Nov 06 2019
Singapore, A Magnet For Quality Spanish Restaurants
Singapore is, without a doubt, one of the most dynamic metropoleis in Southeast Asia and a regional business hub. What some might not know is that it's also home to a large number of high-end Spanish restaurants. Shall we visit the city together?
The number of Spanish restaurants in Singapore has grown in the last five years; moreover, it's a very popular segment of the city’s gourmet food scene. The explosion in Spanish gastronomy there dates back to 2010, when Spanish chef Santi Santamaría (who already had three Michelin stars for his restaurant in Catalonia) traveled to Singapore to open a restaurant that would forever change the image of Spanish cuisine in the city. It was called Santi and it was a raging success, cut short only when the chef passed away two years after it opened.
He started the trend by offering luxurious, innovative Spanish cuisine with a very precise and rigorous selection of ingredients and flavors that transported his customers directly to the culinary tradition of Spain's various regions. That trend continued in the city, even after Santi closed its doors, because several of the chefs that worked there decided to open their own Spanish restaurant in Singapore.
Two years ago we wrote a report on the gastronomic ventures of two leading Spanish chefs, Carles Gaig and Nando Jubany, who focused on Singapore to continue their international expansion. Now we're looking at other, younger chefs who are doing their best to help Spanish cuisine maintain its status as one of the most vibrant in the city.
D+1: This powerful restaurant group aims to spread the culture of Spanish tapas and cuisine made with quality products among as many consumers as possible, not only in Singapore but also in other parts of the continent. Restaurants that are fun, have fair prices and offer above-average quality are their three secret weapons.
Ola Cocina del Mar: This is a Spanish-Peruvian fusion restaurant, led by chef Daniel Chávez, who worked for several years at Santi.
BAM!: The fusion continues at this restaurant, helmed by chef Pepe Moncayo and which seamlessly merges Spanish and Japanese gastronomy.
Binomio: This is one of the most successful Spanish restaurants in Singapore. The tapas bar has plenty of atmosphere and the restaurant has discreet areas where diners can enjoy their evening in an elegant setting.
La Cala: This is a restaurant from young Catalan chef Eduard Castellarnau and it has been in the news due to its balanced selection of innovative tapas featuring the flavors of Spain and the Mediterranean.
Basque Kitchen by Aitor is another Spanish restaurant, serving Basque food, which recently opened in Singapore. The chef is Aitor Jerónimo Orive (his parents are Australian-Basque, though he grew up in Madrid), who used to run the Singaporean restaurant Iggy's, where he was awarded a Michelin star, before venturing out on his own and launching Basque Kitchen.
AlKaff Mansion is home to two Spanish restaurants. UNA, which simply changed locations, closing a few months ago at its first address at One Rochester Street, and the brand new TXA Pintxo Bar. Spanish cuisine with creative touches in a unique location.
If you want to learn more about Spanish restaurants around the world, head to our Shop & Travel section and travel the five continents to find the best restaurants serving quality Spanish food.
Report drafted with information from the Spanish Embassy's Economic and Commercial Office in Singapore.
