We all know Singapore is a haven for foodies, with a total of 51 restaurants receiving the elusive Michelin star this year. The ultimate hallmark of culinary excellence, the Michelin guide uses five criteria to assess these restaurants: mastery of technique, quality of ingredients, value for money, chef's personality and consistency—so you know they really are the best of the best. But with so many Michelin star restaurants in Singapore, how do you know where to begin?
To help you out, Urban List has rounded up what we think are the best Michelin star restaurants in Singapore. From starched white tablecloths to hip barbeque joints, these are the ones we recommend checking out first.
Araya
Mondrian Singapore Duxton, 83 Neil Road, #01-08
Image credit: Araya | Supplied
Since opening in November 2023, Araya has been winning over foodies across Singapore with its unparalleled take on South American flavours and ingredients. Now, Araya has become the first Chilean South Pacific fine dining restaurant in the world to earn one Michelin star, cementing Chef-Partners’ Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero’s outstanding cooking talents. Their sommelier, Tomas Tapia, also won the sought after Michelin Guide Sommelier Award for his excellent knowledge on Chilean wines.
Their eight-course degustation menu—the Costa—focuses on the marine bounty found along the rugged forested coasts in the South Pacific. One of the new menu highlights is the Taigairai which features the choro zapato (meaning ‘shoe’ in Spanish) or the Chilean giant mussel. Native to estuaries in water with low salinity, the mollusk gets its name from its size, comparable to the average shoe size of an adult man. At Araya, the choro zapato is served raw akin to a ceviche after it is marinated in an ají amarillo sauce, absorbing the fruitiness of the yellow chilli pepper.
Curanto is another new addition in the Costa menu and gets its name from a pre-Hispanic cooking technique. Used by indigenous Chilotes from Chiloé Island in South Chile, an assortment of meat and seafood are wrapped in leaves then cooked in an earth oven with hot stones. In Chef Francisco’s rendition, a whole abalone is wrapped in corn husk then sealed in a dough parcel made from charcoal and corn husk ashes and cooked over the fire. The abalone is served with two sauces, a fresh chorizo sauce and another made with the shellfish’s organs and chicharron.
Thevar
9 Keong Saik Road
Image credit: Thevar | Supplied
With two Michelin stars to its name, you know you’re going to be in for a culinary treat at modern Indian restaurant Thevar. Helmed by Chef Mano Thevar, the menu draws inspiration from his Indian roots alongside the use of seasonal ingredients and modern European techniques.
Highlights include the crispy pork jowl, which comes wrapped in betel leaf and topped with a coconut-sambal aioli, and the pork ribs glazed with medjool dates, which you should order with a side of berry pulao (long-grained rice cooked with garam masala, lemongrass and pandan, as well as pistachios and cranberries for added texture). The Chettinad chicken also deserves a special mention—think of it like an Indian taco filled with delicious chicken curry.
Buona Terra
29 Scotts Road
Image credit: Buona Terra
Nestled among the row of colonial buildings along Scotts Road, Buona Terra is a one Michelin-starred contemporary, fine dining Italian restaurant helmed by Chef Denis Lucchi. The menu showcases Northern Italy’s robust flavours alongside prized artisanal ingredients and the Italian recipes Chef Denis grew up with.
We recommend the pigeon with beetroot, pear and Moscato sauce. A variation to the restaurant’s signature dish, the ten-day dry-aged pigeon is cured with a blend of spices, then marinated with olive oil and grappa before being char-grilled over binchotan with a glazing of Italian acacia honey. It’s delicately sweet and not overly gamey.
Cloudstreet
84 Amoy Street
Image credit: Cloudstreet | Supplied
#26 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023 and awarded two stars in the Michelin Guide 2022 and 2023, Cloudstreet is the result of chef Rishi Naleendra’s vision to create a dining room that exists on the philosophy of true hospitality.
With a tasting menu that champions ingredient-driven cuisine and seasonality, you can expect to be taken on a journey of innovation. Alongside the food, you will find a wine list featuring around 350 natural and classic style wines which pay homage to some greats alongside small, independent winemakers from around the world.
Consisting of two floors, you will first be welcomed into the main dining room, which is complete with a chef’s counter allowing for interactions between you and the chef. After the main course, you will be ushered upstairs to enjoy a luxurious array of dessert courses. This is coupled with a fine selection of cheeses, port wines and handcrafted petit fours.
Odette
National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road, #01-04
Image credit: Odette | Supplied
The accolades keep coming for chef-owner Julien Royer’s contemporary French restaurant, including being crowned 2020’s Best Restaurant in Asia by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, being ranked number 18 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019, and winning a coveted third Michelin star.
Such awards really are no surprise once you’ve tasted the food though, with show-stopping signatures like rosemary smoked organic egg and beak-to-tail pigeon. Named after his grandmother who inspired Royer to cook, Odette represents modern French cuisine at its finest—a celebration of fresh ingredients, artisanal produce, classic technique and refined flavours, all done with the utmost elegance.
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Zén
41 Bukit Pasoh Road
Image credit: Zén | Supplied
As one of Singapore’s most expensive restaurants, Zén is the sister restaurant of Frantzén in Stockholm and has just secured three Michelin stars for the fourth consecutive year, so you know it’s going to be good. While sophisticated Neo-Nordic cuisine with Japanese flourishes is the order of the day here, the setting couldn’t be more Singaporean—a three-storey shophouse dating back to 1926.
The tasting menu is made up of nine courses and canapes and showcases a combination of Frantzén techniques and the finest seasonal produce. Expect dishes like the Artichoke and Truffle Maxime, Foie Gras & Fennel Top Parfait, Grilled Samegaraai, Roasted Wagyu A5, Amelia Tomato Sorbet and Salted Carrot Ice Cream.
To complement the tasting menu, Zén offers an original non-alcoholic juice pairing. Designed as a continuation of the Zén and Frantzén culinary philosophy, all of the beverages are equally imaginative and produce-driven. An example is a sparkling aperitif made of heirloom tomatoes and red plums. For those who want to liven things up, an alcoholic beverage pairing is also available.
Burnt Ends
7 Dempsey Rd, #01-02
Image credit: Burnt Ends | Facebook
They say there’s no smoke without fire—and Burnt Ends brings the heat in the most delicious way. One of the hottest tables in town some seven years after opening, this hip barbeque joint, which has one Michelin star to its name, is a tribute to “the magic that comes from cooking with wood”, with a custom-made four-tonne, two-oven brick kiln as its beating heart.
Divinely smoky, full-bodied flavours rule the roost at this Singapore restaurant, with chef-owner Dave Pynt creating new menus daily. Grab a counter seat at the open kitchen to watch the chefs in action, before savouring dishes like their pulled pork Sanger burger and king crab leg slathered in brown butter.
JAG
#02-02, 41 Robertson Quay
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Founded by Chef Jeremy Gillon and restaurateur Anant Tyagi, JAG (Jeremy Anant Gastronomy) is a one Michelin star contemporary French fine dining restaurant that’s widely praised for its vegetable gastronomy.
Having recently relocated to STPI Robertson Quay, Chef Jeremy and his team pay homage to the yearly seasonal cycle with their distinctive vegetable-centric menu. In the shallot / banana shallot course, shallots show their full glory. On the plate you’ll find, pickled shallots, a puree of banana shallots, grilled sliced shallots and shallot jelly alongside roasted and puffed buckwheat. The dish is finished with a rich grilled shallot stock and sariette oil.
Shoukouwa
1 Fullerton Road, #02-02A
Image credit: Shoukouwa | Supplied
As Singapore’s only two Michelin-starred sushi restaurant, you can trust that you’re in for a truly unforgettable omakase experience at Shoukouwa. Only the highest-grade produce makes the cut here, with all fish and seafood flown in daily direct from Tokyo’s famous Toyosu Market.
The focus here is on nigiri sushi that expertly balances flavour with precision, including rice dressed in a secret blend of vinegars, with two different omakase menus available for dinner. While offerings change with the seasons, past highlights have included the kinmedai (golden eye snapper) and house-made ikura—and with only eight counter seats and a six-seater private room at this intimate spot, bookings are essential.
CUT by Wolfgang Puck
2 Bayfront Avenue, #B1-71, Marina Bay Sands
Image credit: CUT by Wolfgang Puck | Supplied
As the only Michelin-starred steakhouse in Singapore, CUT by Wolfgang Puck is a mecca for discerning steak aficionados to discover rare and exclusive first-to-Singapore premium cuts. The steaks are expertly seasoned, grilled over charcoal and apple wood, finished off under a 1,200-degree broiler and accompanied by a selection of house-made sauces.
If your budget allows for it, we recommend the wagyu tasting plate which features cuts from America, Australia and Japan. Add to that the Yukon gold potato puree and roasted broccoli with sesame aioli and you’ll forget all about the hit to your credit card.
Candlenut
17A Dempsey Road
Image credit: Candlenut | Supplied
The world’s first Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant, Candlenut shines a light on traditional Straits-Chinese cuisine. Chef-owner Malcolm Lee was originally inspired by his grandmother’s homespun Peranakan cooking, resulting in dishes that perfectly balance authenticity and innovation.
Delivering contemporary verve to tried-and-trusted favourites, Candlenut’s ever-changing “ah-ma-kase” tasting menu is an ideal introduction to Lee’s singular style. Look out for flavour-packed dishes like Wagyu beef rendang, blue swimmer crab curry and buah keluak ice cream.
Labyrinth
Esplanade Mall, 8 Raffles Avenue, #02-23
Image credit: Labyrinth | Supplied
Chef Han Li Guang flies the flag for modern Singaporean cuisine at one Michelin star restaurant, Labyrinth, with a one-of-a-kind menu that showcases exciting new takes on much-loved recipes and traditional flavours from his childhood.
With a focus on highlighting homegrown produce (90 per cent of the restaurant’s ingredients are sourced from local farmers and fishermen), Han is adept at injecting fresh life into familiar dishes, while still paying tribute to his local heritage. Dinner is a tasting menu only affair, where you can expect creative twists on the likes of chilli crab, rojak and chicken rice; the latter is a tribute to his grandmother, who used to cook for a British family, and features her trademark chilli sauce.
Esora
15 Mohamed Sultan Road
Image credit: Esora | Supplied
Located in a conservation shophouse on Mohammed Sultan Road, Esora—meaning painting in the sky—is a modern Japanese Kappo restaurant helmed by Head Chef Takeshi Araki. With a deep appreciation of the seasons, the one Michelin star restaurant embraces a concept called shun, which refers to the exact moment an ingredient is at its peak flavour. Be it spring, summer, autumn or winter, each season brings its own delights.
Esora’s signature Omi beef grilled over binchotan is not to be missed. Complementing the A5 Wagyu from Shiga prefecture is a presentation of autumn harvests: fried ginkgo nuts, kabu (Japanese turnip), nasu (eggplant), and kikuimo (Jerusalem artichoke) chips. Served with anka miso (red miso) sauce made with chicken and beef stock, the dish is finished with a kikuimo puree.
Les Amis
1 Scotts Road, #01 - 16 Shaw Centre
Image credit: Les Amis | Supplied
Starched white tablecloths, wine red velvet wall panelling and chandeliers are all standard at the three-Michelin-starred Les Amis. Add a huge cellar of mostly French heavyweights and a menu replete with the likes of langoustine, black truffles and caviar, alongside luxury Japanese ingredients, and you have one of the most refined contemporary French experiences in Singapore.
Menu highlights include the black forest venison cooked with truffle and juniper berries served alongside grapefruit compote and the wagyu beef tenderloin with aromatics, natural jus and crisp potato soufflées (a type of French fried potato). To finish, the Williams pear poached in a spiced infusion with caramel cream is not to be missed.
Hamamoto
58 Tras Street
Image credit: Hamamoto | Supplied
For over 20 years, Chef Kazuhiro Hamamoto has honed his craft across Kyoto, Tokyo and Singapore. His 12-seat sushi-kappo restaurant, Hamamoto, represents the culmination of his experiences and inspirations while expressing his soulful approach to Japanese cuisine. In 2024, Chef Hamamoto came away with one Michelin star, keeping its star for the third year in a row.
Located along Tras Street in Singapore’s historical Chinatown, Hamamoto is tucked away in an intimate shophouse behind a nondescript door. Paying tribute to the seasons, the menu showcases a constant supply of the freshest ingredients direct from Tokyo.
When they are in season, matsuba gani or adult male snow crabs are a sought-after Hamamoto signature. Chef Kazu shells the crab legs at the counter before poaching their flesh for mere seconds in a flavourful dashi that has been kept brewing for as long as Hamamoto has been open. Another irresistible seasonal signature is the Ise Ebi Sashimi, pristine raw lobster tail meat set on its shell and crowned with uni and Kaluga caviar.
Imperial Treasure
Various Locations
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Imperial Treasure has become synonymous with authentic fine Chinese cuisine. Since opening their first outlet back in 2004, the brand has gone on to win the hearts of gourmands and casual diners alike. Today, the Group has more than 20 restaurants in Singapore, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Incheon, London and Paris and over 50 accolades under its name as well as multiple Michelin stars—Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine at ION Orchard has retained its one Michelin star for 2024.
Most recently, Imperial Treasure has opened a unique dual-concept dining destination at Jewel Changi Airport. The dual-concept space features Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck and Treasures Yi Dian Xin, each offering its own unique culinary experience and menu.
Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, renowned for its exquisite culinary craftsmanship, offers you the chance to indulge in authentic Peking duck prepared by master chefs. Delight in their signature interpretations of classic dishes, such as Deep-fried Marble Goby 'Soon Hock' Fish, Australian Lobster (Baked with Superior Broth), Canadian Geoduck Clam, and Alaskan Crab.
Known for its contemporary twist on classic dishes, Treasures Yi Dian Xin appeals to those seeking a casual yet flavourful dining experience amidst the bustling ambiance of Jewel Changi Airport. Highlights include the Steamed Rice Roll with Crispy Shrimp, Steamed Salted Egg Yolk Black Custard Bun, and ‘Li Wan’ Style Congee.
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Main image credit: Thevar | Website
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