Singapore’s most famous drink is the eponymous sling, which was invented by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon at the Raffles Hotel Long Bar in 1915. But the Lion City’s cocktail offerings have long transcended the drink and proven this tiny city-state punches above its weight. If you’re in Singapore, these Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar bars—all within a little more than a mile—make for the perfect bar crawl.
Jigger & Pony
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The No. 2 bar on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list has been open for a decade, but its profile rose after it moved to the Amara Hotel on Tanjong Pagar Road in late 2018. In 2019, it debuted on the World’s 50 Best List at No. 29, and it made it to the top of the list in 2020. The mod interior feels lifted from Mad Men, while the menu is all about fun takes on classic drinks, including a Genmaicha Bellini and Crystal Ramos gin fizz.
jiggerandpony.com
D.Bespoke
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While many Singaporean cocktail spots evince a Western influence, D.Bespoke’s Japanese owner looked to the sleek spaces of Tokyo’s Ginza district for his bar. Aside from the, ahem, bespoke mixed drinks, the bar specializes in Spanish sherries, French brandies, and vintage rums.
dbespoke.sg
Gibson Bar
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Set in a classic prewar shophouse, this attractive bar is named after a variant of the martini (one that’s usually garnished with a pickled onion). As such, the menu boasts expertly crafted classics, sometimes with a regional twist—think old-fashioneds made with baked Japanese sweet potatoes or highballs with Malaysian white guava.
gibsonbar.sg
Tippling Club
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This gastrobar spread across three shophouses has been a leader in the Singaporean mixology vanguard for more than a decade. The cocktails are creative (how good does a banh mi sazerac sound?) and work in amazing concert with the high-concept, tasting-menu meals.
tipplingclub.com
Nutmeg & Clove
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The walls of this speakeasy-style spot on Ann Siang Hill are decorated with vintage 1960s posters and old medicine cabinets (the building once housed a traditional Chinese apothecary), while the menu draws its flavors from local culture (think: a Bloody Mary inspired by chili crab, a popular Singaporean dish).
nutmegclove.com
Native
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Finish your crawl (you might be literally crawling at this point) at this Amoy Street institution. The bartenders here carefully craft cocktails that are as photogenic as they are delicious, with a focus on Southeast Asian ingredients such as candlenut and curry leaf. Don’t miss out on the house-infused gins, which make use of everything from chrysanthemum to Kampot pepper.
tribenative.com
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