Looking for the best dining spots our island has to offer? Well, you’re in luck. On Tuesday (June 27), five new restaurants were added to the Michelin Guide Singapore 2023. These restaurants all received one star at a live awards ceremony in the Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay hotel. This now brings Singapore’s total number of Michelin-starred restaurants to 55. If we include all the Starred, Bib Gourmand and Selected food establishments, the 2023 edition of the Michelin Guide Singapore features 286 food establishments.

So that means you have plenty of options to pick from the lot. Among this year’s inductees, Seroja stands out in particular. This fine-dining restaurant, located in Bugis, has yet to celebrate its one-year anniversary.

Seroja opened just eight months ago and it has already been recognised as an outstanding restaurant in its category. Food served at the restaurant is inspired by the Malay Archipelago. Its chef, Kevin Wong, is keen on celebrating familiar flavours using spices and herbs native to the region.

The restaurant has 4.8 stars on Google reviews and dishes that impressed diners included the roti paung, herb noodle and Borneo raw sugar bahulu. On top of receiving its first Michelin star, Seroja was named Singapore’s first Green Star restaurant, highlighting how it combines culinary excellence with outstanding eco-friendly practices.

Michelin noted Seroja’s commitment to fresh ingredients from Malaysia and Singapore and how attempts in treasuring said ingredients are well-reflected in its menu. It was a hat-trick of victories for Seroja as Kevin himself bagged an award with the 29-year-old receiving the Young Chef Award.

“I went to France with a dream to work in Michelin-starred restaurants and, tonight, my restaurant was awarded a star. It’s a dream come true,” the Malaysia-born chef told The Straits Times.

The four other restaurants that received their first star were Born, Poise, Sushi Sakuta and Willow.