Quick answer: The best tempura in Singapore spans casual sets at Tempura Makino (from S$16.90++) to elaborate omakase at Ginza Tenharu, Ippoh Tempura Bar, and Tenshima. Tenshin has been flying in Toyosu Market seafood for over three decades. For inventive Edo-style fried to order, Tempura Ensei and Tentsuru each do it differently. And if you want to try Osaka-style batter that drains light, Ippoh is the only one in town.
A tempura craving in Singapore can lead you anywhere from a S$16.90 set to a full omakase, and the price difference isn’t always just about ingredients. We looked at what each dollar actually buys you—oil blends, produce sourcing, frying technique—so you know when to splurge and when the affordable option is genuinely shiok.
Not sure this is the right list? Best Japanese Food in Singapore has 22 others alongside it.
Ginza Tenharu
Right inside the Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel on Orchard, this is the kind of place you book when you want a proper atas tempura experience without having to fly to Tokyo. They do Edo-style tempura with a nutty sesame oil finish, so everything comes out crisp and fragrant. The omakase sets start at S$80++ and often feature air-flown ingredients like pufferfish and figs that you won’t find on a typical menu.
This is where you go when you want the full Edo-style ritual in a properly atas setting. The sesame oil finish gives everything a nutty crunch that feels indulgent. It’s the kind of place you book for an anniversary or to host someone you really want to impress, and the hotel location adds a layer of polished comfort.
Address: 320 Orchard Road #01-04, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, Singapore 238865
Phone: +65 6235 0096
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 12pm–2:30pm, 6pm–11pm; Sunday 12pm–2:30pm, 6pm–10pm. Closed Monday.
Price: Omakase from S$80++
Ginza Tenharu
This is a steady pick when you want a classic, elegant counter and a chef who knows how to coax the best out of seasonal seafood. Good for a birthday treat or a business lunch where you’d rather let the food do the talking.
Ippoh Tempura Bar by Ginza Ippoh
Set in the green pocket of Dempsey, this is the only Southeast Asian branch of a 170‑year‑old Osaka institution. The Osaka‑style batter is made to drain light, so every piece—from rotating fish courses to a seaweed tempura with sea urchin and caviar—tastes clean and never oily. Sets begin at S$90++.
If you’ve been curious about how tempura changes when you cross regions in Japan, this is the spot. The long lunch hours (12pm–3pm, last seating 2pm) and Dempsey setting make it a relaxed, unhurried meal you can stretch out with a bottle of something cold.
Set in Dempsey’s leafy calm, the long lunch hour here feels like a gentle escape. The Osaka-style batter is remarkably light, so it’s a smart pick if you usually find fried food too cloying. The seaweed tempura loaded with sea urchin and caviar is a small luxury that makes the meal feel celebratory.
Address: Block 17C Dempsey Road, Singapore 249676
Phone: +65 6486 1052
Hours: Lunch daily 12pm–3pm (last seating 2pm); Dinner Mon–Thu & Sun 6pm–10pm (last seating 9pm), Fri–Sat 6pm–11pm (last seating 10pm)
Price: Sets from S$90++
Ippoh Tempura Bar by Ginza Ippoh
Tempura Ensei
Tucked in the basement of Palais Renaissance, Tempura Ensei is run by a chef who sharpened his knives at a 120‑year‑old Tokyo tempura shop. The omakase—priced from S$128++—pulls from a monthly‑changing lineup of Tokyo‑sourced ingredients like sea urchin in seaweed, paired with exclusive sakes. The oil blend changes with the menu too, so the batter stays paper‑thin and crisp no matter what lands in the fryer.
This is the one for adventurous eaters who want an omakase that feels new each visit. Book the counter, watch the chef work, and let them surprise you. It’s intimate enough that a solo meal here feels special rather than awkward.
The basement counter is intimate and unpretentious, but the monthly menu is where things get interesting. Ingredients shift with the seasons, and the oil blend changes to match, so each visit reveals a new side of the chef’s technique. It suits diners who like to geek out over provenance and preparation.
Address: 390 Orchard Road #B1-06/07, Palais Renaissance, Singapore 238871
Phone: +65 9178 0664
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Daily 12pm–2:30pm (last seating 1:30pm), 6pm–10pm (last seating 8:45pm)
Price: Omakase from S$128++
Tempura Ensei
We keep these lists updated by hand. If you run something that fits, get in touch before the next revision.
If tempura has put you in a Japanese state of mind, you might also enjoy our roundup of Singapore&# ;s Premier Sashimi Destinations—the freshest slices in town.
Tempura Makino
If you’re the sort who wants a legit tempura fix without the omakase price tag, Tempura Makino is the answer. This chain out of Japan does tsudoage‑style, frying each piece to order, and you can walk in and grab a set from just S$16.90++. They use Okinawan eggs for a signature light batter, and the matcha mochi tempura makes a damn shiok dessert that nobody sees coming.
Look for them at HarbourFront (1 HarbourFront Walk, #02‑111), and they’ve also got a branch inside Suntec City—right in the thick of the Epicurean Havens in Suntec City. More branches are on their site.
When a tempura craving hits and you don’t want to worry about the bill, this is your spot. The tsudoage style means each piece arrives hot from the fryer, and the counter service is brisk and friendly. The matcha mochi tempura is a sweet, chewy finish that turns a quick meal into a small treat.
Address: 1 HarbourFront Walk, #02-111, Singapore 098585
Phone: +65 6257 8733
Hours: Daily 11am–10pm
Price: Sets from S$16.90++
Tempura Makino
Great for a quick, quality weekday lunch or when the kids want something crispy and you don’t want to remortgage the flat. The counter is casual, nobody blinks if you stay in your tee and shorts.
Tenshima
Tenshima at Millenia Walk marries kaiseki thinking with tempura craft. The batter thickness and oil temperature get adjusted for each ingredient individually—ginkgo appears with curry salt, and the progression from lighter to richer pieces is paced like a proper multi‑course meal. Omakase sets start at S$180++ and lean heavily on seasonal Japanese produce.
Come here when you want a luxurious, almost meditative dinner. The counter is small, the chef’s attention stays on you, and the way the flavours build through the meal feels like a conversation you don’t want to end.
The kaiseki pacing here turns dinner into a meditative rhythm—lighter bites first, richer flavours later, all timed to let you savour each course. Watching the chef adjust batter and oil for every ingredient is a quiet thrill. Come when you have the evening to spare; the progression is worth your full attention.
Address: 9 Raffles Boulevard #01-09/10, Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596
Phone: +65 6226 6666
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Lunch Tue–Wed, Fri–Sun 12:30pm–3pm (last seating 1:30pm); Dinner Tue–Sun 6:30pm–10pm (last seating 8pm). Closed Monday.
Price: Omakase from S$180++
Tenshima
Tenshin
I think of Tenshin as the steady friend who was doing this before tempura counters were a thing in Singapore. Perched on the third floor of Conrad Singapore Orchard, they’ve been flying ingredients in directly from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market for more than 30 years. Sets open at S$55++, and the seaweed‑wrapped sea urchin and tendon bowls show off how much freshness matters when you fry something within hours of it landing.
This is the go‑to for a reliable, unshowy lunch that still feels like a proper treat. The long tenure means they’ve got their oil temperature and batter consistency down to muscle memory—no gimmicks, just clean, crisp tempura.
A reliable choice when freshness matters more than fanfare. Their direct line to Toyosu means the seafood tastes remarkably clean, and the tendon bowls are a solid, comforting pick for a weekday lunch. With over three decades of history, it feels like a trusted favourite rather than a flashy newcomer.
Address: 1 Cuscaden Road, Level 3 Conrad Singapore Orchard, Singapore 249715
Phone: +65 6735 4588
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 12pm–2:30pm (last order 2pm), 6pm–10:30pm (last order 10pm). Closed Monday.
Price: Sets from S$55++
Tenshin
Tentsuru
Up on the second floor of The St. Regis Singapore, Tentsuru feels like stepping into a quiet gallery where tempura is the only exhibit. The chef trained under a Michelin‑starred master, and the omakase (from S$120++) runs through premium imports like Miyazaki A5 Wagyu, fried until the batter shatters and the meat stays buttery.
Save this for an anniversary or when you really want to impress someone without saying a word. The pacing is unhurried, the service is precise, and the room itself does half the work of making the evening feel important.
The St. Regis address sets the tone: hushed, elegant, and perfect for when you need the occasion to feel weighty. The A5 Wagyu is the main event, battered and fried until the shell shatters on your tongue while the meat stays rich. It’s a blow-out meal for marking life’s bigger moments.
Address: 29 Tanglin Road, The St. Regis Singapore, Level 2, Singapore 247911
Phone: +65 8113 3612 | +65 6739 6564
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 12pm–2:30pm (last order 2pm), 6pm–10:30pm (last order 9pm). Closed Monday.
Price: Omakase from S$120++
Tentsuru
We keep these lists updated by hand. If you run something that fits, get in touch before the next revision.
When you’re in the mood to wander beyond tempura, our guide to Restaurants in Clarke Quay covers a different kind of evening by the water.
How to choose
These seven places all take tempura seriously, but they’re not interchangeable. The biggest divider is price: you can have a full meal for under $20 at Tempura Makino, or settle in for a $180++ omakase at Tenshima. You’re not just paying for ingredients—you’re paying for pace, counter intimacy, and how much the chef tailors the oil and batter to each piece.
Style matters too. Ginza Tenharu, Tempura Ensei, Tenshin, and Tentsuru lean into Edo‑style tempura—light, crisp, often finished in sesame oil. Ippoh is the only Osaka‑style specialist in town, with a batter that drains exceptionally clean. Tenshima adds kaiseki structure, so the meal unfolds like chapters in a book. If you’ve never tasted the difference, a lunch set at two different spots can be a fun (and delicious) experiment.
Think about atmosphere. Dempsey gives you greenery and a slow lunch; St. Regis and Conrad feel tucked away and clubby; Palais Renaissance and Marriott Tang Plaza put you in the middle of Orchard; Millenia Walk and HarbourFront are easier to drop into during errands. Reservations are essential for the omakase counters—most have only a handful of seats—and even the casual outlets can pack during peak hours.
| Restaurant | Style | Starting Price | Location | Standout Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ginza Tenharu | Edo‑style, sesame oil | S$80++ | Orchard | Air‑flown pufferfish, figs |
| Ippoh Tempura Bar | Osaka‑style | S$90++ | Dempsey | 170‑year heritage, seaweed & uni |
| Tempura Ensei | Edo‑style, monthly menu | S$128++ | Orchard | Tokyo‑sourced, exclusive sakes |
| Tempura Makino | Tsudoage (per order) | S$16.90++ | HarbourFront | Okinawan eggs, matcha mochi |
| Tenshima | Kaiseki‑tempura fusion | S$180++ | Millenia Walk | Ginkgo with curry salt |
| Tenshin | Edo‑style, Toyosu direct | S$55++ | Conrad Orchard | 30‑year track record |
| Tentsuru | Edo‑style, artful | S$120++ | St. Regis | Miyazaki A5 Wagyu tempura |
Summary
Singapore’s tempura scene runs from a quick $17 set at the mall to a slow, multi‑sensory omakase that rivals anything in Ginza. Whether you’re chasing Osaka‑style lightness at Ippoh, the steady hand of Tenshin, or the seasonal surprises at Ensei, there is a counter here that fits the occasion and the budget. Go early, book ahead, and let the batter do the talking.
Disclaimer: All information provided here has been compiled from publicly available sources. While we have made every effort to ensure accuracy, details can change—please confirm with the business directly. We disclaim any liability for inaccuracies or omissions.
Frequently asked questions
How much does tempura cost in Singapore?
It depends on the style. A casual set at Tempura Makino starts at S$16.90++, while omakase with premium ingredients ranges from about S$80++ at Ginza Tenharu to S$180++ at Tenshima.
Which tempura restaurant is best for a special occasion?
For a landmark celebration, Tentsuru at The St. Regis or Tenshima at Millenia Walk both offer intimate counter dining, meticulous service, and luxurious ingredients like Miyazaki Wagyu or seasonal pairings.
What’s the difference between Edo‑style and Osaka‑style tempura?
Edo‑style (Tokyo) often uses sesame oil for a nutty finish and crisp texture. Osaka‑style, like at Ippoh, drains more thoroughly and uses a lighter batter so the ingredient taste stays front and centre.
Do I need a reservation?
Yes, for the omakase counters—especially dinner—you’ll want to book ahead as most have very limited counter seats. Walk‑ins are possible at Tempura Makino but expect a queue during peak hours.
Are there affordable tempura options that still taste authentic?
Definitely. Tempura Makino and Tenshin (sets from S$55++) both deliver fresh, made‑to‑order tempura without the high‑end price tag, and they draw on years of experience.
Which place should I try if I’ve never had omakase tempura before?
Tempura Ensei is a strong starting point—the monthly menu keeps things interesting without being intimidating, and the S$128++ price sits in the middle of the range for a full counter experience.
