Quenino

Should You Go Back to Quenino?

If your first visit left you curious rather than fully satisfied, the answer is probably yes; with more intention. The question on a return visit is not whether the food will hold up, but how to get more out of the room; and whether the private dining setup changes the calculation for your group.

The Case for Quenino

Chef Sujatha Asokan leads a kitchen working in the innovative register, which in Singapore's competitive dining scene means something specific: expect technique-forward plates that draw on multiple culinary traditions without being anchored to any single one. The cuisine is priced at $$$ (above $66 per head for a typical two-course meal, excluding drinks), which puts it in the same tier as Jaan by Kirk Westaway and Seroja. At that price point, the Michelin Plate recognition matters, it signals the kitchen has been vetted, even if it hasn't yet reached star level. For a Cuscaden Road address in a mixed-use property, that's a meaningful credential.

The wine program, directed by Derrick Lim, is a genuine asset here and one worth paying attention to on a second visit if you coasted past it on the first. The list runs to 120 selections with 940 bottles in inventory, with particular strength in France and Australia. Pricing sits at $$ on wine (a range of price points, not uniformly expensive), and corkage is $75 if you'd rather bring your own. For a restaurant operating at $$$ cuisine pricing, a mid-tier wine markup is a reasonable deal. If you're planning a longer meal, Derrick Lim's list gives you enough to explore without being forced into a high-spend bottle.

Private Dining and Group Visits

If you're returning with a group or planning a special occasion dinner, the private dining angle deserves direct consideration. Quenino is owned by Shun Tak Real Estate Pte Ltd and sits within a Cuscaden Road property that suggests dedicated event space capability, though specific private room details are not confirmed in available data. What the venue's profile does suggest: the combination of a wine director, a credentialed kitchen, a general manager (Marcel Holman) points to a team structured for hosted experiences, not just casual drop-in dining. For groups where the meal is the occasion, that operational depth matters more than it would at a casual neighbourhood spot.

Compare this to the private dining options at Labyrinth or Araya, both of which run tighter, more chef-driven tasting formats. Quenino's innovative cuisine positioning gives it flexibility that a strictly format-driven restaurant doesn't have, useful if your group has mixed preferences or dietary ranges.

Practical Details

Reservations: Quenino is rated Easy to book on Pearl, which means you don't need to plan three months out, but for weekend dinners or group bookings, two to three weeks' notice is prudent given the Michelin Plate profile and 4.9 rating. Budget: Expect $$$ per head for food (above $66 for two courses), wine separate at $$ pricing, plan $100–$150+ all-in for a complete meal with a glass or two. Dress: No dress code is confirmed in available data, but the Cuscaden Road address and cuisine pricing suggest smart casual is appropriate. Meals: Lunch and dinner are both served, making this viable for a business lunch as well as an evening occasion. Corkage: $75 if bringing your own bottle.

How It Compares to Other Innovative Restaurants in Asia

If you're benchmarking Quenino against the broader innovative dining category in the region, the relevant comparisons extend beyond Singapore. Vea in Hong Kong operates at a higher price ceiling with a longer critical track record. Soigné in Seoul and alla prima in Seoul both push the innovative format in more conceptually rigorous directions. MAZ in Tokyo brings a Latin American lens to the category. Within that company, Quenino reads as an accessible entry point into Singapore's innovative dining tier, backed by a Michelin Plate but not yet asking for Michelin star prices. That positioning is genuinely useful if you want technique and credibility without the full financial commitment of a starred room.

For more on where Quenino fits in the city's dining picture, see our full Singapore restaurants guide. If you're planning a broader trip, our Singapore hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the logistics.

The Verdict

Quenino is worth a second visit if you used your first to calibrate the kitchen and you're now ready to lean into the wine list or bring a group with a proper occasion in mind. The Michelin Plate, the 4.9 rating, the mid-tier wine pricing make it one of the more well-rounded packages in its price band in Singapore. It is not the place to go if you want a tightly choreographed tasting menu experience, for that, look at Chaleur or Meta. But for a restaurant where the food, the wine list, the service infrastructure align without pushing you to $$$$ spend, Quenino earns the return booking.

Also Worth Considering in the Innovative Category

• Thevar, for a more India-rooted innovative approach in Singapore
• Fujiya 1935 in Osaka, if you're benchmarking against Japan's innovative dining
• KAHALA in Osaka, another strong Osaka reference in the category
• Shimmonzen Yonemura in Kyoto, for a more tradition-inflected innovative format
• Evett in Seoul, for a comparable price-to-credential ratio in the Korean market

For the full regional picture, our Singapore wineries guide is useful context if you're building around wine.