DistantNews
Support us
From wine bar to enduring icon: Mag's celebrates nearly 30 years in Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

From wine bar to enduring icon: Mag's celebrates nearly 30 years in Singapore

From CNA · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Magdalene Tang transformed a Circular Road wine bar into Mag's, a long-standing independent restaurant in Singapore.
  • Tang sold her house to keep the business afloat during the 1997 Asian financial crisis after her partners withdrew.
  • The restaurant, now named Mag's, has evolved over nearly three decades, adapting to changing dining habits and surviving the pandemic.

Magdalene Tang, the owner and executive chef of Mag's, has steered the Singaporean restaurant through nearly three decades of operation, evolving it from a wine bar into an enduring independent dining establishment. Tang, 64, who previously worked as a forex trader, opened Mag's Wine Bar Bistro on Circular Road in 1996, driven by her passion for wines.

I’ve always been intrigued by wines and collected them, so I opened the restaurant as a place for others to enjoy what I personally love.

— Magdalene TangTang explained her initial motivation for opening the restaurant.

Her commitment to the business was tested during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. When her partners pulled out, Tang made the drastic decision to sell her house to maintain ownership. She later renamed the establishment Mag's Wine Kitchen to emphasize its culinary offerings alongside its wine selection. Reflecting on her career choice, Tang stated, "You can say I really, really love this business," contrasting it with her previous profession where she felt she was "not very good at sucking up to people."

With no prior experience in the food and beverage industry, Tang immersed herself in learning about wines and improving her cooking skills. She recalled a period where the restaurant operated with a limited menu, serving whatever she cooked that day. Over the years, Mag's has undergone several relocations, moving to Keong Saik Road in 2019 and most recently to a two-story shophouse at 82 Neil Road in September 2025, where it now operates simply as Mag's.

You can say I really, really love this business.

— Magdalene TangTang expressed her deep affection for the restaurant business, even after facing significant challenges.

The restaurant's current head chef, Ian Tan, joined in 2024, bringing his wafu-style cooking that blends Japanese techniques with local and European influences. The menu features signature dishes like lobster risotto and cold capellini with uni, alongside more experimental creations. Mag's also boasts an extensive wine list, including notable Burgundies, reflecting its origins as a wine-focused venue that once sourced bottles directly from London brokers and auction houses, offering selections not readily available through Singaporean distributors.

For a while, we were a one-meal kind of restaurant where you come to drink and eat whatever I cooked that day. You don’t like [my cooking], don’t eat.

— Magdalene TangTang humorously described the early, less refined days of the restaurant's menu.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog