Soft lighting, cosy seating arrangements and intimate décor are all prerequisites of a good romantic restaurant. Candlelight is an added bonus if you can get it.
Luckily for you, romantic restaurants in Singapore are aplenty and Urban List has rounded up the best of the best so you can focus on cosying up to your main squeeze. Good food, smooth wine, stunning views and romantic vibes—they’re all here.
Luke's Oyster Bar & Chop House
22 Gemmill Lane
Image credit: Luke's Oyster Bar & Chop House | Website
Inspired by the timeless and sophisticated seafood houses of America’s Atlantic Coast, Luke’s Oyster Bar and Chop House is known for its selection of oysters, seafood, prime steaks, and chops. With it’s sultry brown leather seating, stunning black and white bar and outstanding menu, the Travis Masiero owned joint has singlehandedly defined the quality dining experience.
If you’re in the mood for meat, try the bone-in tenderloin au poivre or the milk-fed Dutch veal chop with anchovy marmite butter. However, the real highlight is a tray of Luke’s oysters, which are sourced from chef Masiero’s hometown of Boston—one of the finest sources of fresh oysters in the world. For dessert, you can’t beat the milk and cookies.
Ocean Restaurant
8 Sentosa Gateway, Equarius Hotel, Sentosa Island
Image credit: Ocean Restaurant | Supplied
Let's be honest, there's nothing more romantic than dining with manta rays and 40,000 other marine friends at Ocean Restaurant. Created by famed French Michelin-star chef Oliver Bellin, this impressive dining experience allows you to dine on fresh, sustainably sourced seafood as you bask in the aqua glow of a floor-to-ceiling aquarium.
The dinner menu consists of just eight carefully selected dishes, all of which you can savour along with perfectly paired wine when you order the eight-course dinner. Expect king crab tarragon, lobster raviolo, butter poached Dover sole and strawberry pavlova for dessert.
Sushi Yujo
165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Amara Hotel #02-26
Image credit: Sushi Yujo | Facebook
Sure, you might think you’ve tried the best omakase Singapore has to offer, but Sushi Yujo stands a good chance of becoming your new fave. Nestled in the heart of the Central Business District, Sushi Yujo is headed up by Chef Desmond Fong, formerly at Les Amis’ Sushi Jin, so he knows his stuff.
The snug 13-seater restaurant serves up a lunch set menu from $38 which is tasty and kind on the wallet—a winning combo in our opinion, particularly if it’s your turn to shout. Think melt-in-your-mouth salmon don and sashimi. With seafood flown in four times a week from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, you can expect the freshest of ingredients.
Kaarla
88 Market Street, #51-02
Image credit: Kaarla | Facebook
Perched on the 51st of the CapitaSpring building and boasting breathtaking views of Marina Bay Sands, Kaarla serves up delicious Australian-Japanese dishes with a focus on ethically-sourced and farm-to-table ingredients. In fact, most of their ingredients are sourced from the 1-Arden food forest—the highest farm in the world.
At the heart of Kaarla lies its wood-fire grill where chefs work the flames in an open kitchen led by Executive Chef Lamley Chua. Highlights include the Coal Roasted Tiger Prawns which are perfectly charred with sansho pepper and native tamarind jam, and the Wood-Fire Grilled Wagyu Sliders which wedges Stanbroke wagyu patties, Kyabetsu Salad, and spicy mayonnaise between fluffy buns—perfect for sharing. For a taste of the bush, the Salt Cured & Smoked Kangaroo showcases thinly sliced cured-then-smoked roo on a bed of black barley, bush tomatoes, and dessert lime, accentuated with anchovy emulsion.
Baia
Level 4, Esplanade Mall, 8 Raffles Avenue
Image credit: Baia | Supplied
Baia, named after the ancient holiday resort city loved and frequented by the Roman aristocracy, it is a high-octane lifestyle destination that offers magnificent and breathtaking panoramic views of the city and Marina Bay.
Baia’s food menu offers an enticing array of small plates, featuring everything from a raw bar with caviar selections to charcuterie and cheese, gourmet pizzas, charcoal-grilled specialties, and decadent desserts. Expect to indulge in dishes like Seared Bluefin Tuna accompanied by Oscietra Caviar and Colatura Crema and Lobster Lollipops with Tarragon Aioli. The pizza selection is equally tempting, with options like Salmon Trout with Ikura, Fiordilatte, and Pizzutelli or a Truffle Fonduta with Smoked Scamorza and Cardoncelli Mushrooms. For those with a sweet tooth, Baia has three delectable desserts: Profiteroles with Hazelnut Chantilly and Chocolate Fondue, Tiramisu with Moka Cream, and Peach Melba with Tahitian Vanilla Gelato and Marshmallow.
In partnership with Proof & Co, Baia's cocktail programme is expertly curated by the renowned beverage consultancy who is behind some of Asia's most celebrated bars. Known for their innovative approach and commitment to excellence, Proof & Co has played a pivotal role in shaping the cocktail culture across the continent, contributing to the success of award-winning venues like Singapore's 28 HongKong Street and Bangkok's The Bamboo Bar.
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Aniba
6 Battery Road, #05-03
Image credit: Aniba | Supplied
The brainchild of award-winning Israeli chef Meir Adoni, Aniba is the latest jewel in Singapore’s fusion fine-dining crown. Cutting his teeth at the divisive Noma, chef Adoni comfortably carries the reinvention torch with a menu inspired by his Israeli-Morccan heritage—rounded out with spicy twists from his own cross-continental culinary journey.
It’s a rap sheet that’s best summed up with the TLV Tostada—crispy Belgian waffle with wild Norwegian salmon ceviche, charred kale, thai mango and jalapeno. With interiors as opulent and seductive as the menu, either grab a cocktail and nibble on smoked trout doughnuts at the speakeasy-era bar, or settle in for an adventurous veg-and-fish-focused feast over in the chef’s kitchen.
Firangi Superstar
20 Craig Road, #01-03
Image credit: Firangi Superstar | Supplied
With low lighting and four themed rooms—the Officer’s Club, Old Railway Room, Elephant Palace and Jungle Lodge—all curated to look like film sets, Firangi Superstar is more of a cinematic journey through India than a restaurant.
We recommend the Australian Wagyu bone-in rib, which is marinated in a flavourful nihari marinade and finished on a charcoal grill, resulting in a deliciously succulent interior and charred exterior. Alternatively, the vegetarian version includes three pieces of mushroom kofta, served on a creamy bed of lentils and crowned with sautéed Shimeji mushrooms.
Tamba
101 Duxton Road
Image credit: Tamba | Supplied
Housed in a two-storey conserved shophouse, Tamba is an intimate and lively enclave that celebrates the vibrant spirit and rich flavours of West Africa. With it's dark and moody interior, the 25-seater hideaway is the perfect spot for your next date night.
Tamba’s culinary philosophy is a homage to West African luxury, blended skillfully with the comforting essence of home. You can choose from beloved staples such as Jollof Rice with sofrito, Sakura chicken, and smoked pork belly; Tapalapa bread with goat’s milk ricotta, drizzled with house-smoked honey and smoked bacon butter. A house favourite of Head Chef Darren is Suya, a grilled skewer dish made of Angus tenderloin and accompanied by kachumbari (a piquant tomato and onion salad) and a crunchy smoked kuli kuli.
Helmed by award-winning bartender Joma Rivera as General Manager, Tamba’s cocktail menu is split into two parts. The first is inspired by stories from Tamba’s life growing up, and includes savoury tomato cocktail Dry Boney, a tamarind cachaca cocktail, The Next Pele, and a clarified milk cocktail, Vita, made with cacao butter fat-washed Mhoba rum sourced from South Africa. The second, Friends of Tamba, includes Chouti, a cognac-based tongue-in-cheek drink, and agave cocktails Smoker’s Kiss and Get A Room.
Pasta Bar
55 Keong Saik Road, #01-05
Image credit: Pasta Bar | Supplied
An intimate alcove that embodies Italy’s rich culinary history and pays homage to the country’s quintessential diet staple, Pasta Bar is known for its delicious hand-pulled pasta and laidback counter culture. Nestled in the heart of Keong Saik road, the restaurant is anchored around an 18-seater open kitchen bar-counter where you can watch Michelin-trained Head Chef Ales Donat work his magic.
Current menu highlights include the tableside carbonara, which is tossed tableside in a large flaming cheese wheel, and the confit duck ravioli which showcases a little-known dough technique whereby cooked egg yolk is added to raw egg yolks to make an incredibly velvety and creamy pasta casing for the duck filling.
Ro.ia
1 Cluny Road, E J H Corner House, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Image credit: Ro.ia | Supplied
Nestled within the lush landscapes of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, E.J.H. Corner House, named for its resident Professor Edred John Henry Corner, stands as a destination for fine cuisine and exceptional experiences. At its site in the first and only tropical garden on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the storied black and white is the new home of Ro.ia.
Inspired by the river Roya which curves between France and Italy, Ro.ia presents a modern, French fine dining concept from Chef Priyam Chatterjee. The youngest and first chef of Indian heritage to be conferred the French knighthood, Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole, Chef Priyam presents a menu of global influences, artfully executed by his passion for and mastery of French cuisine and technique. You can expect dishes like Hokkaido scallops served with yoghurt and finger lime and Maison Burgaud Challandais duck with Kinjiso spinach and orange jus.
Looking for more? Check out:
- Date Ideas In Singapore That Aren’t Dinner And Drinks
- The Best Singapore Brunch Experiences To Try Right Now
- The Most Relaxing Places For A Massage In Singapore
Main image credit: Tamba | Supplied
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