Tatler Best 20 restaurants in Singapore for 2025

The embers continue to glow brightly at Burnt Ends—Tatler Singapore’s Restaurant of the Year 2025— which remains one of Singapore’s top restaurants for good reason. From the food down to the service, chef-owner Dave Pynt and his team run the space like a tight ship and every dish that comes out of their kitchen has been touched by fire or smoke in the four-tonne, dual cavity oven, and four elevation grills designed by Pynt himself. Apart from the expertly cooked dry-aged steaks, which continue to win fans over, other highlights include the leeks cooked with hazelnut and brown butter sauce, as well as the smoked quail egg topped with caviar.

The sibling restaurant of chef-owner Julien Royer’s Odette continues to shine, thanks to its approachable French cuisine crafted with refined culinary techniques. Indulge in classics like the chou farci, crafted using the recipe of Royer’s mum where the cabbage is stuffed with bacon, foie gras and prune, as well as the Kampot pepper steak flambeed tableside for a dramatic finish.

It’s always a treat to dine at modern Australian restaurant Cloudstreet, as chef-owner Rishi Naleendra surprises and delights diners with his tasting menus that blend seasonal ingredients with precision-driven techniques. Like a symphony, the courses are perfectly timed and arranged as such to create a delicious narrative that highlights his signature dishes such as grilled oyster with betel leaf, coconut and finger lime, and the Sri Lankan stout bread which is now served as a course on its own.

Is Cote a Korean or American steakhouse? Actually, it is both as owner restaurateur Simon Kim aimed to combine the Korean American barbecue experience with the elements of American steakhouse in his award-winning concept. He presents an extensive menu of classic and lesser-known steak cuts served with an array of banchan (side dishes), enjoyed within the confines of the restaurant’s sleek and stylish interiors.

As more and more gourmands appreciate Southeast Asian flavours, along comes Fiz restaurant by chef-owner Hafizzul Hashim, which celebrates the region’s rich culinary heritage and diverse food cultures. Seasonal ingredients and spices are carefully sourced from the region in crafting the Episode 2 menu, which was heavily inspired by the empires of Angkor’s Khmer and Java’s Majapahit empires—believed to have shaped Southeast Asia’s culinary landscape as we know it today.

Since kaiseki restaurant Imamura opened in 2022, its namesake chef-owner, Hirofumi Imamura, has captivated gourmands with his meticulous cooking techniques inspired by the ancient Japanese philosophy of the ‘five’—these are taste, colour, principles, skills and senses. With more than two decades of culinary experience, Imamura believes that “simple is always better” in preparing these ever-changing dishes in his omakase menu. Thus, he sources the best seasonal ingredients from Japan and prepares them in minimal ways—often finished with a touch of his homemade soya sauce or salt from his arsenal of more than 50 varieties—to let their natural flavours take centrestage.

Let Kirk Westaway take you to Britain without needing passports at Jaan by Kirk Westaway, perched on the 70th floor of Swissôtel The Stamford Singapore. The award-winning restaurant is an homage to his homeland, and guests can immediately sense it once they step inside. The space is decked out in artworks by Australian artist Steven, depicting various landscapes of his hometown, Devon, while the main dining room boasts a tree-like installation reminiscent of nature. With the scene set, Westaway entices diners with nostalgic childhood dishes tweaked to appeal to the global palate, and served in tasting menus that change according to seasons.

Han Liguang has grown immensely as a chef-restaurateur since opening modern Singaporean restaurant Labyrinth more than a decade ago. His mission is crystal clear: preserve the heritage flavours of Singapore so future generations can continue to enjoy them. He and his culinary team do this by deep diving into the traditional roots of the dishes and presenting them in modern ways, without forgetting their authentic flavours. One of his creations is the Hainanese pork curry rice, which he makes the traditional way by using sweet potato to thicken the sauce. It is served with the classic deep-fried pork as well as grains such as millet and barley, instead of the standard rice accompaniment.

Escape Singapore’s hot and humid weather at Marguerite—chef-patron Michael Wilson’s contemporary restaurant within the Flower Dome that celebrates the best seasonal ingredients through his tasting menus. Enhancing the experience is the curated list of wines and non-alcoholic beverages best enjoyed in the restaurant’s lush garden setting.

Meta has truly undergone a metamorphosis since it opened its doors in 2015. Chef-owner Sun Kim has fully embraced his heritage in his modern cuisine, crafting dishes that celebrate Korean flavours and ingredients. Notable highlights include the Jeju abalone garnished with chicken heart and lily bulb, and marinated Wagyu cooked over a binchotan grill.

The true test of a chef’s talent is how well they express their stories on a plate, and Nae:um’s Louis Han executes this really well. Since opening his modern Korean restaurant, he has brought his core memories to life through his episodic menus crafted with the refinement and skill you’d expect from an award-winning chef. The latest chapter—titled “Journey of Hwagyo”—is a bold exploration of Korean-Chinese flavours with creations like Chunbing, potato crepe, kimchi sabayon and pork cheek; and Yang, lamb saddle with napa cabbage and white radish.

Cuisines were not created in isolation, but rather, are the results of intersecting cultures. It is what chef-owner Ivan Brehm celebrates at Nouri with his “Crossroads Cooking”. Each dish served from Brehm’s kitchen is a product of intensive research on flavours, ingredients and techniques to ensure that it remains rooted in familiar flavours. The nazerushi, for instance, was inspired by Japan’s Edomae sushi and is crafted with cultured rice cake, oscietra caviar and pickled toro iwashi.

It has been 10 years since Odette opened its doors at National Gallery Singapore, and many accolades later (including Tatler Best Singapore’s Restaurant of the Year 2024 award), it still remains one of the best and most loved French restaurants on the island. Chef-owner Julien Royer, who has been based in Asia for more than a decade, has created his own brand of cuisine that blends his heritage and culinary background with his love for Asian flavours and produce. “It’s French with a zest of Asia,” he quips, crafting dishes such as his signature roasted pigeon imbued with Asian accents like the use of green, red and black Kampot peppercorns for a peppery crust.

There is a reason why Peach Blossoms is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike— executive Chinese chef Edward Chong dazzles diners with his inspired take on Chinese cuisine. In his latest menu “Same Story, New Journey”, he reimagines signature dishes such as an iconic dish that can’t be named, which is now rebranded as Forbidden Roll. It is presented in a box covered with paper, then set aflame to signal new beginnings for Chong and his diners.

Chef-owner Kevin Wong aimed to celebrate the rich and diverse flavours of the Malay archipelago when he opened Seroja in 2022. Trained at some of the world’s top tables, he mastered the art of using classic European techniques to present the region’s classic dishes, while staying true to their authentic taste. He sources most of his ingredients from across Asia, using them to craft dishes like the roti paung served with Johorean milk butter and housemade wafers made with sweet corn from Cameron Highlands.

Italian chef Mirko Febbrile returns to the fine-dining scene with the opening of Somma, which means ‘sum’ in Italian. It is a fitting name for his latest concept that combines his Puglian heritage and culinary experiences in his progressive dishes crafted through a modern lens. It took over 18 months of research and development to craft the dishes in his six-course menu; highlights include the lobster spaghettone (made from ancient Khorasan wheat) which comes in an umami-packed red carrot sauce and mantis shrimp bisque.

While Cantonese restaurants in Singapore are a dime in a dozen, Summer Pavilion stands out from the rest with chef de cuisine Cheung Siu Kong’s precise cooking that melds traditional Chinese flavours with modern touches. The classics here are always a winner—from the steamed pork, prawn and mushroom dumpling with a firm skin, to the flavourful marinated smoked duck, and barbecued Peking duck.

Chef-owner Taro Takayama’s eponymous kappo restaurant is an homage to Osaka’s rich food culture, which, during the Edo period in Japan, was known as the “kitchen of the world”. The omakase menu celebrates his home country’s four seasons on a plate, with ever-changing dishes crafted with the finest ingredients. For example, the signature dish, monaka and foie gras, is often updated based on what nature offers. Even better, the beverages are curated by Takayama himself to complement the seasonal offerings.

At Zén, diners are immersed in the delectable world of Björn Frantzén’s Nordic cuisine, elegantly infused with Japanese accents. Led by executive chefs Toraik Chua and Martin Öfner, the experience begins with meticulously crafted snacks—an enticing prelude to the day’s finest seasonal ingredients—before transitioning to the meal proper on the second floor and desserts on the third floor.