New watering holes to drink beer, cocktails and wine at Amoy Street, One Fullerton, The Grandstand at Bukit Timah and more
Thirsty for more tipples in July? We’ve got a handful of some adventurous Hot New Bars in store for you cocktail guzzlers. Whisky whisperers will love this new Scottish bar we’ve found, and we’ve even got a secret agent-themed hideout for those who sin with gin. Not to mention, an iconic Ann Siang establishment has resurfaced with a new home, and one of the world’s best bars from New York finally opens in Singapore. Indeed, there’s plenty to toast to!
Cin Cin
Oasia Hotel Downtown Singapore is already stunning as an architectural wonder, but just wait ’til you hop into its gorgeous ground floor bar! Adorned throughout with debonair emerald hues and gold, metallic accents, Cin Cin evokes a nostalgic trip into the past, with a campy, not-so-sleuthy secret agent theme that would make Bond blush. Gin is this headquarters’ specialty, so arm your appetites for DIY martinis, negronis, and other bespoke cocktails like the DR. Earl Potion. Just as the suave Italians would say it… Cin Cin!
Cin Cin, #01-02 Oasia Hotel Downtown Singapore, 100 Peck Seah Street, Singapore 079333, p. 6385 2604.
Chow Fun Bar & Restaurant
While Chow Fun may be a questionable Cantonese noodle dish served in many American Chinese restaurants, you won’t have to worry about any want of quality in this new bar at The Grandstand. The interior flaunts auspicious textures of red and Oriental fortune cats, with festive tassels hanging along the wall. Happy hour here lasts all day; Stella Artois and Kirins go for $11, Erdinger at $23 for two pints, and $10 for house wines. But the real slurp-worthy offerings here are its noodle small plates, featuring 18 varieties including bacon pesto, tom yum cream, bak kut teh and pork belly bibim guksu.
Chow Fun Bar & Restaurant, #01-08 The Grandstand, 200 Turf Club Road, Singapore 287994, p. 6464 6900.
Ding Dong
If the bells just went *ding* in your head, you’re right – Ding Dong is no stranger to the local bar scene. What’s new, however, is its new locale at the hip and hunger-satiating Amoy Street. Having moved not too far from its original Ann Siang habitat, the revamped Ding Dong officially opened its doors on 21 June. And if its reputation precedes it, we can expect more fusion culinary antics that spruce up Southeast Asian traditions like the Vietnamese Scotch eggs and wagyu beef char siew. On the drinks front, we’ve encountered bevvies like the Roti Kaya (a kaya toast-inspired drink with Johnny Walker Black Label) and the Ding Dong Sour (a blend of Yamazaki whisky, Shaoxing wine, citus and angostura bitters). Some things are better left unchanged, if you ask us!
Ding Dong, 115 Amoy Street, Singapore 069935, p. 6557 0189.
UsQuBa
You know you’re a true Scot at heart if you regard whisky as the water of life. Such is the boozy mentality that underlies the Gaelic word, “Usquebaugh”, which is where this hot new bar gets its name from. Melding influences from Edinburgh and Glasgow, UsQuBa not only serves Scottish turbot, Aberdeen Angus beef and Highland lamb, but enough whisky to make a Scotsman (or woman) jolly. It boasts a selection of rare, single cask whiskies, and even artisanal gins and craft beers if you’re not that big a whisky connoisseur.
UsQuBa, #02-03B, One Fullerton Road, Singapore 049213, p. 8723 6378. Open Mon-Thu 11.30am-12am, Fri-Sat 11.30am-1am, Sun 11am-3pm and 6pm-10.30pm.
Employees Only Singapore
You’ve probably heard all the hype by now, and you must be well-acquainted with these revolutionary New Yorkers after our interview feature; all the way from the Big Apple, Employees Only is finally open in Singapore. In a nutshell, expect a bespoke cocktail experience worthy of the “4th Best Bar In The World” accolade, with an ambience that’s neither stuffy nor exclusive. Split up into apertifs, cocktails and long drinks, the menu uses regional ingredients like pineapple, ginger, pandan, kaffir lime, coconut and five spice. And don’t even get us started on the bites! We have been stoked for this a long time.
Employees Only Singapore, 112 Amoy Street, Singapore 069932.