Get a taste of global tipples at these 3 Singapore bars this weekend

These’s no better way to ring in the end of yet another working week by teaming up with a couple of friends and grabbing a few drinks at your favourite bar (while making sure to adhere to safe-distancing measures). While Singapore has no shortage of places serving up draught pints of made-in-Singapore craft beer or concocting cocktails with local ingredients, there are also many bars where you can get a taste of global flavours without leaving the Little Red Dot.

This weekend, consider dropping by one of these three establishments, where you can either get your fill of cocktails from two leading Asian bars; sample draught pints direct from one of Ho Chi Minh City‘s top breweries; or sip on terror-driven natural wines from around the world in a laid-back setting.

While you may not be able to hop on a flight to Taipei or Delhi anytime soon, you can sample offerings from the cities’ top cocktail bars through MO Bar’s Nomadic Forager Virtual Bar Tour this weekend. As part of the programme, customers can order signature cocktails from acclaimed global establishments – including Bangkok‘s Vesper, The Curator in Manila and Seoul bar Alice Cheongdam – for the one-week duration of each “shift”. From 3 September to 9 September, MO Bar will offer drinks from ROOM by Le Kief in Taipei and Sidecar in Delhi, as shaken up by its in-house bartenders. Can’t make it down this weekend? The cocktails from each concluded guest shift are available via MO Bar’s online store, and more stops on the tour are slated to be added this month.

Formerly situated along Tras Street, Heart of Darkness has relocated to a brand-new location along Keong Saik Road that they say is bigger and bolder. One of the region’s leading craft breweries – with branches in its native Ho Chi Minh City as well as destinations around the world including Hong Kong, Thailand and Finland – it first opened in the Lion City in 2019. The new taproom will have over 25 craft beers on tap direct from their brewery in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as a range of bar bites and heartier dishes including octopus croquettes, fish and chips tacos and teriyaki pork chop. Keep an eye out for the mural of an intertwined dragon and Merlion backdropped by the setting sun, a tribute to the collaborative relationship between Vietnam and Singapore as epitomised by the taproom itself.

Wine aficionados can make their way down to Rebel Rebel, a newly opened wine bar specialising in terroir-driven varieties produced in limited quantities. Located in a cosy and laid-back space along Bukit Pasoh Road, this is where you’ll find over 200 different labels from faraway locales around the world including France, Japan and Georgia, spanning everything from burgundies and champagnes to rosé wines and rare old vintages. Expect predominantly natural wines alongside an impressive food menu curated by ex-Burnt Ends chef Deborah Yeo, with offerings including a fragrant prawn uni paste served with brown butter toast; pig’s head tagliatelle; and churros with lime and miso chocolate.

Please check the bars’ respective websites for opening hours before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.

SEE ALSO: Opinion: What will Singapore’s bar scene look like in the near future?