatch deftly replicates classics and spellbinds with thoughtfully composed signatures such as the ankimo: delicately caramelised monkfish liver, delectably smooth, sweet and savoury. The castella-like tamagoyaki, a fluffy wonder sapid with a mix of dashi, botan ebi, scallop and fish, is another well-loved house special.

ABURA KAPPO — REIMAGINED JAPANESE CUISINE

In Room “O” of Hashida resides Abura Kappo, a restaurant-in-restaurant concept where Chef Kenjiro “Hatch” Hashida’s boundary-bending brand of creativity takes full flight. This is a playground that Chef Hatch calls “otoshidokoro”: a meeting point where global inspirations converge and are interpreted through a Japanese lens. Chef Hatch guides his team to execute novel takes on ideas drawn from his own imagination and adapted from around the world, all united by the element of oil — a fixture of the kitchen. A varying roster of specialities on the Abura Kappo menu ($200++ per guest) include ingenuities such as the Tebagyoza, otherwise cheekily named the “family plan”; a deboned chicken wing stuffed with glutinous rice and egg served alongside an oyako sauce, mimicking the same chicken-and-egg pairing of the parent-child oyakodon.

FAT COW — WAGYU KAISEKI

Fat Cow, long established as a Wagyu specialist, is the place to be for unparalleled indulgences of premium beef. Chef Shingo Iijima draws from a wealth of experience in kaiseki and kappo to curate omakase experiences bound to satisfy, starring guests’ choice of the finest beef — handpicked from reputable farms in Japan — served alongside seasonal delicacies. Preparation methods run the gamut of shabu-shabu to sumibiyaki. Highlights of the current Chef’s Table Tetsu Omakase (Dinner, $198++ per guest) include the Wagyu Yasai Maki, crisp fresh vegetables rolled with exquisitely marbled Toriyama Umami Wagyu, topped with caviar and black truffle.

MIYOSHI — MODERN JAPANESE (RAMEN, TEPPAN-KAISEKI, OMAKASE)

Housed in a conservation building on balmy Sentosa island, MIYOSHI — with its trifecta of modern Japanese offerings — is perfect for any occasion. Translating from Japanese to mean “three graces”, the concept’s name is a reference to its trio of specialisations: ramen, teppanyaki, and omakase.

Long-beloved Japanese flavours shine in signatures such as the Wagyu Shoyu Ramen ($58++), replete with tender shabu-shabu Wagyu beef and truffle paste. The Teppan-Kaiseki experience ($98++ per guest for lunch, $280++ per guest for dinner) is a showcase of seasonal treasures like fresh Hokkaido scallops, live Korean abalone, and prized Toriyama A4 Wagyu masterfully prepared before the guest. MIYOSHI’s Chef’s Table Omakase ($88++ per guest for lunch, $180++ per guest for dinner) takes a traditional approach — the menu is produce-focused and prepared in the way the chef thinks it best. It is a Japanese culinary journey, led by skill and experience, guided by heart and soul.

SUSHI SAKUTA — SUSHI OMAKASE

Dishes at Michelin-lauded Sushi Sakuta begin with scrutiny of the ingredients and their flavour profile. Chef Yoshio Sakuta, who grew up with an aversion for raw fish that paradoxically granted him exceptional sensitivity to flavours and textures, then intuitively customises techniques specific to unlocking the ingredients’ full potential. Simple yet ingenious methods are employed to elevate flavours, such as steaming abalone with daikon for tenderness or using Japanese leeks, ginger, and dry chilli to accentuate the richness of ankimo. Fish is precisely salted, perhaps brined, to extract any lingering fishy aroma or excess moisture, leaving only the purest and finest — the most refined cuts and natural tastes to grace the plate. Precise and measured, every exquisite detail of the omakase experience is curated by Chef Sakuta to offer a sublime experience of sushi (from $350++ per guest for lunch, $500++ per guest for dinner).

AMI PATISSERIE — EUROPEAN-STYLE PASTRIES WITH JAPANESE INGREDIENTS

On the grounds of a colonial black and white bungalow sits AMI Patisserie’s first physical concept, a space in which helming Chef Makoto Arami seeks to inspire a shift in perception: for pastries not just to be the end to a meal, but to be the main stars, a full experience from start to end. Chef Makoto’s repertoire of fine East-meets-West creations may be enjoyed “anytime, all the time, and whenever”; modelling the Japanese concept of Tsudo (都度).

The serenely elegant Patisserie Café, distinctly suffused with Japanese influences, is fit for gatherings of all ilk. Be it a celebration, a simple brunch, or a leisurely afternoon tea, guests may bond over fine a la carte sweets, savouries and viennoiseries, all finished à la minute and artfully presented. Those seeking a deeper gastronomic affair can journey through the pastry-led Chef’s Table Discovery Experience ($118++ per guest) of sweets and savouries, ensconced in the 8-seat Tsudoi Dining Room.

PANORAMIC PLETHORA

67 PALL MALL SINGAPORE — PRIVATE MEMBERS’ WINE CLUB

67 Pall Mall, established in London by wine lovers for wine lovers, opened in Singapore in 2022. Following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment, 67 Pall Mall Singapore welcomes Members into the Club’s spectacular 15,000 sqft Shaw Centre penthouse in the heart of Orchard Road, Singapore’s premier shopping and lifestyle district. The epicentre for enthusiasts of fine wine and food in Asia, 67 Pall Mall Singapore grants unprecedented access to Southeast Asia’s largest and most diverse wine list, with 6,000 available by the bottle and 1,000 by the glass. The Club’s 16-strong team of sommeliers, comprising some of the best talents in the local wine scene, hosts guests with the warmest hospitality. Connecting Members to new tastes and ideas, the extensive curation of fine wines is complemented by seasonal menus featuring culinary influences from across the globe.

RESTAURANT JAG — VEGETABLE-CENTRIC CUISINE

At Michelin-starred JAG, a unique découverte menu illuminates and intensifies the pleasures of vegetable-centric cuisine. La Balade du Végétal, or The Vegetable Journey, is shaped to explore nature’s vibrant bounty — every plate a revelation of tastes and textures of the finest produce (Dinner, $298++ per guest). The earnest aspiration is for guests to anticipate the joy of discovering each season’s best; savouring chestnuts in autumn, discovering the freshness of green peas in spring, and delighting in the ripe tomatoes of summer. With precision and contemporary French flair, each vegetable is transformed into diverse iterations that appreciate all its profiles. Nestled on the second floor of a beautifully restored 19th-century warehouse, Restaurant JAG overlooks water, is surrounded by greenery, and is bathed in natural light. The space boasts an idyllic calm and a nature-forward ambience unique in central Singapore, like dining in a countryside garden.

BUONA TERRA — CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN CUISINE

Situated in a stately colonial bungalow, Michelin-starred Buona Terra is where Resident Chef Denis Lucchi presents contemporary Italian gastronomy at its most stellar and authentic. Grounded in the recipes he grew up with and has come to love, the best from the bounteous larder of Italy, Chef Lucchi weaves from quality produce flavours that are complex yet essential, familiar yet exciting, and very much of today. Artful compositions on the menu (from $118++ per guest for lunch, from $248++ per guest for dinner) include the Rombo, a delicate yet lavish union of brown butter-poached French turbot, Sicilian red prawns enrobed in Swiss chard, Oscietra caviar, Liliput capers, and preserved Amalfi lemon; complete with a nutty and herbaceous finish of mugnaia sauce and parsley oil.

LEVEL33 — “CONTEMBREWERY” CUISINE

Founded by Dr. Martin Bém in 2010, the world’s highest urban microbrewery seamlessly melds craftsmanship, artistry and hospitality for a truly elevated experience in all senses of the expression. Located at the top of Marina Bay Financial Tower 1, LeVeL33 overlooks spectacular skyline views of Singapore, and easily accommodates with different spaces suited to refined privacy or social revelry.

LeVeL33’s unique “ContemBrewery” cuisine defines an approach that creatively incorporates not only house-brewed beers in the food, but beer-brewing byproducts such as spent grain too. Responsible sourcing, sustainability, and wholesome nutrition are also guiding tenets. Take for example the LeVeL33 Exclusive Signature Cut, Koji & Spent Grain Dry-Aged Westholme Wagyu Rump Cap, featuring pasture-fed and grain-finished MBS 8-9+ Australian beef served alongside truffle potato and a flavour-packed beef fat bordelaise sauce.

Whether it’s a familiar flavour or the excitement of the exotic you seek, there’s a treat and a treasure at every turn in this city-state for you to discover.

Bon voyage!