Les Amis

Crystal, Cellars, and Thirty Years of French Haute Cuisine

The entrance to Les Amis sits around the side of Shaw Centre on Scotts Road, not through the mall itself. That slight remove from the shopping-centre foot traffic is almost apt: the dining room inside occupies a different register entirely. Crystal chandeliers catch the light above an intimate space of velvet accents and polished surfaces, with a wooden ceiling feature and a piece of modern art offering the only departures from the prevailing formality. It is a room that communicates intent before a dish arrives.

Singapore's fine dining scene has expanded considerably since 1994, when Les Amis first opened. The city now sustains a serious tier of French kitchens, from the more exploratory format at Odette (French Contemporary) to the tighter bistro-adjacent proposition at Rhubarb Le Restaurant and the neighbourhood warmth of Claudine. Les Amis sits at the more classical end of that range, committed to French haute cuisine with prix fixe architecture and most ingredients sourced directly from France. Thirty years in, its relevance is not sentimental.

The Cellar as Centrepiece

The wine programme at Les Amis is the most consequential single variable in understanding why the restaurant occupies its particular position. In a city where serious wine lists exist but rarely achieve cellar depth at this scale, Les Amis holds approximately 7,500 bottles across 1,900 labels drawn from 13 countries. The corkage fee is set at $110, which signals the list is built to be used rather than merely displayed.

Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhône, Champagne, and the Loire form the French backbone, supplemented by Piedmont, California, and further international selections. Wine Director Baptiste Tomasi oversees the programme, with a sommelier team that includes Brosnan Ong, Noah Kainrath, and Lavinia Shih. The depth of the sommelier bench is itself a structural signal: at most restaurants in the region, wine service at this level relies on one or two key individuals. The breadth of staffing here reflects a list that requires genuine expertise across multiple regions to present credibly.

Wine pricing is categorised at the $$$ tier, meaning the list carries many bottles at $100 and above. That positions Les Amis not as a casual add-on-a-glass operation but as a destination for guests whose wine selection is as considered as the menu itself. Among the French restaurants in Singapore, the cellar depth here has few direct comparators. Maison Boulud and Nicolas offer serious French programmes, but neither operates at the same inventory scale.

For context in the wider Asian French dining market, the wine seriousness at Les Amis sits closer to what Le Taillevent in Paris represents institutionally: a cellar that is a reason to visit in itself, not merely a support to the food.

The Menu Structure

Executive Chef Sebastien Lepinoy runs prix fixe menus across five, six, and seven courses, with the kitchen operating for both lunch and dinner. The menu changes seasonally as French ingredients come in and out of availability. The sourcing model, with most ingredients drawn from France, is a structural commitment that distinguishes Les Amis from French-technique restaurants that localise their supply chains more heavily. Erquy scallops, handpicked French cheeses varying by texture and firmness, and dry-aged beef all appear across the documented menu formats.

Occasional Asian inflections appear within the French framework, which is characteristic of how Singapore's leading French kitchens have evolved. The presentation style is described as colourful and playful, a notable counterpoint to the formal room. The cheese course is a deliberate feature, with selections sourced directly from France and chosen to vary in texture, firmness, and flavour rather than to simply round out the meal.

The prix fixe architecture places Les Amis in the same structural category as other three-star operations in Asia. L'Effervescence in Tokyo, ESqUISSE, and Florilège all operate within tasting-course formats, but with markedly different culinary philosophies. La Cime in Osaka represents a comparable blend of French technique and localised ingredients. Les Amis holds the more classically sourced French position within that Asian peer group.

Service and Room

The service model at Les Amis is described consistently as attentive and poised without formality becoming a barrier. Each course arrives with a brief description, which is a practical choice in a restaurant where the sourcing and preparation details are part of the proposition. General Manager Manoj Sharma oversees operations alongside a stable, multi-person floor team.

Within Singapore's top-tier dining comparison set, Les Amis sits differently from the tasting-menu theatrics that characterise some peers. Zén, operating at the same $$$$ price tier, runs a format built around presentation spectacle. Born, also at $$$$, takes a creative and innovative approach. Les Amis holds to a different discipline: the ceremony is in the craft of the French tradition rather than in the production around it.

The dress code is smart casual, with men required to wear long trousers and covered shoes. The entrance is around the side of Shaw Centre rather than through the building, which is worth noting for first-time visitors.

Awards and Standing

The award record at Les Amis is one of the more sustained in Singapore's restaurant history. Three Michelin stars in 2023, 2024, and 2025. A La Liste score of 97.5 points in 2025, down slightly to 97 points in 2026. An OAD ranking of #57 in Asia in 2023, rising to #46 in 2024 and #47 in 2025. A Black Pearl 3 Diamond in 2025. World's 50 Best Asia's Leading Restaurants at #28 in 2025. No single accolade is unusual for a restaurant of this price and format. The combination across multiple independent ranking systems over multiple years is the more meaningful signal. For readers cross-referencing Singapore's French scene against broader regional and global benchmarks, Les Amis consistently appears across systems that use independent inspector programmes and reader panels, which limits the risk of any single methodology distorting the picture.

Planning Your Visit

Les Amis is located at 1 Scotts Road, #01-16 Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208. The entrance is on the side of the building, not inside the mall. Lunch and dinner service operates across five-, six-, and seven-course prix fixe formats. The corkage fee is $110. Smart casual dress applies; long trousers and covered shoes are required for men. Advance reservation is advised given the restaurant's standing in the regional rankings.

For a broader view of where Les Amis sits within the city's dining and hospitality offer, see our full Singapore restaurants guide, our full Singapore hotels guide, our full Singapore bars guide, our full Singapore wineries guide, and our full Singapore experiences guide.