A definitive guide to the best new cocktail bars in Singapore

Puglian chef Mirko Febbrile’s newest darling of a restaurant Somma comes with a sleek sidekick: Somma Bar. It is all about celebrating the simple pleasures of life: good company, delicious drinks and comforting Italian fare. The vibe is relaxed but no less sexy, perfect for an amorous night out at the lounge or a pre-dinner aperitivo by the bar. Hospitality is served up warm and convivial by bar manager Mel Chavez—formerly of Smoke and Mirrors—who brings with him 20 years of experience behind the bar. Expect tasteful classics finessed with modern techniques and inventive flavour combinations. 

Think Bolognese Muse, a savoury Scotch-based tipple that drinks like liquefied bolognese or the Margarita for Mel, a classic margarita gone rogue with playful notes of coconut, cacao, and lime. For us, the velvety Mirko’s Martini reigns supreme. Other renewed classics such as the mezcal-based Last Word and Boulevardier, featuring red wine reduced with apple cider instead of vermouth, promise to please the discerning imbiber.

The anticipated opening of Baia, a rooftop dining lounge bar by acclaimed chef Beppe De Vito’s ilLido Group, adds to the stunning Marina Bay skyline atop Esplanade Mall. Named after the ancient Roman resort city beloved by aristocrats, Baia captures that same spirit of luxury and leisure. The slick rooftop oasis is licked with maroon, gold and green tones, exuding an effortlessly warm and chic feel. But as the sun sets and the beat drops, the atmospheric space transforms into a high-energy nightlife destination with live DJs set on every Wednesday and the weekend. 

The cocktail menu is equally stunning. From refreshing aperitivos like the vibrant and citrusy Strombolian to bold concoctions like the rich espresso-martini-esque Eclipse, the tipples are the perfect accompaniment to your next sunset. For a local twist, try the Singapolitan, a unique blend of Brass Lion Singapore dry gin, plum wine, salted strawberry and prosecco.

When Keirin Buck, the mastermind behind Le Bon Funk, decides to spice up Singapore’s bar scene—you need to pay attention. Bar Bon Funk is a spanking new auditory and gustatory playground that presents highly experimental tipples: think Lean Green Salad, a herbaceous Mezcal Margarita that drinks like a boozy juice cleanse and Glass of Milk, which is reminiscent of cereal-soaked milk but with a splash of gin and calvados. Classics are not missed here, as reimagined versions such as the ultrasonic barrel-aged Negroni and silky Sake-tini do enough to please discerning imbibers. Come hungry too, as Buck’s creamy frittelles and mortadella baloney sandwich are certified irresistible.

Here at The Pineapple Room, the celebration of classic cocktails lasts till the crack of dawn. Its namesake pays homage to the pineapple as Singapore’s third most cultivated crop, first recognised for its suitability in 1824 which thrived in the Southern Islands now known as Sentosa. A symbol of hospitality and warmth, the bar is the endearing fruit personified.

Enjoy thoughtfully created cocktails within Capella’s storied grounds, including the Queen of Spice, a unique blend of pineapple rum, apricot liqueur, lime, and cardamom, that drinks with a kick of gunpowder. Those who wish to toast to the bar’s storied history may opt for the Triple P, a reposado infused with pineapple, finished with familiarities of chilli and orange bitters.

Ida’s Bar has made camp at Gilman Barracks, making way for a round of artwork discussions after an afternoon spent viewing the galleries. The al fresco bar and restaurant are decorated in a calming botanical array, and with this running theme, its menu is no different. Small plates include a variety of vegetarian options, including picks such as homemade potato gnocchi and Holland padron peppers. Items from the grill, however, are catered to seafood lovers, especially its five-hour sous vide octopus with smoky chorizo and potato. Finally, it’s not a bar without cocktails. Our pick is the Bitter Bramble, a whisky-based, smoky sip for those who love a little kick out of their drink.

This new bar is rooted in the three Chinese principles of love, harmony, and abundance. Together, they inspire Dimple’s cocktails that are, for the most part, crafted with fruits and tea as the centrepiece. So get into cocktail mode after a long day and sip on some of the bar’s most delectable glasses. The Strawberry Collins, a tall cocktail bursting with floral freshness, and tart sweetness, featuring strawberries and chrysanthemum, is a good way to start. For a trendier tipple, look no further than the savoury Tomato Caprese. This clarified tomato gin-based number teases the palate with flavours of herbaceous basil and delicate elderflower. It is then finished with a sprinkle of Himalayan salt and tellicherry pepper.

Moving on to something a touch more spirit-forward, enjoy the Apple Saketini which resembles a silky wet martini laced with crisp apple notes. Finally, drink your dessert with the Hazelnut Old Fashioned, where toasted hazelnuts are first blitzed and infused into Michter’s bourbon. The result drinks rich and decadent, redolent of caramelised hazelnuts and vanilla.

Having made his mark on the bar scene as the chief executive officer of Sago House Group, cocktail maverick Jay Gray has launched Idle Hands, a new bar that has taken over the second floor of 98 Club Street. Playfulness and simplicity run the new bar—some of Gray’s golden rules include instructions to “keep it simple stupid”, where no drink is made with more than four steps or ingredients, and “ain’t no one got time for that”, where each drink can be explained succinctly in one sentence. The result is a cocktail menu that caters to all kinds of cocktail profiles, from “sours and highballs”, to “strong and stirred” drinks and non- and low-alcoholic tipples. Look out for the “Thiccboi”, where coconut oil-washed gin is mixed with sage vermouth in a herbaceous twist on a martini, or the “Chocolate Orange” with cold-drip vermouth, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry, and orange vodka.

Having first captivated Hong Kong with its opulent bohemian grandeur, Dragonfly is poised to do the same in the Lion City with a visually arresting outpost that fuses art, design and mixology. Captivating as the aesthetics are, the modern cocktail programme deserves equal limelight. Start with the Bite the Blossom, a crushable vodka highball rife with grapefruit, white flowers, rhubarb and a splash of Oloroso sherry. For a silkier gin-based number, the clarified Veil of Fondness promises sweet and savoury sensations, thanks to the clever juxtaposition of tomato and watermelon with a maltier base of genever. 

Decadent nightcaps such as Murphy’s Law, are quaffable desserts in a glass. A base of house-crafted dark rum, swirls of sweet corn ice cream and drops of mala oil make for a rich yet delicately piquant tipple. So is Everything Gets Butter, a toothsome brown-butter-washed bourbon old-fashioned.

Get your head in the clouds on the 61st and 62nd floors of One Raffles Place at High House. At the glitzy bar, award-winning bar specialist and beverage consultant Jay Gray masterminds a series of signature cocktails with ingredients from across the coast, including Japan, Thailand and Peru. Quench your thirst with the refreshing Peruvian clarified pisco punch finished with a lively key lime foam, or sip and savour on the boozy Japanese seaweed umami martini. Meanwhile, dessert lovers will be in heaven with the sticky mango highball inspired by Thailand’s mango sticky rice.

Oenophiles should ask to see the digital wine list, one that is both extensive and properly curated, for when you’re looking to impress your guests between Old World favourites and New World surprises. And, of course, flutes of champagne are readily available for every joyous occasion at the snap of a finger.

Enter Tamba, an intimate yet transcendent restaurant that fetes the vibrant spirit and rich flavours of West Africa. Under the cool shade of the restaurant’s thatched roof is the bar, where each tipple weaves in the rich tapestry of West African culture as imaginative cocktails. Our favourite? The Dry Boney. Inspired by Tamba’s life growing up, this sexy twist on a classic bloody mary drinks silky yet sharp with vegetal notes of celery and clean spice from habaneros.

Other highlights include The Next Pele, a tangy tamarind cachaca cocktail; the Vita, crafted from cacao butter fat-washed Mhoba rum sourced from South Africa; and boatloads of interesting small-batch spirits such as Haitian rums from Papalin Distillery and the punchy Habitation Velier Savanna Herr White rum from Réunion Island.

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Crystal chandeliers, vintage accoutrements and ruby-hued plush furnishings are all glaring symbols in The Backdrop at Voco Orchard Singapore that hark back to the glory days of 1920s cabaret—think Moulin Rouge. Dreamt up by Dario Knox, a bartending luminary with over 19 years of global expertise under his belt, the beautifully bonded cocktail menu showcases a spectrum of mixology techniques spanning centuries alongside Knox’s anecdotes—many of which accumulated from travelling across Italy over the past four years.

From timeless classics to avant-garde interpretations that push flavour boundaries, imbibers are invited on a thrilling exploration of libations. A standout is the Negroni Supreme, a silky harmonious blend of coconut fat-washed gin, Guatemalan coffee bean-infused vermouth and banana sous-pressed Campari. A finishing spritz of percolated hazelnut mist is applied tableside. Each sip is refreshingly tart and savoury, followed by an elegant finish that is bitter yet nutty to round it off.

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Taking over the nights of storied 90-year-old Hua Bee Restaurant, this supper club run by chef-owner Pete Smit—known for his whole-animal cooking style and open-fire grilling—is quite the talk of the town. Besides the mouth-watering nosh, Smit has tinkered up a cocktail menu that is approachable and weaves in a touch of savoury in line with the kitchen programme. Despite being rather lean in options, they are no less mean—quality over quantity, if you may. Think boulevardier made silky with Wagyu fat-washed rye whiskey, a stiff martini brightened with pickled lemon and a downright dirty mezcal-based espresso martini. Enough said, the Tiong Bahru enclave just got a whole lot more exciting.

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Nestled in the vibrant Manhattan bar is East47, a progressive cocktail bar that pays tribute to the iconic American artist Andy Warhol. If the Silver Factory is Warhol’s literal manifestation of the future he imagined, East47 is an artistic rebellion against Manhattan’s philosophy with classic cocktails. The cocktail programme is about pushing the limits of creativity and exploring new methods like distillation, fermentation, and complex flavour extractions.

Some takes include a lively riff on a pink-hued French 75, featuring red cabbage reminiscent of sauerkraut; an anise-scented, citrus and matcha-based tipple that blends elements of a gibson and martini; and a suave take on a classic tuxedo, sporting a painstakingly redistilled cherry brandy. Discerning tipplers, if you’re on a hunt for rare spirits that are worthy of a splurge, this is the place to be.

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At Side Door, Bannie Kang’s riff on classic cocktails can be described as deceptively simple yet complex. Take the Easy Peasy, for instance, where London Dry Gin is layered with lime leaves, dry vermouth and Taiwanese mountain peppers. It drinks rich and redolent of citrus and lemongrass. Another hit is the Holy Moly Mary, an ode to the Bloody Mary and Moscow Mule classics, which taps into a funky tomato-infused vodka topped with sparkling ginger beer. It even sports a lively plum powder rim.

The South Korean bartender, who clinched the title of Bartenders’ Bartender at Asia's 50 Best Bars 2021, also teases a throwback of her competition-winning tipples which she adapts into her varying concoctions. Other boozy options—served by the glass or the bottle—include a modest lineup of wine, champagne and local craft beers.

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At The Singapore Edition, Punch Room is the hotel’s signature bar concept that boasts a cocktail menu that is guided by Southeast Asian spices. The hypnotic enclave is bathed in a stunning shade of Yves Klein blue and complete with a sculptural blue ceiling pendant by Parisian artist Eric Schmitt. Some standouts include the Straits Punch, which honours William Farquhar, Singapore’s first Resident Commander. The concoction features a refreshing mix of Botanist gin, Kakubin whisky, ruby port, pomegranate, spiced lemon and Ceylon tea.

Non-alcoholic cocktails are also available, like the Botanic Garden Punch, a botanical concoction featuring a mix of Seedlip Garden 108, hibiscus, black currant, lemon and salted caramel. For a boozy brunch, consider the afternoon tea where one is invited to graze over a grand spread of small bites and sweets.

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NEW MENU

The groundbreaking spirit of the 1960s, shattering conventions, sparking new ideas and whatnot, lays the foundation for Republic’s volume three menu. New at the helm, head bartender Kelvin Saquilayan—formerly from Manhattan—draws inspiration from four pillars that define the raging generation: icons, media, aesthetics, and innovation. A standout was the Bullet Train, which blends the best of both worlds: a silky milk-clarified sake martini, gently laced with matcha for a tannic finish. For an old-fashioned worthy of the king of pop Elvis Presley, the Fool’s Gold drinks rebelliously delicious, combining the likes of American whiskey and Jamaican rum, peanut butter and banana. But what remains a crowd favourite is the Headliner, a comforting warm elevated Irish coffee cocktail enhanced by milk chocolate liqueur topped with cream cheese.