Nobody goes to Cuppage Plaza Singapore because it looks good. It doesn’t. But when it comes to Cuppage Plaza food, this old block at 5 Koek Road, Singapore 228796, just a short walk from Somerset MRT Station and opposite Orchard Central, outshines many polished spots around Orchard Road. If you are the kind who enjoys hunting down hidden gems like Fortune Centre food places worth trying in Singapore, Cuppage Plaza will feel very familiar.
This list is not ranked in order. It highlights eight places in Cuppage Plaza Singapore that deserve your appetite and money.
1. Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu: An Unlikely Home for a High-End Omakase
In a place like Cuppage Plaza, finding a high-end omakase restaurant feels almost unexpected. That’s exactly what makes Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu stand out.
Hidden away on Level 6, far from the usual Orchard Road dining scene, Sushi Masa quietly delivers a level of quality you would typically associate with hotel restaurants or upscale dining districts. The setting itself is simple and understated, but step inside, and the focus becomes very clear: the food.
Because it isn’t located in a premium, high-rent space, the experience here often feels more grounded in value. You’re not paying for a grand dining room or a brand name address you’re paying for what’s on the plate.
And that shows. Ingredients are flown in daily from Toyosu Market, and the menu is crafted based on what arrives each day. There’s no fixed format, no templated courses, just a seasonal progression that reflects the chef’s decisions in the moment.
What makes Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu memorable isn’t just the quality of the ingredients, but how each course is handled.
Take the otoro, for example. Instead of the usual blowtorch finish, it’s kissed directly over an open flame an almost primal method that brings out a deeper aroma. The fat renders gently, picking up a subtle smokiness, before being balanced with leek that cuts through the richness. It’s simple on paper, but the result is surprisingly layered.
The progression of the meal also moves beyond just sushi. While there are plenty of nigiri courses, you’ll find warm dishes woven in between, not as fillers, but as part of the overall rhythm of the omakase. It keeps the experience dynamic, especially over the course of the meal, which can stretch to more than 20 courses on some nights.
With only 8 seats and a single seating each night, the experience leans intimate and unhurried. It’s less about theatrics, more about quiet precision and attention to detail.
In many ways, Sushi Masa by ki-setsu feels like a hidden outlier in Cuppage Plaza, a place that doesn’t quite fit the usual mould of the building, yet ends up being one of its most compelling reasons to visit.
Location: 5 Koek Road, #06-03, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Opening Hours: Dinner Starts at: 7:15pm till late
Reservations only and no walk-ins. Click here to reserve.
Opens Tuesday to Saturday, Closed on Mondays.
Private Bookings available on Sundays.
Price Range: $$$
2. Keria Japanese Restaurant: For When You Want Authentic Japanese Cuisine Vibes with Old School Flavors
Keria Japanese Restaurant is quieter than most places here, which immediately gives it an advantage. It sits below the chaos a bit, both physically and emotionally. This is the sort of place that regulars return to because it does not feel the need to shout. The room is modest, the tables are close, and the menu is broad enough to reward repeat visits without becoming ridiculous.
The sashimi is dependable, and the grilled dishes are usually where the kitchen’s discipline shows up best. There is also a mix of cooked comfort items that make it easy to settle in for a slower meal instead of a quick hit-and-run dinner.
What stands out more over time is how Keria handles the smaller details. The seasoning tends to lean balanced rather than aggressive, which lets the natural flavours of the ingredients come through. Even the simpler dishes, whether it’s a bowl of rice topped with grilled fish or a straightforward teishoku set, feel considered. Nothing is overly dressed up, but nothing feels careless either.
There’s also a certain comfort in how predictable the experience is. Not in a boring way, but in the sense that you know what you’re getting will be steady and well-executed. In a building where some places thrive on energy and noise, Keria feels like a quieter counterpoint, a place you return to not because it surprises you, but because it doesn’t need to.
Keria feels like one of those understated spots that gains more from consistency than from spectacle. In a building full of hard-working authentic japanese restaurants, that still stands out.
Keria Japanese Restaurant
Location: 5 Koek Road, #B1-28, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Opening Hours: Sun & Mon 6pm–10:30pm; Tue–Sat 4pm–12am
Price Range: $$
3. Kazu Sumiyaki Restaurant: The One That Actually Knows How To Grill
Kazu Sumiyaki is one of those places that has been around long enough to stop trying to impress anyone. That is part of its appeal. The grilling here is the point. Real charcoal, real attention, and a menu built around things that benefit from smoke and patience. In a city where too many restaurants want to be everything at once, Kazu is happier staying in its lane.
The skewers are where the meal should begin. The chicken selections are usually the safest bet, and the seafood skewers hold up well too. The tempura soba or udon works if something fuller is needed, and the rice dishes are practical rather than flashy.
What makes the grilling here stand out is the restraint. Nothing feels rushed or overworked. The skewers come off the charcoal with just enough char to bring out depth, but not so much that it overwhelms the ingredient itself. There’s a clarity to the flavours. Salt, smoke, and natural fats doing most of the work, which is exactly how sumiyaki should be.
It also helps that the menu doesn’t try to distract from its strengths. You’re here for the grill, and everything else plays a supporting role. Even the pacing of the meal feels built around it, with dishes arriving in a steady rhythm rather than all at once. It’s the kind of place that rewards patience, and in return, gives you something that feels consistent, focused, and quietly confident.
The food tastes like it has been built by people who understand repetition is not laziness; repetition is how standards are maintained. Kazu has been spoken about for years as one of Cuppage’s staples, and after eating there, that makes sense. It still feels like a restaurant with a pulse, not a legacy act running on memory.
Kazu Sumiyaki Restaurant
Location: 5 Koek Road, #04-05, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Opening Hours: Daily, 6pm – 10pm
Price Range: $$–$$$
4. Hanashizuku Japanese Cuisine: If You Want To Eat Like An Adult (And Not A Tourist) with decent japanese dining experience
If the rest of Cuppage Plaza feels like organised disorder, Hanashizuku Japanese Cuisine is the grown-up in the room. There is more polish, restraint, and care in the menu. The room is quiet, and the kitchen knows when to keep things simple.
Start with the sashimi moriawase to see if a Japanese restaurant is bluffing. Here, it’s not. The cuts are clean, the fish tastes fresh, and the plate feels composed. The tempura is great for sharing, and the uni to ikura angel hair pasta, while sounding trendy, actually works.
The food feels measured—neither stiff nor showy, just well judged. For those wanting authentic Japanese food without izakaya noise, this is a strong pick. The impeccable service and use of only the freshest ingredients elevate the dining experience, making each visit feel special and refined.
Hanashizuku Japanese Cuisine
Location: 5 Koek Road, #02-01, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Opening Hours: Mon–Thu 11:45am–2:30pm, 5:30pm–11pm; Fri 11:45am–2:30pm, 5:30pm–11:30pm; Sat 5:30pm–11:30pm; Sun 5:30pm–10:30pm
Price Range: $$–$$$
5. Izakaya Nijumaru: For When You Need a Little More “Izakaya” or an Authentic Japanese Restaurant in Your Life
If Hanashizuku is the composed one, Izakaya Nijumaru is the place for tables that want to keep ordering. It has that old-school Cuppage energy where the room is busy, the menu is long, and everyone seems to know what they’re doing except the people who came for the first time. That is part of the charm.
The menu here is broad enough that a table can cover a lot of ground without getting bored. Sashimi, grilled items, tempura, rice bowls, and little side dishes all make sense in this format. The cooking leans comforting rather than elegant, which is exactly what an izakaya should do.
Nijumaru is one of those places where the food arrives steadily, conversation gets louder, and before long the table looks like a very convincing argument for staying put. It is not trying to reinvent Japanese cuisine. It is just serving tasty food in a way that still makes sense.
Izakaya Nijumaru
Location: 5 Koek Road, #02-10/12, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday, 12pm – 2:30pm (lunch), 6pm – 9:30pm (dinner) Sunday, 6pm – 9:30pm (dinner)
Price Range: $$
6. Izakaya Naniwa: If You Can’t Get Enough of That Izakaya Experience
Izakaya Naniwa gets it right. Whether you’re new to the izakaya classics or a seasoned yakitori expert, Naniwa delivers with a variety of small dishes that pair perfectly with green tea or whatever your drink of choice is. This hidden gem is known to be one of the best-kept secrets of Japanese expats in Singapore. The cozy atmosphere is perfect for catching up with friends after work or on a Saturday night.
The cooking here leans traditional and a little home-style. You come for sashimi, tempura, grilled dishes, and the kind of small-plate flow that makes dinner feel organic rather than structured. Naniwa is one of those spots where the food matters more than the room, and that is exactly the point. It is not built for people who need glossy surfaces to reassure them. It is built for diners who just want a meal that tastes like someone in the kitchen still has standards.
Izakaya Naniwa
- Location: 5 Koek Rd, #03-13, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
- Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM (lunch), 6:30pm – 12am (dinner) Sunday and Monday, closed
- Price Range: $$
7. Shinjuku Restaurant: For Something More Comfortable Than You Expect
Shinjuku Restaurant is one of the more accessible places in the building because it offers range without collapsing into chaos. The menu covers sashimi, grilled dishes, fried items, rice, and ramen, but it does not feel like a kitchen trying to do too much. That balance matters.
The sashimi combination sets are a good place to begin, and the grilled dishes give the meal enough backbone to avoid feeling too delicate. There are also rice and noodle dishes that make it easy to bring along less adventurous eaters without having to negotiate the entire table around them. Shinjuku is useful in the best sense of the word. It is a proper restaurant, it is open daily, and it feels like one of the safer bets in Cuppage when the group has mixed appetites.
If you want a hearty meal, their beef teriyaki and katsu curry rice are popular choices that showcase authentic.
Shinjuku Restaurant
- Location: 5 Koek Rd, #01-01/02, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
- Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:45am – 2:30pm (lunch), 5:45pm – 11pm (dinner)
- Price Range: $$
8. Orchard Yong Tau Fu: Not Japanese, But Hear Us Out
Not everything worth eating in Cuppage Plaza has to be Japanese. Orchard Yong Tau Fu remains one of the building’s most practical lunches and one of its best value moves. In a part of Singapore where money disappears quickly, this eatery offers an honest meal without any drama.
The draw is the light and flavorful soybean broth and the ability to build exactly the bowl you want from a wide selection of fresh ingredients. This hidden gem is known for its wallet-friendly prices and long queues, especially during lunch hours. You can pick from stuffed lady’s fingers, chillies, tofu, salted duck eggs, and more, each priced affordably.
It is simple, filling, and does not pretend to be more than it is. That is probably why it still works. There is a lot to be said for a place that understands its purpose and sticks to it. Sometimes the smartest thing to eat in a building full of authentic Japanese food is something entirely different.
Orchard Yong Tau Fu
- Location: 5 Koek Rd, #01-09 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
- Opening Hours: Daily, 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Price Range: $$
Cuppage Plaza Singapore: The Heart of Authentic Japanese Food and Beyond
Cuppage Plaza food doesn’t need to impress with looks; it keeps people coming back for delicious, authentic Japanese cuisine.
From one of the best omakases at Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu to polished dishes at Hanashizuku with only the freshest ingredients and impeccable service, to smoky grilling at Kazu Sumiyaki led by the same head chef for over three decades; from the classic izakaya vibes of Nijumaru and Naniwa with their izakaya classics, to the practical comfort and wallet-friendly prices of Orchard Yong Tau Fu’s beloved yong tau foo, Cuppage proves old Orchard still has life.
Whether you prefer counter seating at sushi bars, cozy small tables for private gatherings, randome shops or a private dining room, Cuppage Plaza offers it all. From hearty noodles and meat skewers glazed with teriyaki sauce to refined signature dishes and degustation menus, this place delivers authentic Japanese food with great value, serving all the food that fans of Japanese cuisine could crave.
In a city obsessed with surfaces, that authenticity is priceless.
