What better way to get into the holiday spirit than indulging in great food and drinks at a brand new restaurant? This December there are a few new spots that we have on our must-visit list including an aperitif bar specialising in contemporary tipples and tapas, a cool new European comfort food concept, an easy-going cafe that’s all about farm-fresh eats, and an intriguing four-seater spot by a Masterchef Singapore judge. If you’re looking for a change from your usual go-tos, these new Singapore dining venues make for primo places to eat, drink and party this festive season.
COMO Club
Fans of the COMO brand will be happy to know they’ve just opened a new addition to their F&B collection called COMO Club. The focus is on aperitif style drinks and light bites from three restaurants in the COMO Dempsey complex including The Dempsey Cookhouse and Bar, Ippoh Tempura Bar by Ippoh Ginza, and Candlenut. Start with a mandarin mojito or a glass of vino and share a few plates of the black truffle and gruyere fritters, crispy salmon sushi, or Kurobuta pork neck satay.
COMO Club, Block 17 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249676. p. +65 1800 304 6688. Open daily 12pm – 2:30pm, 3pm – 6pm (drinks only), Sun – Thurs 6pm – 10pm, Fri – Sat 6pm – 10:30pm
BTM Mussels & Bar
Duxton Hill has a new hangout dedicated to Belgium-style mussels and fries, and we can’t wait to check it out. BTM Mussels & Bar offers plump, juicy Bouchot Mussels from France that are steamed and served with crispy golden fries and your choice of sauces including white wine, butter, parsley and onion, curry sauce, or a rich roquefort sauce. You can also grab small plates and platters to share of goodies like croquettes, charcuterie, and cheese.
BTM Mussels & Bar, 5 Duxton Hill, Singapore 089591. p. +65 6690 7562. Open Mon – Thurs 12pm – 11pm, Fri – Sat 12pm – 12am, Sun 12pm – 10pm
Farmers & Chefs
This canopied cafe is all about ‘The Real Food’, meaning nutritious dishes made with fresh local produce that are also hearty and satisfying. The sauces are all made from scratch including the mayonnaise, which is made with premium olive oil, soy milk, and vinegar. Stop in early for the Farmer’s Breakfast with eggs, marinated chicken, rosti, mushrooms, and roasted tomatoes or swing by later for the Kurobuta pork loin and pan-seared salmon.
Farmers & Chefs, 7 Shenton Way #01-04, Singapore 068810. p. +65 8535 7555. Open Mon – Fri 8am – 8pm, Sat 9am – 8pm
Pano Kato
Pano Kato is the sister restaurant to House of AnLi and it’s located one floor beneath it’s older sibling in Tanglin Mall. Boasting big windows, smooth marble tabletops and white wicker seating, the space has a bright, modern vibe, which goes well with the vibrant Mediterranean cuisine. Dig into dishes like the charred octopus, feta saganaki, and pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven. Be sure to save room for the delicious lemon tart.
Pano Kato, 163 Tanglin Road, Tanglin Mall #02-23, Singapore 247933. p. +65 6235 5056. Open Sat – Wed 9am – 10pm, Thurs – Fri 11am – 10pm
Social Place Singapore
If you’ve spent a decent amount of time in Hong Kong, then you may be familiar with Social Space, a cool retro-styled cafe that serves up modern takes on dim sum and Chinese dishes. The new location in Forum the Shopping Mall is their first venture overseas. Cool design elements include vintage floor tiles and a wall mural made of mahjong tiles. We highly recommend the crispy roasted quail with 10 secret spices and the seafood crackling rice soup.
Social Place Singapore, 583 Orchard Road, Forum the Shopping Mall #01-22, Singapore 238884. p. +65 8870 2288. Open daily 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6pm – 10pm
% Arabica at 313 @Somerset
After opening their first Singapore outlet on Arab Street with great success, % Arabica has now opened a second outlet in 313 @Somerset right in the heart of the shopping district. Like the name suggests, the brand is all about arabica beans sourced from prime coffee growing regions like Guatemala, Brazil, and the founder’s own coffee farm in Hawaii. Artisan coffees are the focus, but they also have a small selection of pastries.
% Arabica, 313 Orchard Road, 313 @Somerset #01-14/15, Singapore 238895. p. +65 6509 0302. Open Sun – Thurs 8am – 9pm, Fri – Sat 8am – 10pm
Smalls
Changes are afoot at Artichoke, where chef-owner and Masterchef judge Bjorn Shen is opening a tiny four-seater ‘incubator’ in a small room. The idea is ‘whatever, whenever’, meaning there’s no menu or set prices per se, instead Shen will whip up whatever strikes his fancy on any given day. As you can imagine, the dining experience will be intimate with dinners available three times a week that are personally overseen by the chef himself. Smalls is set to open in early 2020.
Smalls, 161 Middle Road, Artichoke, Singapore 188978. p. +65 6336 6949
Jaan by Kirk Wesway
Every serious Singapore foodie has made at least one trip to Jaan and most likely fell in love with the award-winning cuisine. Well if you haven’t been in a while, it’s time to go back because chef de cuisine Kirk Wesway has revamped the menu to focus more on ‘reinvented British’ cuisine. He draws on his heritage to create imaginative dishes like fish and chips tartlettes, Scottish langoustine with brown butter pasta, and baked pigeon.
Jaan by Kirk Wesway, 2 Stamford Road, Swissôtel The Stamford, Singapore 178882. p. +65 6837 3322. Open Mon – Sat 11:45am – 1pm, 6:45pm – 8pm
PS. Cafe by the Sea
East Coasters no longer have to travel far to get their truffle fries fix because the latest venue of PS. Cafe has opened its doors at East Coast Park. The new location features huge windows overlooking the water, rustic wooden floors, and comfy leather-backed chairs. The truffle fries are an absolute must, followed by the new seafood dishes, which include tempting offerings like the lemongrass mussel and clam spaghettini and the Tiger beer-battered fish and chips.
Cafe by the Sea, 1110 East Coast Parkway #01-05/06/07, Cyclist Park, Singapore 449880. p. +65 6708 9828. Open daily 9:30am – 11pm
Caffe Cicheti
Taking over the space formerly occupied by Fynn’s at South Beach Tower, Caffe Cicheti is another offering by restaurateur Liling Ong. If you’re familiar with her venues Cicheti and Bar Cicheti, then you can expect the same inspired Italian fare here. It’s all about homemade pastas, roast meats, and fresh seafood in an array of dishes that burst with Mediterranean flavours. They also do a fab brunch with a good mix of savoury and sweet dishes.
Caffe Cicheti, 26 Beach Road, South Beach Tower #B1-21, Singapore 189768. p. +65 6384 1878. Open Tues – Fri 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 10pm, Sat 11:30am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 10pm, Sun 10:30am – 4:30pm
Lino Pasta Bar
Shaw Centre is home to a brand new pasta bar by the Les Amis Group. Choose from a handful of delicious appetisers and pastas like Tagliatelle bolognese, Mafalde cacao e pepe and more. Mains include eggplant parmigiana, stewed chicken, & others. Wash it down with vinos starting at $8.50 a glass. Lunch sets start at $18++ and dinner sets start at $24++ – 2 courses at 18++ and 3 courses at 22++. Head in from 11:30am to 12:30pm and get 20% off your bill.
