Will new openings and offerings such as UFO burgers and speciality soups surpass closures in 2025?

SINGAPORE – The 3,047 F&B closures in 2024 was an almost-20-year record high. This was surpassed only by the year 2005, which saw 3,352 restaurant closures.

But it was not all doom and gloom as there were over 3,790 new eateries opening in 2024, more than the number shutting that same year. 

The number of new F&B businesses in 2024 was the second highest in the past 20 years, according to data aggregated by the Singapore Department of Statistics and sourced from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. That figure was pipped only by the year 2021, which ushered in a record high 3,934 new openings as the sector emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic. 

With inceptions still outpacing closures, Mr Geoffrey Tai, manager of the lifestyle and consumer experience domain at Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Business, is “cautiously optimistic” about the F&B sector in 2025. 

He believes that the surge in 2005 closures could have been due to the lingering effects of the 2003 Sars crisis. “Many businesses, stuck in lease obligations (usually two years), had to push through difficult times. By 2005, they’d simply run out of options and had no choice but to close,” he adds. 

Following this, potential entrepreneurs could have been cautious about the unstable market and regained confidence to open only from 2006 onwards. 

This time round, while the high number of closures in 2024 is concerning, he notes that it is not something to panic over.  

“Singapore’s F&B landscape is vibrant and resilient. We saw some establishments close, but this also opens up space for new ideas and businesses as entrepreneurs are eager to meet evolving demands and experiment with new concepts,” he says. 

And it is not the end for several restaurants that closed.

Violet Oon Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport outlet

may have shut on Feb 3, but its next offshoot at Dempsey is slated to open by end-March. Restaurateur Violet Oon has two other outlets at National Gallery Singapore and Ion Orchard. 

Another pending closure at Jewel Changi Airport is halal restaurant Elfuego by Collin’s, on Feb 28. The home-grown Collin’s continues to run its Western food chain at 15 other locations.

And while

Singapore actor Ben Yeo will wind up his high-end modern Chinese restaurant Tan Xiang Yuan

in Dickson Road on Feb 12, it is business as usual at his more casual F&B establishments, such as Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat Restaurant in Kallang and Woodlands, and wet market-themed coffee shop Tan Xiang Chai Chee. 

Wine bar Wine RVLT in Carpenter Street, which announced its 2025 closure in December, is likely to carry on till mid-July before its lease ends in August, says its co-owner Ian Lim. He is still looking for new partners to continue the business elsewhere.

A slew of new eateries are also muscling into the scene. These include a mix of overseas players, home-grown businesses and even non-F&B luxury brands which want a piece of the action.

Mr Michael Lee, 52, is among F&B entrepreneurs who are optimistic about the scene. He is director of home-grown burger joint Kowboy Singapore in Bali Lane, and is also behind halal beef supplier King of Wagyu and halal yakiniku restaurant Wakuwaku Yakiniku. 

Kowboy Singapore, which launched in January, sports a retro-futuristic vibe and serves saucer-shaped “UFO” burgers made with premium halal wagyu off-cuts from King of Wagyu. Prices start at $9.80 for a burger. 

The burgers are placed in a metallic resealable bag and customers can share their Instagram handles to be flashed on the shopfront’s LED panel.

On creating this quirky concept, Mr Lee says: “In a city teeming with Michelin-starred fine dining and hawker gems, Kowboy carves out its own space with fun and flavour.”

His strategy nails the direction that Temasek Polytechnic’s Mr Tai suggests for new F&B entrants today – to tap technology and sustainability and offer a great customer experience. 

He says: “As long as businesses are flexible and in tune with what people want, I believe we will see growth, especially in the mid-tier and casual sectors.” 

Here are the new players to check out.

The Black Pearl

Where: 07-11/12 Odeon 333, 333 North Bridge Road; open: till Feb 28, 11.30am to 3pm, 5.30 to 10pm daily; from March 1, 10am to noon (brunch on weekends), 11.30am to 3pm, 5.30 to 10pm daily
Info: Call 6022-1022 or go to

theblackpearl.sg

 

The rooftop of Odeon 333 – formerly Odeon Towers – is now home to Chinese fine-dining outfit The Black Pearl, which opened in end-January.

Helmed by Hong Kong-born Singaporean executive chef Dee Chan, 36, the restaurant features a contemporary interpretation of “Yue” cuisine, which encompasses the flavours of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chaoshan, Dongjiang and Shunde. 

A familiar face on local TV culinary shows and international competitions, chef Chan built his career at Tung Lok Seafood and Mott 32.

Menu highlights include pork knuckle jelly ($26), smoked braised goose with sugar cane ($98 for half) and crispy roasted pig stuffed with XO glutinous rice (from $208 for half). 

It also serves dim sum ($9 to $18) such as quail egg spinach siew mai and charcoal crust duck meat bao. 

In March, chef Chan will introduce an omakase-style five-course Experience menu ($198 a person).

The restaurant has an 80-seat main dining hall, 24-seat bar and three private-dining rooms that hold 10 to 11 diners each. 

It is owned by Gaia Lifestyle Group, which runs Chinese restaurant Social Place at Forum The Shopping Mall, and beef tongue restaurant Gyutan-Tan at Takashimaya Shopping Centre and in Tras Street. 

Yakiniku Gyubei and Shabu Shabu Sumire-An

Where: 03-10/11 100AM Mall, 100 Tras Street; open: 11am to 3pm, 6 to 10pm daily 
Info:

royal-shoji.com

Adding to the rising tide of new Japanese brands here are Yakiniku Gyubei and Shabu Shabu Sumire-An, both launched officially at 100AM Mall on Jan 10. 

This marks the debut of both brands here by Japanese company Royal Shoji, which runs a mix of food, gourmet and aesthetic businesses with more than 120 stores across Japan. 

Both restaurants offer value-for-money lunch sets – from $13.90 at Yakiniku Gyubei and from $15.90 for an hour-long shabu shabu lunch at Shabu Shabu Sumire-An, with a choice of meat and free-flow rice, noodles and desserts. 

Dinner at Shabu Shabu Sumire-An is priced from $35 to $98 for a 90-minute session. Broth options include the signature Sumire-An dashi, soya milk, chicken and tomato. 

You can also splash out on an omakase lunch for two ($100) at Yakiniku Gyubei. It includes six cuts of beef, as well as sides such as beef rib soup and beef bibimbap. For dinner, the menu includes a la carte options such as wagyu sushi ($9.90 a piece), wagyu sashimi (from $26.90) and assorted grill sets, priced at upwards of $48 for four cuts of wagyu. 

Royal Shoji is looking to expand in Singapore with its other brands that specialise in pork cutlets, beef tongue and eel. 

Nomada 

Where: 01-05, 1 Keong Saik Road; open: noon to 2.30pm, 5.30 to 11pm (Mondays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays 
Info: Call 8209-7809 or go to

nomadarestaurant.sg

 

Spanish chef Gonzalo Landin initially planned to make just a pit stop in Singapore during a solo trip around Asia. But he ended up becoming a resident here. 

In 2017, he landed a job at Spanish restaurant Binomio, which recently relocated to Raffles Hotel Singapore. After helming it for eight years, he launched his own venture called Nomada in Keong Saik Road on Feb 1.

The 41-year-old Andalusia-born chef honed his skills in top kitchens, including the two-Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London, three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca in Spain and one-Michelin-starred Cafe Boulud in New York. 

His culinary journey and travels have inspired his contemporary spin on Spanish cuisine at the 55-seat Nomada. 

Dishes include grilled oyster with spicy sobrasada ($16 for two), Hokkaido scallops with foie gras, vanilla and parsnip puree ($32), Iberico pluma rice ($68) and braised short ribs on the bone with cauliflower ($38).

Nomada is opened in partnership with F&B group AC Concepts, which runs Spanish restaurants Kulto and Barrio, pasta bar Chicco and Australian-Italian restaurant Cenzo. 

Scarpetta

Where: 47 Amoy Street; open: 11.30am to 3pm, 5.30pm till late daily 
Info: WhatsApp 8851-1521 or go to @scarpetta.sg on Instagram 

Pasta bar Scarpetta is the latest addition to the Telok Ayer dining cluster. 

Launched on Feb 7, this walk-in-only eatery seats 30 diners, with 16 at the chef’s table for a front-row view of the open kitchen. 

Its star pastas include Cacio e Pepe ($20), Spicy alla Vodka ($21) and Bolognese Ravioli ($24) filled with beef cheek, bone marrow, sun-dried tomato and aged Parmigiano. 

True to the restaurant’s name – scarpetta means mopping up the sauce left on your plate with bread – every pasta dish is served with freshly baked schiacciata bread. 

Other highlights include appetisers such as Cozze alla Marinara ($18), blue mussels steeped in a spicy tomato broth; and creamy burrata ($18) with cherry tomatoes and fragrant pesto. 

Cannot get enough of bread? A selection of Tuscan Toasts (from $12) comes with toppings such as creamy stracciatella; auction-grade uni flown in twice a week; and charred bone marrow. 

Desserts are classic Italian favourites such as tiramisu ($11), cannoli filled with pistachio ricotta ($8) and Gelato con Olio ($6), vanilla gelato topped with Umbrian olive oil and sea salt. 

Kowboy Singapore

Where: 25 Bali Lane; open: noon to 8pm (Sundays, Tuesdays to Thursdays), noon to 9pm (Fridays and Saturdays), closed on Mondays
Info: @kowboy.sg on Instagram 

This is not your typical burger joint. 

Consider it a reinvented burger experience, says Kowboy Singapore’s director Michael Lee, 52, a TV commercial director turned food entrepreneur and owner of halal beef supplier King of Wagyu and halal yakiniku restaurant Wakuwaku Yakiniku. 

Kowboy Singapore, a few doors down from Wakuwaku Yakiniku in Bali Lane, offers its version of “UFO” burgers, which are a wink at the saucer-shaped burger trend in South Korea. 

Its gourmet burger patties are made with King of Wagyu’s premium halal Japanese Wagyu trimmings which are often discarded during butchery. They are encased in Kowboy Singapore’s housemade crispy pita “UFO” buns inspired by the bread from neighbouring Pita Bakery.

Flavours include UFO Cosmic Truffle ($12.80), its signature truffle wagyu beef burger with sauteed mushrooms and truffle mayonnaise; UFO Supernova Mentaiko ($12.80), crispy chicken katsu topped with pineapple, red cabbage and housemade mentaiko mayonnaise; and UFO Orbit Zing ($11.80), a sweet and sour lychee chicken chop burger. 

Pair the burgers with ice cream-blended malted milkshakes ($9.80 each) with cosmic names like ChocoLaxy, Vanilicious Starshake and Strawberry Celestia, finished with whipped cream. 

Stay tuned for a new UFO Kimchi ($11.80), which lands on Feb 25. 

The shop is conceptualised as a takeaway outlet – there are only a few seats outside the store – so the burgers come in metallic outer space-themed resealable bags designed to keep them warm for up to an hour. 

Want to feel like a star? Share your Instagram handle, which will be flashed in neon lights on the shopfront’s LED panel.  

Modu

Where: 02-37 Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Road; open: 11.30am to 3pm, 5.30 to 11pm (weekdays), 11.30am to 11pm (weekends)
Info: WhatsApp 8035-8833 or go to

www.modu.sg

Fans of Korean ginseng chicken soup can head to Modu, touted as Singapore’s first samgyetang speciality restaurant. The 40-seat eatery is on the opposite end from Drim Korean Steakhouse, its sister restaurant at Mandarin Gallery. 

Menu highlights include the classic collagen herbal samgyetang ($35), creamy perilla seed samgyetang ($38), black chicken samgyetang ($37) and spicy hangover samgyetang ($37), the perfect antidote to late-night revelries. 

Besides the chicken soup, other dishes include Dak KalGukSu (chicken noodle soup, $32), DakJuk (chicken porridge, $25) and Tofu Sam Hap ($18), grilled tofu with fish roe, braised cabbage and gamtae (dried seaweed). 

Wash everything down with a selection of Korean liquor and Modu’s ginseng series of ginseng makgeolli ($20), housemade ginseng ju ($78 for 500ml) and non-alcoholic sparkling ginseng ade ($15) or ginseng tea ($9). 

Shang Society

Where: 01-13 The Scarlet Singapore, 33 Erskine Road; open: 11am to 9pm (Mondays to Thursdays), 11am to 9.30pm (Fridays), 10am to 9.30pm (Saturdays), 10am to 9pm (Sundays)
Info:

bromat.sg/shang-society

After almost two years of restructuring, the former No Signboard Holdings marks a new chapter as listed company Bromat Holdings. And it debuts its first contemporary Chinese restaurant, Shang Society, at The Scarlet Singapore hotel. 

The 66-seater, launched officially on Jan 23, offers modern Huaiyang and Shanghai-style cuisine along with popular local dishes. Highlights include crispy duck spring rolls ($7 for three pieces), “popping juice” xiao long bao (from $9.80 for six pieces), and butter garlic and curry leaves crab  ($88 for 800g).

The popular sheng jian bao from the now defunct Nosignboard Sheng Jian at Northpoint City is back as the Shang Signature “Popping Juice” Sheng Jian Bao Chili Crab  ($9 for three pieces).

Bromat Holdings’ acting chief executive Alvin Tan does not rule out expanding the brand. The company still runs the Little Sheep Hot Pot franchise at Orchardgateway mall, as well as food catering company Dining Haus. 

Fu Hui Gen Tang 

Where: 01-05/06 Thye Hong Industrial Centre, 2 Leng Kee Road; open: noon to 10pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays 
Info: Call 8805-5400 or go to @fuhuigentang on Instagram 

Taiwanese soup specialist Fu Hui Gen Tang takes herbal soup to another level with its overseas debut here on Feb 16. 

The 40-year-old brand’s co-founder, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, is said to have spent years researching Fu Hui Gen, a prescription of 50 Chinese medicinal herbs from three divine physicians of the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

It takes 21 days to brew each pot of soup from steamed and sun-dried herbs such as agarwood (chen xiang), ganoderma lucidum (lingzhi), polygonum multiflorum (he shou wu) and rehmannia glutinosa (Chinese foxglove).

The soup is available in three flavours – original, chicken and mushroom – and priced from $188 a pot (for two people). 

Complement the nourishing brews with sides such as marinated jellyfish and celtuce ($12.80), braised duck platter and tofu ($24) and steamed or fried cod ($28). 

Luxe brands want a bite of the food scene too

Not content with cornering the market on automobiles, watchmaking and high fashion, luxe brands are muscling in on the F&B scene here too.

The newest entrant is Burnt Ends Bakery’s second outlet, which will open at the Audi House of Progress in Cross Street on Feb 15. It is a partnership between the Burnt Ends Hospitality Group and German automotive manufacturer Audi. 

The 30-seat Audi x Burnt Ends Bakery offers an exclusive menu of German-inspired signatures such as black forest doughnut ($7), apple strudel doughnut ($6) and the iconic pretzel ($6). 

There will also be a 15-seat speakeasy bar with a German-inspired menu. 

It joins other recently launched cafes, such as the first AP Cafe at the 1,000 sq m AP House Singapore by Swiss luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet. Located at the Bar & Billiard Room at Raffles Hotel, it soft-launched in November 2024 and offers Swiss dishes with a nod to Singapore’s culinary heritage, such as white pepper king crab and avocado ($45); chicken rice-inspired club sandwich ($22) with housemade ginger and chilli; and gula melaka pain suisse ($8). 

Its Golden Roesti ($25) features fried potato cakes wrapped in gold leaf and topped with creme fraiche and caviar – made to the size of the 38mm watch face.

Italian luxury house Prada has set up Prada Caffe, its first in-store cafe in Asia, at Ion Orchard, while American luxury fashion companies Ralph Lauren and Coach opened Ralph’s Coffee at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Shaw Centre and Coach Cafe in Keong Saik Road respectively.

French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton opened its chocolate store Le Chocolat Maxime Frederic at Louis Vuitton at MBS – its first outside France – in February 2024. It also ran a collab pop-up with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, which included a cafe zone. The collab in Joo Chiat concluded on Jan 19.

Meanwhile, a Dior Cafe pop-up by the famed French label over the Christmas period in 2024 at Ion Orchard wrapped up on Jan 2.

Eunice Quek is STFood online editor at The Straits Times. She covers all things trending in the food and beverage scene.