April brings a fresh wave of restaurant openings, and this month’s lineup is looking pretty exciting. First up, Station by Kotuwa is bringing bright Sri Lankan flavours to Telok Ayer, courtesy of Chef Rishi Naleendra behind the popular Kotuwa. The Black Pearl steps into the scene to offer luxe Cantonese fine-dining in a glam rooftop environment. Over at Humo, expect innovative Japanese-Spanish plates and delicious donabes for sharing. Seafood lovers should make a beeline for Mare Hachikyo, where ingredients from Hokkaido take centre stage. And for those who appreciate the art of tempura, Tempura Ensei is here to showcase the delicate craft of deep-frying. Hungry yet? Here are five new restaurants to check out this April.
Find out which are our favourite restaurants of 2025 so far.
1. Station by Kotuwa
21 Boon Tat street has gone through many reincarnations – it’s the birthplace of Chef Rishi Naleendra’s Cheek by Jowl, followed by Cheek Bistro, Fool Wine Bar, and now, Station by Kotuwa. Think of Station as the fun, funky, and casual offshoot of Sri Lankan powerhouse Kotuwa, bringing bold flavours to the table with a dash of elegance. Graze on interesting snacks and starters like punchy oysters doused in a tangy lychee acharu granita ($7), or egg roti and chicken liver cooked in Kaliya ($14) – a Sri Lankan Malay curry. Our favourite? The Babath crispy tripe ($7) with a crunchy deep-fried exterior dusted with smoked chilli and a chewy middle. The mains are approachable, traditional, and sure to fill you up. Indulge in the roasted chicken with devilled butter and red onions ($34) or braised beef cheek in blackened coconut gravy ($36), and then have it your way with a range of condiments like the addictive tempered dahl ($8) and eggplant sambal ($5).
2. The Black Pearl
One of the newest Chinese fine-dining concepts on the block, The Black Pearl occupies the lofty rooftop of Odeon 333 at North Bridge Road. Chinese food is often subject to generalisations, but Executive Chef Dee Chan is crystal clear on his approach, and that’s to shine the spotlight on ‘Yue’ cuisine. This particular style combines flavours from China’s Greater Canton region, including Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chaoshan, Dongjiang, and Shunde. On the a la carte menu, it’s dishes like the barbecue premium Iberico char siew, double-boiled cured duck leg soup, and crispy roasted pig stuffed with XO glutinous rice, that shine. And on weekends, you’ll get to choose from a wide array of specials from a roving dim sum trolley. Last month, the restaurant also rolled out its omakase-style five-course experience menu ($198 per person), complete with chef selections from its a la carte offerings that will change quarterly with the season.
3. Humo
Singaporeans are a knowledgeable, discerning crowd when it comes to food, and that’s probably why the chef-founders of Humo thought something as peculiar as a Spanish izakaya might just work out. Humo is a promising crossover of a Japanese izakaya and a Spanish tapas bar, and the joint is headed by Tapas 24’s head chef Carolina Garcia Santamaria, as well as Chef Jordi Jou who formerly worked at Gaig Restaurant in Barcelona. It’s not quite fine-dining and not quite fusion. Instead, it’s about “building a new kind of cuisine,” says Chef Jordi. Expect mostly small plates and donabe dishes at Humo, with signatures like Argentinian prawn tartare on crispy sushi rice; oden daikon in a Spanish Cocido broth; roasted stuffed chicken wings with piquillo peppers and aioli; and cured miso Hokkaido scallops with yuzu sauce. The Spaniards have their paella, and the Japanese their donabe. And here, the donabe selection come in variations with Iberico, duck breast, or seafood – all great for sharing.
4. Mare Hachikyo
Short of hopping on a flight to Hokkaido to dine at omakase joint Mare Hachikyo, you can now enjoy an almost-identical experience at its first overseas outpost at Orchard Road in Singapore. 90 percent of the ingredients at Mare Hachikyo are directly imported from Hokkaido, Japan’s top food producing region. Beyond the tangible omotenashi (hospitality) you’ll feel the moment you step into its wood-washed space, it’s the dazzling Tsukko Meshi that we reckon most diners will be here for. This is the ‘overflowing ikura’ over rice that many drool over on social media, a dish proudly pioneered by the Hachikyo Group some 20 years ago. Another dish also served at the original store in Sapporo is the Signature Hokkaido Temaki, featuring handpicked kegani, ikura, and uni, mixed in with Hokkaido Yumepirika rice and wrapped in gently toasted seaweed. Prices start from $88 per person for a four-course set lunch, while the luxurious nine-course dinner omakase will set you back $228 per person.
5. Tempura Ensei
Our love affair with Japanese food continues, with the opening of Tempura Ensei in Palais Renaissance. Executive Chef Naruki Takeshima honed his skills with Chef Takeshima at the 120-year-old tempura institution Tenkane in Tokyo, using techniques that date back to the Edo period. Each piece is coated with cold-stored Tomizawa Super Violet flour, chilled water, and eggs to achieve a crisp, airy, and light texture. Goma Abura sesame oil is used as well, to draw out the delicate flavours of the produce. The ingredients here change seasonally, and are flown in three to four times a week from various Japanese regions. This Spring, the menu (from $128 per person) features Kuroma ebi tempura, and never-before-seen items like the creamy sea urchin tempura and abalone tempura – finished off with a drizzle of abalone liver sauce. Guests can also enjoy premium sake labels procured specially for the restaurant, including the Ensei Exclusive Junmai Daiginjo ($180).
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