You may already frequent SPRMRKT’s cafes at McCallum Street and STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery. What they’ve now brought to the table: A more upscale setting called SPRMRKT Kitchen & Bar.

Its interior – soft lighting, a clean colour palette and large, airy windows – exudes a welcoming and pleasing aura, and aims to subvert conventional notions of fine dining as an aloof, alienating affair. What catches your eye immediately, though, are the large photographs by homegrown photography and design company Studio Oooze that have been splashed onto several walls.

The images incorporate local food and cooking elements (we spy a mortar and pestle and an opened juice box) into what appears to be fine art paintings as a tongue-in-cheek response to the way we view food as art (or vice versa).

The menu, created by head chef Jonathan Ong, offers New American cuisine injected with local flavour. Highlights include a fettucine done with tiger prawns, chilli, squid ink and bacon (above left, $24), and a Spanish octopus with water spinach and burnt fruit, served with an Asian twist to a traditional romesco (nut and pepper) sauce (above right, $65). #02-01 STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, open 11:30am-3pm and 6pm-10pm (Mon-Fri), 9am-4pm and 6pm-10pm (Sat) and 9am-6pm (Sun), tel: 9736-4170

If you’re a fan of small plates, this is a must-visit. The 49-seater restaurant and bar is located in a cosy shophouse in the CBD, and its dark, slick interior is the product of owner/head chef Tim Ross-Watson’s idea of “punk rock meets apocalyptic industrial”.

Serving up modern European cuisine with a British and Asian slant, the dishes are the result of the chef transforming usually discarded parts of produce into artfully layered dishes. Dishes like Mother’s Lamb (above, $18), for example, include lamb hearts and neck prepared tandoori-style.

For the not-so-adventurous, there are cold tapas like Coffee Lox ($18), composed of Norwegian salmon cured using upcycled coffee grinds, and hot tapas like The Rump ($22), which has pan-seared beef cubes served with quinoa, roasted beetroot and horseradish chutney. Food aside, don’t hesitate to give the cocktails a try, too, as most of them incorporate savoury ingredients. 43 North Canal Road, open 6pm-12am (Mon-Sat), tel: 6532-2171

The folks behind hip Keong Saik izakaya Neon Pigeon have just launched another cool dining concept: Fat Prince, a “cafe-kebabery” that blends refined European cafe culture with the vibrant vibe of Instanbul’s bohemian Karakoy neighbourhood.

The interior celebrates Eastern and Western influences through Middle Eastern mosaic patterns on its walls, a marble-topped bar and ceramic hand-painted bowls that have been converted into sinks in the washroom.

Dishes, obviously, are also influenced by both cultures. Canadian chef Hunter J. Moyes has created a flavourful menu boasting eight to ten taco-sized kebabs (above, priced at $10 on average) that allow diners to mix and match various options, from roast or spiced meats to vegetarian versions.

Its brunch menu, meanwhile, fuses Turkish recipes with typical Melburnian breakfast choices. Try Pides ($16-$22), a cripsy crust pastry filled with tantalising meats like braised beef cheeks, and the chef’s modern takes on hummus and tabbouleh (a traditional Turkish vegetarian dish made with tomatoes, mint, parsley and onion). 48 Peck Seah Street, open 8am-12am (Tue-Sun) and 11am-12am (Sat-Sun), tel: 6221-3683 

Opened last month, the 38-seater tapas bar and restaurant marries Japanese ingredients with French culinary techniques. Set up by three local restaurateurs who are also behind Japanese eatery CoCo ICHIBANYA,  a marble long bar dominates its space, while the colour scheme is kept dark and moody to provide an intimate, inviting atmosphere.

Local creatives’ works are also a key feature here. Every plate has been individually moulded by ceramics studio Mud Rock, while the painting of the Eiffel Tower at the entrance was created by finger painter Adeline Yeo.

As its name suggests, the restaurant uses bincho-tan – a type of charcoal that burns hot and for a longer period of time without releasing any unpleasant odour – to prepare its dishes. Must-tries include the Iberico pork jowl ($35), which has been sous-vide to infuse a touch of Katsu curry, then smoked on bincho-tan and served with Japanese pumpkin; the Wagyu loin ($15) infused with port wine and Ume red plum liqueur; and the Myoban uni (above, $23), a creamy and tangy offering done pudding-style.

Wine pairing is also available, as are a curated selection of sake and gin-infused cocktails. #01-04 115 Amoy Street, open 11:30am-3pm and 6pm-11pm (Mon-Sat) for lunch and dinner, and 10:30pm-12am (drinks and bar snacks only), tel: 6221-6065

Find respite in modern Italian restaurant and rooftop bar Braci, which is tucked away in bustling Boat Quay. The 16-seater open-kitchen restaurant boasts chic, modern finishes, and its 30-seater bar offers a great view of the city skyline and the Singapore River.

Renowned restaurateur Beppe de Vito (the same guy behind Aura and il Lido @ The Cliff) employs the use of charcoal grilling to give classic Italian cuisine a refreshing overhaul. The Piedmontese beef rib steak ($138) is a whopping one kilograms’ worth of juicy red meat to be shared between two diners, while the duck breast (above, $38) comes with a delicate flavour and texture. If you prefer to surprise your tastebuds, go for the five-course Omakase menu instead – priced at $100, it includes highlights from the a la carte menu as well as a curated wine list.

Post-dinner, shoot the breeze upstairs with drinks like Tiramisu ($24), a velvety-smooth cocktail of orange and vanilla-infused vodka, or select from a wide selection of Scotch and Japanese whiskies. Level 5-6 52 Boat Quay, open 6pm-11pm (restaurant) and 5pm-12am (bar), tel: 6866-1933

Like this? Check out these award-winning chic restaurants in Singapore, stylish restaurants at the National Gallery and restaurants with chef’s tables so you can be close to all the culinary action.