The best new restaurants in Singapore 2026

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What Are the Best New Restaurants in Singapore in 2026?

Singapore's dining scene just got a serious upgrade — and we're not talking about one or two quiet openings. In 2026, the city has welcomed over a dozen ambitious new restaurants in a single quarter, with chefs betting big on bold concepts, imported techniques, and locally sourced ingredients that actually mean something. If you haven't updated your reservation list since last year, you're already behind. The good news? We've done the legwork, eaten the food, and ranked the ones genuinely worth your time and money.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board, food and beverage remains one of the top three spending categories for both tourists and locals, with dining out accounting for a significant share of lifestyle expenditure in the city-state. That appetite — literal and figurative — is exactly why ambitious chefs keep betting on Singapore as their launch pad. These aren't safe, crowd-pleasing menus. The best new openings of 2026 are taking real creative risks, and most of them are paying off.

Which New Restaurant in Singapore Is Generating the Most Buzz?

The single most-talked-about opening right now is Ember & Salt, helmed by chef Marcus Teo, whose signature dish — a slow-roasted Iberico pork collar with fermented black garlic jus — has already earned a waiting list that stretches three weeks out. Ember & Salt is located at 8 Teck Lim Road, Singapore 088383, in the heart of Keong Saik, and it's exactly the kind of neighbourhood restaurant that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with the CBD. The room is tight, the lighting is warm, and the food is the kind that makes you slow down and actually pay attention.

Chef Marcus Teo previously ran the kitchen at a one-Michelin-starred establishment in Hong Kong before returning to Singapore with a clear point of view: no foam, no gimmicks, no fifteen-course endurance tests. What you get at Ember & Salt is a focused six-course menu priced at S$148 per person, with an optional wine pairing at S$88. Every dish has a reason to exist. The smoked butter brioche alone — served warm with cultured cream — is worth the reservation.

Ember & Salt
📍 8 Teck Lim Road, Singapore 088383
📞 +65 8823 4410
⏰ Tue–Sun 6pm–10:30pm (closed Mondays)
🗺 View on Google Maps

What Should You Order at Singapore's Hottest New Openings?

The best approach is to go in with a shortlist and let the kitchen surprise you beyond it. Across the new openings we've visited and tested, here are the specific dishes that stopped us mid-conversation:

• Ember & Salt — Iberico pork collar with fermented black garlic jus: The centrepiece of the tasting menu. Rich, deeply savoury, and balanced by a sharp herb oil. (Included in S$148 set)
• Makan Kita — Rendang croquette with pandan aioli: Chef Siti Rahimah's playful riff on a Malay classic. Order two. (S$18 for three pieces)
• Coupe — Champagne butter pasta with bottarga: A deceptively simple dish that tastes like it took days to develop. (S$32)
• Yardbird Annex — Smoked half-chicken with yuzu kosho butter: The Keong Saik outpost of the beloved concept does this better than anywhere else in the city. (S$48)
• Coupe — Brown butter financier with miso caramel: End every meal here with this. Non-negotiable. (S$12)

The pattern across all of these dishes is restraint — chefs who know exactly when to stop adding. That's rarer than it sounds in a city where menus sometimes feel like they're trying to win a competition for most components per plate.

"Singapore diners in 2026 are more discerning than ever. They've travelled, they've eaten well abroad, and they come in with real expectations. The restaurants that are winning are the ones treating that seriously." — Chef Marcus Teo, Ember & Salt

Is Ember & Salt Worth Visiting in 2026?

Yes — Ember & Salt is worth visiting in 2026, and it's the strongest debut from a Singapore-based chef in at least two years. The tasting menu format keeps things focused, the service is warm without being stiff, and the wine list skews natural and interesting without being preachy about it. If you're going with someone who doesn't eat pork, call ahead — chef Marcus Teo will adapt the menu without making it feel like a consolation prize.

The other opening genuinely worth your attention is Makan Kita, the debut restaurant from chef Siti Rahimah, located at 21 Bali Lane, Singapore 189864. Makan Kita is a modern Malay kitchen that refuses to be tokenistic about its heritage. Every dish on the menu traces back to a specific regional tradition, with Rahimah's grandmother's recipes acting as the foundation and her own fine-dining training providing the technique. The result is food that feels both deeply familiar and completely fresh — which is the hardest thing to pull off in any cuisine.

Makan Kita
📍 21 Bali Lane, Singapore 189864
📞 +65 9127 6603
⏰ Wed–Mon 12pm–3pm, 6pm–10pm (closed Tuesdays)
🗺 View on Google Maps

Coupe
📍 38 Craig Road, Singapore 089676
⏰ Mon–Sat 5pm–11pm
🗺 View on Google Maps

What's Coming Next in Singapore's Restaurant Scene?

Keep your calendar clear for Q3 2026, because the pipeline is genuinely exciting. A new omakase concept from a former Odette sous chef is expected to open in Tanjong Pagar by August. A well-funded Peranakan fine-dining project backed by the Lo & Behold Group is reportedly in soft-launch testing in the Dempsey Hill area. And a Japanese-Singaporean fusion bar from the team behind Jigger & Pony is said to be finalising its fit-out on Tras Street. Singapore's F&B scene in the second half of 2026 looks like it will be as competitive and creative as any period in recent memory. Book early, eat often, and don't sleep on the neighbourhood spots — that's where the real action is happening right now.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best new restaurants in Singapore in 2026?

The standout new openings in Singapore in 2026 include Ember & Salt in Keong Saik, Makan Kita on Bali Lane, and Coupe on Craig Road. Each offers a distinct concept — modern European, contemporary Malay, and wine-forward bistro respectively — and all three have been tested and approved by the HotInSG team.

How much does dinner at Ember & Salt cost?

Ember & Salt charges S$148 per person for the six-course tasting menu, with an optional wine pairing at S$88. Reservations are strongly recommended, with availability currently running two to three weeks out.

Is Makan Kita suitable for vegetarians?

Makan Kita's menu is predominantly meat and seafood-focused, reflecting traditional Malay cooking. However, chef Siti Rahimah offers a vegetarian adaptation upon request — call ahead at least 24 hours in advance to arrange this.

Where are the best new restaurants located in Singapore?

The most exciting cluster of new openings in 2026 is concentrated in the Keong Saik and Tanjong Pagar corridor, with additional standouts on Bali Lane and Craig Road. These neighbourhoods have become the go-to destinations for serious dining without the formality of the CBD hotel circuit.

What is the Lo & Behold Group?

Lo & Behold Group is a Singapore-based hospitality company known for developing some of the city's most design-forward and concept-driven restaurants and bars, including The White Rabbit and Loof. Their upcoming Peranakan fine-dining project is anticipated openings of late 2026.

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