Every year, World’s 50 Best Bars compiles, well, the best bars across the world. Without fail, Singapore has topped Asia’s awards list for four consecutive years. Even when a Singaporean bar is not number one, it will certainly appear in the top 10. In 2020, there are a whopping 11 bars featured in the awards list, which makes Singapore one of the best nightlife destinations in Southeast Asia if bar hopping is your cup of tea. We’ll go over the 5 best Singapore bars on the list, but each and every one of these 11 Singaporean bars is well worth a visit!
1. Jigger & Pony
This joint is not only the number 1 bar in Singapore but it’s the top bar in the entire continent. Opened in 2016, Jigger & Pony quickly rose to the top, winning the Highest Climber Award in 2018. With an interior straight out of a 70’s spy movie, Jigger and Pony offer elegance enveloped in a warm welcome. Their signature cocktail is the Ramos Gin Fizz but their martinis are known to be a crowd-pleaser.
If you’re unable to visit this award-winning establishment, Jigger & Pony offers at-home cocktail sets so you can try their famous concoctions from the comfort of your own home. You don’t need a fancy shaker to make these cocktails; but if you want to get one, it’ll be a nice addition to your kitchen.
Jigger & Pony
165 Tanjong Pagar Road, 088539, Singapore
+65 9621 1074
2. Atlas
Coming at number 5 in the top 50 list is Atlas, a Parkview Square bar imbuing 1920s vibes à la Great Gatsby. To match its grand art deco setting, the bar needs a menu just as grand and that’s why they carry over 1,300 labels of liquor and spirits in their repertoire. Not only that, some of these spirits date back all the way to the 1910s.
Atlas also offers an excellent food menu and considering it’s open from 10 am, you can enjoy brunch, lunch, and afternoon tea while sipping one of their famous cocktails. Head bartender, Jesse Vida, is revered for his gin and tonic, Gin Tonica, and Atlas Martini. If gin is not your poison, Atlas has an extensive champagne collection you can ponder over.
Atlas Bar
Parkview Square, 600 North Bridge Road, Downtown Core, 188778, Singapore
+65 6396 4466
3. Native
Right after Atlas, we’ve got Native on number 6, a quaint bar located in the idyllic Amoy Street. Native’s speciality is its cocktails made with foraged ingredients paired with spirits that are native to the region. Another noteworthy element is the bar’s no fresh citrus policy to uphold its no-waste philosophy. These unique approaches are the exact reasons why Native deserves one of the coveted spots on Asia’s 50 Best Bars.
Standout cocktails from Native include the Pineapple Arrack, made with coconut flower sap aged in Sri Lankan wood and the Red Light District containing tongkat ali, a medicinal root known to enhance male fertility. If you’re tired of the good ol’ traditional cocktails, definitely give Native a visit to excite your taste buds
Native Bar
52A Amoy Street, 069878 Singapore
+65 8869 6520
4. Manhattan
This Singapore bar was the number 1 entry for the 2017 and 2018 lists. Although now it sits at number 8, Manhattan is still the award-winning bar that all Singaporeans should be proud of. As a winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award 2020, Manhattan is most known for its generous service, combined with a warm-toned lounge setting that will put every patron instantly at ease. A plus point is their collection of over 150 rare whiskies from America as the backdrop of the bar.
Manhattan’s menu spotlights forgotten drinks from the yesteryears. This includes the Kerman, a drink from the 17th century that incorporates lime juice, pistachio, tequila, and pink Himalayan salt. Other top cocktail contenders include New York Sour, Uptown Girl, and of course, the Manhattan.
Manhattan
Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Road Level 2, Tanglin, 249715 Singapore
+65 6725 3377
5. Tippling Club
At number 17, the Tippling Club offers a progressive gastronomy experience like never before. The Tippling Club is more than just a bar; it is also a restaurant popular for its food and drink pairings. Tippling Club’s must-have cocktail is the Bombe Glacée, a tequila-based drink mixed with citrus, vetiver, bee pollen, fig leaf, and vanilla. Right behind the Bombe Glacée is the White Truffles in Winter, mad with truffles, orange blossom, and popcorn with a sherry champagne base.
Other than the out-of-this-world food pairing experience, Tippling Club also made headlines for being the first bar in the world to introduce an edible menu. It was presented in the form of 12 gummy bears of different colours, inspired by dreams and feelings such as Lust, Revenge, Super Car, and Happiness.
Tippling Club
38 Tanjong Pagar Rd, Singapore 088461
+65 6475 2217
Other entries on the list from Singapore are:
● #22 – The Old Man
● #23 – D.Bespoke
● #25 – Gibson
● #30 – 28 Hong Kong Street
● #32 – Nutmeg & Clove
● #46 – MO Bar
