Singapore Restaurant Awards: International Recognition for Singapore Restaurants
The Singapore programme of the International Restaurant Awards recognises restaurants, cafés, chefs and hospitality groups across the island. Singapore restaurants have won 17 awards since 2019.
Where Every Street Tells a Story in Food
Singapore's food culture spans a wide range of formats within a small city. In one afternoon a diner can move from a hawker stall serving Hainanese chicken rice, to a rooftop restaurant overlooking Marina Bay, to a Peranakan kitchen in a Chinatown shophouse. Everyday meals and special-occasion dining sit side by side, and many dishes carry family and community history.
The Singapore Restaurant Awards recognise that range. Dining rooms on Orchard Road, restaurants in Chinatown, waterfront venues around Marina Bay and neighbourhood cafés can all enter. The aim is to give Singapore's restaurateurs, chefs and café owners a clear route to international recognition in the category that fits their concept.
As part of the International Restaurant Awards, the Singapore programme connects local kitchens to a wider recognition network spanning the whole of Asia and beyond, so Singapore winners are listed alongside award winners from more than 100 countries in the programme's winners directory.
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Restaurant Industry Overview
Singapore's dining culture is built on a remarkable layering of traditions. Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan influences have intermingled here for generations, producing dishes that exist nowhere else in quite the same form. Laksa, char kway teow, chilli crab, satay and roti prata are shared reference points for locals and visitors, and hawker centres remain central to everyday eating. Around that foundation a broad restaurant sector has grown, combining heritage recipes with modern technique.
The signature cuisines of the island stretch far beyond any single tradition. Cantonese and Teochew kitchens flourish in and around Chinatown; Japanese, Korean and Thai restaurants have established devoted followings; and modern Singaporean cooking reinterprets familiar flavours. Seafood is a strong category, with chilli crab and black pepper crab popular with visitors, while contemporary chefs are paying closer attention to sustainable sourcing and presentation.
Both fine dining and casual dining continue to grow in tandem. Fine dining restaurants around Marina Bay and Orchard Road sit alongside neighbourhood bistros, specialty cafés and design-led concepts. The award record reflects this mix: Singapore wins so far include Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Mexican and Caribbean cuisine, fine dining, a café, a restaurant and bar, and a seafood delivery service.
Hospitality Market & Culinary Tourism
Food is a major reason many visitors come to Singapore. Travellers often plan their days around hawker breakfasts, lunch in Chinatown and dinner near Marina Bay, and food tours, cooking classes and night markets are a regular part of the visitor experience.
That interest carries through the wider hospitality sector. Hotels build their identity around signature restaurants and rooftop bars, integrated resorts treat dining as a main attraction, and the Orchard Road district depends on its restaurants and cafés as well as its shops. Hotel restaurants, resort dining and independent venues can all enter the Singapore Restaurant Awards, and recognition gives residents and visitors another way to find them.
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Figures are taken from the International Restaurant Awards winner records (CRM), October 2026.
Singapore Restaurants That Have Won International Restaurant Awards
According to the programme's CRM records, Singapore restaurants and food businesses have won 17 International Restaurant Awards across six award years between 2019 and 2026, in 16 different award categories. The largest year was 2021 with five Singapore winners, followed by 2022 with four, 2025 and 2026 with three each, and 2019 and 2023 with one each.
Cuisine-led categories account for most Singapore wins, including Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Indian and Caribbean cuisine. Other Singapore winners were recognised for fine dining, café service, a restaurant and bar concept, and seafood delivery. Comida Mexicana Singapore has won in two separate years (2021 and 2023). The full list is below.
| Winner | Award category | Year |
|---|---|---|
| DRIM Korean Steak House | Best Korean Steakhouse | 2026 |
| MODU Samgyetang Specialty Korean Restaurant | Best Authentic Korean Restaurant | 2026 |
| Tomo’s Little Collins | Best Café Service Experience | 2026 |
| CHEFLAMS GROUP PTE. LTD. | Best Chinese Cuisine | 2025 |
| Comida Mexicana Pte Ltd | Best Mexican Cuisine | 2025 |
| Ushidoki Wagyu Kaiseki | Best Japanese Restaurant | 2025 |
| Comida Mexicana Singapore | Best Mexican Cuisine | 2023 |
| 8 Crabs | Best Seafood Delivery Service | 2022 |
| Super Thai | Best Thai Cuisine | 2022 |
| Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen | Best Japanese Cuisine | 2022 |
| Wang Dae Bak Pte Ltd | Best Korean Restaurant | 2022 |
| Comida Mexicana Singapore | Best Mexican Restaurant | 2021 |
| Flutes Restaurant | Best Fine Dining Restaurant | 2021 |
| Lime House Caribbean | Best Caribbean Cuisine | 2021 |
| Royal Taj | Best Indian Restaurant | 2021 |
| Siu Yeh Yum Sik (S) Pte Ltd | Best Restaurant and Bar | 2021 |
| Blossom Restaurant | Best Chinese Cuisine in Singapore 2019 | 2019 |
Restaurant Award Categories in Singapore
Singapore restaurants, chefs and hospitality groups may enter across a wide range of categories. Explore the most popular below, or browse the full restaurant sectors directory.
Fine Dining Awards
For tasting-menu and fine dining restaurants, from Marina Bay and Orchard Road to smaller chef-led rooms. A Singapore restaurant won Best Fine Dining Restaurant in 2021.
Explore category →Casual Dining Awards
For bistros, neighbourhood restaurants and modern everyday dining concepts across the island.
Explore category →Café Awards
For specialty coffee houses, brunch spots and design-led cafés. A Singapore café won Best Café Service Experience in 2026.
Explore category →Executive Chef Awards
For head and executive chefs who lead Singapore kitchens, recognising menu development, team leadership and consistency.
Explore category →Resort Restaurant Awards
For restaurants within Singapore's integrated resorts, hotels and leisure destinations.
Explore category →Seafood Restaurant Awards
For chilli crab houses, oyster bars and contemporary seafood kitchens. A Singapore seafood business won in 2022.
Explore category →Sustainable Restaurant Awards
For kitchens with clear practices on responsible sourcing and reducing waste.
Explore category →Restaurant Innovation Awards
For new restaurant formats, technology and culinary ideas that change how guests dine.
Explore category →.jpg)
Why Singapore Restaurants Should Enter
International credibility
An international award shows diners and travellers that your restaurant was reviewed by the Jury team or the Management of Golden Tree alongside entries from many countries, not only local competitors.
Stand out in a crowded market
Singapore has a very large number of places to eat. Recognition gives guests a simple, specific reason to choose your restaurant.
Reach the culinary traveller
Many visitors plan their Singapore itineraries around food. Award recognition helps your restaurant appear in front of people already looking for where to eat.
Motivate and retain your team
A shared award recognises the chefs, servers and front-of-house staff behind every service, which supports team pride and recruitment.
Ways to Participate
Nominate
Put forward a Singapore restaurant, chef or café, your own or one you know well, in the relevant category.
Submit a nominationEnter Your Restaurant
Build a strong entry showcasing your concept, menu and service, then choose the categories that best reflect your strengths.
Browse categoriesUnderstand the Judging
See how the Jury team or the Management of Golden Tree assesses cuisine, hospitality, consistency and overall guest experience.
View judging processSingapore Restaurant Awards FAQ
They are the Singapore country programme of the International Restaurant Awards. They recognise restaurants, chefs, cafés and hospitality groups across the island, from fine dining rooms near Marina Bay to neighbourhood restaurants and Chinatown cafés.
CRM records show 17 Singapore wins between 2019 and 2026. The 2026 winners are DRIM Korean Steak House (Best Korean Steakhouse), MODU Samgyetang Specialty Korean Restaurant (Best Authentic Korean Restaurant) and Tomo’s Little Collins (Best Café Service Experience). The 2025 winners are CHEFLAMS GROUP PTE. LTD. (Best Chinese Cuisine), Comida Mexicana Pte Ltd (Best Mexican Cuisine) and Ushidoki Wagyu Kaiseki (Best Japanese Restaurant). The full list is on this page.
Nominations open on 10 October 2026. The early window closes on 15 December 2026 and the final deadline is 30 January 2027. The Jury team or the Management of Golden Tree reviews entries from 1 February to 15 March 2027, and winners are announced at the gala ceremony on 15 May 2027.
Nomination is free — there is no nomination fee and no registration fee. The Free plan covers one award programme in one category at City level, with a mandatory Winner Package order if you are selected as a winner; optional paid plans start with Silver at USD 140. A plan covers participation and evaluation only and never guarantees a win. Full pricing is on the nomination price page.
Any restaurant, café or dining venue operating in Singapore may enter, whether in the Marina Bay district, along Orchard Road, in Chinatown or in any neighbourhood. Independent restaurants, hotel restaurants, resort dining and hospitality groups are all welcome.
Choose the categories that best reflect your concept, for example Fine Dining, Casual Dining, Café or Seafood Restaurant awards. Past Singapore winners have mostly entered cuisine-specific categories such as Japanese, Korean, Chinese or Mexican cuisine. Chefs may also be put forward for the Executive Chef Awards.
Winners are selected by the Jury team or the Management of Golden Tree. Entries are assessed on the quality and originality of the cuisine, the standard of hospitality and service, consistency, and the overall guest experience. The full criteria are on the judging process page.
Singapore is part of the Asia Restaurant Awards, alongside neighbouring markets such as Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. Singapore winners appear in the same international winners directory as winners from other countries.
Explore more: all winners · all countries · Asia Restaurant Awards · restaurant sectors · award categories