PUBLISHED January 3rd, 2018 07:00 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:47 pm
Start the new year right – from a lavish Scandinavian seafood joint with an accompanying market to homey cafés, multiple concepts at F&B cluster Savourworld, and a bar where gaming and drinking collide, here are 19 new restaurants and bars to open their doors in Singapore this January.
New Restaurants
The Chinese Kitchen
Looking for Chinese food in Lavender? The newly opened Chinese Kitchen, tucked away in a cosy shophouse, features a curated list of dishes at pocket-friendly prices. Here, Head Chef Austen Ong’s (who has worked at the likes of Grand Hyatt and Resort World Sentosa) highlights his Signature Old Fifty Collagen Broth (from $28 for 2 to 3pax), consisting of chicken, duck, pork and fish skin and dishes like and Snapper Fish Tail ($26). Customise the soup from three different fishes and two broths for your favourite flavours.
The Chinese Kitchen is located at 20 Cavan Road, Singapore 20986, p. +65 6612 6024. Opens Thu-Tue 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm. Closed Wed.
FiSK Seafoodbar & Market
Combining a seafood market and dining experience in one, FiSK Seafoodbar & Market at the new Novotel on Stevens Road brings Norwegian delicacies to our shores – namely, specially imported produce by respected seafood purveyor Snorre Food. Not to be missed are signatures such as the Seafood “Charcuterie” (smoked, cured and marinated seafood like gravlaks, smoked scallops and cured hamachi tails) and FiSK’s “Plateau de Mer” (oysters, king crab, prawns, scallops, mussels and freshest catch from the counter). Like what you eat? Get the freshest catch from the on-site retail market.
FiSK Seafoodbar & Market is located at 30 Stevens Road, #01-01, Singapore 257840, p. +65 6732 0711. Opens Mon 11.30am – 7pm, Tue-Sat 11.30am – 4.30pm, 6pm – 10pm, Sun 11.30am – 7pm (seafoodbar); Mon-Sun 10am – 7pm (market).
Merci Marcel
Escape the busy city into the hip Tiong Bahru neighbourhood, which sees a new addition in Merci Mercel. The Parisian-inspired spot is a café by day and casual bar by night, where the picturesque design of the space and beautifully plated mains make a great ‘gram or two. Crowd pleasers include the Smoked Salmon Burger (S$21++) and French Brioche Toast ($17++), which go exceptionally well with drinks from local roasted Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee.
Merci Marcel is located at 56 Eng Hoon St, #01-68, Singapore 160056, p. +65 6224 0113. Opens Tue-Sat 8am – 11.30pm. Closed Sun.
Alley on 25
Dining destinations with several concepts have been popping up all over Singapore, so it’s no surprise that lifestyle hotel Andaz Singapore have joined the fray with its gastrohub Alley on 25. Featuring seven shophouse-inspired concepts, each focuses on a specific cooking process – tuck in to zi char highlights like Double-boiled Beef Short Rib Noodles ($18) at Auntie’s Wok and Steam, pick up some Grilled Diver Scallops ($18) at Smoke & Pepper, and handcrafted signature cocktails Lau Pa Loma ($16) and Irish Kopi C ($16) at Bar Square.
Alley on 25 is located at 5 Fraser Street, Level 25 Andaz Singapore, Singapore, 189354, p. +65 6408 1288. Click here to check all opening hours for Alley on 25’s various concepts.
UNI Gallery by OosterBay
Lovers of uni can now find the prized Japanese ingredient starring in nearly every dish at UNI Gallery by OosterBay. Find the treat presented in creations such as the Uni Bomb ($118), which features four kinds of sea urchin, or enjoy them raw with the Higashizawa Shiro Uni ($180) and Hadate Shiro Uni ($180). Premium sashimi and other seafood, flown in from Japan four times a week, also make an appearance according to their respective seasons.
UNI Gallery by OosterBay is located at 7500 Beach Road, #B1-310 The Plaza, Singapore 199591, p. +65 9838 8209. Opens daily 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm.
Bayswater Kitchen
Indulge in seafood by the bay at Privé Group’s latest restaurant, Bayswater Kitchen. Helmed by Chef de Cuisine Jack de Allibone, feast on dishes such as the Fisherman’s Feast with Lobster, Prawns, Mussels and Seasonal Fish, served with handmade Linguine and Japanese Mackerel Tartare with Oyster and Sea Herbs. Pair them with rosés and sparkling wines from the wine list for a truly refreshing meal.
Bayswater Kitchen is located at 2 Keppel Bay Vista, Singapore 098382, p. +65 6776 0777. Open Mon-Fri 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm, Sat 6pm – 11pm. Closed Sun & public holidays.
WAKANUI Grill Dining
We never get enough of charred meats fresh from the grill, even with a number of steakhouses popping up all over the city. Meat lovers will be pleased to head down to WAKANUI Grill Dining, located at Marina One, where beef and lamb picks from New Zealand star in their plates. Try the WAKANUI Spring Lamb and New Zealand Ocean Beef, grilled over Japanese bincho-tan charcoal in an open kitchen, for the smoky flavour sought after in roasts.
WAKANUI Grill Dining is located at 5 Straits View, #04-02 Marina One The Heart, Singapore 018935, p. +65 6384 2665. Open Mon-Fri 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 11pm, Sat 5.30pm – 11pm. Closed Sun.
HANS IM GLÜCK
Don’t settle for plain old American fast food. Now that German gastrobar HANS IM GLÜCK has made its debut in Orchard Road, you can binge on gourmet burgers coupled with refreshing drinks from the bar. Signature spins include beef patty options like the Feuriger (feta cheese, spicy pepper sauce) and chicken in Henne (avocado cream, orange, mustard sauce & sprouts), while the Juglans (with cranberries, sprouts & walnuts) and Abendrot (parmesan cheese, grilled vegetable tartare & rocket leaves) both see scrumptious vegetarian patties.
HANS IM GLÜCK is located at 362 Orchard Road, Singapore 238887, p. +65 9750 1488. Open Sun-Thu 11am – 12am, Fri-Sat 11am – 1am.
IZA
Don’t feel like travelling all the way to town for some skewers? Enter IZA, dubbed “your local izakaya bar”, on East Coast Road. Joining hands with kushiyaki experts The Skewers Bar, get your meat fix with offerings like Lamb ($1.90) and Chicken Heart ($1.90), both served with homemade chilli powder, as well as the fascinating Bacon-wrapped Lychee ($2.80) for a mix of savoury and sweet in one bite. Non-skewer specials such as the Four-ton Chawanmushi ($4.50) and Otah Tamago ($6.90) also go well with the myriad of gins, wines and beers available.
IZA is located at 695 East Coast Road, Singapore 459059, p. +65 6385 2883. Open daily 6pm – 1am.
Teppan by Chef Yonemura
Resorts World Sentosa adds Teppan by Chef Yonemura to its already star-studded portfolio of restaurants this month. Helmed by Chef Masayasu Yonemura of Michelin-starred Yonemura in Kyoto, his first outpost beyond his home country will showcase French-Japanese cuisine across several styles, from teppanyaki to cocktail mixology and flambé desserts. Options include Mushroom Croquette with Beef Stew Sauce, Oyster and Lobster Bouillabaisse, and Crêpes Suzette “A la Teppan”, served with fresh oranges, pineapple juice, Grand Marnier and vanilla ice cream.
Teppan by Chef Yonemura is located at 8 Sentosa Gateway, Level 1 The Forum at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore 098269, p. +65 6577 6688. Open Tue-Sat 6pm – 10.30pm. Closed Sun-Mon.
Dusk
Surrounded by lush nature with a picturesque view of Singapore’s Southern Ridges, bask in European tapas and specially curated wine at atop this new Mount Faber restaurant. Sit outside in the breeze for a perfectly cool alfresco dinner, together with dishes such as Asian-inspired Tiger Prawn Capellini tossed with lobster-infused oil and Premium Sea Scallops with Ikura created by Executive Chef Kenny Yeo. Pair them with drinks to finish off the night – we recommend a choice from their array of cocktails like the Nitro-Frost Caviar Martini and Mr. 42 Feijoa.
Dusk is located at 109 Mount Faber Road, Level 2 Faber Peak Singapore, Singapore 099203, p. +65 6377 9688. Open Mon-Thu 4pm – 11pm, Fri-Sat 4pm – 2am, Sun 11am – 11pm.
Don & Tori
Modern Japanese cuisine is seeing an upward trend in Singapore, so it’s no surprise that new restaurants are riding the wave with a combination of traditional and contemporary. Situated on Tras Street (which already sees stalwart Japanese joints Terra and Kanda Wadatsumi), Don & Tori chimes in with fresh produce and punchy cocktails. Order the Sakura Ebi Angel Hair Pasta ($32) and Truffle Wagyu Foie Gras Don ($38) together with drinks like the Tori Ga Mi ($17 dark rum, black sugar shōchū, lychee syrup, lime juice, coconut foam) and Japan 75 ($17; gin, sparkling sake, yuzu liqueur).
Don & Tori is located at 74 Tras Street, Singapore 079013, p. +65 9811 7888. Open Mon-Sat 12pm – late.
Casa Poncho
From the folks behind 13% Gastro Wine Bar comes Casa Poncho, the latest Latin American restaurant and wine bar in town. Nestled in a preserved shophouse on Bukit Pasoh Road, grab a mezcal cocktail in the courtyard in the evening before heading into the main dining hall up for modern comfort fare with a distinct Mexican flavour – French Seabass Ceviche with avocado twist, Mexican Grilled Pork Skewers with roasted pineapple couli, and Grilled Spanish Octopus with ranchera salsa puree.
Casa Poncho is located at 14 Bukit Pasoh Singapore, 089828, p. +65 6224 5466. Open Tue-Sat 5pm – 12am. Closed Sun-Mon.
Blue Label Pizza & Wine
Bored of formulaic pepperoni and Hawaiian-topped pizzas? At Blue Label Pizza & Wine (sister joint to Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House), the wood-fired pizzas are done in ways you’d never imagine – think a combination of shiitake mushrooms, spinach, lemon, anchovy, goat’s cheese and cornmeal crust in the Umami Bomb, as well as bagel crust, chive schmear and red onions in the Salmon Gravlax EBP. Up for a surprise? Pick the Blue Label Special, where toppings are fresh from the market and baked with a twist.
Blue Label Pizza is located at 28 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069708, p. +65 9821 9362. Open Mon-Sat 6pm – 2am. Closed Sun.
Jamie’s Deli
Why settle for fast food when you can grab and go gourmet breakfast delights from Jamie’s Deli? Taking up 16 seats from Jamie’s Italian VivoCity, the deli’s bites are ready-to-eat and lighter than the mains of the restaurant. Fuel up with bars like Baked Oat and Banana Protein Square ($3.60++) and Crisp Biscuit and Dark Chocolate Nut Bar ($3.60++), as well as an assortment of sandwiches (The Reubens, anyone?) at $9.60++.
Jamie’s Deli is located at 1 Harbourfront Walk, #01-165/167 VivoCity Singapore 098585, p. +65 6733 5500. Open Mon-Fri 8.30am – 6pm, Sat-Sun 10am – 6pm.
SORA
Get in the mood before you fly by feasting at Terminal 2’s all-new Japanese gourmet hall SORA, fashioned after an All Nippon Airways (ANA) transit lounge. The largest restaurant across all four terminals, choose from six different specialists of Japanese cuisine for a delicious feast of the senses. Okonomiyaki chain Tsuruhashi Fugetsu and Italian-Japanese fusion Japoli Kitchen make their Singapore debut, alongside collagen-rich chicken ramen at Menya Takeichi, fresh tuna selections on rice at Kuro Maguro, and crisp tendon (tempura rice bowl) at Tendon Kohaku.
SORA is located at 60 Airport Boulevard #036-058/059 Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2, Singapore 819643, p. +65 6386 7005. Open 10.30am – 11pm daily.
Meat Market
Is there finally an establishment in Hougang worth visiting? Only if you don’t mind the smell of smoke from Meat Market’s custom-made woodfire griller getting on your clothes. If you can get past that, you will enjoy the variety of meats and seafood on offer, as well as ready-built platters, pastas, salads, and sandwiches. Interestingly, the type of wood used changes monthly, so you get a different taste profile for your meats each time you visit – it could be lychee wood (famous for smoking Peking duck) one month, the fruity applewood the next, and earthy oak after that.
Meat Market is located at Hougang One Mall, 1 Hougang Street 91 #01-40, Singapore 538692, p. +65 6581 9080. Open daily 11.30am – 10pm.
Myo Restobar
The amalgamation of wok-fried dishes and dim sum is a classic one, and the all-new Myo Restobar does just that well. An offshoot of the popular Kia Hiang in International Plaza, look forward to home-styled Cantonese classics like the signature Kia Hiang Claypot Spring Chicken ($18) and Tangy Orange Braised Pork Ribs with Mantou ($4 each), coupled with dim sum both traditional and unique: Steamed Shrimp Dumplings ($5.20 for six); Steamed Siu Mai with Conpoy and Black Truffle ($5.20 for three); and Gold Foil Dumplings with Assorted Mushroom ($4.80 for three).
Myo Restobar is located at 138 Robinson Road, #19-01 Lobby 1 Oxley Tower, Singapore 068906. Open Sun-Fri 11am – 9pm.
New Bars
Level Up
Level up your post-work entertainment literally with Level Up bar, a new hangout in Clarke Quay that boasts decent drinks and an assortment of arcade games from your past. In addition to sporty varieties such as pool, foosball, and air hockey, reawaken the child in you with retro arcade options such as Street Fighter and Time Crisis, playable with tokens purchased from the bar. In addition to the wide range of beers, wines, and spirits available, a long list of cocktails from Vodkatini to Long Island Ice Tea come in for $16 each and $22 for two during happy hour.
Level Up is located at 3A River Valley Road, #02-04, Singapore 179020, p. +65 6266 2276. Open Mon-Thu 2pm – 2am, Fri-Sat 2pm – 3am, Sun 2pm – 11pm.
Top Image: Alley on 25