With elaborate degustation menus and wine pairing options, dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant is certainly a treat - but such gastronomic feasts often cost top dollar. Did you know you can actually savour the Michelin dining experience without burning the plastic with this simple hack? Simply make a reservation for lunch instead of dinner, to enjoy lunch sets at a significantly lower cost. Here are five restaurants where budget-conscious epicureans can indulge in a star-studded lunch hour.
Rhubarb
With just seven tables, this intimate restaurant in the Duxton Hill enclave is an ideal spot for a cosy lunchtime tete-a-tete. Established by the team behind French stalwart Au Petit Salut, you know your taste buds and belly will be in for a treat at Rhubarb. Savour a three course lunch featuring unfussy, contemporary dishes cooked with French flair such as trout cured in rhubarb, pomelo, osmanthus and green apple and lamb shoulder confit. If you’re in the mood for something a little unexpected, spring for the the Surprise Menu, where Chef Paul Longworth aims to delight with the freshest seasonal specials of the day. From $48 for three courses and $78 for the Surprise Menu. 3 Duxton Hill.
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Rhubarb
With just seven tables, this intimate restaurant in the Duxton Hill enclave is an ideal spot for a cosy lunchtime tete-a-tete. Established by the team behind French stalwart Au Petit Salut, you know your taste buds and belly will be in for a treat at Rhubarb. Savour a three course lunch featuring unfussy, contemporary dishes cooked with French flair such as trout cured in rhubarb, pomelo, osmanthus and green apple and lamb shoulder confit. If you’re in the mood for something a little unexpected, spring for the the Surprise Menu, where Chef Paul Longworth aims to delight with the freshest seasonal specials of the day. From $48 for three courses and $78 for the Surprise Menu. 3 Duxton Hill.
One of Odette's signature dishes.
Corner House
Located in a lovingly preserved colonial house in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, chef Jason Tan’s delicately plated dishes are as much a feast for the eyes as the palate. At this modern “gastro-Botanica” restaurant, herbs, plants and botanicals are prepped with utmost TLC to ensure that they hold their own against the more robust meat ingredients. The three or four course Business Luncheon features crowd favourites such as the Iberico pork or Patagonian toothfish for the mains. If available, be sure to pick the chef’s My Interpretation of Kaya Toast for dessert, a fragrant kaya (coconut jam) parfait sandwiched between perfectly crumbly sable, which truly elevates this humble Singapore coffeeshop staple. From $58 for three courses. 1 Cluny Road. Book here.
Odette
The signature dishes at two-Michelin-starred Odette, such as the dramatic rosemary smoked organic egg, brought to your table atop a bed of fragrant smoke and the Hokkaido uni with Mozambique langoustine tartar and Oscietra caviar offer a scrumptious play on textures, taste and presentation. While the lunch menu changes daily, these signatures are frequently included in the line-up, so you have a good chance of trying one - or all - of them during your meal. Located in the restored registration room of the old Supreme Court, the restaurant’s pastel-toned interior which was designed by London’s Universal Design Studio, is a peaceful respite from the bustle of the city. From $98 for four courses. #01-04, National Gallery Singapore. Book here.
SEE ALSO: 4 Affordable Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Tokyo
Located in a lovingly preserved colonial house in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, chef Jason Tan’s delicately plated dishes are as much a feast for the eyes as the palate. At this modern “gastro-Botanica” restaurant, herbs, plants and botanicals are prepped with utmost TLC to ensure that they hold their own against the more robust meat ingredients. The three or four course Business Luncheon features crowd favourites such as the Iberico pork or Patagonian toothfish for the mains. If available, be sure to pick the chef’s My Interpretation of Kaya Toast for dessert, a fragrant kaya (coconut jam) parfait sandwiched between perfectly crumbly sable, which truly elevates this humble Singapore coffeeshop staple. From $58 for three courses. 1 Cluny Road. Book here.
Odette
The signature dishes at two-Michelin-starred Odette, such as the dramatic rosemary smoked organic egg, brought to your table atop a bed of fragrant smoke and the Hokkaido uni with Mozambique langoustine tartar and Oscietra caviar offer a scrumptious play on textures, taste and presentation. While the lunch menu changes daily, these signatures are frequently included in the line-up, so you have a good chance of trying one - or all - of them during your meal. Located in the restored registration room of the old Supreme Court, the restaurant’s pastel-toned interior which was designed by London’s Universal Design Studio, is a peaceful respite from the bustle of the city. From $98 for four courses. #01-04, National Gallery Singapore. Book here.
One of Shoukouwa's dishes
Shoukouwa
At $180 for lunch, this two-starred restaurant has the priciest menu of the lot, but it is still a steal compared to $320 for an omakase dinner. The lunch set comprises a selection of melt-in-your-mouth nigiri sushi that’s freshly flown in from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market daily as well as fluffy Japanese omelette that connoisseurs know requires true finesse to execute to perfection. The set also includes an appetizer, miso soup and dessert to offer diners a concise but satisfying crash course on the art of Japanese fine dining. From $180 per person for the Mio lunch menu. #02-02B, One Fullerton. Book here.
Summer Pavilion
For the quintessential ladies-who-lunch experience, make your way to Summer Pavilion at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore for a fine Cantonese dim sum meal. At this stylishly designed restaurant, you’ll be rubbing shoulders with power business lunchers as well as smartly dressed society types alike. The well-priced Orchid Lunch Menu starts with a selection of exquisite dim sum followed by a classic Cantonese double boiled soup. The menu also includes flavourful favourites such as pan-fried sea perch with mango salad, braised pork and rice and a dessert of the day. Other lunch menus which cost a little more include indulgent dishes such as braised bird’s nest soup and sauteed king scallops with XO sauce. From $52 per person (minimum of two diners) for the Orchid Lunch Menu. Level 3, The Ritz Carlton. Book here.
Recommended Reading: Love dining out? Click here to view more on the hottest places to eat.
At $180 for lunch, this two-starred restaurant has the priciest menu of the lot, but it is still a steal compared to $320 for an omakase dinner. The lunch set comprises a selection of melt-in-your-mouth nigiri sushi that’s freshly flown in from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market daily as well as fluffy Japanese omelette that connoisseurs know requires true finesse to execute to perfection. The set also includes an appetizer, miso soup and dessert to offer diners a concise but satisfying crash course on the art of Japanese fine dining. From $180 per person for the Mio lunch menu. #02-02B, One Fullerton. Book here.
Summer Pavilion
For the quintessential ladies-who-lunch experience, make your way to Summer Pavilion at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore for a fine Cantonese dim sum meal. At this stylishly designed restaurant, you’ll be rubbing shoulders with power business lunchers as well as smartly dressed society types alike. The well-priced Orchid Lunch Menu starts with a selection of exquisite dim sum followed by a classic Cantonese double boiled soup. The menu also includes flavourful favourites such as pan-fried sea perch with mango salad, braised pork and rice and a dessert of the day. Other lunch menus which cost a little more include indulgent dishes such as braised bird’s nest soup and sauteed king scallops with XO sauce. From $52 per person (minimum of two diners) for the Orchid Lunch Menu. Level 3, The Ritz Carlton. Book here.
Recommended Reading: Love dining out? Click here to view more on the hottest places to eat.
