Singapore’s omakase scene runs from two-Michelin-star sushi rooms to intimate neighbourhood counters. If you are weighing your options, the honest question is rarely “which is most expensive” — it is where craft, sourcing, setting and price meet in a way that suits the evening you have in mind. This guide lays out the tiers plainly, and where MIYU at Dempsey Hill sits within them.
What the Michelin counters cost in Singapore
At the top of the market, Singapore’s starred sushi counters ask a considerable sum for the privilege. Shoukouwa, the city’s only two-Michelin-star sushi restaurant at One Fullerton, opens at around $380 for a lunch set and climbs to roughly $680 for its signature dinner. Shinji by Kanesaka, a one-star Ginza-style room now housed at The St. Regis on Tanglin Road, sits firmly in the premium bracket. Ginza Sushi Ichi at Marriott Tang Plaza in Orchard runs a tiered ladder from about $150 at lunch to $500 for its chef’s signature omakase, with dinner from around $220.
These are exceptional restaurants, and their prices reflect location, provenance and the weight of a Michelin star. For a fuller sense of what a star actually buys — and where it does not — see our guide to Michelin omakase in Singapore.
Where MIYU sits: Edomae craft at Dempsey Hill
MIYU takes a different position, and does so sincerely. Lunch begins at $128 and dinner at $228 — roughly 40 to 70 per cent below the starred counters above — yet the craft is genuinely Edomae. Executive Chef-Owner Ng Kam Kwan brings more than 22 years of Japanese culinary training, including time at Hide Yamamoto and Kacyo, to every sitting. Fish is air-flown from Toyosu Market each week, the shari is seasoned with care, and the menu shifts with the season rather than with a fixed script.
There is one thing MIYU offers that none of the starred rooms can: the Dempsey Hill dining enclave. While the counters above cluster in Orchard, the CBD and Marina Bay, MIYU sits amid the greenery of Dempsey Road — a ten-minute drive from Orchard yet a world away in calm. It is the quieter setting for a business lunch, an anniversary, or a first omakase without the intimidation. Read more about our approach to value omakase in Singapore and the Edomae tradition behind it.
How to weigh the choice
Four things separate one omakase from another: the chef’s technique, the quality and freshness of sourcing, the setting and service, and the price you pay for all three. A Michelin star is a reliable signal of the first two, but it is not the only one — and it always carries a premium. If your evening calls for the grandest possible occasion, the starred counters earn their reputation. If you would rather have serious Edomae craft, fish flown from Toyosu, and attentive counter service at a price that leaves room to return, that is precisely the space MIYU was built to occupy.
MIYU is rated 5.8/6 on Quandoo and 4.6/5 on Google by verified diners — recognition, we hope, that value and quality need not be opposites.
Frequently asked questions
How does MIYU compare to Shoukouwa?
Shoukouwa is Singapore’s only two-Michelin-star sushi counter, with lunch from around $380 and dinner near $680. MIYU offers Edomae omakase at Dempsey Hill from $128 at lunch and $228 at dinner. Both fly their fish from Japan; MIYU’s positioning is serious craft at sincere prices in a calmer, non-CBD setting.
How does MIYU compare to Shinji by Kanesaka?
Shinji by Kanesaka is a one-Michelin-star Ginza-style room at The St. Regis on Tanglin Road, in the premium price bracket. MIYU sits nearby at Dempsey Hill but at a markedly lower price point, with the same commitment to weekly Toyosu sourcing and Edomae technique under Chef Ng Kam Kwan.
How does MIYU compare to Ginza Sushi Ichi?
Ginza Sushi Ichi, one Michelin star at Marriott Tang Plaza in Orchard, runs from about $150 at lunch to $500 for its signature set. MIYU’s lunch from $128 and dinner from $228 offer a comparable Edomae experience at Dempsey Hill, with the added quiet of the enclave setting.
Does affordable omakase mean lower quality?
Not necessarily. Price reflects location, brand and margin as much as it reflects the plate. At MIYU, the savings come from an unpretentious enclave setting and a sincere pricing philosophy — not from the fish, which is air-flown from Toyosu Market each week. See our thoughts on affordable omakase in Singapore.
Where is MIYU and how do I reserve?
MIYU is at 13A Dempsey Road, Singapore 247694, a short drive from Orchard Road. Lunch is from $128 and dinner from $228. You can reserve a table online, or WhatsApp us at +65 8208 3168. Learn more about Chef Ng Kam Kwan and the team.
Ready to experience it for yourself? View our lunch omakase or dinner omakase menus, then reserve your seat at the counter.