Fine dining in Singapore moves in many directions at once. Classical French rooms, Nordic tasting menus in restored shophouses, a Peranakan kitchen with a star of its own. Here are six tables, each distinct, that reward a booking made well ahead. We’ve already spent an evening at Odette, so these are the next six on the list.
A note on the stars: they were accurate as of this writing, and the guide is updated every year, so check before you reserve.
Les Amis, for French tradition at its most polished
Les Amis sits in the Orchard district and holds three Michelin stars. Chef Sébastien Lepinoy builds his menu around produce sourced almost entirely from France, and caviar features on the tasting menu more than once. The wine cellar is the quiet star: roughly 3,000 labels, enough to keep a sommelier happy for a decade. Come here when the evening deserves a ceremony.
Zén, for a Nordic menu in a shophouse
Three stories, one tasting menu. Zén is the Singapore sister of Frantzén in Sweden, set in a shophouse in Outram, and its cooking draws on Nordic, French and Japanese ideas. Three Michelin stars, and a reservation worth planning a trip around.
Saint Pierre, for modern French with a Southeast Asian accent
Chef-owner Emmanuel Stroobant has spent years refining a style that seasons dishes with essences extracted from fresh ingredients, pairing European technique with Southeast Asian flavor. It holds two stars, and it rewards a slow, unhurried evening.
Cloudstreet, for a personal story told on the plate
In Tanjong Pagar, chef Rishi Naleendra cooks from his Sri Lankan roots and his Australian training, and the result feels unlike any other menu in town. Two Michelin stars. The wine list runs past 350 labels, most from small independent producers, so ask for a pairing and let the team lead.
Candlenut, for Peranakan cooking with a star
Candlenut, in Tanglin, is described as the world’s first Peranakan restaurant to earn a Michelin star. Its playful “Ah-ma-kase” tasting menus borrow the omakase idea for Peranakan home cooking, rich and layered and deeply aromatic. It suits a long, generous lunch with friends.
Whitegrass, for French technique and Japanese restraint
Inside the CHIJMES complex, Whitegrass seats just 48. Head chef Takuya Yamashita calls his approach La Cuisine Naturelle, using French technique to let Japanese ingredients speak. One Michelin star and a menu that rewards attention.
Planning your fine dining in Singapore
Book as early as the restaurant allows, since the best tables fill weeks ahead. Pair two contrasting evenings: a French classic one night, Candlenut or Cloudstreet the next. Check each restaurant’s dress guidance when you reserve. And leave time between dinners to wander, because Singapore is at its loveliest after dark.
