THERE IS NO DENYING that Marina Bay Sands is perfectly designed for a foodie city break. A stay within this magnificent structure gives you the opportunity to not only eat and drink from the menus of some seriously renowned chefs but also take in a show, visit a museum and enjoy a super-scenic garden walk, plus a dip in a pool that has one of the best views of the city. At the heart of the hotel, the lobby restaurant, Rise, truly serves up something for everyone with an astonishing array of cuisines from all over the globe, but beyond the lobby there are restaurants scattered throughout this massive luxury hotel and shopping space that present an opportunity to taste the vision of some of the best chefs and hospitality operators around the globe.
ATELIER JAPANESE
World-renowned chef Tetsuya Wakuda has not one but two restaurants at MBS and while his two-Michelin-star restaurant Whaku Ghin is the absolute temple for intimate, once-in-a-lifetime omakase, Wakuda is still glamorous but with a younger buzz, less formality and a superb clash of old and new Japan.
It’s a partnership between Tetsuya and highly respected restaurateur John Kunkel of 50 Eggs Hospitality Group (Yardbird) and is worth a visit not only for the outstanding menu but for the spectacular art-based fit-out centred by the view of a magnificent Japanese maple tree with its electric pink hues. The bar alone with its monumental sake list, unique cocktails and new- and old-world wines is cause for applause.
The menu resonates with the approach from two very different minds resulting in fashionable food that is familiar and yet re-imagined by Tetsuya, who is unarguably one of the world’s best. Standouts on the menu included the yuba, served in an elegant martini glass, with its base layers of a silken bean-curd skin, topped with bright-orange sea urchin and crowned with sparkling caviar. Also the truffle cold soba with its icy, creamy noodles, razor-thin truffle slices and the prized botan ebi, a Japanese prawn that is coveted for its sweetness. The sushi, of course, is world class as is the charcoal-grilled delicately crisped wagyu with its pronounced richness and depth, every bite emphasising elegance and subtlety.
At Wakuda you have the opportunity to drop in for a drink and a bite, go all out in the main dining room or step into a private omakase and experience upbeat Japanese beyond trend. For those who love to say that celebrity chefs are rarely present in their offshore venues, I can report that Tets himself gave a warm welcome and was very much on the floor for the evening. BONUS! marinabaysands.com/restaurants/wakuda-singapore
HELLENIC HEAVEN
I was sceptical that a Mediterranean-style menu served in a luxury shopping mall would float my boat, but I shouldn’t have been. Yes, if I had the option to be in the Athens location of this gastronomic holy grail of Hellenic cuisine I would jump at the chance. But I’m told by a few chefs that I trust that the Estitatorio Milos empire created by Costas Spiliadis and spanning key cities such as Montreal, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, London, Los Cabros, Dubai and now Singapore has changed the world’s view of Greek food. Judging by what I experienced in Singapore I can now understand how.
Once inside this spacious 155-seater I was transported – I felt as if I was dining beneath a giant pergola – and half expected to glance outside to see sand and beach. Instead, the soft, sheer white curtains did their job of masking the mall and I surrendered to the spectacular raw seafood showcase, a menu that was an absolute ode to the flavours of Greece and a reminder that the effect of this cuisine goes hand in hand with quality ingredients.
The obligatory trio of dips – taramasalata, tzatziki and htipiti – served with grilled pita and raw vegetables and a side plate of sashimi- quality charcoal-broiled octopus made me look again to the windows, desperate for a glimpse of the local taverna across the street, but then the question of location was instantly forgotten as the Milos Special arrived. A tower of paper-thin, lightly fried and magnificently crispy zucchini and eggplant tossed through fresh oregano and stacked around creamy, tangy, house-made tzatziki waited for me to dig in to register the outrageously good saganaki. I didn’t even mind that I had inadvertently doubled up on the tzatziki, it was so good. As I worked through the menu, this dish stayed with me because of its incredibly simple ingredients, technical precision and fantastic impact. I reckon there is a lesson to be learned, and a masterclass waiting to be had, in just that one seemingly simple Milos signature.
The poached fish with fresh herbs, capers and lemon demonstrates that this restaurant is devoted to cooking fish perfectly and another now iconic dish the astakomakaronada refines a heritage Greek fisherman’s pasta by taking a whole lobster, making a shellfish bisque and tomato base from the shells and head and then mashing the glorious juices from the head into the sauce for depth. The meat is then folded back through the spaghetti, but it is the pasta presentation that is the scale-up Milos-style, served with the head and tail framing the lobster body which has been replaced by the intensely rich lobster pasta. To sip alongside, a Ktima Gerovassiliou Single Vineyard Malagosia was suggested and it was aromatic, vibrant and perfectly played into the sense of place. Sadly, upon stepping outside the monumental marble foyer I was right back to reality, but I managed to console myself with some serious window-shopping at Prada. marinabaysands.com/restaurants/estiatorio-milos
CANTONESE NOUVELLE
There has been no expense spared to make heritage meet modernity at Jin Ting Wan on Level 55. Panoramic views of the city and sea surround as you are immersed in a taste of the rich culinary traditions of Southern China with the interior design offering more than a glimpse of the grandeur of the Song Dynasty and its aristocratic past.
Cantonese cuisine has been re-imagined for the modern gourmet by Michelin-acclaimed chef Albert Li, with a wine list that includes one of the largest collections of fine Chinese wine in Singapore. As expected, the tea service is spectacular with an extraordinary selection presented tableside by superbly talented tea sommelier Zhao Gang. This is the only Chinese fine dining within the property that has been fully developed by The Marina Bay Sands team itself so, as you can imagine, it has pulled out all of its big guns. The restaurant is relatively new, having opened mid 2025, so while the menu is still finding its true sense of place there are some standouts. The most spectacular of these was the poached Hokkaido squid – incredibly tender and still with that absolutely perfect bite. I’m told it is blanched and then chilled before being served with a fragrant chilli oil infused with golden garlic blended with a silky peanut sauce. The dim sum is beyond impressive and the radish puff with Chinese ham presented in the shape of an intricate handbag is quite a show-stopper, while a much simpler steamed crispy red rice and prawn roll was outstanding in both flavour and texture. Marinated jellyfish are crafted into the shape of tiny chrysanthemum flowers delivering a crunch that is transported by the flavours of an aged black vinegar and cucumber. Super-thin slices of geoduck are added to a clear and yet velvety seafood broth that is rich and super-comforting as is the braised rice with abalone (pāua), dried scallop and chicken, again infused via some serious work with great stock. Elegant, opulent and supremely polished, Jin Ting Wan is already sky high and aiming for beyond the stars. marinabaysands. com/restaurants/jin-ting-wan
OTHER MBS FOODIE HOT SPOTS
Visit John Jaejun for sushi and much much more at Koma Singapore.
Head for a sundowner and zesty Italian flavours at Lavo Restaurant & Rooftop Bar with Daniele Baldo.
Drop in to see Paul Joseph at Cut and do the incredible oyster tasting.
A huge thank you to Joey Teo and the Marina Bay Sands team for curating an outstanding stay. marinabaysands.com
