Insider perks, bespoke privileges, hidden culinary gems: How to get access to a world of gourmet pleasures

When dining out is as much a social ritual as it is a culinary pursuit, the right restaurant can set the tone for everything from a business conversation to a quiet celebration.

Curated for discerning diners, The Culinaire’s List by DBS opens the doors to some of Singapore’s most sought-after tables – including seven restaurants recognised at this year’s Best Chef Awards 2025.

Among them: Thevar, known for its bold Indian-inspired tasting menus; Zen, for its artfully composed courses; and Peach Blossoms, for its elevated Cantonese flavours.

Since its debut in 2024, The Culinaire’s List has become an insider’s guide to the city’s fine-dining scene, celebrating exquisite restaurants, the latest culinary trends, dynamic chefs and the stories behind their craft.

But it is more than a catalogue of fine-dining venues. Launched as an invitation-only privilege for DBS Insignia Cardmembers, the programme combines a slate of privileges with a seamless concierge service that ensures access to these exclusive tables.

Now, with an enhanced programme extended to DBS Vantage Cardmembers, The Culinaire’s List brings this experience to a wider circle of affluent diners through new tiered benefits, and double the number of restaurants from 12 to 24.

Pure indulgence, artfully curated

For DBS Insignia Cardmembers, The Culinaire’s List features an exclusive, tightly curated circle of 12 restaurants that serve as inspiration for refined dining experiences – something about off-menu dishes.

Savour inventive Cantonese fare at Peach Blossoms, new to the list and awarded One Knife at this year’s Best Chef Awards.

Then there is Thevar, which earned Three Knives for the way Chef Mano fuses his Penang heritage, French training and Indian sensibilities into exquisite multi-course menus that have delighted diners for seven years.

Another standout is Michelin-starred Zen, which was awarded Two Knives. As the sister restaurant to the equally acclaimed Frantzen in Stockholm, Nordic cuisine is – unsurprisingly – the star of the show here, but given an edge with South-east Asian influences.

Here, Insignia Cardmembers can enjoy an exclusive off-menu dish – the smoked marron and sea buckthorn kosho beurre blanc (a French butter sauce with yuzu) – created by chef Martin Oefner.

“I chose marron because, when done right, it’s one of the most tender crustaceans out there, with a sweetness I absolutely love,” he shares. “It’s so good you could almost have it plain and still be wowed – but the technique has to be spot on. I’m pairing it with a creamy, flavourful sauce that complements its rich, succulent meat beautifully.”

In addition to special off-menu creations, DBS Insignia Cardmembers also enjoy private meet-and-greet opportunities with the chefs behind these acclaimed restaurants, as well as beverage credits with every two tasting menus ordered.

If they dine during their birthday month, they will also receive a corkage fee waiver for one bottle of wine or champagne. Best of all, all this will be arranged by DBS Insignia Service Ambassadors – the bank’s dedicated concierge team who will help handle reservations and queries for a hassle-free dining experience.

Broadening the circle

Under the refreshed programme, both DBS Insignia and Vantage Cardmembers will now be able to enjoy priority access and dining privileges at an additional 12 restaurants under The Culinaire’s List. These include Artichoke, Brasserie Astoria, Fico, Im Jai by Pun Im, Kappou Sushi, Latido, Maggie’s, Naked Finn, One Prawn & Co, Province, Rappu and South & East.

Seafood lovers will appreciate Im Jai by Pun Im, which serves Thai-inspired dishes with bold, bright flavours with the freshest ingredients.

The restaurant has put together a special seasonal tasting menu for DBS Cardmembers featuring marble goby and hamachi fish roe. The standout, however, is the river prawn with central sour seafood sauce and sweetened fish sauce.

Says chef Vincent Pang: “The flesh is sweet and tender, and is loaded with luxurious prawn fats. As we are the sole importer of these jumbo sized wild-caught Thai river prawns from southern Thailand, Im Jai is the only restaurant here where diners can taste this dish.”

Over at popular Italian restaurant Fico, securing a table has been a challenge since its opening in 2023 – a testament to its waterside setting and seasonal, sharing-style dishes rooted in the “cucina povera” tradition of Puglia in southern Italy. Signature dishes include the Focaccina, a focaccia-style pizza and handmade pastas like the Mafaldine with almonds and beef shank ragu.

At the other end of the spectrum is Maggie’s, with its ‘70s chinoiserie chic setting and boundary-pushing Asian inspired plates. A must-try here is the duck and sesame cold noodles, where shredded confit duck, Sichuan panko, and fresh daikon are tossed in a fragrant sesame and peanut sauce.

To sweeten the experience further, DBS Cardmembers in this tier also enjoy a host of different dining and beverage credits. Reservations for DBS Vantage Cardmembers can be made through The Inside Access via email at concierge@theinsideaccess.asia.

Find out more about The Culinaire’s List by DBS here.