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Alfresco bars
There’s no shortage of alfresco bars in Singapore. From low-slung hideaways like Loof to stratospheric lounges like 1-Altitude, there are all kinds of views and drinks to be had. Here’s a list of some of our favorite spots.
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Bartenders
Singapore has a line-up of bartenders who are equally as good looking as they are talented, such as former Antidote head honcho Tom Hogan (who is now with Proof & Co), Kino Soh who always has a winning smile at Fresh! and her new place Highball, Daiki Kanetaka, who looks like he belongs in GQ Magazine instead of being a bartending veteran at D.Bespoke and lots more. So if you’re looking for a reason to drink, let these people who make us swimmy with excitement (and alcohol) be it.
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Craft Beer
The craft beer craze isn’t going anywhere, with new multi-tap establishments opening everywhere from Amoy Street to Maxwell Hawker Centre–not to mention the three craft beer festivals happening in town every year. Here’s where to go in Singapore for your favorite craft beer bars and bottle shops.
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Drinking alone
D.Bespoke
A night of drinking alone is one of the most liberating things one could do, and definitely one of those things that gets an unfair bad rap. If people can do it on television (think James Bond, Samantha Jones, Don Draper) and look sexy while doing it, we don’t see why we can’t do the same. Besides, you might actually meet someone interesting who’s doing the same, or you could chat up that cute bartender once you’ve built up some (liquid) courage; your pick. Here are a few places to check out.
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Erdinger
Erdinger is going all out for this year’s Oktoberfest. They’ve already taken over Suntec City, and will continue the festivities at Clarke Quay Central (Oct 3-11) and The Star Vista (Oct 19-28) with delicious german grubs, a beer garden and a special brew, just for this festival.
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Food from the bar
Where there are good drinks, there’s bound to be equally good food. These days establishments are no longer serving up lackluster bar bites. Take a bite into these new places that serve up hearty fare, sumptuous grubs and of course, wicked cocktails such as Fat Prince, SPRMRKT Kitchen & Bar and a new Japanese food enclave (that serves whisky highball through a machine).
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Gin & Tonic
You can’t go wrong with a classic Gin & Tonic, especially after a long day at work. Gin is in, with the fourth edition of East Imperial Gin Jubilee happening in November with things like a street party, masterclasses, tasting sessions and more; a new rice-based craft gin by Singapore-based craft spirit company that uses ingredients like ginger, galangal, lemongrass, honey, the Thai spice makhwaen and Sichuan pepper; and the opening of a gin-focused cocktail bar that boasts a (probably) unparalleled selection of 100 gins.
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House parties
Food deliveries are one thing, but if you’re looking to host a drinking party of one without stepping out of the house, there are apps for that. Avoid the cab charges and have your booze delivered straight to your doorstep.
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Irish pubs
Singapore is a melting pot of different cultures, so it is no surprise that there has been a slew of Irish pub openings over the last year or so, from endless draft beers to hearty Irish grubs. Here is a list of places that offers a slice of Ireland.
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Jibiru
Located in 313@Somerset, Jibiru is Singapore’s first establishment to exclusively serve fine Japanese brews. Now they’ve branched out to the Mandarin Orchard Hotel with their sister outlet, Craft Beer Bar Takumi, so you don’t have to settle with just Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo as both places offer a selection of craft beers that are on rotation.
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Karaoke
It is always fun to headline your very own concert with a group of friends, and it doesn’t hurt when you have a cocktail in your hand while you’re belting out tunes from the Top 40 hits. You can do so at Skinny’s Lounge, opened by former Cufflink Club and Vasco bartender Nick Haas. Decked out in disco lights, graffitied windows, and featuring a private KTV room, channel your inner Mariah Carey or Taylor Swift.
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Late night places
Spize
We’re not known to be a city that never sleeps; maybe a city that never sleeps that early, seeing how there’s a whole slew of places that are open till late. So if you’re looking for some late night shenanigans with your friends, we’ve put together a list of where you can eat, drink and hang out till late to bring out the 21-year-old in you again.
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Microbreweries
If you have a penchant for craft beers and interesting beer infusions, you’d be glad to know that the microbrewery scene in Singapore is growing. From having the first infusion beer lab in Asia to craft beers from local microbreweries being more widely available at restaurants, you’ll almost never run out of options.
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New bars
Singapore’s bar scene is ever-changing, booming with a slew of new bars that serves up Japanese craft beers, Prosecco cocktails and a soulful whisky that is served in a trendy Japanese highball style. Here is a list of new watering holes and events that will have you covered for the rest of the year.
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Oktoberfest
Brotziet’s Oktoberfest platter
It is that time of the year again where you strap on your lederhosen, head out and party the night away with good music, good food and of course, beer! For a list of Oktoberfest parties that are happening in Singapore, click here.
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Party places
The nightlife in Singapore is always booming, from new bars, music festivals to block parties popping up every other week. Now we have noticed a wave of new club openings, giving us even more reasons to head out and revel the night away
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Quays
What used to be shipping docks and warehouses in Singapore, Clarke Quay (CQ), Boat Quay (BQ) and Robertson Quay (RQ) are now, nightlife hotspots. With the return of Singapore River Fest, there is a bunch of activities to revel in such as tightrope performances, movie under the stars and more.
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Rum
While most bars in Singapore carry a selection of rum labels in their arsenal, none can compare to the Caribbean-themed bar on Jiak Chuan called Bago (pronounced “bay-go”). This extended bar above Lime House possibly has (possibly) the biggest rum selection in town with over 150 labels covering pretty much every tropical colony you can think of.
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South Beach Avenue
South Beach Avenue, which is the retail side of the swanky new South Beach development, was in the news when it opened with venues like Vatos Urban Tacos and The Armoury Gastrobar; and now months later, there’s been another slew of openings, including a microbrewery and a glam club. Here’s what’s new.
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Tiki cocktails
Kitschy, fun and totally fruity—Don Draper wannabes will gasp in horror at the re-emergence of tiki cocktails and other slushed-up creations that come complete with paper umbrellas. Fresh!, Smoke and Mirrors and even Hawaiian poke bistro Aloha Poke are offering these boozy drinks. On a more homegrown front, Kite and Ding Dong are looking to local classics like the Singapore Sling, Milo and even cough syrup Pi Pa Gao for inspiration.
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Uber Rides Home
We have been blessed with Uber, making our lives much easier to head back home after a night of drinking, and with UberPool, it is even cheaper and it is always nice to commiserate with other fellow revellers after a drunken night.
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Views
View from The Rooftop Bar at 1919 Waterboat House
The F1 fever might be over but that doesn’t mean you can’t check out the bars that boast killer views of Singapore’s picturesque city skyline at places like Aura, Smoke & Mirrors and Artemis. Here is a list to add on, if you’re in the mood to rooftop-bar-hop.
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Whisky
Whisky connoisseurs, there’s a healthy line-up of whisky-everything that will have you rejoicing such as the new Quaich Bar at South Beach development offering 500 whiskies, and Whisky Live, which returns for its seventh edition at Sentosa with about 300 expressions and over 60 whisky and spirit brands for you to try, including The Macallan.
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XP
XP(extra pure) is a new grade of brandy, on top of the familiar grades such as XO, VS and VSOP. Five XP, birthed in Singapore, is made from Riesling grapes giving off a sweet flavour and here is how you can get your hands on it.
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Yamazaki
Yamazaki is one of the more well-known Japanese whiskies, which Singapore is defintely not short of. The Japan’s bar scene has invaded our sunny shores with glamorous sake boutiques and upscale izakayas that serve up Yamazaki and lesser known Japanese whiskies that are equally as enticing. Take a sip at these places.
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Zouk
Zouk is synonymous with Singapore’s young nightlife, and as it is making its big move to Clarke Quay, we got a taste of what they’ll be offering with last month’s block party and their new bar, Red Tail. Their line-up for ZoukOut also looks really promising, so be sure to catch that as well.
