When chef Björn Frantzén opened Brasserie Astoria Singapore in July 2023, he wasn’t just launching another fine dining Singapore restaurant. He was reviving a tradition. Inside the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, a complex that traces its roots to 1862, the Swedish culinary master transplanted his vision of accessible luxury, Nordic-Asian fusion, and theatrical dining to Singapore’s most storied performance venue. The historic venue had hosted government ceremonies and symphony orchestras for generations. Now it houses something equally significant: a dining experience that respects the past while celebrating contemporary appetite.
The Victoria Theatre dining dates back to when Singapore’s grand halls echoed with opera singers and distinguished guests. Over a century later, its timber columns and period details remain. But Brasserie Astoria Singapore transformed the historic concert hall into something unexpected: a place where food becomes performance, and the space itself becomes part of the meal. The architectural bones speak of another era, yet the energy inside belongs entirely to now.
The Space: When Architecture Meets Appetite
The interior design by Joyn Studio draws directly from the building’s cinematic past. Walking through the entrance, you encounter 100 seats arranged across a single floor, alongside a generous bar and a private dining room. Everything feels lived-in without feeling dated. The design respects original architectural details, ornamental railings, and period woodwork while introducing contemporary materials. This isn’t pastiche. It’s curation. Acoustic panels manage sound without imposing silence. Lighting comes warm and purposeful. The bar stretches generously across the space, inviting rather than intimidating.
What makes Brasserie Astoria Singapore distinct is its energy. Curated playlists from chef Frantzén and DNA Director Stefan Gissberg pulse through the dining room. The staff moves with purpose. The atmosphere signals high-energy dining: this is not hushed fine dining, but instead celebrates boldness and hospitality without pretense. Diners lean across tables to talk. Laughter carries. This approach to Victorian Theatre dining felt revolutionary in the formal fine dining Singapore landscape.
The Food: Nordic Precision Meets Asian Depth
Head Chef Emil Cecil Ess, who trained at Frantzén’s three-Michelin-starred Zén restaurant in Singapore, oversees an extensive à la carte menu. Dishes tell a story of cultural conversation. Råraka, crispy Agria potatoes topped with vendace roe, brings Swedish roots to your plate. Toast Astoria marries Baltic prawns and Norwegian king crab with wasabi aioli on sourdough, merging Scandinavian seafood traditions with Asian heat. Each component carries intention. Nothing exists for decoration.
The service model at Brasserie Astoria Singapore brings theatre into the meal itself. Flambe trolleys and tableside preparations transform cooking into something you witness and participate in. The cocktail menu mirrors this philosophy, featuring Nordic ingredients infused with Asian influences. Each drink represents a small study in contrast and balance.
This version of Brasserie Astoria Singapore isn’t the three-Michelin-star formality of Zén. It offers something rarer: fine dining Singapore that knows how to breathe, how to celebrate both precision and pleasure without demanding silence or solemnity.
Also Read: Inside Hearth Mumbai, where ingredient led meets fire cooked.
