Zeniya
Highlights
About Zeniya Singapore
Zeniya Singapore is the only restaurant outside Japan bearing the Zeniya name — a two-Michelin-starred, Relais & Châteaux-awarded kaiseki restaurant in Kanazawa, Japan, that has been a pillar of Kaga cuisine for over half a century. Founded by Chef Shinichiro Takagi's father, the Kanazawa flagship is widely regarded as one of the finest kaiseki restaurants in all of Japan. Chef Shin, the second-generation custodian, brought Zeniya to Singapore first at Shangri-La in 2023, and in May 2025 relocated to Shaw Centre in a partnership with the Les Amis Group — the most prestigious restaurant group in Singapore.
What makes Zeniya unlike any other Japanese restaurant in Singapore is its obsessive commitment to authenticity. Over half the ingredients are sourced directly from Kanazawa's Omicho Market and flown in weekly. The restaurant even engineered proprietary water that replicates the calcium- and iron-rich mineral profile of Kanazawa's famed spring water — used in all dashi preparation, affecting the fundamental flavour base of every dish. Meals are served on century-old Kutani porcelain and 50-year-old Kanazawa lacquerware, each piece a vessel of history. The wanmori (clear soup) is presented in lacquered bowls that have been used for generations.
The Singapore kitchen is led day-to-day by Head Chef Shuji Yoshitaki, who brings over 30 years of culinary experience in Japan, supported by Sous Chef Akinori Nakano. The new Shaw Centre space seats 32 — a 10-seat counter with a front-row view of the kitchen's choreography, plus three private rooms each hosting 6-8 guests. The atmosphere is dim, serene, and intentionally still — designed so that each course can unfold with grace, allowing the beauty of Kaga seasonality to speak for itself.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
Lunch Kaiseki
| Kaiseki Lunch (seasonal multi-course) | S$138++ |
| Premium Kaiseki Lunch (extended courses) | S$288++ |
Dinner Kaiseki
| Kaiseki Dinner | S$288++ |
| Chef's Full Kaiseki Dinner (complete seasonal expression) | S$388++ |
Beverages
| Complimentary Kagatobi sake toast (traditional kanpai ritual) | Included |
| Sake pairing (4 glasses, sommelier-selected) | S$118++ |
| Sommelier's sake of the day (90ml / 180ml) | S$30++ / S$58++ |
All prices subject to 10% service charge and 9% GST. Menu changes with the seasons — expect completely different courses each visit.
Practical Info
- Tue–Sun: 12pm–1:30pm (lunch last seating), 6:30pm–8pm (dinner last seating)
- Mon: Closed
Dietary Info
Photos
Location
Shaw Centre, #03-10, 1 Scotts Road, Singapore 228208
📍 Open in Google MapsYour Dining Journey at Zeniya
The Kanpai Ritual
Every kaiseki meal at Zeniya begins with a complimentary pour of Kagatobi sake — served in a red lacquer cup on a red plate. This kanpai ritual is a traditional blessing from Ishikawa Prefecture, literally a taste of Kanazawa's spirit. It signals that you are not just eating a meal — you are entering a ceremony. The sake is crisp, clean, and sets the palate for what's to come.
Sakizuke & Wanmori
The sakizuke (first appetiser) sets the seasonal theme — a recent summer menu featured uni, hairy crab, and shirozuiki yam stem in tosazu vinegar jelly, garnished with pentasu flowers and yuzu zest. Beautiful, delicate, and unmistakably Kanazawa. The wanmori (clear soup) follows — the signature course, served in 50-year-old lacquerware. The dashi, made with Zeniya's proprietary water, is stunningly clear yet deeply flavoured. A recent version featured amadai (tilefish) karaage with shredded ginger — a bowl that demonstrates why water quality matters in Japanese cooking.
Seasonal Stars
The middle courses rotate completely with the seasons — this is true kaiseki, not a fixed menu. Summer brings straw-smoked katsuo (skipjack tuna) with iridescent flesh, double-textured (smoked and firm outside, buttery within). Autumn features kanou-gani (snow crab) rice in rich dashi broth. The grilled nodoguro (blackthroat sea perch) is a Kanazawa speciality that appears when available — oily, sweet, and arguably the finest fish course in any Singapore restaurant. The awabi (abalone) prepared karaage-style — boiled, steamed, then deep-fried — is a Zeniya signature that surprises with its crispy exterior and tender interior.
Gohan & Shokuji
The rice course (gohan) is never an afterthought at Zeniya — it's a destination. The snow crab rice in autumn, served with dark and white miso soup and housemade pickles (including a stunning mustard-marinated mountain yam), is described by diners as 'soul-satisfying.' The miso itself is crafted with Zeniya water, giving it a depth that most miso soups in Singapore cannot achieve. Every element of this course — rice, soup, pickles — is perfected individually and then served together as a harmony.
Mizumono & Farewell
The meal closes with seasonal fruit — Miyazaki mango, cherries, red-skinned varieties chosen for sweetness — followed by a warm warabi mochi dusted with cinnamon kinako (roasted soya bean powder). It's a nostalgic, comforting end to what was a journey through Kanazawa's seasons. You leave Zeniya feeling that you've eaten not just a meal, but a place. Kanazawa was at your table — its water, its market, its lacquerware, its spirit. That is what kaiseki, done properly, can do.
Editor's Note
Zeniya is the finest kaiseki restaurant in Singapore. That is not hyperbole — it is the only international outpost of a two-Michelin-starred Kanazawa institution with a 50-year legacy, and no other restaurant in Singapore replicates water to match a Japanese region's terroir. The S$138++ lunch is exceptional value for kaiseki of this calibre — comparable experiences in Kanazawa or Kyoto cost more. The S$388++ dinner is the full expression and worth it for special occasions. The move to Shaw Centre (May 2025) improved accessibility over the old Shangri-La location, and the partnership with Les Amis Group signals long-term commitment. Honest caveats: this is kaiseki, not omakase sushi. If you are expecting nigiri, you will be confused. The distinction between kaiseki and omakase is important and we explain it in the FAQ above. Dinner prices (S$288-388++) are on the high spectrum even for Singapore fine dining. The counter seats only 10, so reservations can be competitive. Some diners unfamiliar with kaiseki pacing may find the meal slow — it is meant to unfold over 2+ hours. This is a feature, not a bug. The restaurant has only been open at Shaw Centre since May 2025, so there is limited review history for the new location specifically. Early reviews are consistently excellent. For anyone who has visited Zeniya in Kanazawa, this Singapore branch faithfully represents the original — arguably the highest compliment a branch restaurant can receive.