The Night We Fell for Aniba (and a Little More for Each Other)...
Two forks. One story. How we shared our way through Aniba—and left a little more in love.
We booked Aniba for a Friday night because we wanted more than just good food—we wanted a feeling.
The kind of romantic dinner in Singapore that slows time: soft lighting, music that hums below your words, and plates that invite you to reach across the table.
Friends had called it one of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore, but we wanted to find out for ourselves.
By dessert, we weren’t just full—we were connected.
Small plates didn’t feel like smaller portions; they felt like invitations to talk, to laugh, to trade bites, to say “you try this first” even when we both wanted the last spoonful.
This is our story: two people, one night, and a table that made room for us to be exactly who we are—together.
Date Night at Aniba
Surprisingly, Their Small Plates Sparked a Big Romance
We realized quickly that Aniba’s menu is designed like a conversation.
You don’t commit to one dish and hope it’s perfect.
You compose an evening together. A bite of this, a taste of that, hands crossing, forks trading places.
It felt like dancing—reach, taste, react, repeat. Small plates lower the stakes and raise the intimacy.
No pressure to “pick the right main.” Instead, a dozen little moments add up to something bigger.
We learned each other’s cravings in real time: the way one of us loves heat, the other craves citrus, how we both stop talking for a beat when smoke and spice collide.
That’s the romance of sharing—tiny discoveries that become inside jokes before the bill even arrives.
If you’re shortlisting the most romantic restaurants in Singapore, choose the place that lets you build the night together.
First Bites That Broke the Ice
Cigar
We started with Aniba’s bites, and they set the tone perfectly: we’re doing this together.
The shiso tartare arrived like a quiet crescendo—silky trout folded with shiso and dukkha for a gentle crunch, finished with a bright yellow tomato coulis that tasted like sunlight on the first warm day.
One spoon for you, one for me, and then we traded; the flavours felt fresh, clean, and a little flirty, the kind of opener that makes conversation effortless.
Then came the cigars—crisp, delicate rolls filled with grouper (or mushroom, if you prefer), tucked beside peppery arugula and a dab of amba aioli that gave a tangy, mango-spiced wink.
We split each cigar down the middle and compared notes like teenagers: the snap, the steam, the way the amba lifted everything.
These bites didn’t just feed us; they paced us—tactile, shareable, and unpretentious. Within ten minutes, the table felt like ours.
If you’re planning a romantic dinner in Singapore, this is the perfect icebreaker—no awkward pauses, just delicious ones at one of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore.
Vegetable Heroes With Middle Eastern Soul
We came for romance; we stayed for the vegetables.
The cauliflower arrived first—roasted till the edges blushed, draped in herb pesto and tahini, with tamarind tracing a sweet-tart ribbon through every bite.
A crown of crispy kale added a gentle crunch, the kind you hear just before you both smile. We passed the fork back and forth, each tasting for something different—you chased the citrusy lift, I lingered on the sesame warmth—meeting in the middle every time.
Then the Jerusalem bagel—warm, generous, and perfect for two.
We tore it open and swiped through labneh glossed with za’atar, the tang and thyme lighting up the table.
It was the simplest gesture of the night and somehow the most intimate: your half, my half, and then a quiet agreement to split a third piece because it felt like home.
The surprise headliner? vine leaves—tender parcels of rice and spices under a dark shine of molasses, finished with a cloud of yogurt–yuzu foam.
Earth, perfume, and a bright whisper of citrus lifted the whole plate.
We traded bites like secrets, deciding this was the dish we’d tell friends about when they asked for the most romantic restaurants in Singapore to book for a romantic dinner in Singapore.
Nothing here feels like a “vegetarian option.”
Each plate is a lead character—a technique where others use heft, spice where others use excess.
We left lighter, closer, and already planning what we’d share next time.
Cocktails With Soul: The Drinks That Scored Our Night
We could have stopped at the food and still called it perfect, but Aniba’s cocktails turned a great night into our night.
We began with a mango-amba highball that tasted like sunshine with a smoky aside—bright, social, and easy to sip while we settled in.
The cucumber-dill highball followed: crisp and clean with a cheeky pickle finish, the exact refresh we didn’t know we needed.
Then we leaned closer and ordered Sesame: a stemmed, silky pour with toasted black sesame, tahini, honey, and halva.
The room warmed, our conversation deepened, and we understood why people whisper about Aniba as one of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore—the bar knows how to score a love story.
If you’re not drinking, the zero-proof builds still feel celebratory; there’s a floral fizz that made us clink glasses just as softly.
Service That Heard What We Didn’t Say Out Loud
Great service is invisible until you need it; at Aniba, it’s present like a pulse. We never had to flag a refill or worry about pacing. Courses arrived like they’d been listening to our conversation. Pairing suggestions were on point, not pushy. When we asked for something a little quieter after the second round, the music seemed to slip a half-step softer around us.
This is where Aniba earns its place among the most romantic restaurants in Singapore: the team treats time like the luxury it is. They protect your rhythm, honor your preferences (vegetarian, gluten-aware, low-alcohol—it’s handled), and make the evening feel tailored. You pay for food and drink, yes, but what you take home is the feeling that your night mattered.
Our Playbook for a Perfect Romantic Dinner in Singapore (Steal It)
When to go. Early evening, if you want candlelight calm; late,r for a room that blooms into a party glow. Both are romantic—choose your version of the night.
Where to sit. A low table for whispers; a banquette if you want that “our little world” feeling; the bar if you love the theater of craft and a touch of banter.
How to order. Aniba’s bites — shiso tartare (trout, shiso, dukkha, yellow tomato coulis) and cigars (grouper or mushroom, amba aioli, arugula) — with bright highballs (mango-amba for one of us, cucumber-dill for the other). Trade bites. Trade smiles… Pace cocktails: bright → crisp → silky → warm.
What to wear. Think confidently and comfortably. This is a romantic dinner in Singapore, not a ceremony. You want to feel like yourself—just a little more luminous.
What to say. “Surprise us.” Aniba’s team excels when you give them a compass: bright but not sweet; herbaceous; low ABV; something with dates. They’ll write the night around you.
This arc turned two hours into a memory that still fits perfectly in our hands. If you’re looking for the most romantic restaurants in Singapore, follow the flow that lets you stay present with each other.
Why Aniba Makes Our Shortlist of the Most Romantic Restaurants in Singapore
Romance isn’t a prop; it’s attention.
Aniba gives attention to everything that shapes a romantic dinner in Singapore: the pace of service, the feel of the room, the way small plates encourage closeness without ceremony.
The kitchen cooks with confidence, the bar pours with soul, and the staff moves like a soundtrack you can’t quite hear but can definitely feel.
Most places try to impress you. Aniba connects you.
We left with specific memories—a lemon note on the eggplant, the silk of sesame, the way the second cocktail seemed to land on the exact beat of our conversation.
That’s why it belongs on any list of romantic restaurants: it understands that a great night is made of a hundred small yeses.
A Love Letter to Shared Plates (and to Aniba)
We went to Aniba because we wanted a good night…
But we left with a story that lasted in our minds.
Not a grand one—something quieter, more intimate, and more lasting.
The warmth of the bread. The vegetable plate that surprised us both. The cocktail that felt like a hand on the small of your back, guiding you forward.
If you’re building a shortlist of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore, put Aniba at the top.
Go for the small plates; stay for the big feelings.
Share everything, including the last bite.
Let the room do what it was designed to do: make two people feel like the only two who matter.
And if you’re lucky, you’ll leave like we did—more in love with the food, the night, and each other.
FAQs
1) Do we need a reservation for date night?
Highly recommended. Aniba’s intimate layout means peak hours fill quickly. Booking ahead ensures the seating and pacing that make a romantic night seamless.
You can book here.
2) Is Aniba vegetarian-friendly?
Absolutely. Many of the standout plates are vegetable-driven—think harissa-glazed carrots, charred cauliflower with za’atar, and handmade bagels. These are headliners, not concessions.
3) What cocktails should we try if we want something light, then something silky?
Open with a mango–amba highball or a cucumber–dill build; shift to Sesame (toasted black sesame, tahini, honey, halva) when you’re ready to lean in.
4) Is Aniba better for quiet romance or a lively night?
Both. Early seatings are soft and intimate; later, the room warms into a party glow while staying refined—ideal for couples who enjoy energy around them.
5) Can the team handle dietary preferences or craft off-menu drinks?
Yes and yes. Share your preferences (vegetarian, gluten-aware, low-alcohol, zero-proof) and a flavor compass (“bright, not sweet,” “silky, minimal sugar”). The kitchen and bar love to tailor.
