The 10 Best Speakeasies in Singapore

28 HongKong Street opened in 2011 and effectively established the modern Singapore cocktail scene. The bar has no signage — you find the door at 28 HongKong Str. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.

Analogue Initiative is Singapore's most sustainability-focused cocktail bar — zero-waste cocktail program, locally-sourced ingredients, and a hyper-modern techn. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.

Anti:dote at Fairmont draws a steady local crowd in City Hall. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.

Archipelago Brewery draws a steady local crowd in Robertson Quay. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.

Parkview Square, 600 North Bridge Road, Singapore 188778. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.

Atlas Bar occupies the lobby of Parkview Square — Singapore's most photographed art deco building. The 14-metre gin tower at the centre of the room holds over 1. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.

Bartini at Grand Park City Hall draws a steady local crowd in City Hall. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.

Bitters & Love has been quietly winning awards since 2013 and the Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood has grown up around it. What makes it special is the combinati. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.

Bochinche Bar draws a steady local crowd in Tanjong Pagar. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.

Ceviche Bar combines Peruvian ceviche with a deep South American natural wine list — Argentinian Malbecs, Chilean Carmenere, and Uruguayan Tannat from small pro. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.

Last Word is a minimalist Japanese-style cocktail bar on Purvis Street that pours precise classics for a calm, counter-led crowd. Order: the Bloody Mary or a Martini built straight. Best time: Tuesday or Wednesday from the 5pm open, when the counter has room and the bartenders can talk. Best for a quiet first date or an industry nightcap. Closed Sunday and Monday.

The Single Cask is an Amoy Street whisky bar with more than 400 single malts and single-cask rums, plus its own independent bottlings. Order: a single-cask malt the team recommends, or a regional flight. Best time: a weekday from the 5pm open, when the bar is calm and the staff can steer the shelf. Best for a serious dram. Closed Sunday.