You won’t need the party bus for this barhop. At the Mondrian Singapore Duxton, there are options aplenty if you’re up for a few swigs within the compounds. Connected to modern grill restaurant Tribal, fresh-faced Slate recreates an ethereal underwater cave-like ambience while presenting fresh and eco-conscious cocktails centred around Asian flavours.

There’s a melon milk-inspired It’s Raining Melon, enhanced with in-house made pandan gomme syrup—a pleasing choice for Midori fans; a sweet and savoury Smoke on the Water where peated whisky and spiced capsicums mingle to tickle your tastebuds; or the playfully prickly Straight out of Bangkok, which spotlights Thai-spiced vodka alongside citrus and tom yum foam on the side. For teetotalers, the inclusive menu offers the same amount of fun with zero-proof non-alcoholic cocktails that won’t lack flavour.

Noodles and cocktails? It’s an easy sell for anybody. While chef Petrina Loh of esteemed Morsels slams out satisfying bowls of noodles, co-founder Cheryl Tng and head bartender Bernardine Chan come together to let their imaginations run wild with playful twists on classic martinis. Take the Duck-tini for instance, starring duck fat-washed Machetazo Salmiana with pickled onion and dill flower, to give a stiff peppery number with a ribbon of spice to finish. Or the Nougroni, a house version of the classic negroni but instead amped up with the potent Amazzoni Rio Negro gin and the artisanal Carpano Antica vermouth which helps add a touch of Christmas spice.

Dirty martini lovers, don’t think twice about having the Tomato Tomato. Repurposing the savoury tomato brine leftover from Nou’s house hot sauce, the delicious tipple is both quaffable and sustainably made.

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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.

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.

Read more: New Restaurant Alert: Dirty Supper brings the art of grilling to Hua Bee Restaurant in Tiong Bahru

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.

Read more: What you need to know about Manhattan’s new Warhol-inspired bar, East47

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.

Read more: What it’s like to stay in the Edition penthouse at The Singapore Edition

NEW MENU

Looking on to the next decade, the award-winning destination cocktail bar debuts Smash. The sleek 72-page menuzine presents a deep dive into how one enjoys an experience in the modern bar and what truly makes a drinking experience enjoyable. Remember the Lycheetini? This version evinces a crushable cleansing of the bastardised tropical martini where it drinks subtly sweet, dry and rounded—all at the same time. The absolute must-try points to the Spicy Margarita. It is a velvety blend of tangy, herbaceous and spicy notes that is simply just a notch better than the American pageant number.

For a quaffable dessert in a glass, the Champagne Ramos Gin Fizz layers creamy and fizzy textures with flavours of bright citrus and port wine for a pleasant cap to the evening. And if the Perfect Manhattan existed, Jigger certainly made it. Instead of simply harnessing sweet vermouth, the Smash version balances the scales between a blend of dry and sweet vermouth.

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NEW MENU

The grand dame of cocktail lounges once again looks in retrospect for the inspiration of its latest new menu: Preservation of Fire. The latest creations are a love letter to the history of bartending too. Divided into four chapters, each reimagining four classic styles—think martini, champagne cocktail, sour, and old-fashioned. A visit to Atlas isn’t possible without a splash of champagne and the Priestley’s Company might be the remedy. An aromatic base of gin, rum and rose-infused rosso vermouth is enhanced with raspberry liqueur before an effervescent splash of champagne.

Besides the Atlas signature martinis, our favourite tipple has to be the Lombardi’s, drawing inspiration from the historic pizzerias in Little Italy. Essentially, a slice of margarita pizza in a glass. The pisco-based number is shaken with rosemary, capsicum, lime, sweetcorn, and a touch of chilli. A torched basil mozzarella garnish is crowned in case you still don’t get the hint.

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NEW MENU

Commemorating its tenth anniversary with an extensive facelift, Nutmeg & Clove now brandishes fresh new interiors, new branding logos, new merchandise, and a new locally-inspired food menu. But it is the new cocktail menu, made up of locally-inspired 25 cocktails, that warms the heart as each tipple harkens back to the highs and the lows that occurred over the past ten years.

Expect local street food staples from Hainanese chicken rice to sweet yam paste cleverly distilled into tongue-twisting tipples. The former Don’t Chicken Out is a silky mix of sweet and savoury with a burst of Hainanese chilli while the Yam Seng riffs on the classic ramos gin fizz, reminding of the Teochew dessert with its refreshing creamy texture and tropical flavours. However, for the adventurous, try the punchy Temasek Ubah which arrives elegantly herbaceous but yet full of body.

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NEW MENU

If this bar had a superhero nickname, the shapeshifter is befitting. Each quarter, the team orchestrates an overhaul in the cocktail creativity and spatial department. From April onwards, head bartender Hazel Long tampers with Shanghainese ingredients and executes in Western flair—referencing from the redefining 1920s and 1930s of Shanghai where Western influences first made an influence in China. Presenting the Bund, savoury tipples are in fashion right now. A hot take is the Silk Route, where gin is infused with peppercorns and shiitake mushroom and mixed with grapefruit bitters and a splash of vermouth.

On the flip side, indulge in the Paris of the East, a toothsome milk punch made with Galliano vanilla and bittersweet chocolate mousse, reminiscent of a chocolate eclair. The best drink to order, if you’re all about showing off to your followers, is the Stevedore. It’s a refreshing whisky-based tipple, offering the sweetness of apples and Chinese pear balanced with oolong tea, served in a whimsical teacup—you know, for posing reasons.

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