Battle for your sushi dollar: What’s shaking up Singapore’s sushi scene?

SINGAPORE – Despite the recent rapid expansion of Chinese and Korean restaurants here, Singapore’s obsession with sushi has never wavered. 

Dining options range from takeaway counters to casual chains and stand-alone restaurants to high-end omakase establishments. Prices start at $1.50 for a plate of sushi and soar to more than $600 for an omakase with premium ingredients.

Regardless of price points, business owners and chefs highlight how the cuisine’s seasonal ingredients keep things fresh for diners. Following March reports on the closure of Hong Kong chain Itacho Sushi here, a new brand looks set to take its place. 

The hoardings for Gatten Sushi, a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant from Japan, is up at Itacho Sushi’s former Ion Orchard outlet. It is slated to open in June. 

There is no slowing Japanese chain Sushiro’s expansion here since its debut in 2019. It marked its 19th outlet at Our Tampines Hub on April 10 and its 20th outlet will follow at New Bahru on April 28. 

Four more outlets are in the works for 2026 – at 100AM in May, Chinatown Point in June, myVillage in July and another in the central area in August, says Sushiro Singapore’s director Kashima Shinji, 45.

Other recent openings cut across different price points, including Sushidan at Raffles City Shopping Centre, Ginza Sushi Arai at the Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay hotel and Sushi Kenshin at Clarke Quay Central.  

How long-time establishments stay relevant 

To stay relevant amid the slew of new players, older establishments have had to maintain consistency while updating menus. 

Over the years, local chain Sushi Tei, established in 1994, has had to constantly update menus and, more recently, roll out trendy collaborations with Japanese manga series Demon Slayer and Japanese cat character Mofusand. It also expanded offerings at sister restaurant brands Hokkaido-ya, which serves Hokkaido-inspired dishes; Matsukiya, for Japanese kushiyaki; and yakiniku restaurant Kuroki. 

Its director Allen Tan, 55, says: “In the 1990s, Japanese food was still a niche category. Gaining acceptance was a primary challenge.” Now, the challenges have evolved to dealing with manpower constraints and rising rent for the chain of 14 Sushi Tei restaurants.  

There are plans for new Sushi Tei outlets in Singapore, says Mr Tan, along with a third outlet in Malaysia and a debut restaurant in the United States. 

Similarly, home-grown RE&S Group’s Ichiban Boshi brand keeps things fresh with seasonal menus. It marked 25 years in 2025 with a refreshed brand identity – starting at its redesigned AMK Hub outlet, followed by the rest of its 14 outlets, where it will be rolled out in phases.

In more recent years, it also launched the Sushi-GO chain in 2020 and Haku Sushi at Great World in 2023.

As for the two-Michelin-starred Shoukouwa at One Fullerton, which marks its 10th anniversary in 2026, its focus is on consistency and craftsmanship. 

Despite rising costs and increased complexity in sourcing, the restaurant continues to fly in seafood and produce directly from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market four times a week, says Shoukouwa’s owner Edina Hong, 53, who works directly with an exclusive buyer in Japan. 

Modern touches have also been introduced to the menu, such as pairing ponzu jelly with sushi, inspired by traditional French aspic-making techniques from Shoukouwa’s sister French restaurant Saint Pierre. 

She adds that the sushi landscape here has matured significantly since Shoukouwa opened in 2016. 

She says: “This can be attributed to a deeper appreciation among diners for the distinct regional traditions of Japan, alongside a broader understanding of craftsmanship and seasonality. 

“With this comes a greater awareness of the nuances that differentiate each sushi-ya, from sourcing philosophies to rice profiles to ageing techniques that influence taste.”

From comebacks to relocations and new menus, here are the latest developments in the sushi scene to pay attention to. 

New outlets and locations

Sushi Kenshin makes its debut

Where: 03-96 Clarke Quay Central, Blue Zone, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street
Open: Noon to 2.30pm, 6 to 10pm (Mondays to Saturdays); closed on Sundays
Info: www.sushikenshin.sg 

Widely regarded as Singapore’s first sushi restaurant back in 1978, Nogawa Japanese Restaurant at Concorde Hotel still lives on via Singaporean chef Kevin Hoo – a protege of sushi chef Yoshio Nogawa – who founded the restaurant.

Chef Hoo started his culinary journey in 1995 as a waiter at Nogawa, then a kitchen assistant. By the late 2010s, he had risen the ranks to co-helm the sushi counter with chef Nogawa himself. 

The restaurant shut in April 2020, when the hotel was designated as a stay-home notice facility.

Chef Hoo, 51, then went to work at another Japanese restaurant, which he left in January to start Sushi Kenshin, tucked in a corner at Clarke Quay Central that faces the Singapore River. 

He runs the restaurant with sushi chef Edmund Foo, 46, and executive chef Bryan Tay, 39, who handles the hot dishes on the menu. 

The minimalist restaurant seats 12 diners at the main counter and eight in a private dining room. Prices start at $88++ for lunch and go up to $328++ for a chef’s omakase.

While Chef Hoo remains true to his training in Edomae-style sushi, his experience after that expanded his repertoire to incorporate a more creative approach, such as   adding a touch of garlic to otoro and torching it, which melts the tuna fats into the sushi rice. His signature handroll, with tuna belly and uni, is served on crispy tempura seaweed. 

Adding creative touches to his food keeps diners from being bored, and also carves out a distinct identity for him. 

And while chef Hoo admits that it is “scary” to open his first restaurant, he believes his decades of experience will stand him in good stead. 

He says: “I wouldn’t have been on this level before. With no regular customers and no skills last time, there was no point to open then. I believe every sushi chef’s goal is to own his own restaurant. It also continues chef Nogawa’s legacy.” 

Toku Nori’s second outlet

Where: 13 Lorong Telok
Open: 11.45am to 2.30pm, 5.30 to 11pm (Tuesdays to Sundays); closed on Mondays 
Info: www.tokunori.sg 

Two years after it debuted in Telok Ayer, home-grown handroll bar Toku Nori has launched its second outlet in Boat Quay on April 23. 

Its co-founder Mandy Lim, 36, continues to bank on the Central Business District demographic with this 26-seat restaurant, split into two counters. 

Its popular $38 Jyosen set of five handrolls remains on the menu, alongside a new $38 five-piece sushi set with a mini chirashi don. The sets (add $18 for sake pairing) feature hotate, hamachi, maguro and salmon, as well as an engawa handroll or anago sushi.

The Tokusen options (add $22 for sake pairing) are priced at $45 for four handrolls, which include the premium wagyu and uni handroll, or $48 for five pieces of sushi and a mini chirashi don. 

The star item for the sushi set is the aka ebi with caviar and uni, complete with a dramatic sprinkle of gold dust. 

Offering sushi is a “natural extension” from the handroll menu, says Ms Lim. “It allows us to showcase Japanese seafood in a more refined way, while offering guests a more complete dining experience and keeping prices accessible.”

Handrolls are also available as a la carte items, alongside izakaya dishes such as the new, outlet-exclusive truffle scallop somen ($16) and popular red crab crispy sushi ($18 for three pieces). 

Both outlets offer a lunch set menu at $28, with a choice of four handrolls. 

Sushi Sakuta relocates to Millenia Walk 

Where: 01-06/07/08 Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard
Open: 12.30 to 3pm (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays to Sundays), 7 to 10.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays); closed on Mondays
Info: www.sushi-sakuta.com

First established at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel in 2022, Sushi Sakuta marked a new chapter at Millenia Walk in November 2025, the same year it attained its second Michelin star. 

The space, designed by chef Yoshio Sakuta, 46, features a main counter for 10 made of hinoki cypress, and a private room for six. 

Prices start at $350++ for lunch and go up to $580++ for dinner. 

It also offers a special “Sakuta-Shima” meal ($650++), a collaboration with neighbouring restaurant Tenshima, which specialises in tempura. The meal includes two tempura items, in addition to appetisers, sushi, soup and dessert.  

Besides highlighting the finest seasonal ingredients, chef Sakuta pays special attention to the rice, a blend of Hitomebore and Sasanishiki grains, seasoned with a precise combination of red and white vinegars. 

He says: “In the early days, one of the biggest challenges was helping diners appreciate a style of omakase that is more restrained and detail-focused.

“Today, the challenges are more about maintaining consistency at a very high level, from sourcing to execution, especially as expectations continue to rise.” 

Sushi Kimura Plus reopens at Conrad Singapore Orchard

Where: 01-03 Conrad Singapore Orchard, 1 Cuscaden Road
Open: 12.30 to 2.30pm (Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays), 7 to 9.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays); closed on Mondays

Info: sushikimuraplus.com.sg 

Sushi Kimura, which shut at Palais Renaissance in November 2024, made a quiet comeback a year later. 

Now known as Sushi Kimura Plus, it reopened at Conrad Singapore Orchard in December 2025 with an eight-seat counter. It takes over the former Shoukouwa Shinjidai. 

On his decision to close then, its chef-owner Tomoo Kimura, 48, says: “The restaurant was performing well, but costs were rising and I chose to act early while everything was still going strong.” 

Some challenges he faces today include a manpower shortage, rising costs and maintaining standards. 

To ensure consistency, it serves just one lunch and one dinner menu, priced at $250++ and $380++ respectively. 

Items can change daily depending on the fishermen and tuna suppliers in Japan he works closely with. 

Chef Kimura also works with specific producers for organic rice in Yamagata and traditionally brewed soya sauce from Gunma. 

He notes that diners here are more curious about seasonality, sourcing and technique than before.

“In the past, many diners would avoid aji (horse mackerel), describing it as fishy. Today, most people simply say it is delicious,” he says. 

Sushiro’s new outlets 

Where: 01-103/103A Our Tampines Hub, 1 Tampines Walk, open: 11am to 10pm daily; 02-01 New Bahru, 58 Kim Yam Road, opens from April 28, 11am to 10pm daily
Info: www.sushiro.com.sg

Japanese conveyor-belt sushi chain Sushiro added one outlet at Our Tampines Hub on April 10 and will open another at New Bahru on April 28. 

To mark the opening of Sushiro New Bahru, it is offering a series of promotions including Thick Cut Medium Fatty Tuna at $1.90 (April 28 to May 4), followed by a Mount Salmon Roe Wrap at $1.90 (from May 5 to 11). 

Selected beverages will be offered at discounted prices (from April 28 to May 11), including Premium Malts at $6, Kaku Highball at $6, as well as free-flow drinks bar and green tea at $1.50.

From May 6 to June 2, go for its “Salmon Says!” salmon-themed menu across all outlets. New items include Triple Salmon ($2.90), Salmon Ball ($2.30) and Fresh Salmon Platter 4 Ways ($10.90).

New menus

Sushi Tei’s new spring menu 

Where: All Sushi Tei outlets
When: Till June 7 
Info: sushitei.com 

Spring has sprung at home-grown Japanese restaurant chain Sushi Tei with its seasonal menu. 

Its main sushi item is the Ikura Kamaboko Maki ($14.80), with Japanese fishcake roll crowned with lobster salad, salmon roe and finished with a nacho chip for extra crunch. 

Nachos also form the base for the Zesty Sashimi Nachos ($10.80), topped with assorted sashimi and avocado.

Other highlights include Sanpo Shiro Yosenabe ($17.80), black cod simmered in a milk-based broth with vegetables; and Sakura Okonomiyaki Skewer ($7.80), a spin on the savoury Japanese pancake with crunchy sakura ebi. 

Sushidan’s new omakase set

Where: B1-44C Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road
Open: 11am to 10pm daily
Info: @sushidan.sg on Instagram 

Since launching in December 2025 to long queues of diners hungry for its $19.90 and $29.90 omakase sets, Tokyo’s Sushidan has upped the ante for those who want luxe for less.

Its new Jiyu Set ($34.90) allows diners to choose their preferred sushi from a curated list, and includes chawanmushi, appetisers, handrolls, ochoko-don and miso soup to complete the meal. The a la carte menu has also expanded, with sushi from $1.99 a piece. 

For a fancier meal, its new seven-seat private dining room (minimum two diners for a reservation) offers omakase meals which executive head chef Yusuke Kawana will serve personally. Lunch is priced at $98 or $138, while dinner goes up to $238. 

The experience is available daily except on days following Japan’s Toyosu Market closures, which typically occur on Sundays, public holidays and selected Wednesdays.

There are plans for two more outlets here in 2026, as well as expansion into Hong Kong. 

Fat Cow’s wagyu sushi omakase lunch

Where: 01-01/02 Camden Medical Centre, 1 Orchard Boulevard
When: Noon to 3pm (Mondays to Thursdays)  
Info: www.fatcow.com.sg 

Modern Japanese steakhouse Fat Cow pairs its wagyu expertise with sushi in its recently launched wagyu sushi omakase (lunch only, from Mondays to Thursdays). 

The eight-course tasting menu ($148++ a person) highlights the Akune Gold A5 wagyu from Kagoshima in various ways. 

Two star items are its wagyu handroll topped with uni, and wagyu futomaki with unagi wrapped with braised burdock, white asparagus, mizuna and shiitake mushroom. 

It also includes three wagyu nigiri. The first is seared and finished on a heated Himalayan salt block to release the beef’s flavourful juices, then topped with kizami wasabi; the second nigiri features yuzu kosho; and the third, otoro paired with wagyu, is lightly torched and finished with sea salt and sudachi juice.