With a huge variety of wine bars around the city, there are more options than ever — whether you’re after a rare vintage, a casual after-work glass of vino, or a few pre-game rounds of bubbly.
Caveau
This swanky wine bar recently got a facelift and now sports a sleeker and sexier look. They’ve kept the two enomatic machines featuring 16 different wines, which is French-dominated. Whether you choose something by the glass or opt for a bottle, there are also select nibbles to stave off your hunger. With a collection of over 400 wines, the retail store allows you to enjoy wines in-house or take away.
Drinks & Co.
This low-key bottle shop and cafe carries a mix of boutique and commercial New World wines, as well as spirits. They’ve got affordable options that start as low as $22 a bottle, but you can also have wines by the glass for about $10. Expect basic grub like cheese platters and Parma ham sandwiches, although if you’re really hungry you can order pizza from Spizza down the road.
Merchants
This wine cellar, store and casual bistro carries mainly Australian bottles. Nosh on simple but hearty fare like ham, cheese and tomato focaccia toasties; duck rillettes with toast; and platters like cured meat and artisan cheeses. All these come with handy recommended pairings, but if you know your stuff, there are over 200 labels (from $30) from more than 50 boutique vineyards. The best part is that they consistently bring in winemakers to do cellar tastings.
Napoleon
This slick Telok Ayer space with lots of dark wood and black leather is lined with enomatic machines. The stuff dispensed from the enomatic machines are categorized according to flavor–think spicy or fruity–that thoughtfully come in tasting portions. They’ve also got unfussy food like spinach salad with crispy bacon and desserts like lemon tart with lime sorbet.
O Batignolles
Run by some French nationals who sure know a thing or two about wine, O Batignolles has a distinctly Parisian brasserie look complete with rattan chairs and marbletop tables. They’ve got affordable by-the-glass options starting at around $7 and bottles hovering around $40. Wines are usefully categorized by flavor: fresh, fruity and light, balanced and elegant, or intense and rich, and are predominantly sourced from French vineyards that are pretty exclusive in Singapore. Food-wise, they serve nibbles like cold cut and cheese platters, as well as heartier options like French burger with Comte cheese and a Saturday brunch complete with eggs, pastries, juices and bubbly.
Osteria Art
So this isn’t really a wine bar but the swish CBD restaurant has a 500-strong list of wine bottles from all over Europe, although Italian bottlings still dominate. The front bar portion is lined with wine bottles and is becoming a regular haunt for after-work CBD execs who are into exploring interesting bottlings. If you’re not after the affordable cocktails, then the barmen will surely point you to a great bottle or two. And it doesn’t hurt that you can continue the night by having dinner in their plush leather-clad space.
Praelum Wine Bistro
Ruled by a monochromatic color scheme, this wine bar has a pretty laidback vibe. The cuisine has a Indochinese/French slant with options like escargots and Vietnamese-style rice paper rolls, while the wine list is focused on mainly Old World French and Italian varietals but also has Spanish, German and Austrian vinos. They’ve also got a curated selection of New World bottles from New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and even Lebanon.
Verre Wine Bar
Located on the quieter side of Robertson Quay, this place is an oenophile’s dream. Verre has over 750 labels in its walk-in cellar with a spotlight on distinctive Bordeaux- and Burgundy-style wines. Not only do they have heavyweights like Chateau Latour and Chateau Lafite Rothschild, they also represent smaller, family-owned vineyards and a rotating list of wines by the glass.
Vida Vino
Located on happening Keong Saik Road, this classy wine bar has lots of teal and mahogany lining its interiors. The wine list has extensive descriptions that could be mistaken as drunken poetic verses, but have 11 by-the-glass options from around $12 that are more complex than your typical housepour. There are also bottles from around $58 with both New and Old Worlds represented. Expect lots of tapas like grilled octopus and “bikini” sandwiches with machego, iberico ham and black truffle cream.
Wine Connection Cheese Bar
A favorite for those who like bargain bottles of great wine (who doesn’t?), this Robertson Quay deli and store has transformed into a cheese and wine bar. Offering over 40 matured farm cheeses from Europe, they also have salads, tartines and raclette sets on top of over 250 Old World and New World vino labels from about $30 a bottle.
