With Chinese New Year festivities drawing to a close, you might be thinking of weaning off the feasting for a bit. But for those ready to dive back into action, we’ve teased out five new foodie hotspots to set your eyes on this month – that’s if you’ve already eaten your way through this list of new restaurants in January, and our favourite new restaurants of 2025. From a Mexican concept by the chefs of Tinto and Canchita, to a Japanese café and wine bar, February might be a short month, but it sure is packed with promising finds.
And if you’re on the lookout for date night spots this coming Valentine’s Day, check out our guides on the best Valentine’s Day dinners, romantic restaurants in Singapore, and affordable Valentine’s Day menus under $55 per person to get started.
1. Tomatillo Mexican Food & Bar
Set to open on February 7, this new Mexican joint is headed by chef power couple Daniel and Tamara Chavez of Tinto and Canchita. The duo also launched the Spanish tapas and wine bar Vino Tinto last month. But while Vino Tinto sets the scene for casual mid-day drinking in the CBD, this new waterfront taqueria at Esplanade is the perfect evening spot to unwind over tacos, cocktails, and more. There are six tacos on the menu, but chef recommendations include the de jaiba ($16) with soft shell crab, as well as the al pastor ($12) featuring pork marinated in Mexican adobo. It’ll also be amiss to not order the nachos (from $10) especially if you’re dining with friends – four flavours are available, from guac to chilli con carne. Sip on margaritas ($16) and other Mexican tipples as the sun sets, or keep it classy with a glass of red, white, or cava (from $14).
2. Nomada
Can’t get enough of paella and Jamón? Then step into this sleek new Spanish restaurant along Keong Saik Road. Almeria-born chef Gonzalo Landin has racked up plenty of street cred working in the kitchens of Michelin-starred Wild Honey in London and Daniel Boulud’s Manhattan café. In Singapore, he was Executive Chef at Binomio Spanish Restaurante for a good eight years, and co-founded the cocktail bar Set of Six, where he spins behind the decks occasionally. At Nomada, expect to taste updated Spanish classics and ingredients from the Mediterranean coast where Chef Gonzalo grew up. Start with snacks like Jamón Iberico Bellota on toast or grilled oysters with spicy sobrassada (cured sausage), before moving on to the grilled octopus or squid with lemon parsley. Then, fill up on a range of paella in rarely-seen variations: think foie gras and figs, Iberico Pluma, and even one made with red mullet rice.
3. Mizue
Here’s another late-night watering hole to add to your list of regular haunts. Mizue is the traditional Japanese kissaten made modern, operating as a café by day and a wine bar by night. The 40-seater along Club Street is dressed in slatted wood counters, abstract paintings, and brown leather sofas. In the day, Japanese fusion plates take centre stage, with bites like the Cubano ($18) with braised pork belly and pickles; togarashi-topped avo toast ($16); and the scallop maitake risotto ($26). As night falls, deeper, richer flavours are brought to the table. Take your pick between the Japanese king crab ravioli ($36), pappardelle kombu beef ragu ($30), carbonara udon ($28), and more. On the drinks menu, find a sprawling list of over 80 wines – both Old and New World, 15 to 20 sake varieties, and a series of ten cocktails with Japanese influences. Try the toasty hojicha Old Fashioned ($25), sakura gin martini ($30), daikon paloma ($24), and many more creative renditions.
4. Cheflam’s 兰堂川菜
Sichuan master Chef Lam Shan is known for being one of the pioneers of Sichuan Dongpo cuisine. With over 40 years of experience, he’s even served world leaders, dignitaries, celebrities, and has plenty of awards under his belt. Cheflam’s is the first overseas outpost of his namesake restaurant, offering all the hallmarks of Sichuan cuisine in the heart of Singapore’s CBD. Must-tries include the Gold Medal Kung Pao Chicken – a smoky, aromatic dish which bagged the first prize at the World Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Skills Competition. There’s also the Dongpo Golden Soup with pickled fish, a dish which has been increasingly popular of late. To complete the trio, make sure to also order the Chowhound beef, where beef slices are boiled in a 24-hour broiled broth with 21 herbs, including nourishing ingredients like red dates and goji berries. The dish is then served with an assortment of homemade dips – proprietary recipes of Chef Lam’s.
5. Chen’s Kitchen
Chef Chen Kentaro has made an indelible mark on the F&B scene, with Michelin-starred Shisen Hanten and the ever-popular Chen’s Mapo drawing in consistent crowds. Chen’s Kitchen celebrates Chuka Ryori flavours, which refer to Japanese adaptations of Chinese cuisine. The new restaurant sees an extensive zi char menu with sharing items like the XXL Sichuan la zi ji ($17.90) and poached fish fillet in golden broth ($24.90). But if it’s your first time dining at one of Chef Chen’s concepts, make sure to place an order for his signature mapo tofu, where silky tofu cubes are tossed with ground meat, fermented bean paste, chilli oil, and Sichuan peppercorns for a mouth-numbing experience. At Chen’s Kitchen, you can even try four versions of the iconic dish – black (with diced Kagoshima wagyu); white (with prawns and scallops); jade (with plant-based minced meat and a green Sichuan peppercorns sauce); or red (with minced pork and fermented broad bean paste).
READ MORE:
Latido: Singapore’s only Colombian restaurant is now open along Tras Street
Modu: The first samgyetang specialty restaurant in Singapore opens at Orchard Road