New watering holes to drink beer, cocktails and wine at Raffles Place, Robertson Quay, Tanjong Pagar and more
Just like that, half the year has gone *poof* before our very eyes. Too little time, too many bars to visit, we say! Make sure you don’t miss out on what’s hot in the cocktail scene; once again, we list out a handful of new bars for your Champagne, beer or wine fix. From boutique hotels to oyster bars with a view, and even a bizarre American KTV concept, these are where you can find our Hot New Bars this June to get your drink on.
Beast & Butterflies
Geared towards the millennial globe-trotter, M Social is the new player on the Robertson Quay boutique hotel circuit. Opening June 2016, comfort is king at this hip hotel; but if you’re the sort to find comfort in a cocktail glass, the mixologists of resident bar, Beast & Butterflies, will take good care of you. Savour one of their artisanal cocktails, as you mingle along the bar’s vast 13-metre counter. For something fruity, go for The Grape Vine – grape-infused vodka, Bailey’s, coconut cream and grapes. Or for a fusion of Cuban and Peranakan flavours, try A Cuban Nyonya – rum, fresh lime, mint leaves and gula Melaka.
Beast & Butterflies at M Social, 90 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238259.
Bar-Roque Bar
Camping out in the Caribbean can have quite an effect on you; in the case of Chef Stephane Istel, it inspired him to start his own bar. Now adjoining Bar-Roque Grill – that serves Dorper Lamb spare ribs and beef duos of wagyu hanger and oxtail – Bar-Roque Bar lets Chef Stephane whip up his own self-concocted rums, infusing them with tongue-tingling flavours like pineapple, red chilli and vanilla. Try The Thai if you wanna be flung into a holiday mood of your own – rum infused with mango, Buddha hand lemon, and lemongrass.
Bar-Roque Bar, #01-00, 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088539, p. 6444 9672.
Skinny’s Lounge
Touted as Boat Quay’s newest American KTV bar, we assure you, there’s nothing sleazy or ‘lup sup’ (that’s how Singaporeans say ‘shady’) about this joint. Conceptualised by bartender Nick Haas – who has collaborated with Joel Fraser and Christian Hartmann from The Cufflink Club and Vasco – this cocktail bar boasts an interior of dark wooden panels and cork-lined walls, pool tables, and a private karaoke room where up to 10 people can unleash their inner Freddie Mercury and Cyndi Lauper. There are also quirky cocktails like the Paloma (a citrusy, tequila-based drink) and Americano (a Campari and vermouth cocktail) for just $15, and even cocktail towers for the big rowdy squads you know you’ll be bringing here.
Skinny’s Lounge, 82 Boat Quay, Singapore 048970, p. 9653 8886.
Angie’s Oyster Bar
CBD troopers agonised over the momentary closure of this Land Tower hangout, 45 storeys above the ground. But guess what? After a revitalising revamp, Angie’s Oyster Bar is now back in business! Not only does this breathtaking, high-rise spot offer amazing views of the city skyline, but also a rotating selection of oyster varieties from the world over. For its reopening promo, you can now snag one-for-one oysters and beers, but yes, you can opt for pairing wines instead.
Angie’s Oyster Bar, #45-01 Singapore Land Tower, 50 Raffles Place, Singapore 048623, p. 6221 9555.
Urban Saloon
This sure ain’t the Wild Wild West, but this city joint will have you feeling as high as a buckaroo with its selection of free-flow Mojito (every Thursday for ladies) and other potent bespoke cocktails. Whether you’re swiggin’ a vanilla Old Fashioned or Urban Saloon’s signature Vieux Carre (high West double rye, cognac, martini rosso, Benedictine dom, peychauds bitters and angostura bitters), you’ll never wanna hightail out of this cosy cranny on the ground floor of the Red Dot Traffic Building – one of our favourite buildings in Singapore.
Urban Saloon, #01-05 Red Dot Traffic Building, 28 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069120, p. 9188 9885.