The best sustainable dining restaurants in Singapore

What is it Contemporary Southeast Asian fine dining restaurant championing Nusantara cuisine, and Singapore’s second Michelin Green star winner in 2024. 

Why we love it Sustainability is simply a natural result of chef-owner Hafizzul Hashim’s cooking philosophy instead of a forced starting point. Fiz’s focus on Nusantara (Javanese for “outer lands”) cuisine inherently involves foraging for seasonal produce, zero-waste practices, and fermentation. The restaurant sources ingredients from small businesses in Singapore and Malaysia; smokes its dishes with leftover onion and garlic skins and recycled sugarcane fiber from hawker centres; and makes its stocks with bones and trimmings. All without compromising on taste and experience. Table favourites include the luxurious sea urchin snack ($28) paired with curry custard and steamed within a banana leaf; as well as the glorious hidang (traditional Malay food spread) that’s sure to leave you stuffed. Try a spin on the Vietnamese Suon Bo Nuong where beef short ribs are grilled with a tamarind and lemongrass baste ($84), or a tender lamb shank ($56) braised in a southern Thai Massaman curry – all meant for sharing and great for having with rice ($6).

Time Out tip While you can opt for an extravagant 11-course experience ($228 per person), Fiz recently introduced an a la carte menu which we highly recommend for smaller eaters.

Address: 21 Tanjong Pagar Road, #01-01, Singapore 088444
Opening hours: Tue 6pm-10pm; Wed-Sat noon-3pm, 6pm-10pm
Expect to pay: Around $80 per person for the a la carte experience, including a snack, appetiser, and a main for sharing among two people.

What is it Chef Kevin Wong’s love letter to the Malay Archipelago which earned him a triple-kill in 2023’s Michelin Guide awards – the restaurant’s first star, the Young Chef Award, and Singapore’s first Michelin Green Star.

Why we love it Seroja’s seafood-and-vegetable-forward menu (from $218) pays homage to traditional Malaysian culinary techniques and gracefully weaves in familiar herbs and spices native to the region. Think mangrove wood-charred lobster with laksa leaf sauce; red seabream in crab gulai; and betel leaf noodles in ulam dressing with mudcrab. Not to mention Seroja’s signature crispy Traders rice, which features rice cultivated by the Lun Bawang tribe in Borneo. On the sustainability front, the restaurant works with local farmers and fishermen to obtain ethically sourced seafood, from line-caught tilefish to hand-harvested scallops. These methods are more time-and-labour-intensive, but they’re also less invasive and prevent harming the marine ecosystem. Not only that, farmers are given the green light to decide what produce to send the restaurant for the day, and Seroja also contributes to staff development and university research in farming practices. 

Time Out tip When certain ingredients the restaurant receives can’t be used in dishes, they’ll be spun into creative non-alcoholic beverages. Try the zero-proof pairing ($98 for lunch, $148 for dinner) to see what we mean. Hint: plenty of roots, peelings, skins, and seeds are involved.

Address: Duo Galleria Singapore, 7 Fraser Street, #01-30, Singapore 189356
Opening hours: Tue-Thu 6pm-11pm; Fri-Sat noon-2.30pm, 6pm-11pm
Expect to pay: $218 per person for a 10-course lunch or $288 for an 11-course dinner, not inclusive of drink pairings.

What is it A trailblazing cocktail bar along Amoy Street using ingredients with a low carbon footprint, and the winner of the Sustainable Bar Award at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024.

Why we love it Led by Sasha Wijidessa (formerly of Mallow) and Christina Rasmussen, Fura introduces guests to a range of exciting planet-friendly alternatives, including weird and wonderful additions of insect proteins, cell-cultured milk, and many others into its menu. There’s also an emphasis on using invasive species and those available in abundance, like jellyfish, corn, and bananas. But don’t expect anything squirm-worthy here – these ingredients are cleverly blended such that you might not even be able to detect a trace of them at all. Graze on inventive snacks of tortilla chips with jellyfish ceviche ($14), or the pumpkin layers ($18), featuring delicate walnut shortcrust topped with butternut squash and cricket garum mahumarra. And for heavier plates, it’s the banana black garlic bread with buttery Forged tallow ($15) and purple corn mafaldine (pasta courtesy of Somma, $24) that we’ll be back for. Drink choices are aplenty, but an unlikely star comes in the form of a delicious lime leaf white choco foam which graces the top of the New New Yuck cocktail ($26). 

Time Out tip Fura might be a cocktail bar, but you can also make a meal out of your visit here. Make a reservation on Tuesdays to Thursdays to experience a five-course tasting menu with cocktail pairings at the bar counter ($145). Non-alcoholic options are also available.

What is it A 40,000-square-foot campus at Dempsey Hill by chefs Matthew Orlando and Will Goldfarb from Noma and Room4Desserts, boasting a restaurant, edible garden, research and workshop spaces, and more. 

Why we love it In land-scarce Singapore, you’d be hard-pressed to find such a massive space for anything, let alone one dedicated to a culinary project as big as this. Air CCCC shook up our dining scene when it opened in 2024 with big promises – a world-renowned chef from Noma, a blooming garden with fresh produce, culinary research and development programs in the works, and the list goes on. It’s been named among Time Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places in 2024, and the annual FHA F&B Conference also cited the restaurant’s innovative eco-friendly interior design (using recycled timber and plastic bottles) in a recent sustainability guide for restaurants. But food-wise, Orlando says he will “never serve something just because it’s sustainable.” His preferred method? “Feed people something delicious, then start the conversation.” To his credit, he walks the talk, with the appetite-whetting fermented cassava bread with whipped mushroom butter ($16), as well as an equally scrumptious plate of crispy oyster mushrooms with spent coffee glaze ($30).

Time Out tip We recommend going for the six-serving chef’s choice dinner menu with a side of Heirloom rice, reasonably priced at $98 per person.

Address: 25B Dempsey Road, Singapore 249670
Opening hours: Wed-Thu 11.15am-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm; Fri 8am-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm; Sat-Sun 8am-3pm, 5pm-11pm
Expect to pay: $98 for the chef’s choice menu, or budget around $100 per person for a starter, main, and one dessert.

What is it One of the OGs in Singapore’s farm-to-table community, pioneering urban farming since 2015 in its 35,000-square-foot plot at Dempsey.

Why we love it For an establishment selling buzzwords like ‘organic’, ‘low carbon footprint’ and ‘hand-picked herbs’, Spa Esprit’s Open Farm Community (OFC) is anything but pretentious and uppity. It’s also been given the stamp of approval by the Sustainable Restaurant Association for its use of locally sourced ingredients to minimise carbon emissions, and is one of the brands listed under Foodpanda’s recently introduced Green Label, verified by a third-party NGO Zero Waste SG. OFC’s edible garden is Singapore’s very first urban farm in the city, churning out crops of vegetables and fruits for the kitchen, and the menu packs some culinary muscle as well. Find freshly harvested okra tossed in Cajun spices and paired with lemon-garlic aioli ($16), or graze on beetroot tartare with goat’s curd mousse and finger lime ($26), as well as sustainably sourced red snapper ceviche ($24). The cauliflower steak ($32) is an all-time favourite, resting atop a bed of savoury hummus and glazed with barbecue sauce.

Time Out tip Depending on the season, you might find pumpkins, corn, snake gourd, and pineapples growing in the garden – and hence incorporated in the menu. Pet-owners: your furkids are welcome to hang around the alfresco dining area too.

Address: 130E Minden Road, Singapore 248819
Opening hours: Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6pm-11pm; Sat-Sun 11am-3.30pm, 6pm-11pm
Expect to pay: Around $80 per person for a side, starter, large plate, pasta, dessert, and two drinks – for sharing.

What is it Singapore’s highest urban microbrewery according to the Guinness World Records. Level33 is also one of the few restaurants with an Eco F&B certification awarded by the Singapore Environment Council.

Why we love it Standing 149 metres into the air with unobstructed views of Marina Bay Sands, this brewery-restaurant might be a hotspot for tourists, but at least it’s one that we can get behind. The restaurant is also popular with the office crowd, and there’s one thing beyond its location that everyone’s here for: crisp craft beer pints brewed on-site in one of its 12 industrial-sized tanks. Some five brews (from $16.90) are available on the menu: an IPA, a stout, a wheat beer, a house porter, and a winning blond lager that’s refreshingly fruity and drinkable. In the food department, you’ll find by-products from the beer brewing process incorporated into the menu, from spent grains in the fresh pasta dish of the day, to IPA beer-battered fish in its fish and chips. That’s not all, Level33 also earns a nod for its practices of reusing thermal energy from its beer tanks, reducing food waste, sourcing for sustainable local ingredients, and its newest initiative – tables made of 100 percent recycled wood from Singapore.

Time Out tip Beer lovers, opt for the beer-tasting paddle ($26.90) which brings you five 100ml tasters of the bar’s best craft brews. The weekday executive set lunch is also worth a try, with a two-course starting at $48 per person.

Address: Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1, 8 Marina Boulevard, #33-01, Singapore 018981
Opening hours: Daily noon-11pm
Expect to pay: From $48 per person for a set lunch or from $168 per person for the signature seven-course ‘ContemBrewery’ dinner menu that feeds two to eight guests.

What is it Two-Michelin-starred restaurant by British chef Kirk Westaway, bringing inspiration from his hometown of Devon into the interiors and menu.

Why we love it Save for the striking view of Singapore’s iconic skyline, the intimate 35-seater references the picturesque coast of Devon in its elegant decor. Besides that, it’s gained quite some love for its charred leek and potato soup, a hearty opening to the meal present in every menu and served right after a trio of snacks. But not many might know that Jaan is also one of four establishments in Singapore recognised in the We’re Smart Green Guide, a global guide that awards the best plant-based restaurants in the world based on their creative use of seasonal ingredients, the percentage of fruit and vegetable dishes on the menu, and other sustainability criteria. To add, Jaan is the only restaurant in Singapore awarded five ‘radishes’ – the highest achievement on the guide. And it has its vegetarian menus to thank. These are separately curated for lunch and dinner to ensure diners aren’t settling for mere meat-free alternatives, but enjoying an equally good experience tailored especially for them. Highlights include seasonal vegetables like white asparagus, violet artichokes, spring sweet peas, kabocha pumpkin, and more.

Time Out tip Your carb-free diet can take a pause when the freshly baked breads are brought out – everything from dark rye rolls and crispy sourdough buns are to be paired with an aromatic Devonshire butter topped with thyme.

Address: Swissotel The Stamford, 2 Stamford Road, Level 70, Singapore 178882
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11.45am-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm
Expect to pay: From $198 per person for lunch and $388 per person for dinner.

What is it A popular farm-to-table concept showcasing the range of seafood produced by Ah Hua Kelong – one of the few remaining local fish farms in Singapore.

Why we love it Why import when you can get some of the freshest catches right here on our shores – or rather, off of it? That’s what drove Wong Jing Kai to start Scaled in 2018. His mission reaches beyond cost-effectiveness and reducing carbon footprint, but changing the local perception of domestically farmed seafood entirely – earning him a mention in the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Singapore city guide. And supplying all of the restaurant’s daily stock of seafood is Ah Hua Kelong, located in a cul-de-sac of Singapore near Changi and Sembawang. Here’s where Scaled gets its daily batches of seabass, pearl grouper, golden pomfret, and green-lipped mussels from. These are first wild-caught, then reared in the kelong (floating fish farm) till their prime before harvested. The star dish? Plump, succulent mussels (from $11) drenched in homemade curry and paired with golden-brown pillowy mantou. Equally popular is the smoked seabass pate (from $16), featuring caramelised onions, olive greens, pickled garlic shoots, and sourdough.

Time Out tip Regulars sing praises about Scaled’s prawn dashi aglio olio ($32), where fried prawn heads, roasted prawns, and prawn stock create a medley of deep, robust flavours.

Address: 8 Hamilton Road, Singapore 209179
Opening hours: Tue-Wed 5.30pm-10.30pm; Thu noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm
Expect to pay: More than $50 per person for starters, sides, mains, and drinks for sharing among two.

What is it Modern Middle Eastern restaurant helmed by Masterchef Singapore judge Bjorn Shen, now located in New Bahru. 

Why we love it Artichoke might not be the first restaurant that comes to mind if you’re talking sustainable and eco-friendly practices, but maybe that’s just because those buzzwords aren’t plastered all over its social media and online branding. Bjorn Shen’s new digs at New Bahru unapologetically calls itself a “very Singaporean Middle Eastern restaurant”, and rightfully so, with a smorgasbord of familiar, approachable flavours running across its mezze, meat, seafood, vegetarian, and dessert selections. But that’s not all – the Sustainable Restaurant Association credits the joint for sourcing 33 percent of its menu from local producers, from eggs and mushrooms, to tomatoes and fresh herbs. In the same FHA F&B sustainability guide, the restaurant also does well in terms of staff education and its energy conserving practices. But beyond paper recognition, we like Artichoke for its consistently good dips, especially its hummus (from $14) and eggplant zaalouk ($15) which have stayed excellent since its Middle Road days. 

Time Out tip Spolit for choice? Opt for the chef’s selection ($70 per person) which sees five mezzes, two veggies, two meat plates, rice, and a dessert to end.

Address: New Bahru, 46 Kim Yam Road, #01-02, Singapore 239351
Opening hours: Tue 5.30pm-10.30pm; Wed-Sun 11am-3pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm
Expect to pay: $70 per person for the chef’s selection, and around the same for a sharing spread of two mezzes, one veggie plate, a meat and seafood dish, one dessert, and several drinks.