Spring – it’s the season where flowers bloom, and nature reawakens once more. And in the culinary scene, this season marks a shift from heavy winter foods to lighter, fresher ingredients to rejuvenate the body and soul. Think Sakura or White Asparagus – and that’s just the beginning.
There’s another reason why such spring ingredients are so amazing right now. Being in season means that they naturally taste better and are at their most nutritious. Many of these spring ingredients also help to cleanse the body and aid digestion. Something we’re all probably in need of in the wake of all the (over)indulging from the Lunar New Year, Hari Raya and Easter festivities!
If you’re looking for places to savour the best the spring season has to offer, look no further – these are our top picks.
PS: If you get inspired, the press kits can be accessed via the sub-header!
FAT COW
From now until 20 June, Fat Cow showcases some of Japan’s most exciting Spring produce through its increasingly popular Shiki Omakase, the multi-course experience designed to celebrate seasonality through washoku traditions. It's specially served in the Theatre: a gorgeous background for the personal counterside service by the chefs.
Fat Cow's Theatre
For instance, the soup course features the criminally underrated negi or spring onions (pun unintended!). They infuse the fish and seaweed broth with a mild sweetness that balance its umami richness.
Fat Cow’s Spring Shiki Omakase is also where the fattest spring fish are showcased. Think Madai or sea bream coated in white soy; Engawa or hirame flouder marinated in soy sauce and sake; and Sawara or Spanish mackerel served with shiro ita or white sea kelp.
Price: $88++ for lunch, $98++ for dinner, $118++ enhanced menu
Spring Ingredients At A Glance:
(Fat Cow)
- Negi (Japanese Spring Onions)
- Madai (sea bream)
- Engawa (hirame flounder)
- Sawara (Spanish mackerel)
More details can be found in Fat Cow’s press kit!
FLNT, 1-ATICO
You’re probably no stranger to FLNT, a stunning glasshouse venue perched on the 55th floor of ION Orchard. As the only Nikkei-focused restaurant in town, FLNT proudly presents creations that harmoniously marries hard-to-find Peruvian and Japanese ingredients with age-old Japanese sensibilities.
This year’s spring affair at FLNT spotlights Sakura (or Cherry Blossoms), in all its ephemeral beauty. From 2 – 30 April 2026, FLNT presents a 5-Course Dinner Set (from $148++ per person) featuring seasonal elements like Sakura petals and leaves, and Sakura Ebi.
FLNT's Spring 2026 menu (group shot)
As the quintessential icon of spring, Sakura most definitely takes centerstage in this menu, but not in the way that you’re used to. Instead, it’s utilised in unconventional ways: pickled to provide a lightly acidic, floral contrast that cuts through protein-rich and fatty mains such as the Miso-Glazed Black Cod in Sakura Butter Sauce, or as a delicate counterbalance to the oceanic umami of seafood like in the Otoro Hasami & Hotate Tartlet appetizer.
Another coveted delicacy is the Sakura Ebi, which you’ll be able to enjoy in their Tako Momotaroappetizer, a Tako karaage “sandwich” topped with Momotaro tomato (also in season!), Sakura Ebi and Aji Amarillo cream. The Sakura Ebi here is sourced from Suruga Bay in Japan and are only harvested twice a year. The dinner course rounds off with the Sakura Blossom Cheesecakefeaturing, yes, even more Sakura flowers! – infused into the pudding and ice cream elements.
Spring Ingredients At A Glance:
(FLNT, 1-Atico)
- Sakura petals & leaves
- Sakura Ebi
- Momotaro tomato
More details can be found in FLNT’s press kit!
ICHIGO ICHIE
This spring, fine-dining Japanese kappo establishment, Ichigo Ichie, stays true to their philosophy of “one life, one moment” with exquisite expressions of spring delicacies at their most impeccable.
L-R: Executive Chef Akane Eno of Ichigo Ichie; counter of private dining room
For one night only on 11 April at 7pm, the restaurant’s elegant Spring Omakase Dinner ($398++ per person) offers a multi-course meal replete with prized spring ingredients like Takenoko or bamboo shoots from Kyoto and the rare Hana Sansho (sansho flowers) from the Japanese Sansho (pepper) tree.
An example: one of the courses is Takenoko Gohan where, on a bed of plump Koshihikari rice cooked in stock, rests these premium bamboo shoots in thin slices – the most perfect way of showcasing the shoots’ tender-crisp texture and nutty-sweet flavour.
Executive Chef Akane Eno sources these ingredients from specialist producers in Japan; a particularly painstaking effort to ensure she receives the crème de la crème of these seasonal ingredients – especially when their lifespan is so short, it could be described as “fleeting”. For instance, Hana Sansho, the unopened yellow flowerbuds of the sansho tree, are regarded as a rare luxury because they are available only for 10 to 14 days.
Spring ingredients At A Glance:
(Ichigo Ichie)
- Takenoko
- Hana Sansho
- Other Spring Vegetables as they go into season
More details can be found in Ichigo Ichie’s press kit!
LOCA NIRU
You’ve seen, heard (and maybe even tasted) the buzz around Loca Niru, a contemporary French-Japanese fine dining restaurant housed within the iconic heritage House of Tan Yeok Nee that was named The Straits Times’ Best High-End Restaurant of 2025 before it was even a year old. After their stellar debut, Executive Chef Shusuke Kubota introduces a brand-new offering – their very first seasonal menu change – just in time for the turn of spring.
Spring elements are woven throughout Loca Niru’s thoughtfully crafted 8-Course Spring Menu ($298++ per person; available 16 April to 15 July); many are Japan’s spring superstars. For the Hassun course, you’ll enjoy a trio of bites to kickstart the menu and whet your appetite. There’s an artfully presented Japanese Pen Shell served with White Strawberry Vinegar; a Wagyu Beef Tartareand Spring Burdock Pickles served on a miniature feuille de brick cone; and a Stuffed Chicken Wingfilled with bamboo shoots, served with a piquant green chilli padi and yogurt labneh.
Loca Niru's Spring 2026 Hassun
The dinner continues with more spring-centric dishes like the mi-cuit Cherry Blossom Trout served with a sauce of lacto-fermented kumquat; “Nagano” Koshihikari Rice topped with Wild Spring Vegetables – an assortment that is updated as new vegetables come into season; and French Blue Lobster served alongside White Asparagus. The meal closes with a dessert of Fresh Muskmelon and Yuzu Citrus Sorbet.
As we usher in the spring, Loca Niru invites guests to experience the natural flavours, purity and gentle sweetness the season brings.
Spring Ingredients At A Glance:
(Loca Niru)
- Cherry blossom leaf
- Spring burdock
- Bamboo shoots
- Wild spring vegetables
- White asparagus
- Fresh muskmelon
More details can be found in Loca Niru’s press kit!
SHISEN HANTEN BY CHEN KENTARO
Michelin one-starred Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro welcomes the arrival of spring with a special 8-Course Experience at the Chef’s Table ($288++ per person). Available now until 31 May for both lunch and dinner, this seasonal spring menu celebrates the height of the harvest, with a particular focus on the fine balance of sweetness and umami.
The star of their menu is the Japanese Spring Asparagus, steamed and served alongside fermented beancurd sauce and house-made cured Sakura salt. Another popular spring ingredient is the bamboo shoot, which makes its appearance in an A5 Wagyu Beef Spring Roll. A5-grade Omi beef sirloin is marinated with fermented broad bean and chilli bean pastes – Chūka Szechwan Ryori-style! – before being wrapped with delicately earthy bamboo shoots and Comté cheese, then deep-fried.
Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro's Spring 2026 Hassun
The Strawberry Parfait comprising dainty layers of tart strawberry slices, homemade Okinawa brown sugar sponge cake, almond tofu and mascarpone cream provide a perfectly balanced fruity-sweet finish.
Spring Ingredients At A Glance:
(Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro)
- Sakura salt
- Bamboo shoots
- Japanese strawberries
More details can be found in Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro’s press kit!
As the earth awakens once more this Spring, gastronomes can relish the best the season has to offer. But like all good things, these spring menus (and their ingredients) are only here for a limited time. Once they’re gone, you’ll have to wait till the next season. So, mark your calendars, it’s time for your spring refresh!
