SG Nightlife Guide 2017 by SG Magazine

NIGHTLIFE GUIDE 2017

EXCITING REASONS WHY GOING OUT IN SINGAPORE IS THE BEST

NIGHTLIFE GUIDE

SGNOW.SG

NIGHTLIFE GUIDE 2017

EXCITING REASONS WHY GOING OUT IN SINGAPORE IS THE BEST

Cover by 1-Altitude 61/F, 1 Raffles Place, 6438-0410, www.1-altitude.com. See page 21.

Seems like we say the same thing every year: there’s never been a better time for nightlife in Singapore. But year after year, it seems to be true! And for new and diverse reasons, too. 2016 was a terrible year for liberal politics, but it was a good time for the small clubs. After a brief closure, Refuge is reopening, and CATO and Headquarters by The Council really stepped up to the plate, not to mention fancy spots like Cherry Discotheque and VLV. Manhattan did Singapore’s cocktail scene immensely proud, appearing at spot #1 on Asia's 50 Best Bars list (and #11 in the world). Our craft beer scene got another boost, with several new microbreweries and a few new bars. But what was especially exciting this year was the rise of the alternative party scene: pool parties, block parties, silent discos, an outdoor electro music festival, excellent bar food and other exciting stuff. To make sure we covered even the small, but rising trends this year, we’ve given the guide a new format: instead of dozens of top 10 lists, this time browse through 21 exciting reasons why Singapore nightlife is awesome. You’ll sound oh so smart at your next hangout. If you want a good old-fashioned list of recs to suit your mood, turn to page 4.

Publisher & General Manager Jane Bay

Director, Business Development Intan Agustina

countrymanager@asia-city. com.sg

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Managing Editor Mrigaa Sethi editor@asia-city.com.sg

Guide Writer Kurt Ganapathy Web Editor Adam Kerr Editorial Interns Debayan Dutta, Venkat Gunasellan Designer Carmen Chua Guide Designer Jen C. Loo

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what are you in the mood for? Fancy Cocktails 28 HongKong Street............................... 08 Anti:dote................................................. 08 Bago........................................................ 10 The Black Swan.......................................21 Cin Cin ................................................... 10 The Cufflink Club................................... 23 D.Bespoke.............................................. 23 Employees Only...................................... 22 Fat Prince............................................... 08 Gibson..................................................... 23 Manhattan ............................................. 08 Operation Dagger................................... 08 Tippling Club.......................................... 23 Vasco....................................................... 10

Chill Cocktails Bitters & Love........................................ 22 Lucha Loco............................................. 23 Oxwell & Co............................................ 22 Potato Head Folk ................................... 23 Skinny’s................................................... 18 Spiffy Dapper.......................................... 22

Innocence Brewing................................ 06 LeVel33................................................... 06 Little Island Brewing Co........................ 06

Something To Drink At Home Bottles XO............................................... 12 Drinks & Co............................................ 18 Five XP.................................................... 12 Paper Lantern Distilling........................ 12

PAPER LANTERN DISTILLING

A Casual Dance Party Circular Road Block Party..................... 16 Gallery & Co........................................... 16 Garden Beats......................................... 16 Silent Disco............................................. 14 Sundays on the Hill................................ 11 Sunshine Nation..................................... 11

Amazing Live Music BOURBON STREET

International Craft Beers 3rd Culture Brewing Co......................... 09 Bottle Shop............................................. 09 Burger Joint .......................................... 09 Druggists................................................ 09 Freehouse............................................... 09 The Good Beer Company....................... 09 Mikkeller Bar.......................................... 09 Smith Street Taps................................... 09 Tap Craft Beer Bar................................. 09

Microbreweries The 1925 Microbrewery & Restaurant.. 06 Alchemist Beer Lab............................... 06 Brewerkz................................................ 06 Crossroads Brewing Company.............. 06

ArtScience Late...................................... 14 B28.......................................................... 12 Blu Jaz Café........................................... 12 Club L’Opera........................................... 12 Hard Rock Cafe.......................................08 Laneway Festival.................................... 17 Montreaux Jazz Café............................. 12 Neon Lights............................................ 17 Singapore Jazz Club.............................. 12

An Awesome Whiskey Bourbon Street....................................... 10 The Flagship........................................... 10 Quaich......................................................10

A Fancy Party Altimate...................................................20 Ce La Vi................................................... 20 Cherry Discotheque............................... 20 Penthouse.............................................. 20 Space...................................................... 20 VLV.......................................................... 20 Zouk........................................................ 20

A Taste Of Japan Craft Beer Bar Takumi.......................... 09 Dassai Bar.............................................. 08 JiBiru Japanese Craft Beer Bar............ 09 Kinki.........................................................21 Orihara Shoten....................................... 08

Outdoor Drinking Art After Dark......................................... 14 FOC Sentosa........................................... 16 It’s the Ship............................................. 17 Mogambo................................................ 22 The Rabbit Hole...................................... 10 Sky High Brunch.................................... 11 Tanjong Beach Club............................... 16 Urban Ventures...................................... 16 Zoukout................................................... 17

Somewhere With A View 1-Altitude................................................ 21 Aura........................................................ 21 Loof......................................................... 08 Orgo........................................................ 21 The Pelican..............................................08 Smoke & Mirrors................................... 21 Southbridge............................................ 21 Tiger’s Milk............................................. 21

Something (Kinda) Educational Beerfest Asia.......................................... 17 Gin Jubilee.............................................. 17 Singapore Cocktail Week....................... 17 Whisky Live Singapore........................... 17

A Glass Of Wine Gemmills................................................ 18 Merchants.............................................. 18 Napoleon Food & Wine Bar................... 18 O Batignolles ......................................... 18 Wine Connection.................................... 18

WINE CONNECTION

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ALCHEMIST BEER LAB

Our microbrewery game is strong

Two decades on from the opening of pioneering establishments like Paulaner Brauhaus, Singapore’s list of microbreweries keeps getting bigger and better. One of the first to open is still one of the first names you think of when it comes to good beer in Singapore—Brewerkz . They continue to serve up time-honored favorites like their golden ale and oatmeal stout while experimenting with educational single hop brews and collaborations with other breweries. Little Island Brewing Co has only been around for about a year, but they’ve quickly established themselves as an essential part of Singapore’s craft beer scene. From their base out in Changi Village, they create quirkily-named numbers like the awardwinning That Old Black Magic dry Irish stout and Sister Golden Ale—both of which have been served at Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen.

Building on their rapid success, Little Island opened up Alchemist Beer Lab in the snazzy new surrounds of South Beach. Touted as Asia’s first and only infusion beer lab, beer lovers will be privy to 16 advanced beer infusion towers which add flavors like grilled pineapple, star anise, marshmallows, vanilla and mint. Up atop the Marina Bay Financial Centre, the world’s highest urban craft brewery LeVeL33 continues to take beer and food pairings to another level with the creations of Executive Chef Jimi Tegerdine. (See ad on page 13.) Along Jalan Besar, family-run microbrewery The 1925 does the same, but with local flair best experienced at their beer pairing omakase sessions. A sure sign of a thriving microbrewery scene is the arrival of new names, and 2016 saw the launch of Crossroads Brewing Company and Innocence Brewing. Look out for their brews at places like Smith Street Taps and TAP Craft Beer Bar.

BREWERKZ #01-05/06 Riverside Point, 30 Merchant Rd., 6438-7438, www.brewerkz.com | LITTLE ISLAND BREWING CO #01-01/02 Blk 6 Changi Village Rd., 6543-9100, www.libc.com | ALCHEMIST BEER LAB #B1-16 South Beach Avenue, 26 Beach Rd., 6386-4365, www.fb.com/ alchemistbeerlab | LEVEL33 #33-01 Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1, 8 Marina Blvd., 6834-3133, www.level33.com.sg | THE 1925 369 Jalan Besar, 6294-9215, www.the1925.com.sg | CROSSROADS BREWING COMPANY www.fb.com/crossroadsbeer

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World-Class Cocktail Bars

And we mean literally. The inaugural edition of the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list featured nine Singapore bars (including four in the top 10) and the subsequent World’s 50 Best Bars list for 2016 included three of them. Topping the roster of Singapore’s representatives in 11th place is Manhattan, a Great Gatsby-style hotel bar complete with Chesterfield sofas, velvet chairs and marble tables. The impressive backlit bar is the centerpiece of the space, offset by two rooms by the entrance housing 105 oak barrels and exotic ingredients. Manhattan serves up a rotating list of 25 cocktails reflective of neighborhoods in its namesake borough. Following closely in 14th place is 28 HongKong Street, a reference point for craft cocktail culture in Singapore, consistently pushing out delicious and inventive cocktails like the Internationalist—a heady mix of Campo de Encanto pisco, Cocchi Di Torino Vermouth, Amaro Nonino and Gran Classico. Making their debut in a very respectable 21st place is the wild and wonderful Operation Dagger. You can’t go wrong with the drink that made them famous, The Egg, a concoction of rum, salted egg yolk, caramel and vanilla.

more sake options

While we’ve all had a few cups of sake over Japanese meals, we’re finally starting to appreciate nihonshu at a higher level. To begin your sake education, head to Orihara Shoten for flights of Refreshing, Rich, Amai (sweet), and Karakuchi (dry) sake varieties, and if it’s not too busy (get there before 8pm) the server will describe the origin and characteristics of each type. Or you can stop by Dassai Bar at Japan Food Town, a pop-up bar by the Dassai sake people, known for premium junmai daiginjo sake from the Asahi Shuzo brewery in Iwakuni, Japan. The first bar of its kind in Singapore, it features an exclusive Dassai 23 Centrifuge, a machine that separates completed sake from its lees, giving it a “cleaner” finish.

MANHATTAN

FAT PRINCE

Yummy Bar Bites

Our bars are turning pub grub into an art form. Loof teamed up with Bjorn Shen for a Singapore-inspired, suitably greasy menu. The new confit salmon with burned butter ikura at Anti:dote will have you ecstasy, as will the highend kebabs at Old Istanbul-inspired Fat Prince. For New England bar bites, there’s crab cakes and grilled baby octopus at The Pelican (see ad on page 7), and for classic American burgers, ribs and that spinach-artichoke dip, there’s Hard Rock Cafe (see ad on page 2).

MANHATTAN 2/F The Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Rd., 6725-3377, www. regenthotels.com | 28 HONGKONG STREET 28 HongKong St., 6533-2001, www.28hks.com | OPERATION DAGGER #B1-01, 7 Ann Siang Hill, 6438-4057, www. operationdagger.com | ORIHARA SHOTEN #01-02 Robertson Walk, 11 Unity St., 6836-5710, www.sg.oriharashoten.jp | DASSAI BAR #04-52 Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd., 6262-3465, www.japanfoodtown.sg | LOOF #03-07 Odeon Towers, 331 North Bridge Rd., 9773-9304, www.loof.com.sg | ANTI:DOTE 1/F Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Rd., 6431-5315, www.antidote.sg | FAT PRINCE 48 Peck Seah St., 62213683, www.fatprincesg.com | THE PELICAN #01-01 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Rd., 6438-0400, www.thepelican.com.sg | HARD ROCK CAFE #02/03-01 HPL House, 50 Cuscaden Rd., 6235-5232, www.hardrock.com

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Some With Hawker Food

The Good Beer Company and Smith Street Taps were pioneers in introducing craft beer to the hawker center setting, and they’ve continued to push the envelope, stocking some of the world’s most interesting beers and supporting Singaporean microbreweries. Their neighbors in Chinatown Complex serve up just about every hawker favorite including the Michelin-starred delights of Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle—perfect beer food. Taking craft beer to another iconic hawker center, 3rd Culture Brewing Co at Maxwell Food Centre has a selection of 12 taps, offering an international range of craft beers from breweries such as Brewdog, Stone, Panhead Custom Ales, Eight Degrees Brewing and more—good options to have with your meal from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. A next-generation food court, the 24,000 sq ft gastropark Timbre+ houses a mind-bending total of 35 F&B partners—from hipster eateries to local hawker stalls. For liquid company, you can take your pick from the 120 beers and ciders available at the Bottle Shop.

TAP CRAFT BEER BAR

Even more Craft BeeR Bars

While established craft beer bars like JiBiru and Druggists continue to keep hopheads happy, they’ve expanded in new directions recently. The folks behind JiBiru have opened Craft Beer Bar Takumi, a bar with many of JiBiru’s staples along with some rarer reserve and limited edition bottlings, and regular takeovers from guest breweries. Meanwhile, the Druggists team has brought one of the world’s best known craft breweries to Singapore in the form of Mikkeller Bar Singapore. With 20 taps, the bar serves many of the cult classics from the Copenhagen-based brewery along with three beers made specifically for Singapore—Bugis Brown, Prinsep Pilsner and Waterloo Wit. Those aside, tap rooms are the in thing in Singapore these days, and that’s good news—bars that specialize in draft craft beer bring us more variety and fresher brews. How much variety? We’re talking 16 taps and regular international brewery takeovers at Freehouse, 18 taps (not to mention delicious, affordable burgers) at Burger Joint and 20 taps at TAP Craft Beer Bar at the fancy Capitol Piazza.

TIMBRE+

JIBIRU #01-26 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Rd., 6732-6884, www.jibiru.com | DRUGGISTS 119 Tyrwhitt Rd., 6341-5967, www.fb.com/druggistssg | CRAFT BEER BAR TAKUMI 5/F Mandarin Orchard Hotel, 333 Orchard Rd., 9299-5673, www.fb.com/takumibar | MIKKELLER BAR SINGAPORE 120A Prinsep St., 6352-0950, www.fb.com/mikkellerbarsg | FREEHOUSE 21A Boon Tat St., 9814-9048, www.freehouse.com.sg | BURGER JOINT #01-03, 115 Amoy St., 6221-8648, www.burgerjointny.com/singapore | TAP CRAFT BEER BAR #01-K1/K2 Capitol Piazza, 15 Stamford Rd., 63847188, www.tapthat.com.sg | THE GOOD BEER COMPANY #02-58 Chinatown Complex, 335 Smith St., 9430-2750, www.fb.com/goodbeersg | SMITH STREET TAPS #02-62 Chinatown Complex, 335 Smith St., 9430-2750, www.fb.com/smithstreettaps | 3RD CULTURE BREWING CO #01-33 Maxwell Food Centre , 1 Kadayanallur St., www.fb.com/3rdCultureBrewingCo | BOTTLE SHOP JTC LaunchPad @ one-north, 73A Ayer Rajah Crescent, 62522545, timbreplus.sg/bottle-shop

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An Obsession with Fine Spirits

We’ve been fans of single malt whiskies in Singapore for a while now, but more recently, our interests have expanded to seeking out fine spirits of all varieties, from gin to rum and tequila. Fortunately, there are plenty of new bars to help us broaden our horizons.

BOURBON STREET

THE RABBIT HOLE

VASCO

Gin

Whisky

The range of gins, tonics and vermouths at Cin Cin is dizzying (see ad on page 19). Choose from over 100 gins split into five price tiers, then pair it with one of 13 tonics or 11 vermouths and homemade shrubs. For more G&T options, look no further than The Rabbit Hole, where the beverage is crafted with a housemade tonic and garnished with herbs grown in the bar’s own backyard.

Even if you’re dedicated to whisky without the “e” you have to admit that the Americans make some pretty good stuff. Embrace bourbon and rye—not to mention classic cocktails like the and the Old Fashioned Mint Julep—at The Flagship and the aptly-named Bourbon Street. Scotch fans, Quaich has a new bar at South Beach, with 500 bottles on offer.

Rum

Mezcal & Tequila

Do you know your rums from your rhums and your rons? Bago is the place to find out everything you need to know. A sister outlet of Caribbean restaurant Lime House, Bago has possibly the biggest rum selection in town, with over 150 labels covering pretty much every fomer tropical colony you can think of, from Guyana to India.

While average quality shooting tequila will probably remain the most visible form of spirits produced from agave, connoisseurs have plenty of choice when it comes to sipping tequilas and mezcals. Vasco, from the people who brought you The Cufflink Club, is a place to find them.

CIN CIN #01-02 Oasia Hotel Downtown, 100 Peck Seah St., 6385-2604, www.cincin.sg | THE RABBIT HOLE 39C Harding Rd., 6473-9965 , www.thewhiterabbit.comsg| BAGO 2/F 2 Jiak Chuan Rd., 6222-3130, www.limehouse.asia | THE FLAGSHIP 3/F 20 Bukit Pasoh Rd., www.theflagship.sg | BOURBON STREET 46 Club St., 6221-1025, www. bourbonstreet.com.sg | QUAICH #01-16 South Beach Avenue, 30 Beach Rd. 6732-3452, www.fb.com/quaichsg | VASCO 42 HongKong St., 8799-7085, www.vascosingapore.com

BAGO

THE RABBIT HOLE

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daytime drinking galore

From one-off events at hip venues to regular boozy brunches, we’ve mastered the art of whiling away the weekend over afternoon drinks.

SUNSHINE NATION

KULT KAFE

Sky High Brunch The semi-regular Sky High Brunches at Ce La Vi are the stuff of legend with a free flow of champagne and a decadent buffet spread featuring oysters and foie gras. Even if you find yourself in-between brunches, Ce La Vi is still the perfect spot for an afternoon cocktail with a view.

Sunshine Nation Specialists in unique social experiences, Sunshine Nation has hosted villa takeovers, block parties and even picnics. Stay tuned on their Facebook page to find out what’s coming next.

Sundays On The Hill

CE LA VI

Feeling the Sunday blues with thoughts of the work week ahead? Sundays on the Hill are just what you need. Held at Kult Kafe, arguably Singapore’s coolest venue for indie events, Sundays on the Hill feature groovy DJ sets and afternoon appropriate beverages like a selection of craft beers from Archipelago Brewery.

CE LA VI 57/F Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, 1 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7688, www.sg.celavi.com | SUNSHINE NATION www.fb.com/sunshinenation | KULT KAFE 11 Upper Wilkie Rd., 9389-2185, www.kultkafe.com

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BLU JAZ CAFE

Singapore-Made Spirits (sort of)

In most places, a craft beer trend is closely followed by an interest in craft spirits. While brewing beer in Singapore is straightforward enough, it’s not the case for distilling spirits. That hasn’t stopped some intrepid pioneers however. American expat couple Simin Kayhan and Rick Ames recently founded a craft spirit company, Paper Lantern Distilling, to produce spirits made entirely with Asian ingredients. Their first product, the Sichuan Pepper Gin, is a rice-based craft gin distilled at a facility in Chiang Mai. With the Sichuan pepper as its backbone, the gin also features ingredients like ginger, galangal, lemongrass, honey and the Thai spice makhwaen. A group of five partners based in Singapore is also responsible for conceiving the world’s first “extra pure” brandy, Five XP. Made from Riesling grapes in Germany, and weighing in at 38% alcohol by volume, Five XP is a spirit that defies classification—it’s more broadly a digestif and more precisely a brandy with sweetness that would appeal to rum drinkers.

DOORSTEP DELIVERIES

Alcohol delivery companies have been around in Singapore for a while now, keeping many a party going with an emergency dispatch of beer, wine and spirits. These days, there are options for those who enjoy the finer things too. Sourcing their wines from family-owned boutique wineries that they’ve visited themselves, BottlesXO brings you a wide selection of European vino within 60 minutes—kept at the perfect temperature for immediate serving. Be sure to check out their calendar of wine events too. There’s no minimum order or delivery fee. With Nuevo Vino, you can select bottles by wine variety, by occasion and by primary tasting notes like cocoa, spice, wood, tropical and floral. They also have an interesting selection of Turkish, Greek and Lithuanian spirits.

a swinging jazz scene

Jazz bars have come and gone in Singapore, but it looks like we’ve finally got a big enough population of jazz aficionados to keep the city swinging. An ever reliable haunt, Blu Jaz Cafe has broadened its repertoire in recent years to include DJ events, world music, jive, soul and even comedy. Known for their impressive whisky collection B28 also hosts live jazz performances four days a week featuring their resident band, the Nicole Duffell Organ Trio, and other top jazz talents and occasional renowned guest artists. Over at the Sultan Hotel, the Singapore Jazz Club is where you’ll find plenty of crooners, from local singer-songwriters to vibrant guest acts with accompaniment from some of Singapore’s top session musicians. Among the newcomers is Club L’Opera, which has been recently resurrected. It’s tucked away in Boat Quay with an intimate atmosphere that will bring you back to the 1920s with its refined interiors. Founder Katsumi Mizutani is a bit of a renaissance man and has teamed up with Bon Gout Music, run by beloved local Japanese keyboardist Aya Sekine, to bring you a line-up of jazz performances. Then there’s Montreux Jazz Cafe. Expect live music from a local and regional line-up in a semi-casual and sophisticated space.

PAPER LANTERN DISTILLING www.drinkpaperlantern.com | FIVE XP www.fivextrapure.com | BOTTLESXO www.bottlesxo.com | NUEVO VINO www.nuevovino.co | BLU JAZ CAFE 11 Bali Lane, 6292-3800, www.blujazcafe.net | B28 B/F The Club, 28 Ann Siang Rd., 6808-2188, www.btwentyeight.com | SINGAPORE JAZZ CLUB #02-00 The Sultan, 101 Jalan Sultan, 6723-7101, www.fb.com/sgjazzclub | CLUB L’OPERA 78A Boat Quay, 6438-2481, www.fb.com/clublopera | MONTREUX JAZZ CAFE #01-02 Pan Pacific Orchard, 10 Claymore Rd., 6733-0091, www.montreuxjazzcafe.com

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silent disco is here

With so many block parties, rooftop dance parties, street carnivals, clubs and bars, you’d think you’ll never run out of options when it comes to having a good time in Singapore. Now you can add Silent Disco to that list. For the uninitiated, this unique partying concept is pretty selfexplanatory (silent discos are, well, silent). Each partygoer is handed a pair of specialized light-studded, noisecancelling headphones. Three DJs will be there, spinning different genres of music simultaneously, giving you the option to switch as and when you like (each channel has a light with a different color).

SILENT DISCO

museums do nightlife Nightlife in Singapore has been getting an arty twist thanks to the ArtScience Museum and Gillman Barracks. ArtScience Museum’s monthly latenight event series ArtScience Late has become something of a tradition, especially for lovers of edgy and experimental art and music. One night a month, on a Thursday, the museum is open late, from 7-10pm, and performance artists and musicians take the stage for unique shows you don’t see elsewhere. Over at Gillman Barracks, the bi-monthly Art After Dark comprises extended opening hours, F&B pop-ups, markets and gallery openings with special events tied to collaborations with the likes of Singapore Design Week and the Singapore Open Media Art Festival.

GILLMAN BARRACKS

SILENT DISCO www.fb.com/silentdiscoasia | ARTSCIENCE MUSEUM 6 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8888, www.marinabaysands.com/museum | GILLMAN BARRACKS 9 Lock Rd., www.gillmanbarracks.com

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block parties are taking off

They’re like festivals—all the great vibes, outdoor settings, delicious food and drinks, silly dancing and banging tunes, minus the overcrowding and all the issues that come along with them. If there’s one thing we should be thankful for, is that Singapore still knows how to have a bit of fun, even in our infamous, sweltering climate. We’re no stranger to block/ street parties or car-free days, especially since they’ve been happening more often than before, so we’re confident that it’s a thing now (even the government is hopping on the block party bandwagon). Notable recurring events include Urban Ventures at Keong Saik Road, the block parties at Gallery & Co and Sunshine Nation’s Circular Road block party. The latter has also been doing all-day dance picnics, Garden Beats, which had two editions in 2016.

URBAN VENTURES

a beach club shake-up

Long-beloved beach club and beer pong hangout Tanjong Beach Club rolled out an exciting new food and cocktail menu this year, with dishes like snapper ceviche and the barbecued octopus salad (see ad on page 15). And now it has some healthy competition in the form of FOC Sentosa, an expansion of Catalan chef Nandu Jubany’s Hongkong Street tapas restaurant. Nestled on the eastern end of Palawan Beach, FOC Sentosa has a beachhouse vibe, with its exposed wooden roofs, sunbeds, a pool deck and an alfresco terrace. Expect Mediterranean fare like the pork paella and cocktails like their Ibiza Martini, made with passion fruit, lime, ginger, honey; and the Matcha Colada, an Asian twist on the classic Pina Colada.

TANJONG BEACH CLUB

URBAN VENTURES www.fb.com/lopelab | GALLERY & CO #01-05 National Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew’s Rd., 6385-6683, www.fb.com/ galleryandco | SUNSHINE NATION www.fb.com/sunshinenation | TANJONG BEACH CLUB 120 Tanjong Beach Walk, 9750-5323, www. tanjongbeachclub.com | FOC SENTOSA 110 Tanjong Beach Walk, 6100-1102, www.focsentosa.com

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BEERFEST ASIA

NEON LIGHTS

booze events with regional cred

WHISKY LIVE SINGAPORE

ditto music festivals

Whether you’re a fan of whisky, beer, gin or cocktails, Singapore is home to an event for you.

Singapore’s music festival calendar is hard to beat.

Beerfest Asia

Laneway Festival

Happening in June, Beerfest Asia has been bringing good beer to Singapore for close to a decade now. In its most recent edition, their list of beers and ciders topped 500 including brews never seen in Singapore before.

You’re not cool unless you’ve attended your share of Laneway Festivals. The huge spectacle sees a potpourri of music lovers, festival-goers and hipsters alike coming together for one reason—good music and good vibes.

East Imperial Gin Jubilee

It's The Ship

Stopping in Singapore on its tour of Asia, the November-ish East Imperial Gin Jubilee brings a heady dose of gin culture to town. Highlights include the Asia’s Best Gin & Tonic competition, masterclasses, tasting sessions, pop-ups, live stream distillery visits and the famed Gin Lane closing party.

What’s better than an EDM festival? A four-day festival on board a luxurious Royal Caribbean cruise-liner. With performances from legends like Sander van Doorn, It’s the Ship has quickly become one of Singapore’s biggest parties.

Singapore Cocktail Week

Neon Lights

Reason to take several MCs in a row, Singapore Cocktail Week has quickly proven itself to be a major event on the calendar with classy events across the city’s best bars and cheap(ish) cocktails over a week. It brings pop-up bars, workshops, parties and other events along with boozy brunches, supper clubs and other fun events for foodies.

After a dynamic debut in 2015, homegrown music and arts festival Neon Lights has quickly established itself as a November highlight for concertgoers. Most recently, the likes of Sigur Ros, Foals, Crystal Castles and The Sugar Hill Gang have performed, sharing the stage with local talents Gentle Bones, Cashew Chemists and Disco Hue.

Whisky Live Singapore

Zoukout

With booths from over 70 brands focusing on whisky but spanning just about every major spirit, Whisky Live Singapore offers the ultimate in alcohol education. From well-known brands to quirky craft producers, it’s an experience like no other. You can also join in masterclass sessions to learn more from visiting industry experts.

The iconic festival from the iconic club is getting bigger, taking the beats to places like Boracay and Hong Kong. Singapore is still home of course, and ZoukOut continues to bring some of the world’s best DJs to town. This year, headliners include Fritz Kalkbrenner and Hardwell.

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great wine bars

Before whisky, fine spirits, bespoke cocktails and craft beer, the original connoisseur’s haunt was the good old wine bar. Singapore is home to a number of modern places for oenophiles, some offering dozens of wines by the glass.

Drinks & Co Low-key bottle shop and café Drinks & Co sells mainly New World wines and spirits ranging from commercial to boutique. Expect very forward, forthright vinos, available by the bottle from as low as $22, while selected labels are served by the glass at $10 each. They also host wine tastings.

NAPOLEON

Gemmills Back-alley space, Gemmills resembles a quaint and intimate French café. It’s a bottle shop eatery and bar rolled into one where house pour wines go from $11. Names are on a rotational basis for take-home bottles, but they have New and Old World wines including some from lesser known locations (in Singapore anyway) like Hungary.

Merchants Wine co-op Merchants brings in bottles from boutique producers in Australia and New Zealand; all of them small and independent and many of them family-owned. They also host wine classes and talks by visiting winemakers.

Napoleon Food & Wine bar

The Enomatic wine dispenser machines at Napoleon are stocked with a jaw-dropping 32 European wines, available by the glass, by the half-glass and in tasting portions. With prices starting at just $10, it’s a great place to get to know the Old World’s lesser known wines.

O'Batignolles With its marbletop tables and rattan chairs outside (great for peoplewatching) O’Batignolles is distinctly Parisian. Most of the wines here— around 75 percent—are sourced straight from producers in France and are exclusive to the place. They’re categorized according to flavor: fresh, fruity and light, balanced and elegant or intense and rich.

Wine Connection One of Singapore’s favorite names when it comes to vino, Wine Connection serves a wide selection of wines with bottle prices starting at just $35. We particularly like the one at Robertson Walk, which also does cheese and cold cuts.

O'BATIGNOLLES

COOL DIVES

Sometimes, uncomplicated nights out are the only way to really let your hair down, and for that we have dive bars. The arrival of KTV place turned consideredly-trashy bar Skinny’s has put dives on the brain again, and we’re reminded of some old gold: the 15 shot challenge at Mogambo will leave you suitably sloshed, and good ol’ Chips is still one of the best places to be underdressed and drinking jugs of beer.

DRINKS & CO 44 Club St., 6222-2005, www.drinksandco.asia | GEMMILLS #01-02 110 Amoy St., 6221-5564, www.fb.com/gemmillssingapore | MERCHANTS 52 Duxton Rd., 6222-1162, www.merchantsofsingapore.com.sg | NAPOLEON FOOD & WINE BAR 206 Telok Ayer St., 6221-9282, www.napoleon.sg | O BATIGNOLLES 2 Gemmill Lane, 6438-3913, www.obatignolles.com | WINE CONNECTION #01-19/20 Robertson Walk, 11 Unity St., 6235-5466, www.wineconnection.com.sg | SKINNY'S LOUNGE 82 Boat Quay, 9653-8886, www.fb.com/drinkskinnys | MOGAMBO #01-01 3 Canton St., 6438-9808, www.mogambo.sg | CHIPS 21 Cuscaden Rd., 6887-3319

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CHERRY DISCOTHEQUE

clubbing is back

We seem to trail behind clubbing epicenters such as Hong Kong, but with old institutions getting major renewals and a string of new clubs opening this year, that looks set to change.

Altimate We couldn't miss out the CBD's sky-high ultra-lounge Altimate. With its 61st floor views, glass-paned walls, LED lights and even its super exclusive elevator ride from the ground floor up, the 4,000 sq ft club screams luxe. Nightly programming aside (EDM, R&B and dance), they throw some pretty lavish themed parties.

Ce La Vi The world’s 90th best club according to DJ Mag, Ce La Vi offers an expansive indoor dance floor, as well as a long alfresco terrace perfect for soaking up the atmosphere and thumping tunes. Music depends on the night and varies from throwback disco tunes, dancefloor anthems to Top 40 EDM hits.

Cherry Discotheque A mysterious and intimate joint down on the fringes of Orchard Road, Cherry Discotheque is the brainchild of Hasnor Sidik and Potato Head Folk's creative director Earn Chen. They stay true to their underground DNA (beneath York Hotel) and will stick to quality hip hop music for a discerning crowd.

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VLV

Penthouse Among the restaurants and bars that have popped up at the new South Beach is glamorous club Penthouse. They promise debaucherous nights of partying with its futuristic Funktion One sound system and extravagant lighting. There is also a private area right for mini parties (VIP bottle service included, of course).

Space Taking up the spot formerly occupied by Trace, Space is located on Magazine Road, just outside Clarke Quay. On top of their international guest acts that will happen once every three months, revellers can party with the resident DJs such as DJ Tang who used to spin at the former Ministry of Sound and DJ CADEN, ended up as a finalist in the Live Mix Maestro competition.

VLV More than just a club, VLV is a multi-faceted entertainment destination that combines a modern Chinese restaurant, a riverside dining area, an alfresco courtyard bar and a club lounge that sprawls across 20,000 sq ft of space in a historic building dating back to the 1880s.

Zouk After a quarter of a century in business, nightlife icon Zouk has gotten better with age, claiming sixth place in the 2016 DJ Mag list of the world’s 100 best clubs. They’re embarking on a new chapter with a move to Clarke Quay under new (and so far promising) ownership, and we like what we've seen of the space so far.

ALTIMATE 61/F 1 Raffles Place, 6438-0410, www.fb.com/altimage.sg | CE LA VI 57/F Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, 1 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7688, sg.celavi.com | CHERRY DISCOTHEQUE York Hotel, 21 Mount Elizabeth, 9760-3031, www.fb.com/cherrydiscotheque | PENTHOUSE South Beach Quarter, 36 Beach Rd., 9141-4525, www.fb.com/penthouse.sg | SPACE #01-03 5 Magazine Rd., 6443-4500, www.fb.com/spaceclubsg | VLV #01-02 3A Merchant's Court, River Valley Rd., 6661-0197, www.fb.com/vlvsg | ZOUK 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988, www.zoukclub.com

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BOOZE WITH A BREEZE

Rooftop and alfresco bars have always been a thing in Singapore, but we never get tired of them when the views are this good. From the massive to the cozy, these are some of our favorites.

1-Altitude

Orgo

Spanning the three top flors of One Raffles Place, the massive and leafy deck at 1-Altitude is easily one of our favorite places in town for a sundowner. includes Gallery Bar, the highest al fresco bar in the world; Stellar, a modern Australian restaurant; Altimate, one of the city's best nightclubs; and the laid back ALT Café & Bar.

Atop the Esplanade, Orgo has a breathtaking 360-degree view of Marina Bay. Helming the bar is Japanese mixologist Tomoyuki Kitazoe whose creations include the soursop calamansi martini and premium green tea mojito.

Smoke & Mirrors

Sharing a long balcony terrace with Smoke & Mirrors, the elegant, 1970s-chic establishment Aura has a surprisingly affordable wine list that ranges from $70-90 for the most part, and their list of unfussy classic cocktails are $16-24.

Part of the National Gallery's entourage of stylish bars and restaurants, Smoke & Mirrors is a 2,400 sq ft cocktail bar overlooking the Padang. The bar is run by Yugnes Susela, formerly of Tippling Club, and signature cocktails include the lavishly named Tiger Blood Daisy, made with reposado tequila, ginger beer and a house-made sour plum grenadine.

The Black Swan

Southbridge

Aura

We've loved the Art Deco-glam vibes at The Black Swan—not to mention the late-night drinks upstairs at The Powder Room—for a while. But they just unveiled a new outdoor garden, which seats about 100 people, and is all about hardwood decks, old school street lamps and climbing vines. (See page 5 for ad.)

Kinki For drinks in the CBD, Customs House is still an excellent choice, with views across the bay. Kinki is a time-honored haunt, thanks to its deck seating as well as rooftop option, not to mention a Japanese fusion bar bites menu and cocktails like Kinki Mango Mint and Peach Blossom Margarita. (See ad on back cover.)

AURA

Brought to you by the same people who do Aura, the swanky Southbridge boasts a gorgeous view of the bay area from its Boat Quay location. There are libations like the sweet Sex on the Quay with home-infused Earl Grey vodka, mango, raspberry and sugarcane, and the refreshing Rosemary Baby with gin, blackberry vodka, honey and rosemary.

ORGO

SMOKE & MIRRORS

Tiger's Milk Peruvian restaurant and cocktail bar Tiger’s Milk is a breezy space inspired by traditional pisco bars. They have an extensive selection of pisco and pisco infusions for their range of cocktails which includes the Pisconi—made of equal parts pisco, Campari and Carpano vermouth and some Amargo Chunco.

TIGER'S MILK

1-ALTITUDE 61-63/F One Raffles Place, 1 Raffles Place, 6438-0410, www.1-altitude.com | AURA #05-03 and #06-02 National Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew's Rd., 6866-1977, www.aura.sg | THE BLACK SWAN The Quadrant, 19 Cecil St., 6438-3757, www.theblackswan.com.sg | KINKI #02-02 Customs House, 70 Collyer Quay, 6533-3471, www.kinki.com.sg | ORGO #04-01 Esplanade–Theatres on The Bay, 8 Raffles Ave., 6336-9366, www.orgo. sg | SMOKE & MIRRORS #06-01 National Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew's Rd., 9234-8122, www.smokeandmirrors.com.sg | SOUTHBRIDGE 5/F 80 Boat Quay, 6536-5818, www.southbridge.sg | TIGER'S MILK R/F The Club, 28 Ann Siang Rd., 6808-2188, www.theclub.com.sg

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bar hops BOAT QUAY & HONGKONG STREET

After all these years, Boat Quay is still one of Singapore’s most reliable places for a proper after work drinking session. And with neighboring HongKong Street now one of the hottest addresses in town, it’s the perfect place to go bar hopping.

Sunset Drinks

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Club Street & Amoy Street A mix of old haunts, contemporary favorites and new venues makes the Club Street and Amoy Street areas one of Singapore’s most vibrant areas to drink.

Cocktails On Tap There are plenty of reasons to visit Oxwell & Co but our favorite is the novelty of ordering draft cocktails. Take your pick from a Gin & Chronic, Pina Colada or Pimm’s Cup.

Beat the early evening rush up at Southbridge with a glass of bubbly and an unbeatable view of the sunset. If you’re feeling indulgent, go for a half dozen oysters which are available at happy hour prices.

Pisco And Bar Bites Next up, take a trip to Central and South America at Vasco. Load up on iconic regional dishes like empanadas, ceviche and beef tartare with chimichurri and tortillas, then take your pick from their selection of mezcal, cachaca, rum, pisco and tequila.

VASCO

Stiff Cocktails When it’s that time of night for contemplative conversations and high-brow debates, you could do worse than to have them over one of 28 HongKong Street’s world-class concoctions.

Shots And after staying sophisticated for as long as you can, it’s time for shots. If you’re up for a challenge, you can attempt to write your name in Mogambo history by completing their infamous 15-shot challenge.

Nightcap Whenever you feel like having one for the road, you can count on Skinny’s Lounge. They close at 3am on weekdays and 4am on weekends with cocktails starting at just $15.

OXWELL & CO

Prosecco Capturing the glamour of 1950s Italy, The S Bar serves up special prosecco cocktails like the Rosecco, a simple mix of raspberry and rosé prosecco, and the Rossini, made with strawberry purée and prosecco. Alternatively, go for their Club S, a delicious mix of Campari, Cointreau, orange and mint, or their takes on the Negroni and Americano.

The Ultimate Gimlet The Singapore outpost of one of the world’s best bars, Employees Only serves up highlights like the EO Gimlet, made with Perry's Tot Navy Strength gin and lime cordial, and Ready Aim Fire, a mix of mezcal, lime juice, honeypineapple syrup and Hellfire Bitters.

G&Ts If that Gimlet gave you an appetite for more gin, then look no further than Spiffy Dapper. They’ve got more than 150 gins and 15 tonics to choose from, complete with specific garnishes to enhance the pairings.

Cocktails A La Singapore Best known for uniquely Singaporean cocktails like the widely-Instagrammed Kaya Toast, Bitters & Love also offers a purely bespoke cocktail experience—no names, just your choice of base spirit and flavor profile.

SOUTHBRIDGE 5/F 80 Boat Quay, 6877-6965, www.southbridge.sg | VASCO 42 HongKong St., 8799-7085, www.vascosingapore.com | 28 HONGKONG STREET 28 HongKong St., 6533-2001, www.28hks.com | MOGAMBO 3 Canton St., 6438-9808, www.mogambo.sg | SKINNY'S LOUNGE 82 Boat Quay, www.fb.com/drinkskinnys | OXWELL & CO 5 Ann Siang Hill, 6438-3984, www.oxwellandco.com | THE S BAR 21 Club St., 6224-3534, www.senso.sg/thesbar | EMPLOYEES ONLY 112 Amoy St., 6221-7357, www.employeesonlysg.com | SPIFFY DAPPER 2/F 73A Amoy St., 8233-9810, www.spiffydapper.com | BITTERS & LOVE 118 Telok Ayer St., 6438-1836, www.bittersandlove.com

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keong saik, duxton and bukit pasoh

A pub crawl around this part of town is practically a mini world tour.

Festive First Buzzing taqueria and bar Lucha Loco serves Mexican-inspired cocktails that use agave tequilas, fresh fruits and homemade syrups, all served in authentic Mexican hand-blown glassware.

Fancytown On your way down the hill, stop by for a serious, conceptual drink at Tippling Club, which continues to be one of Singapore’s ultimate dining and drinking experiences. With Chef Ryan Clift at the helm, every visit is a memorable surprise.

LUCHA LOCO

Classics Caravan Make your way through solid renditions of classic cocktails nearby on Bukit Pasoh. Start with a three-gin Gibson at Gibson, which has a 60-cocktail menu divided into Finding Comfort (easy classics), Forging Friendship (complex flavor combos), Sharing Happiness (stuff to drink abundantly all night) and Reserve (made with top-shelf stuff).

Classics Caravan II Then move downstairs to the brick-and-concrete The Flagship, a cozy and grungy space with a huge range of over 100 whiskies, dozens of Old Fashioned variations, as well as comforting snacks like chicken wings a la Pok Pok.

A Bit Of Drama

D.BESPOKE

Before you leave Bukit Pasoh, head over to D.Bespoke. Led by Ginza celeb bartender Daiki Kanetaka, who struts about in Savile Row suits, this place is an ultra luxe cocktail bar which also focuses on sherry, Armagnac and calvados.

Dance With A Drink Headed by owner-mixologist Joel Fraser, who’s an alum of both awardwinning Melbourne bar Der Raum and Tippling Club, The Cufflink Club specializes in fun and inventive tipples and is usually packed to the gills with a party-leaning crowd.

Breeze Before Bed End the night on the rooftop of Potato Head Folk, housed in an old Art Deco building, where they do tiki cocktails and now Old Fashioneds and Negronis, too. If you’re hungry, there are burgers from Jakarta’s Three Burgers on the first floor.

POTATO HEAD FOLK

LUCHA LOCO 15 Duxton Hill, 6226-3938, www.luchaloco.com | TIPPLING CLUB 38 Tanjong Pagar Rd., 6475-2217, www.tipplingclub.com | GIBSON 2/F, 20 Bukit Pasoh Rd., 9114-8385, www.gibsonbar.sg | THE FLAGSHIP 3/F 20 Bukit Pasoh Rd., www.theflagship.sg | D.BESPOKE 2 Bukit Pasoh Rd., 8141-5741, dbespoke.sg | THE CUFFLINK CLUB 6 Jiak Chuan Rd., 9694-9623, www.thecufflinkclub.com | POTATO HEAD FOLK 36 Keong Saik Rd., 6327-1939, www.ptthead.com