singaporecity360° Born
Born is chef-owner Zor Tan's contemporary fine-dining restaurant, set in the conserved Jinriksha Station, a former rickshaw depot from around 1903 near Tanjong Pagar. It is his first solo venture after years working under André Chiang.
- Cuisine
- Innovative (contemporary Chinese/French)
- Neighbourhood
- Tanjong Pagar
- Nearest MRT
- Maxwell (TE) / Outram Park
- Chef
- Zor Tan
- Indicative price
- Fri lunch S$228++; dinner S$368++
- Address
- Jinriksha Station, 1 Neil Road, #01-01, Singapore 088804
Born is chef-owner Zor Tan's contemporary fine-dining restaurant, set in the conserved Jinriksha Station, a former rickshaw depot from around 1903 near Tanjong Pagar. It is his first solo venture after years working under André Chiang.
Signature dishes
- Dry-aged pigeon with grains, rice and corn — the "Circle of Life" signature.
- Bincho-smoked monkfish with roasted capsicum, chicken fat and fermented chilli.
- Aged wagyu tartare with oyster in a fried bao.
- Chicken-skin mille-feuille with aubergine puree.
- Fish maw with Chinese cabbage and smoked eel.
The cooking blends French technique with Chinese flavours across Hokkien, Cantonese, Taiwanese and Sichuan traditions, and the menu is seasonal, so dishes change through the year.
The concept
The tasting menu follows a "Circle of Life" philosophy, structured around nine principles — birth, roots, memories, craft and so on — so the meal reads as a kind of culinary autobiography. It is a nine-course dinner rather than an a la carte affair.
The chef
Zor Tan was born in Malaysia and moved to Singapore at 17, working his way up from a factory job through SHATEC and into Jaan, where he met his mentor André Chiang. He became executive chef at Restaurant André and co-executive chef of the two-star RAW in Taipei, staged at DiverXO and El Celler de Can Roca in Spain, and ran Sichuan Moon at Wynn Palace Macau, which took two stars in its first year.
Getting there
Born is at #01-01 Jinriksha Station, 1 Neil Road, at the junction of Neil Road and Tanjong Pagar Road, close to Chinatown, Maxwell and Outram. Maxwell MRT on the Thomson-East Coast line is about a six-to-eight-minute walk; Outram Park is a little further.
Prices
The nine-course dinner is S$368++, with a Friday lunch at S$228++ and an Experience Menu at S$288++ on Tuesday to Thursday. Wine pairing is S$218++ and a non-alcoholic pairing S$128++; "++" is before service charge and GST.
How to book
Reserve through the restaurant's official page. There is only one lunch service a week, on Friday, so book roughly four to eight weeks ahead. A credit card may be required to confirm, and dietary needs should be flagged at booking.
Opening hours
Dinner Tuesday to Saturday, 6 to 11pm. Lunch on Friday only, midday to 3pm. Closed Sunday and Monday, plus some public holidays.
The room & dress
The restored heritage building holds a contemporary interior in black, sand and grey with green, red and yellow accents, glowing double arches, a high glass ceiling and a paper sculpture. There is a main hall of about fifteen seats, a twelve-seat counter at the show kitchen, and private rooms. Dress is smart casual, no jacket required.
A little history
Born opened in 2022 as Zor Tan's first independent restaurant, won its first star in 2023, and has held one star since, including in 2026.
Who it’s for
For diners who love a tasting menu with a strong chef narrative, marking an anniversary or milestone, and for anyone drawn to French technique carrying Chinese flavours, fermentation, smoke and Sichuan spice. Not the place for large portions, low prices or a spontaneous walk-in.