Expat Choice Guide Celebrating 10 Years (2016–2026) | Chef’s Tavern by Stephan Zoisl Brings Fusion Excellence to Craig Road

Chef's Tavern by Stephan Zoisl, Craig Road's newest culinary jewel, welcomes customers to experience a unique blend of European classics and Japanese refinement. Following a decade of success at Chef's Table on Tras Street, Chef Stephan's next endeavour honed his unique style by combining fine-dining expertise with the conviviality of an izakaya-inspired tavern.

Chef's Tavern, which seamlessly combines Austrian heritage, Michelin-starred competence, and a great respect for Japanese culinary traditions, offers itself as a refined yet approachable venue where quality and inventiveness meet at affordable pricing. At the heart of Chef's Tavern is a carefully crafted cuisine that captures the essence of fusion dining.

Chef_s Tavern_Tavern Style Teishoku Set

Guests can enjoy healthy Teishoku-style lunch sets, which start at $28++ and include rotating proteins such monkfish and pig, seasonal veggies, soup, and either sourdough or Japanese rice. In the evenings, the à la carte menu features expertly produced cuisine that appeal to both experimental palates and comfort seekers. Chef Stephan's passion for precise, complex flavours is seen in dishes like the Hokkaido Scallop Crudo, which includes mint, shiso, mango leche de tigre, and trout roe, and the Hamachi Sashimi, which is enhanced with Kracher Auslese-infused grapes.

The venue's noodle creations are equally appealing. The Prawn & Lobster Ramen features a luscious lobster bisque cooked for 24 hours and enhanced with Argentinian prawns, furikake, and onsen egg, providing a comforting, savoury depth. Meanwhile, the Cold Kombu Angel Hair Pasta mixes chilled pasta with a tom kha coconut and lobster bisque sauce, topped with crispy artichoke chips and aromatic garnishes, for an umami-packed, tactile experience.

Chef_s Tavern_Alaskan Black Cod

Mains provide further depth and craft. The pan-roasted Alaskan Black Cod is elevated with salt-baked celeriac and a Madras curry beurre blanc, while the Maple Leaf Duck Breast combines succulent slices with duck leg confit and allium accompaniments. The Schnitzel 'Wiener Art' pays homage to Chef Stephan's heritage, featuring pork loin covered in imported kaisersemmel breadcrumbs and served with a butterhead lettuce salad and acidic sides that evoke Japanese katsu but have a distinct Viennese character.

Desserts provide a playful and elegant finish. The Piña Colada dessert features coconut parfait, caramelised pineapple, and gula melaka, while the White Peach Mousse combines oolong tea ice cream and marinated berries for a subtle, flowery flavour. For absolute enjoyment, the Dark Chocolate Gateau combines mousse, glaze, and yuzu components to create rich textures and colourful contrast.

Chef_s Tavern_Desserts

The menu is complemented by a vibrant beverage selection that honours izakaya culture. Happy Hour, running daily from 12pm to 7pm, provides enticing prices including $9.90++ pints of Japanese beer and whiskey highballs. Signature drinks like the Umami Drift, which features fat-washed miso butter gin and ginger honey, and the Wasabi Whip, which combines wasabi oil vodka with citrus and ginger beer, bring culinary innovation to the glass.

The space exudes warm sophistication. Natural wood tones, gentle lighting, and open floor plans make it great for informal lunches, intimate dinners, or celebratory parties. Chef's Tavern offers private dining rooms for groups of up to 16, as well as full-venue reservations for up to 96 guests, making it an appealing venue for both business gatherings and large parties.

Chef's Tavern by Stephan Zoisl provides a refined yet comfortable eating experience that guests return to time and again by offering exceptional quality without inflated pricing and mixing European culinary methods with Japanese elegance.

a. 20 Craig Rd, Singapore 089692

e. reservation@chefstavern.sg

w. www.chefstavern.sg

fb. www.facebook.com/chefstavernsg

ig. www.instagram.com/chefstavern

t. +65 6224 4188

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Comments

Rebecca

01 Jul 2025 , Tue

177 comments

CONNOISSEUR

RATED 7.5 / 8

When we heard that Austrian culinary maestro Stephan Zoisl was reimagining his beloved Chef's Table concept, we couldn't resist booking a table at the newly minted Chef's Tavern on Craig Road. What we discovered was nothing short of revelatory – a dining experience that marries the precision and artistry of Michelin-starred cuisine with refreshingly accessible pricing.

For those who mourned the closure of the original Chef's Table, Chef's Tavern emerges as a phoenix from those ashes, offering the same exceptional standards we fell in love with, but in a more relaxed, approachable format. Zoisl's genius lies in his seamless fusion of European technique with Japanese sensibilities, creating dishes that feel both familiar and utterly unique.

The lunch service showcases this philosophy beautifully through their special Omakase offerings. We began with a trio of starters that immediately signaled we were in for something special. The Anchovy Puff Pastry arrived as a masterclass in balance – flaky pastry cradling creamy ricotta, punctuated by the brine of gordal olives and the gentle heat of horseradish, all brightened with fresh chives and lemon zest. At under $20, it's the kind of dish you'd expect to pay double for elsewhere.

The Hamachi Sashimi demonstrated Zoisl's innovative approach to ingredients. Grapes compressed in Kracher Auslese wine provided an unexpected sweetness that played beautifully against the buttery fish, while shiso added an herbaceous note and verjus brought welcome acidity. Meanwhile, the Hokkaido Scallop Crudo transported us straight to Peru by way of Japan, with its vibrant mango leche de tigre, pop of trout roe, and aromatic sawtooth coriander oil.

The mains continued this East-meets-West narrative with stunning results. The Prawn & Lobster Bisque Ramen exemplifies fusion done right – rich European bisque techniques applied to Japanese ramen, elevated with premium Argentinian prawns and a perfectly jammy ajitsuke egg. Our personal favourite, however, was the Cold Kombu Angel Hair Pasta, where Italian technique meets Japanese umami and Thai aromatics in the form of tom kha coconut, creating something entirely new yet inherently satisfying.

Zoisl hasn't forgotten his Austrian roots either. The Schnitzel 'Wiener Art' pays homage to his heritage while adding contemporary touches – the breaded pork loin remains traditional, but the accompaniment of cranberries, butter head lettuce, and anchovy butter elevates it beyond nostalgia. The Maple Leaf Duck Breast proved equally impressive, its perfectly rendered skin giving way to rosy meat, complemented by sweet caramelised onions and the bitter char of leeks.

For those seeking value without compromise, the lunch bento sets at $28++ represent extraordinary worth. Whether you choose Japanese or European style, you receive a complete meal – protein, vegetables, soup, salad, rice or bread, and fruit – all artfully arranged on an impressive tray that makes lunch feel like an occasion.

Desserts showcase Zoisl's pastry prowess with playful sophistication. The Piña Colada Pineapple Sorbet transforms a beach cocktail into refined refreshment, while the Dark Chocolate Gateau with yuzu sorbet demonstrates his ability to balance rich indulgence with bright acidity.

Chef's Tavern succeeds brilliantly in democratising fine dining without sacrificing quality or creativity. It's proof that exceptional food needn't come with exceptional price tags, making it an essential addition to Singapore's dining landscape.