Top cocktail bars in Singapore

Over the past five years, the cocktail bartending scene in Singapore has risen to great heights, with a stream of constantly evolving talent creating original and exciting concoctions.

From the hip and hidden to the sleek and high-rise, we unearth the top 10 cocktail bars in Singapore for your enjoyment.

28 Hong Kong Street

Step in this speakeasy (there’s no signboard, so look out for its discreet address marked ’28’) camouflaged as a traditional shophouse and be taken aback by its new renovated spiffy interior. Big on premium spirits by craft distillers, 28 embodies the likes of New York’s burgeoning scene and is the reason for Singapore’s cocktail revolution.

Bagging the #10 spot for the second consecutive year on World’s 50 Best Bars, rest assured you’re in good hands—of Bacardi ambassadors Arijit Bose and David Cordoba, and Peter Chua, winner of Diageo’s World Class Southeast Asia Best Bartender of the Year 2014, to be exact.

With bartenders of such calibre, there will be no run-of-the-mill cocktails—only provocative concoctions and addictive bar bites (order the mac ‘n’ cheese balls, and brussels and bacon) that will leave one yearning for more.

Our personal favourites include Shoot the Gringo, 28 Days Later, and Check in—ensuring you won’t be checking out anytime soon.

28 Hong Kong St., +65 6100 4040.

D.Bespoke

A classic Ginza-style bar, D.Bespoke is a discerning sanctuary managed by owner-bartender, Daiki Kanetaka, a certified venenciador (Sherry sommelier) with a focus on Sherry—there are 43 in total. If you’re new to the game, tasting flights offer the option of sampling three to five Sherries; fino, amontillado, olorosos, cream, and manzanilla. Our personal favourite is the brilliantly ethereal Alfonso Jerez-Xérès, much akin a fino but more delicate on the palate; intense flavours of caramel, citrus, wood with a gentle touch of salt and toffee.

Sherry cocktails like Jerez and The Bamboo are exquisite; the former begins with a deep nose of dark chocolate and coffee that blossom into bittersweet notes of citrus with subtle hints of figs that linger thickly on the palate, while the latter is filled with aromatic herbaceous notes and mild notes of wood coated with fruit that presents a clean and clear cocktail worth returning for.

D.Bespoke, 2 Bukit Pasoh Rd., +65 8141 5741.

Ding Dong

The exterior of this three-storey shophouse brings back nostalgic memories of visiting a traditional Chinese medicine shop, but traipse up the stairs and you’ll be lead into intoxication. A glance at the menu and one will easily be sucked into ordering more one should.

Each of the cocktails stand its ground, extending beyond the boundaries of creativity. Pi Pa Gao features the classic Sazerac glamorised with an Asian flair; trading cognac for rum with the inclusion of Angostura, imparting deep floral flavors and dark cherry notes that easily makes it a perennial favourite. A little sweet, sour and everything in-between, Bahru Bootleg is an assemblage of tequila blanco, Cointreau, house-made pomegranate molasses and a dash of lime—sweet, salty and citrusy with a lingering scent of pandan.

What we love about this spot is its dedication to equally delectable nosh—order the Vietnamese scotch eggs, and chicken coleslaw. Trust us, it tastes better than it sounds.

Ding Dong, 23 Ann Siang Rd., +65 6557 0189.

FOC

Aptly named, FOC means “fire” in Catalan, helmed by fiery duo; bar manager, Dario Knox, and head bartender, Shafik Ismail. Together, they’ve created a cocktail list worth drooling over. Apothecary G&T marries two premium gins; Martin Miller and Hendricks, decanted in-house with citrus oils of lemon, orange and grapefruit, alongside cardamom, rosewater and pink peppercorn that allows the fruit and botanicals to shine.

Especially captivating is Good Old Diplomatic Pal that uses the solera method to barrel age Diplomatico Reserva rum, a house-made coffee vermouth blend, Cynar Amarno, Aperol Aperotivo and Campari bitters to birth a concoction that replaces the usual alcohol burn with an emphasised sweetness of rum and a hint of smoke and oak. The spirit of the place goes in hand with their cocktails, boasting of its aptly named moniker; capturing the essence of fire, indeed.

FOC, 40 Hong Kong St., findus@28hks.com.

Hopscotch

One of the first locally-inspired bars, don’t expect fancy, new age theatrics at Hopscotch—cocktails here evoke a sense of nostalgia that brings one back to yesteryears. On the menu, you’ll find interesting names like Arab Street and Hop Kee—the former exuding aromas of flowers and spice akin that of a stroll down Arab Street in Singapore’s Malay district, while the latter punctuates the senses with subtle notes of sesame oil and cucumber, reminiscent of popular local dish chicken rice.

A rendition of their version of Assam Laksa takes form in Georgetown Special, a Stoli (vodka) based concoction blended with mango purée, and shaken with tamarind paste, mint and ginger flower petals. Garnished with house-made pickled green mango (soaked in Chinese white vinegar and chili), this savoury cocktail makes the perfect aperitif that whets the appetite.

Hopscotch, RedDot Traffic Bldg., 28 Maxwell Rd., +65 6327 4820.

Manhattan Bar

It’s only been a year, but Manhattan Bar is already making waves. With the very personable Head Bartender, Ricky Paiva, at the reign, it’s no wonder why. Having honed his craft at some of the world’s leading bars, including San Francisco’s Rickhouse, Paiva is best known for his skill in using herbs and house-made ingredients.

A shining example is The Main Stem—a cachaça-based cocktail that features house-made gooseberry with apricot brandy and fresh lemon juice, resulting in zesty flavours of sweet and spice. A new gem on the menu is the floral and botanical Aviation, consisting of Citadelle original gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, blue pea flower and fresh lemon. Its ginger aromas and subtly sweet long finish pairs beautifully with the Smoked Marlin Dip by Executive Chef Nicholas Trosien—rich in avocado butter and white sturgeon caviar, served alongside crisp tostones.

Manhattan Bar, 1 Cuscasen Rd., +65 6725 3377.

Operation Dagger

With a moniker resembling a top secret mission by the Secret Service, Operation Dagger completes the look with its underground bar tucked away down an alley where “the road less travelled” comes into play. Hundreds of nondescript bottles with handwritten labels containing house-made spirits line the wall behind the bar—it’s no wonder ‘apothecary’ comes to mind.

Head bartender Luke Whearty is Commander-in-chief, putting his creative genius to crafting unique—both in visual and in taste—concoctions that places excitement at the forefront. Case in such: Gamashio. Distilled in Japanese black sesame, refreshingly citrusy notes were pitted against the savouriness of toasted sesame, accompanied by a cucumber chunk coated in sesame seeds for discerning textures and crunch. Sweet and creamy is the Egg.

This cocktail features egg yolks vacuum-sealed overnight with sugar, dark rum, star anise and toasted hay to achieve subtle burnt flavours of salted caramel, smoked with burnt lemon that’s used as ‘charcoal’. The complex layering of flavours really showcases Whearty’s creativity.

Operation Dagger, 7 Ann Siang Hill.

Sugarhall

Singapore’s first and only rum bar may seem like a monopoly waiting to be overthrown, but it hasn’t, and we doubt it’ll happen anytime soon. Reason being, its star-studded cast of over 60 rums from all over the world with a edgy cocktail list by two-time Diageo Reserve World Class Singapore winner Aki Eguchi, accompanied by excellent flame-grilled meats.

Putting their trademark spin to well known classics, the Sugarhall Mai Tai is based on Myers Dark Rum and Rhum-Rhum Blanc Agricole. Sparked with spiced apricot brandy, orgeat, lime and almond that highlights the fruitiness of tamarind and dried fruit, this beauty boasts of fresh floral flavours that smoothens out bittersweet notes.

For a whiff of something stronger, Last Outpost envelopes the mouth with rich vanilla tones accented with warm honeyed notes of liquorice and herbs. If the above sounds like something you’d be interested in, then it’s time to head to the bar and get your drink on.

Sugarhall, 102 Amoy St., +65 6222 9102.

The Horse’s Mouth

Probably one of Singapore’s best kept secrets, The Horse’s Mouth is hidden to the naked eye—its entrance is so inconspicuous it’s practically non-existent. A dimly lit stairwell behind the restaurant leads one down to the bar where head bartender Byron Tan will satiate your thirst with deliciously creative concoctions.

The new mainstay menu eliminates all ho-hum cocktails, and only the best remain. That’s not to say it used to be bad, they’ve just taken things up (yet another) notch.

Allow your inhibitions to take flight with Jungle Bird, a Diplomatico Anejo rum-based cocktail that strikes the perfect balance of bitter (Campari), sweet (pineapple) and sour (lime). Eliminating all thoughts that beetroot in a cocktail wouldn’t work, the Beetroot Bonanza combines Mina Rel mezcal, green Chartreuse and house-made beetroot cordial with chili tincture to birth an earthy, smoky and bittersweet tipple with a mild hint of spice. Mom would be proud we’re finally taking to vegetables.

The Horse’s Mouth, #B1-39 Forum The Shopping Mall, 583 Orchard Rd., +65 6235 1088.

Tippling Club

‘La Final’

Never ceasing to amaze, Tippling Club’s dynamic new location in the Central Business District only makes it more convenient to quench one’s thirst with award-winning cocktails by head bartender Kamil Foltan.

Proclaiming its independence is the Smokey Old Bastard of Peychauds and Islay whiskey, unflinching as it wraps you in deep flavors of citrus and smoke. The intoxication continues with an astonishing Fig Sidecar that infuses figs with Baron Otard Cognac to exude a sweet, mild fruitiness with a pinch of spice that pairs swimmingly well with the Blue Swimmer Crab Cakes with mint vinaigrette.

As a final act, La Final’s concoction of Diplomatico Venezuelan dark rum, sweet vermouth, Pimento dram, and walnut butters evoke such a keen sense of longing that it torments you the minute you stop taking a swig. With each sip, take a bite of edible cigar chocolate ganache and allow its subtle aromas of cola and caramel to swirl alongside sneaks of tumeric.

Tippling Club, 38 Tanjong Pagar Rd., +65 6475 2217.