BARREL STORY OF HIBIKI Opens in Singapore with a Modern Izakaya Led by Chef Sho Naganuma

A New Izakaya Concept Rooted in Japanese Craftsmanship

Opened on 6 December at 19 Cecil Street, BARREL STORY OF HIBIKI is the first Hibiki-led concept restaurant outside Japan. The modern izakaya is shaped by the House of Suntory’s philosophy of craftsmanship, balance and cultural resonance, expressed through wood-fire cooking, an extensive whisky programme and a dining experience built around connection and harmony.

Helmed by chef-partner Sho Naganuma, the restaurant brings forward a contemporary expression of izakaya culture, where fire, whisky and thoughtful hospitality guide the menu and the space.

Yazawa Niku Jaga and XL Fresh Prawns

Lunch at BARREL: Personalised, Flexible and Seasonal

BARREL’s lunch programme offers a choice between à la carte selections or two- and three-course sets priced at S$55 and S$63. Starters include Barrel House Salad with soy vinaigrette and Hakusai Caesar Salad with maple smoked bacon and chirimen sansho.

Mains range from Curried Butternut with miso curry sauce to a miso-marinated fire-grilled Steak and Fries. Cross-over favourites such as Chicken Kaarage with yuzu kosho and BARREL Chicken Rice anchor both lunch and dinner menus.

Add-ons include Mochi Cheese Nuggets with miso curry sauce and Super Fat Fries dressed with shio kombu and A5 wagyu fat vinaigrette.

Premium supplements include Daily Sashimi Selection (S$8++), Niku Jaga (S$15++), TSUJIHAN Don (S$28++), and TORASHO Cold Stupid Ramen (S$35++).

Soft-serve desserts—INNOCENT, OKINAWA and BARREL—feature Hokkaido milk, kokuto caramel and Hibiki-infused honey, each with an optional Chocolate Lava Cake upgrade (S$5++).

A More Expansive Izakaya Experience at Dinner

Dinner at BARREL centres on two formats: the Signature Set (S$68 per person) and an extensive à la carte menu of over 60 dishes.

The Signature Set includes izakaya-style plates such as Smoked Nuts & Raisins, Sashimi Moriawase, Tonsoku Harumaki (braised pig trotter spring roll), White Corn glazed with A5 wagyu fat vinaigrette, Prosciutto, Cream Cheese & Shine Muscat Maki Roll, and Teba-Gyoza stuffed chicken wings.

The à la carte dinner selection expands into a broader exploration of seafood, charcuterie, otsumami and grilled dishes. Highlights include Hokkaido Red Trout and TOKYO ISLAND Onaga Tai sashimi; Eihire and Karasumi from the Chinmi section; kombu-based Signature Beignet with house-smoked wagyu bresaola; Maple Smoked Bacon Steak; Gyu Tongue Tsukune; Uni-Corn Croquette; and Pork Collar Katsu Sando.

From the Grill, options include Suckling Pig, XL Fresh Prawn in wagyu fat butter, Ember Roast Chicken, American Wagyu Bone-in Striploin and a whole grilled Onaga Tai. Rice and noodle dishes such as Grilled Wagyu Donabe, TSUJIHAN Donabe and Wagyu Yaki Udon round out the offering.

Desserts include Purin a la Mode and seasonal Japanese fruits.

One of Asia’s Most Extensive Suntory Whisky Selections

BARREL features one of the region’s most comprehensive collections of Suntory whiskies, including Hibiki Japanese Harmony, 21 Years Old and 30 Years Old. It is also the only venue in Singapore to offer Hibiki by the glass at a refined entry price, encouraging discovery.

Signature whisky flights include:
• The Story of Hibiki (S$38) – Highball, Rock and Mizuwari expressions
• Hibiki Harmony 100th Anniversary Edition Flight (S$58)
• The Ultimate Flight (S$188)
• The BARREL Flight (S$988) featuring rare aged expressions

A cocktail menu built around Japanese ingredients includes drinks such as the Hibiki Champagne Style Highball, BARREL’s Godfather, Hibiki Sling, Japanese Crane Sour, ROKU Sakura Martini and Matcha Coco.

Non-alcoholic options include Virgin Singapore Sling and Virgin Splitzer, alongside a selection of wines, sakes and beers.

A Space Designed Around Nature, Fire and Time

BARREL’s interiors are shaped by wood, metal and stone to create a calm, harmonious dining environment inspired by whisky-making and wood-fire cooking.

The Main Dining Room is centred on the rhythm of the grill, where smoke, char and natural materials guide the experience.

The Vault, a preserved former bank vault, has been transformed into an eight-seat whisky salon lined with reclaimed cask wood from Suntory’s distilleries.

The Terrace offers a lighter, more social setting for small plates and highballs, with open-air seating surrounded by greenery.

Together, these spaces reflect BARREL’s belief in the balance of craft, hospitality and connection.

Chef Sho Naganuma

Chef-partner Sho Naganuma brings over two decades of international culinary experience. Having trained under Hide Yamamoto, he worked in Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Tokyo before joining Marina Bay Sands as Executive Chef of Hide Yamamoto.

He is currently Co-Owner of Torasho Ramen & Charcoal Bar and is known for his modern Japanese cooking led by fire, seasonality and precision.