A cult favourite among Hollywood A-listers, 25 Degrees Burger & Liquor Bar opens in Singapore bringing gourmet burgers, malted milkshakes, curly fries and more
I absolutely love my burgers, so you can bet your buns I made a beeline to 25 Degrees Burger & Liquor Bar when it first opened in Singapore. After all, how couldn’t I? The storied burger joint is rumoured to be a cult favourite among Hollywood A-listers. And finding the best burgers in Singapore is a challenge in itself. So paid a visit to this American restaurant to see what all the fuss was about.
You’ll find 25 Degrees’ first outpost in Singapore, next to Ginett in Hotel G. Like Burger Joint on Gemmil Lane, the door’s hidden in a discreet corner of the hotel’s entrance. Once inside, you’ll find a slim menu featuring a selection of sides, salads, soup, sandwiches (including a hot dog), as well as the burger bar’s raison d’être – its four signature burgers (as well as an additional veggie burger). The menu also includes a craft-your-own burger options for fussy/particular burger connoisseurs, but I didn’t have the patience for that.
With burgers, I like to stick to the basics, so I started off with the Number 1 – a beef patty, caramelised onions, crescenza, prelibato gorgonzola, bacon, arugula, and thousand island sauce. It’s defining characteristic is the strong, cheesy taste afforded by the crescenza and gorzonzola. I had the burger medium rare so the cheese and tender patty was absolute bliss, complemented by the crisp bacon. This is a good burger done right.
I moved on to the Number Two – a burger that featured obvious European inflections. The beef patty comes topped with burrata cheese, crispy prosciutto (an interesting alternative to bacon) and pesto making for an intensely flavoured burger, much more complex than the previous.
I picked a third burger to try something completely different. The Number Four was a fish burger featuring a yellowfin tuna patty butter lettuce, cucumber, mint and a spicy kick from jalapenos. Sure, the purists my scoff at the idea of a fish burger at a serious burger resto but stow the dissent ‘til you’ve actually tried it! The tuna is rich, fresh and clean with a hint of lemon juice for brightness, and the spicy kick from the jalapeno secures this burger’s place alongside 25 Degrees’ other signatures.
Aside from the burgers, 25 Degree’s serves up some other American diner icons like a selection of rich, creamy, hand-scooped malt milkshakes. And if you want to make like Jughead Jones and dip your fries in your milkshake, you’ll be pleased to know that 25 Degrees gives diners the option of truffle french fries, french fries, curly fries, and even onion rings on the side.
If you know your burgers in Singapore, you’ll know that a great burger doesn’t often come cheap. 25 Degrees however, does up all their signatures at the fantastic price point of $14. Head over from 11am-3pm to grab a burger for lunch and you’ll get to enjoy the $18++ lunch set with your choice of signature burgers, fries, and a half pint of beer or soda.
With a deal like that, is there really a reason not to give this Hollywood hotshot a chance?
25 Degrees Burgers and Liquor Bar, 200 Middle Road, Singapore 188980. p. 6809 7990. Open Mon-Thu 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-1am. Closed on Sun.
Like American food? Get messy with our guide to the best baby back ribs in Singapore, or try Asian style BBQ at Fat Lulu’s.