Head upstairs to Lou Shang, and you'll find a café-style menu centred on Singapore favourites. This includes the “Rainbow Roti” (rainbow bread, soft boiled eggs, and assorted custard) and “Tutu Kueh” cake made with coconut mousse and gula melaka. Even the drinks here are nostalgic, with creations such as Raspberry Ripple, inspired by the popular flavour sold at streetside ice cream carts, and the Kopi & Dream, which contains Nanyang Coffee Cold Brew with spiced rum, Shanky's Whip, coffee liqueur, salted cream, and butterscotch.

Founder Sebastian Ang is also the man behind Synthesis, a viral speakeasy which hides behind what seems like a traditional Chinese medicinal storefront.

Mama Diam, 38 Prinsep Street, S(188665)

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If you’ve ever noticed an odd-looking ATM in Tanjong Pagar, don’t stick your bank card in and expect cash to fly out. The metallic “machine” planted on the wall at Craig Road is actually the entrance to a fairly new burger bar called The Bank. 

Hidden behind the otherwise very ordinary looking wall is a neon-lit, American diner-inspired burger bar with a small menu offering burgers, sides, milkshakes, and an array of alcohol and non-alcohol drinks.

With just three burgers on the menu, it’s not hard to take your pick. The signature is a beefy cheeseburger made with American cheese and juicy prime Angus beef. For drinks, try the Bailey’s milkshake for a creamy buzz, or order one of the 12 specially chosen craft beers available on tap on a rotation basis.

The Bank, 46 Craig Road, S(089684)

Operating from behind a door disguised as a kopitiam drinks refrigerator since 2019, The Dragon Chamber is still a popular haunt for foodies seeking hard-to-find Chinese dishes in a casual, yet exclusive setting. Run by the Ebb & Flow Group (Willow, Sommer, Chin Mee Chin, Casa Vostra, Tigerlilly, and Café Natsu), this hidden dragon comes out to play for lunch and dinner from Tuesdays to Sundays.

Lunch sets here include the speakeasy’s famous Wagyu truffle beef hor fun, a tantalising mix of wok-fried flat rice noodles, crispy deep fried noodle strips, and premium US Wagyu short rib. Hop over for dinner instead if you want to try the dragon’s signature cheeseburger rolls, made with ground beef and cheese in a crispy egg roll. If you’re feeling gutsy, go straight for the Dragon’s Claw, consisting of braised Singapore-farmed crocodile foot in an aromatic herbal sauce.

Before leaving the chamber, end the night with signature concoctions such as the Concubine Cooler (soju, gin, strawberry, lemon, condensed milk, and Sprite) and the Dragon Eye Mojito (St Germain, sake longan, lime, and peated whisky mist).

The Dragon Chamber, 2 Circular Road, S(049358)

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Previously hidden in the now-defunct Uma Uma Ramen at Forum, The Horse’s Mouth made its return in July this year, this time as The Horse’s Mouth at Nomi Dining Bar. In case you’re confused, both The Horse’s Mouth and Nomi Dining Bar are situated in the same spot that Uma Uma used to occupy.

Quiet and unassuming, The Horse’s Mouth is known among regulars for offering deeply satisfying meals in an exclusive and low-profile setting. Here, you’ll find an intoxicating range of Japanese whiskies alongside Japanese-inspired cocktails, such as the Eastern Remedy (gin, yuzu sake, lemon, chamomile tea, and Giffard Peach) and the Hadouken (hyakunen umeshu, spiced rum, lemon, brown sugar, and Angostura Bitters). 

Even more exciting though, is the food menu, with cold options such as the mazesoba, an omakase sushi platter, and the “Special Chirashi” rice bowl adorned with nine types of seasonal sashimi. Hot dishes here range from light bites (think pork katsu, tempura, and yakitori) to tummy-filling dishes such as the Kagoshima A5 Wagyu steak, an unagi kabayaki don, and the sakura ebi hotate garlic chahan (fried rice).

The Horse’s Mouth, 583 Orchard Road, Forum The Shopping Mall, B1-39, S(238884)

Primarily a cocktail bar and lounge, Set of Six is named after and inspired by novelist Joseph Conrad’s volume of six short stories published in 1908. Artfully decorated to reflect a time of elegant twilight soirees and sea voyages, visitors are transported into a world of adventure and mystery once they get past the apothecary-looking reception area. 

Inside, you’ll find a menu curated to represent each volume of Conrad’s book, which is based on the author’s time in the British Merchant Navy. From Il Conde set in Italy to The Brute in the Atlantic Ocean, each set of drinks on the menu is meant to evoke the spirit and intricacies of each of the six stories. The food menu is also themed according to the volumes of the book. For instance, dishes such as the lobster and fennel ravioli, and the asparagus and wild mushroom risotto represent Il Conde, while oysters with sherry foam, and caviar with blinis represent The Brute in the seven seas.  

Set of Six, 20 Craig Road, 01-01, S(089692)

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Not your average Japanese restaurant, this kaiseki bar and restaurant hidden on the upper level of a Duxton Road shophouse welcomes guests with thumping music and captivating neon lights. Without any obvious signboards, visitors have to navigate their way to the space by going through Rappu on the first floor.

A long cocktail and kaiseki bar takes centrestage inside, accompanied by a wall of Japanese sake, whisky, and gin. There are two options for lunch, a five-course set and an 8-course set, and three different courses offering up to ten courses for dinner. Signatures here include the “Monaka”, a creative interpretation of the traditional Japanese wafer dessert which sees azuki bean paste replaced with French foie gras paté, peach jam with orange zest, and dried persimmon. 

Each dish at Goho is conscientiously designed to wow the audience, from the vibrant multi-colours of the “Mosaic” hand roll to the smoke and fire of the “Mount Goho” (seasonal uni, F1 Australian Wagyu, caviar, ikura, and sushi rice). Of course, the cocktails are also meant to take your breath away. Looking to impress your date? Go for the punchy “Wasabi & Peach”, made with wasabi gin and peach. For something a little more zen, try the “Hojicha”, made with hojicha gin and fino sherry.

Goho, 53A Duxton Road, S(089517)

The longest-established speakeasy restaurant on this list, Bincho first made waves when it burst onto the scene in 2013 with its cool and gritty concept as a yakitori bar hidden behind a coffee shop serving mee pok and kopi o kosong. As a matter of fact, the izakaya's concept is so gritty that the only way in is through the back alley, via a backdoor situated under an air-conditioner compressor and next to some rubbish bins. 

Once you enter, you’ll be greeted by an industrial-esque entryway that’s strongly redolent of the streetside izakaya of Tokyo and Osaka. There aren’t many seats, which makes for a cosy and lively experience. While yakitori forms the mainstay of the menu here, there are also seasonal offerings with choices such as the sashimi platter or unagi cooked shirayaki style, where the eel is placed directly over fire without any seasoning or sauce. 

Fans of Japanese sake, shochu, umeshu, and whisky will rejoice when they see the bar’s long list of alcohol options. The real gems though, are hidden in the cocktail menu, where you’ll find a variety of mixes named after classic Japanese films, complete with the synopses for each title. The “47 Ronin”, for example, is made by mixing whisky, Okinawa sugar, and Japanese Hinoki Bitters. Another classic, “Secret Of The Urn”, is a concoction of shiso gin, yuzu, Calpis, and carbonated water.

Bincho, 78 Moh Guan Terrace, 01-19, S(162078)

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