Michelin Guide Singapore 2021: Zen is Singapore's third three-starred Michelin restaurant

We might have missed out on the Michelin Guide Singapore 2020 last year (thanks to Covid-19 ), but the international fine dining guide returned today with the 2021 star revelation. 

Celebrating its fifth anniversary in Singapore this year, the Michelin Guide added three new spots – Da Shi Jia Big Prawn Mee at Kiliney Road, Sri Lankan restaurant Kotuwa, and nasi lemak eatery The Coconut Club – to the Bib Gourmand List last month.

There are 49 restaurants in our Lion City that received and retained their stars today, up from 44 in 2019 .

Three Michelin stars

Unsurprisingly, both Les Amis (helmed by Chef Sebastien Lepinoy) and Julien Royer’s Odette kept their positions on Singapore’s dining pedestal by keeping their three stars apiece. Zén, the sister restaurant of three-Michelin starred Frantzén in Stockholm dealing in Nordic kaiseki on Bukit Pasoh Road, joins their ranks this year by earning another star.

1. Les Amis, Shaw Centre
2. Odette, National Gallery Singapore
3. Zén, Bukit Pasoh Road (NEW)

ALSO READ: Not fully vaccinated yet? You can visit these 9 new Michelin Bib Gourmand hawker stalls for now

Two Michelin stars

The number of two-starred restaurants in Singapore remains at five, with JAAN by Kirk Westaway climbing the Michelin ladder this year. Dedicated to showcasing the finest in modern British dining, Chef Kirk finds company in other lauded veterans like Chef Emmanuel Stroobant and Chef Tetsuya Wakuda who have also retained their stars.

One Michelin Star

The one-Michelin starred list might always the longest, it’s usually the most exciting because it’s the start of a difficult journey for new restaurants that achieve the accolade. Chef Rishi Naleendra sees a net win this year even with the closure of his one-starred Cheek Bistro. Not only has Cloudstreet earned a star this year, his protege Mark Tai is the recipient of the guide’s Young Chef Award.

Other noteworthy additions amongst the 12 new one-starred restaurants include restauranteur Beppe De Vito’s second entry on the list, Art at National Gallery Singapore, Chef Andrew Walsh’s flagship Cure , and mod Indian grill restaurant Thevar.

Dining spots that dropped out this year are soy sauce chicken hawker Hawker Chan, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore’s Jiang Nan Chun, The Song of India (closed for renovations), and the now-defunct Vianney Massot .

1. 28 Wilkie, Wilkie Road (NEW)
2. Alma by Juan Amador , Goodwood Park Hotel
3. Art, National Gallery Singapore (NEW)
4. Basque Kitchen by Aitor, Fullerton Waterboat House (NEW)
5. Béni, Mandarin Gallery
6. Braci, Boat Quay
7. Buona Terra, Scotts Road
8. Burnt Ends, Teck Lim Road
9. Candlenut, Dempsey
10. Chef Kang’s, Mackenzie Road
11. Cloudstreet , Amoy Street (NEW)
12. Corner House , Singapore Botanic Gardens
13. Cure , Keong Saik Road (NEW)
14. CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Marina Bay Sands
15. Esora , Mohammed Sultan Road (NEW)
16. Garibaldi , Purvis Street
17. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, Crawford Lane
18. Iggy’s , Hilton Singapore
19. Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine, ION Orchard
20. JAG , Duxton Road
21. Labyrinth , Espalande
22. Lei Garden, CHIJMES
23. Lerouy, Amoy Street (NEW)
24. Ma Cuisine , Craig Road
25. Meta , Keong Saik Road
26. Nouri , Amoy Street
27. Oshino, Raffles Shopping Arcade (NEW)
28. Putien, Kitchener Road
29. Rhubarb, Duxton Hill
30. Shang Palace, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore (NEW)
31. Shinji by Kanesaka, Carlton Hotel
32. Shinji by Kanesaka, The St. Regis Singapore
33. Sommer, The Sail (NEW)
34. Summer Palace, Regent Singapore
35. Summer Pavilion , The Ritz-Carlton Millenia
36. Sushi Ichi, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel
37. Sushi Kimura, Palais Renaissance
38. Table 65 , Hotel Michael
39. Terra , Tras Street
40. Thevar , Keong Saik Road (NEW)
41. Whitegrass, CHIJMES (NEW)

For the full list of the 69 Bib Gourmand restaurants in Singapore this year, see Michelin Guide’s website.

ALSO READ: Hawker Chan, once known for offering the cheapest Michelin-starred meal, loses Michelin star in 2021

This article was first published in City Nomads.