The best restaurants for New Year’s Eve dinner in Singapore

The world-famous Sushisamba towers over the city, sitting 52 floors above the ground. Not only will you get an unbeatable view of Marina Bay here, you’re also promised an unforgettable dining experience – one that sees Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian flavours all in one menu. On New Year’s Eve, the restaurant is offering a special ala carte menu from 6pm to 8pm. The five-course extravaganza ($250 per person) covers the restaurant’s signatures. Choose from starters like Peruvian corn salad or lobster taquitos, then pick your appetiser, whether it’s shrimp tempura or A5 wagyu beef gyozas you fancy. Afterwards, munch on sushi rolls like the Samba Singapore with Maine lobster, or the Samba Sashimi. Stay on till late to enjoy live DJ performances in the evening, as well as energetic dance performances.

Ring in the new year at this snazzy boutique hotel in Clarke Quay. 21 Carpenter is a lovingly restored former remittance house that now plays host to Kee’s – a contemporary restaurant by chef-restaurateur Andrew Walsh. For New Year’s Eve, chef Andrew has curated a four ($108) or six-course ($148) celebratory dinner, highlighting his signature dishes. The meal starts with a luxurious Oscietra caviar tartlet, followed by a delicate Hokkaido scallop tartare, before progressing to stronger flavours in the Angus beef Wellington. For desserts, a light, airy cake soaked in Seventails brandy ends things off with a sweet and boozy punch. The six-course menu will see additions like grilled Mediterranean seabass. From 8.30pm, immerse yourself in a night of deep house and techno beats as DJ Aldrin takes the booth. And before the clock strikes midnight, head up to 21 Carpenter’s cosy pool area for an underrated spot in the city to catch the fireworks. Or take a short stroll to the Singapore River for a view of the dazzling display.

Involve the whole family – kids and furkids alike – in your New Year’s Eve celebrations. Canopy Esplanade is a reliable kid-and-pet-friendly spot in the city to enjoy a breezy, languid meal by the waterfront. We recommend securing a table at the alfresco dining area for front-row seats to the fireworks display. The all-day-dining menu sees scrumptious plates ideal for sharing, from salted egg fries loaded with sauce and chilli padi ($18), to charcoal-grilled Spanish pork ribs finished off with a homemade glaze ($20). Local flavours get thrown into the mix with the Sambal Seafood Medley ($20) with stir-fried prawns, octopus and mussels; as well as the homemade chilli crab pasta ($29). Can’t take the spice? The roasted chicken thigh with grapes ($26) should be a safe choice. Here, tender chicken is paired with a sweet-and-sour grape and red wine vinegar sauce.

Get dolled up in Gatsby Glam for Brasserie Astoria’s New Year’s Eve celebration this year. You certainly won’t feel out of place, because the restaurant is set in the historic Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, reminiscent of the grandeur of the old dining halls of Europe. Stop by for dinner and try signature dishes by Swedish chef Björn Frantzén, with Nordic influences shining throughout. The butter-fried Råraka ($36) is a must, as is the Toast Astoria ($32). The former sees vendace roe and creme fraiche atop a bed of crispy Agria potatoes, while the latter is a nod to the traditional Swedish Skagen toast, featuring prawns, king crab and trout roe. Or order the whiskey-flambéed beef (from $72) which is prepared and fired up by your table. From 9pm onwards, the space will come alive with live DJ beats, and if you secure a ticket (from $69), you’ll not only enjoy free-flow hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, but also access to a private area outside the building for an unobstructed view of the fireworks. 

Celebrate the New Year in heaps of style and understated luxury at the Singapore Edition, one of the buzziest hotel openings in town of late. Start your evening with a unique culinary experience at Fysh – Josh Niland’s inventive scale-to-tail dining outlet known for using every part of the fish throughout the menu. A four-course set dinner starts at $188 per person, with highlights like the smoked Yarra Valley salmon roe tart, mango and coconut vacherin dessert, and a favourite of ours – the Mooloolaba Yellowfin Tuna Wellington. This dish is a spin on the classic steakhouse staple of beef wellington, and each fork-tender slice is tinged a pale pink, before slowly sunsetting into a gorgeous reddish centre. Cap off the night at the hotel’s lobby bar with cocktails starting at $26, and enjoy performances by Nathan Hartono, Mantravine and Jukulele commencing from 9pm onwards. 

Make a beeline away from the city to FOC by the Beach if the New Year’s Eve crowds are just not your jam. The restaurant is plonked next to Tanjong Beach in Sentosa, the perfect set-up for a breezy, seaside celebration with the family. Pets are welcome as well. This year is also the first time that countdown fireworks will be launched at Palawan Beach. But before that, feast on a spread of Mexican-Spanish dishes, from Mexican classics like tacos, quesadillas, and nachos, to FOC’s tapas offerings like Ibérico ham croquetas, patatas bravas, and Argentinian prawns ‘al ajillo’. Fill up on plates of Josper-grilled meats and paella, and wash them down with jumbo-sized cocktails starting from 1.5 litres – perfect for sharing. The young ones can get involved in exciting piñata games, Calavera face-painting, and a cute best-dressed contest, while your furbabies can enjoy pet-friendly watermelon popsicles on the house.

Anytime is a good time for Korean barbecue, but Cote is where to go if you want to amp up the celebratory atmosphere. This is the world’s only Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse, hailing all the way from New York and Miami. The restaurant is offering a New Year’s Eve menu called A Butcher’s Celebration ($295 per person), which presents a bevvy of traditional Korean celebratory dishes including janchi somyeon (longevity noodles). Of course, you’ll still get to enjoy premium cuts of USDA Prime filet mignon, 45-day dry-aged USDA Prime ribeye, Australian wagyu steaks, and many more beefy options to go around. The crowd favourite Cote marinated galbi will not be excluded from the mix as well. The highlight of the evening however, comes after 9pm. That’s when the restaurant’s foliage-clad Millim Bar at the entrance will be offering craft cocktails, wines, and snacks ($250 per person), plus a complimentary champagne toast as you countdown to midnight.