Singapore’s culinary scene offers a captivating mosaic of flavours drawn from every corner of the globe, in a melting pot where cultures intersect—giving us a unique symphony of cuisines that can only be found here. In this shortlist of the latest additions to the city’s growing number restaurants worth trying, that certainly shines clear.
These promising new openings will entice your senses and leave a lasting impression on any foodie. From Southeast Asian-inspired Restaurant Fiz to the sustainable Fura, these brand-new eateries exemplify the cultural diversity, culinary excellence, innovation, and sheer indulgence that characterises Singapore’s gastronomic landscape.
Consider Tempt, seated in a revamped 1800s-era shophouse that has been stripped and transformed into an industrial-style gastro-bar decked out with one-of-a-kind artwork and statement decor. A fresh new endeavour spearheaded by seasoned private chef Candice Leong, Tempt is shaping up to be the go-to eatery for exotic dishes and cross-cultural, fusion goodness. Marrying modernity and tradition in its deliberate design choices, cooking methodology, and composition of each dish, Tempt’s offerings are like no other. Think Puffed Beef Tendons with Kaluga caviar, as well as a mouthwatering Japanese Soy Milk Panna Cotta made with tender crustaceans and monkfish liver.
For lovers of Italian cuisine, Matera is the place to turn. Helmed by chef Bjoern Alexander, who hails from two-Michelin-starred Octavium, the new establishment reveals the spirit and heritage behind Italian food and transforms it into daring and creative contemporary dishes laced with Japanese and Chinese elements. Try the Pigeon with Black Truffle, one of Matera’s signatures. The flavourful dish comprises a lean pigeon breast, cooked to golden-brown perfection with a savoury-sweet glaze of honey, miso, brown sugar and sake. The tempting protein is paired with equally sumptuous accompaniments: shaved black truffle, white butter mushroom and baked sweet onions.
Here, find Vogue Singapore’s full list of recently opened restaurants worth trying in Singapore.
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Restaurant Fiz
Joining the growing list of stellar fine-dining restaurants in Tanjong Pagar is Fiz—a proud showcase of its chef-owner’s heritage. Raised in the coastal town of Lumut in Perak, Malaysia, chef Hafizzul Hashim has spent decades spent working in Michelin-starred restaurants in cities like London and Tokyo. Now, he is bringing a captivating exploration of Southeast Asian culinary traditions to Fiz, seen through the lens of his own upbringing.
Start with Memories of the Shore, the first course comprising four items conjuring Hashim’s childhood memories of foraging shellfish by the seaside. Each small bite is thoughtfully crafted and perfectly balanced, which is no small feat given the bright and beautiful flavours Hashim successfully experiments with. In Urchin, a piquant jellied singgang fish broth is topped with sweet murasaki uni from Hokkaido. Elsewhere, an inspired rendition of Hashim’s mother’s nasi lemak comes in the form of a pie tee cup filled with fried sambal and nasi lemak espuma, topped with a charcoal-grilled aged firefly squid for stunning texture.
Midway through the meal, a piping hot dish of bone broth arrives. With a recipe inspired by jamu traditions, the healing soup is made by roasting chicken bones and wings for the stock base, with a medley of spices added to give it its uniquely comforting flavour and aroma. Of course, no Southeast Asian dinner is complete without rice, which the congenial staff at Fiz generously doles out during the final course before dessert—an assortment of family-style dishes meant to be shared across the table, true to tradition. Each dish is a crowd pleaser, from the tender seabream to the charcoal-grilled chayote shoots, down to the zingy sambal belachan, elevated further with pickled cucamelon.
Restaurant Fiz, 21 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088444
Enquiries: 9679 8021
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Fura
With great innovation, Fura offers a way forward for sustainability in the culinary scene. A joint venture by chef Christina Rasmussen and bartender Sasha Wijidessa—whose previous projects together include pop-up plant-based bar Mallow last year—the gastrobar aims to change the way we dine through a menu that embraces the future of food.
For the most part, Fura’s offerings are plant-forward. Rasmussen, previously the lead forager at Noma, makes creative use of often unassuming ingredients to showcase them in new ways—while Wijidessa, who headed the now-closed experimental bar Operation Dagger, serves up unique cocktails with complex flavours. A portion of the greens come from the bar’s own back garden, and as much as possible, produce is sourced locally.
Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit is a delectable cocktail that, as its name suggests, showcases beans of all kinds, from tonka beans and butter beans to peas and tendrils. Meanwhile, the ingredients for Ugly Delicious Ferment rotate constantly. Every week, the bar purchases fruits and vegetables that are imperfect or about to go to waste, and ferments them to create the drink. On the food front, What Would Mirko Do? is a clear standout. Packed full of flavour, the dish consists of handmade gemelli pasta from Italian restaurant Fico, tossed in a truly ingenious romesco sauce made from local tomatoes and lacto-fermented with MSG, then finished with smoked almond and yeast cream.
But the bar’s boldest step towards sustainability—and what sets it apart from other eco-conscious restaurants—lies in its incorporation of ingredients from animal species that are considered abundant or in excess. At this point in time, that means components like insect protein and jellyfish, subtly used and presented in ways that make them decidedly more accessible for general diners to try. Locusts—considered pests due to the devastating damage they cause to farming communities and ecosystems—are used to create garum, a fermented sauce dating back to ancient Greek cuisine. Mealworms, available in abundance, are stir-fried and infused with a chilli spirit, then used to create Get the Worm, a smoky riff on a margarita. Little by little, dish by dish, Fura introduces eco-conscious choices that we can make in our everyday cuisine—opening our minds to what sustainable dining can look like.
Fura opens in August.
74A Amoy Street Singapore 069893
Enquiries: +65 8406 8899
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Matera
The intricacies of modern Italian cuisine may pose as a head-scratcher to most, but to chef Bjoern Alexander, the food at Matera is a natural reflection of his journey as a chef. German-born and having worked in various restaurants across Asia—most recently at 2-Michelin Octavium in Hong Kong—Alexander is the latest culinary name to arrive in Singapore’s dining scene. His craft at Matera brings together the essence of Italian cuisine and the colourful flavours of Asia. Where snacks like mala olives and a duck sausage puff pastry puff, reminiscent of a pineapple bun from Hong Kong, set the tone for a meal at the newly-opened restaurant.
One of the appetisers, Scallops Burrata, perfectly encapsulates the ethos of the restaurant—as Hokkiado scallop sashimi slices join a creamy blend of burrata jelly and sauce, then lifted with a piquant touch of Amalfi lemon zest and chives oil. Another stellar plate that follows: the simple yet delectable pairing of foie gras on toast. The spread is marinated for three weeks with miso, sake and mirin before a layer of cocoa powder, black pepper grains and Amalfi lemon jelly, aids in cutting through the fattiness. All that is laid upon the soft pillowy base that is Matera’s brioche, stemming from a 40-year-old recipe.
It’s safe to say Alexander’s fervour for pushing the envelope and his unorthodox methods on Italian food isn’t for everyone, especially loyal traditionalists. One can see this via the chef’s “gnocchi”, which eschews eggs and flour. Instead, he uses cubes of beef tendon to replicate the gelatinous texture, steeped in a strong chicken broth, before adding parmesan, chopped chives and generous shavings of black truffle. Those who visit with an open mind however, will enjoy novel creations that are executed with a bold pizazz, like the Whole Red Prawn and Prawn Toast and XO Sauce. The accompanying savoury toast feels like a familiar dim sum classic, while the main star—a succulent red prawn, cold smoked in apple wood, rounds up the dish with a fragrant drizzle from its shell.
Matera, 3 Fullerton Rd, #02-01/02/03, Singapore 049215
Enquiries: +65 6224 2232
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Tempt
Housed in an 1893 shophouse on Purvis Street, Tempt is the unique new gastro-bar to have on your radar. Step through the doors and be greeted with an industrial-style interior that is rustic and inviting, complete with avant-garde contemporary paintings for sale hanging on the walls. Spanning two floors, Tempt boasts plush, retro chairs, curved marble countertops, and eye-catching lighting fixtures on its second floor (an intimate space for private events). Once seated in a comfortable, palatial chair, take in the striking menu.
Tempt prides itself on its cross-cultural influences, with founder and chef Candice Leong weaving in flavours from her extensive experience as a globe-trotting private chef, as well as her Cantonese heritage. This harmonious blend of distinctive flavours is seen in the Oxtail Croquettes, a dish most notably associated with French and Spanish cuisine. Its flavourful, Asian twist is in its Laksa leaf chimichurri, which adds a kick of spice. Another standout dish is the Hokkaido Scallop Carpaccio, which upon hearing the name, one might expect the typical scallop-and-lemon combination. But Tempt stands to defy expectations—each fresh scallop is topped with a refreshing Japanese-inspired salsa and wasabi gelato—a burst of sweet and spicy in one bite.
Exotic dishes are Tempt’s speciality. From blue-fin tuna heart to veal tongue, if you’re feeling adventurous, Tempt’s menu features an assortment of dishes that are truly out there. The pièce de résistance? The Kangaroo Tartare. Pictured above, the tartare is surprisingly delightful. Flavourful and not gamey in the slightest, the dish features sprinkles of toasted quinoa that add a little crunch, while the shoyu garlic puree and tarragon oil elevate the dish.
As for drinks, Tempt’s chillers house a variety of speciality wines and spirits, from French to Japanese. The gastro-bar ferments various fruits in-house for their drinks as well, such as the sweet and citrusy Fermented Kumquat & Yuzu Margarita—a must-try.
Tempt, 31 Purvis Street, Singapore 188608
Enquiries: 8299 7382
