Tatler Dining Awards 2024: The inaugural list of restaurants beyond the top 20 that also deserve recognition

As modern Peranakan cuisine goes, not many can hold a candle to Malcolm Lee. After all, he is the brains behind the world’s first—and only—Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant. Every dining experience here promises imaginative plates that honour Lee’s heritage and showcases his favourite recipes enjoyed as a child.

For an outstanding steak experience, don’t be shy to splurge at celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s first Asian outpost. The carnivorous mecca is best known for sourcing exclusively from reputable producers from the US and Japan, and boasts an impressive wine list with over 500 labels to choose from.

In the ethereal quarters of Esora, head chef Takeshi Araki puts in the work, hoping to tease all senses of epicureans. His blueprint of a modern Japanese kappo marries culinary brilliance–executed in sophistication and subtlety, with top-notch service from his warm and knowledgeable team.

Mirko Febbrile is the face of one of the hottest new openings of 2023. His casual waterfront restaurant dishes out uncomplicated Italian fare that celebrates the simple pleasures of life. From San Marzano tomatoes and Tropea onions to Cantabrico anchovies, these locale-specific ingredients are regularly seen on the seasonal menu.

From sojourning markets in Luang Prabang in Laos to gleaning recipes from historical manuscripts recorded by chefs of Malaysia’s royal courts, Hafizzul Hashim has carved his niche in the culinary sphere at Fiz. A meal here doesn’t just satiate the belly but also the mind with heartfelt anecdotes of the chef’s gastronomic journey and grit.

Anne-Sophie Pic is the undisputed queen of spades. At La Dame de Pic’s Raffles Singapore outpost, she orchestrates a scintillating ballad that marries French cooking with Asian influences. No meal is complete without her signature Les Berlingots, where seasonal ingredients are cleverly woven into each flavourful morsel.

Helming the grungy 20-odd seater restaurant is chef Johanne Siy, who was most recently crowned Asia’s Best Female Chef 2023 at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants programme. Accompanying her brilliance are a dynamite service crew, passionate owners, and mindful menus that are produce-driven. For the uninitiated, the moreish sea urchin pudding and the sophisticated avocado are perhaps what defines Lolla best.

The enamouring observatory perched above the Gallop Extension of the Singapore Botanical Gardens is none other than Pangium. There, Malcolm Lee’s reign in Peranakan fine dining extends through his inventive tasting menus that reflect the origins of Straits cuisine through a contemporary lens.

One could never get tired of the sprawling city views at Spago. Besides that, the modern Californian rooftop restaurant is still as reliable as it can get: think well-executed dishes in hearty portions fortified with impeccable hospitality. The super-accessible lunch menu  remains one of the best deals in town.