BARS

28 HONG KONG STREET

It’s all very hush-hush (no signage, just a nondescript door) at this neat cocktail bar. The almost non-existent lighting from old fashioned bulbs creates a great speakeasy vibe to match the sassy menu of drinks with names like Whore’s Bath (SG$22), which features Manuka honey vodka, umeshu, poire William liqueur, lemon, pickled ginger. We also like the Clark County Cousin (SG$22), a wonderfully balanced concoction of black pepper-infused Laphroaig, housemade grilled peach marmalade, lemon and bourbon. Unlike most cocktail bars, the food is pretty damn good. Try the meltin- your-mouth Reuben sandwich with pastrami and cheese (SG$16).
28 Hongkong St., +65 6533-2001. Open Mon-Wed 5:30pm-1am; Thu 5:30pm-2am; Fri-Sat 5:30pm-3am. MRT Clarke Quay
 
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GOOD BEER COMPANY/SMITH STREET TAPS

This pop-up stall selling craft beer on tap—the first of its kind—is a collaborative effort between craft beer stalwart The Good Beer Company (right next door) and bottle shop Brewer’s Craft (#01-191 Blk 354, Clementi Ave. 2, 9815- 2613. www.brewerscraft.com.sg). It’s basically your usual kopitiam (Singaporean drinks stall) setup with no frills. Choose from a discerning selection of craft beer on tap such as Brewdog Mashtag (SG$13/pint), Thornbridge Kipling South Pacific Pale Ale (SG$12/pint) and Jungle Beer Vanilla Porter (SG$9/pint), and take a seat on the plastic chairs with the expat young professional crowd.
#02-62 Chinatown Complex, 335 Smith St., +65 9430-2750. Open Tue-Sat 6:30-10:30pm. MRT Chinatown
 

SUGARHALL

The folks from Jigger & Pony, an all-American grill and rum bar in Chinatown, have followed it up with this Japanese-centric cocktail bar right next door. It has that same industrial thing going on as half the new places in Bangkok, with a wooden crate-like structure serving as backlit bar shelving, communal tables with high chairs, exposed light fixtures hanging from hemp ropes and an indie meets rock ’n’ roll playlist. As well as reinvented classic cocktails (all SG$22) like the fantastic Ron Negroni (Plantation Grande Reserve rum, velvet Falernum, Mancino Rosso and Campari) be sure to try the barbecue food. A juicy hanger steak with chimichurri sauce will set you back SG$24—surprisingly restrained for this town.
102 Amoy St., +65 6222-9102. Open Mon-Sat 6pm-midnight. MRT Telok Ayer
 

CUFFLINK CLUB

This newbie Chinatown shop-house renovation is headed by a mixologist who’s worked at award-winning Melbourne bars Der Raum and Tippling Club. The space is sleek but not uptight, with a bar counter accented by lime green tiles, black leather bar stools (the best seats in the house) and comfortably dim lighting. The focus is obviously on cocktails— fun tipples like Walking Dead (SG$25), made with spices and a secret blend of 13 different rums and garnished with a candy eyeball—but there are also some nice bar nibbles like chorizo Iberico bellota (SG$8) and prosciutto di Parma (SG$8). On the stereo is a mix of old school R&B and feel-good tunes.
6 Jiak Chuan Rd., +65 9694-9623. Open Mon-Fri 5pm-1am; Sat 6pm-1am. MRT Outram Park
 

KU DE TA

OK, so Bangkok has its own Ku De Ta now, but Singapore’s venue is still something well worth heading over to Marina Bay Sands for, sitting 200 meters above ground with a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view. The luxurious, 14,500-sq-foot space features three separate outlets: restaurant, club lounge and poolside terrace—the definitive destination for high rollers in town for one night. Signature cocktails start at $24.
57/F Skypark, Marina Bay Sands , Marina Bay Sands, 1 Bayfront Ave., +65 6688-7688. Open daily noon-3pm for lunch; Sat-Sun 11:30am-1:30pm for brunch; Sun-Wed 6-11pm, Thu-Sat 6-11:30pm for dinner; midnight-late for club lounge.

RESTAURANTS

ARTICHOKE

Casual, unpretentious fare in a relaxed environment. The mix of high and low tables and clean white furniture juxtaposed with wood elements and a clock made of kitchen utensils catches your eye as much as the plates of food coming out of the kitchen. Dishes like grilled bacon chop glazed with maple syrup (SG10) and lamb salad with organic abalone mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini and aubergine use the freshest ingredients and beautifully balance sweet and salty flavors.
Sculpture Square, 161 Middle Rd., +65 6336-6949. Open Tue-Sat 6:30-9:45pm; Sat 11:30am-4pm; Sun 11:30-2:45pm. MRT Bras Basah
 

LONG CHIM

World’s Best Restaurants-lauded David Thompson has brought his studied and wonderfully executed Thai cooking to Singapore. A far cry from Bangkok’s Nahm, this sprawling space matches street food motifs with Wong Kar Wai-esque lushness, featuring a long open kitchen, graffiti from our most celebrated street artists, retro Thai cinema pop-art and luxurious booths. On the menu are small plates like the tart and toothsome seafood vermicelli salad and earthy Chiang Mai mixed chicken salad. On the cocktail front, try Tears of the Black Tiger (mezcal, sherry and tamarind).
L2-02 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave.,+65 6688-7299. Open daily 6pm-midnight. MRT Bayfront.
 

ESQUINA

This intimate space by hotelier-restaurateur Loh Lik Peng and Jason Atherton of London’s Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social doesn’t take reservations but the food is well worth the wait. Tapas is the name of the game; executive chef Andrew Walsh makes superb wagyu beef rump with fried oyster, oyster mayonaise and dashi jelly (SG37) and baked sea-bass with heirloom tomatoes, sweet garlic, black olive and charred squid (SG32); best washed down with Spanish brews like Ferran Adria’s Estrella Damm Inedit, sherry or Cava.
16 Jiak Chuan Rd., +65 6222-1616. Open Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; Mon-Sat 6-10:30pm. MRT Outram Park
 

MEAT SMITH

An American smokehouse by the Unlisted Collection restaurant group, this cozy brick-and-concrete place on the party bit of Telok Ayer Street specializes in meats smoked on premises, bourbon and picklebacks (that is, shots of whiskey chased by shots of pickle brine).
167 Telok Ayer St., MRT Telok Ayer
 

VIOLET OON'S KITCHEN

With various cookbooks and television appearances to her name, Violet Oon is Singapore’s don of Nyonya (or Peranakan) cuisine, which fuses flavors from all over East Asia. Her new family-run establishment—her children are co-owners and help to keep things running smoothly—is cozy and welcoming, with full-flavored Nyonya classics such as beef rendang (SG24), as well as fusion dishes including black pepper prawn pasta (SG25) and Western offerings like shepherd’s pie (SG19).
881 Bukit Timah Rd., +65 6468-5430. Open Tue-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat 10:30am-11pm; Sun 10:30am-10pm

SHOPS

STRANGELETS

Sick of mass-produced items that everyone seems to have? This design boutique will provide that breath of fresh air. Established in 2008, Strangelets is still one of the best spots in town for wild and wow furnishings and curious accessories sourced from all over the world, like porcelain wares from Studio Gu and a side tables from Mark Product.
7 Yong Siak St., +65 6222-1456. Open Mon-Fri 11am-8pm; Sat-Sun 10am-8pm. MRT Tiong Bahru
 

MONOCLE CAFE AND SHOP

The magazine, famous for everything super hip and desirable, now has a bureau, store and cafe in the quiet Chip Bee Gardens. The predominantly residential neighborhood is a blank canvas for the shop peddling everything utilitarian, chic and super-luxe. Think bags, suits, pocket squares, home and desk accessories, as well as backdated issues of the magazine. There’s also a small cafe space integrated into the shop where you can sip on coffee while browsing the selection.
74 Jalan Kelabu Asap, Singapore, 278267, +65 6475-1791. Open daily 11am-8pm. MRT Holland Village
 

LULULEMON ATHLETICA

There are still a few brands left which Singapore has and we don’t. This must-have sportswear brand has just opened its first ever Asian store at ION Orchard. The interior is pretty minimalist with lots of blond wood, bright lighting and peppy sales assistants. Although yoga-inspired, Lululemon has all your classic workout gear. Leggings, running shorts, sports bras and singlets dominate, with a smaller range of accessories like sports bags, sweat bands and yoga mats. Leggings range between SG$100-150, singlets SG$70-100, sports bras and shorts from SG$70 and sweat bands SG$22.
#B1-11 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn. Open daily 10am-10pm. MRT Orchard
 

CURATED RECORDS

As the name suggests, this independent record store has a carefully curated range of vinyl, from mainstream hits to small indie releases. The tiny shop space squeezes in over a thousand records covering pop, electronic, folk and rock ’n’ roll, with prices starting from SG$27.
#01-53 55 Tiong Bahru Rd., +65 6438-3644. Open Tue-Sun 1-8pm. MRT Outram Park

HOTELS

 
Heritage Revamp
Everything from the reception area in a restored colonial villa to the tumbling, three-tiered swimming pool elicits involuntary murmurs of awe on arrival. It’s a sprawling complex, meaning plenty of privacy and a buggy to get down to the tennis court. Our only gripe—a few too many mosquitoes. All the more reason to keep your balcony door shut and bask in the widescreen views. Rooms start at $520 per night.
1 The Knolls, +65-6377-8888
 
 
Affordable Style
Singaporean hotelier Loh Lik Peng owns a range of design-savvy boutique hotels including 1929 and New Majestic Hotel. This one features flight-of-fancy room categories like the space-themed Whimsical room, which features egg-shaped chairs, soft-toy aliens, walls aglow with LEDs and a king-sized bed accessed by ladder. The location is convenient, within walking-distance of the MRT and only 10 minutes from the main shopping drag on Orchard. Rooms start at SG180 per night.
Wanderlust, 2 Dickson Rd., +65-6396-3322. MRT Bugis
 
 
Budget Crash-pad
Think Tokyo capsule hotel crossed with stylish contemporary hostel. The property has 83 beds starting at just SG89 per night. What the spaces lack in size they make up for in cleanliness and well-considered minimal design—these are not the kind of dorms you stumble into drunk at 3am. Within walking distance you’ll find the lively Arab Quarter and Bugis Village for street snacks and shopping.
289 Beach Road Level 3, +65 6298 8505. www.thepod.sg

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Exchange Rate

SGD 1 = THB 25