A Bartender’s Guide On Where to Drink in Singapore

On any given night in Singapore, Peter Chua is at Night Hawk watching a guest debate between a rum cocktail with shiitake mushroom Campari and a gin-and-mezcal cocktail with fortified wine and pickled beetroot. A decade ago, that same customer would have been choosing between three versions of a mojito.

Few know this scene better than Chua, co-owner of Night Hawk and bartender of nearly two decades. Chua is often credited as one of the pioneers of modern mixology in Singapore.

Back when he started, Chua said simple cocktails dominated menus, and there was a very different demographic of clientele. “The cocktails that we made back then were multiple variations of mojitos, and most of the guests who were drinking cocktails just wanted something easy, approachable, and with the strength to get intoxicated as quickly as possible,” he told Travel + Leisure.

With 11 Singaporean bars landing on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2024 (and Chua’s own Night Hawk landing at No. 16), the transformation is undeniable. The demand for creative craft cocktails reflects the city’s quiet climb to one of the world’s cocktail capitals, with bars regularly pulling in accolades and awards.

“Almost like how a mixed martial artist blends different fighting styles into something violently potent,” Chua said. “The bartenders here blend the best knowledge and techniques from both the Western and Asian worlds into something of our own.”

That fusion has created a bar scene that feels both cosmopolitan and distinctly Singaporean.

If You Only Have One Night

“Picking a bar for someone I’ve just met is difficult, as bars are like flavor profiles, it is subjective and unique to the individual,” Chua told T+L. Instead, he said if he were to build a one-night bar hopping experience, it would give people a taste of the different bar scenes Singapore has to offer.

His ideal evening starts practically: dinner and cocktails at Side Door. “Your adventure ahead requires you to be well fed,” he said. Next, cross the street to Night Hawk for “a cozy after dinner cocktail”—though Chua admitted bias here, adding, “if you come later than 8 p.m., you might not be able to get a seat, as we are tiny.”

From there, the night builds momentum. Hit Jigger & Pony to “get your Asia’s 50 Best Bar bingo card checked,” then walk to Native to experience their unique fermentations and heavily Asian-influenced menu. Their take on Vietnamese phở in a cocktail includes rice gin with roasted ginger and Thai basil. “Sing along to some of your favourite nostalgic tunes” at Employees Only, and if you still have energy, or “head down to Bae’s to party away or even Marquee if a mega club is more your cup of tea.”

The Underrated List

Beyond the award winners and social media darlings, Chua has his own list of underrated spots worth seeking out.

Tucked inside the Voco Hotel, The Backdrop tops his lineup. “Created by Dario Know (another O.G. of the SG bar scene), The Backdrop is a speakeasy hidden in the lobby of the Voco Hotel in Orchard Road,” Chua said. “It has a masquerade-like theme with a complex and extensive cocktail menu, including a range of ‘percolated’ cocktails that Dario describes as ‘a cocktail that no matter how you mix it up, you will never make a bad one.'”

The West-African-inspired Tamba offers something entirely different. “Functioning as more of an African restaurant, Tamba hosts an entire menu that is inspired by both African and Asian cultures. Joma Rivera has created an approachable yet interesting menu that showcases lesser-known African products into delicious cocktails.”

For something more casual, Chua recommended Puffy Bois. “It has amazing pizzas with a deceptively humble yet delicious cocktail menu,” he said. “Sammy Ng, the ex-head bartender of The Black Pearl in Melbourne, takes all the techniques and skills that he honed in the Australian bar scene and compacted it into an unpretentious and tasty menu. You can also find a great selection of natural wines there, too.”

Essential Singapore Drinking Experiences

Some experiences go beyond the craft cocktail circuit and tap into Singapore’s broader drinking traditions. For a more low-key flavor, Chua recommended heading to a hawker center. “Order a bunch of food while getting some Tiger beer into you,” he said, or grab a pitcher of margaritas and take them to the beaches of Sentosa.

And of course, no Singapore drinking tour is complete without the city’s most recognizable cocktail. “Check off your bucket list by getting an expensive Singapore Sling at the Long Bar at Raffles Singapore, where the iconic cocktail was created,” Chua noted.

To end the evening, he suggested grabbing beers by the bridge at Clarke Quay and admiring the Singapore skyline.

No matter how you explore the scene, Chua encouraged ordering boldly rather than hunting down a single “must-try” drink. “I would strongly recommend the Anthony Bourdain method: try anything that has something you are unfamiliar with,” he said. “When it comes to beverages and cocktails, look at the menu and if there is something that reads weird to you, try it. It’s probably inspired by something local.”

As for his own go-tos, Chua keeps things simple: a Sloe Gin Fizz, a scotch highball, or a freezing pint of Guinness.