Singapore is by far the most expensive place to drink in Southeast Asia. You can find some cheap beer at supermarkets, sure, but once you hit a bar, prices are inflated three-fold. And yet, Singapore has a really strong drinking culture. I recently read an article about Singapore consuming the most amount of Scotch whisky in the world, nearly twice as much as the number 2!
When backpackers reach Singapore – very often after having done other Southeast Asian nations like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam – they are taken aback by the contrasting landscape and culture in Singapore. More worrying for them though is the difference in prices for almost everything, from accommodation to beer. Here, I’m listing some of the cheaper drinking places you can find in Singapore without compromising on ambience. Drink cheap in Singapore.
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[su_spoiler title=”Emerald Hill” style=”fancy”]
Emerald Hill: The bars along Emerald Hill have been around for a very long time now. What I like most about the place is the fact that it sits right smack on Orchard Road but feels totally alien. A little enclave in an otherwise very crowded place. There are three bars, owned by the same group, which stand out along Emerald Hill: Ice Cold Beer, Que Pasa and No 5. What makes it interesting is that they have developed themes around the three bars.
– Ice Cold beer, a no-brainer, prides itself in serving a wide selection of beer, ice-cold. It does have a decent range and from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, it’s happy hour with beers at a reasonable discount. They have a couple of pool tables upstairs too if you’re into that. The outdoor area is rather small and smoking tables are limited. You’re unlikely to find a table outside past 5:30pm. Ice Cold Beer whips up some pretty good bar food too. Some claim the chicken wings are the best in Singapore. After a few beers, I can imagine why one would think that, but I have to agree that they are great. Their hotdogs and pizzas are also very tasty.
– Que Pasa is a tapas bar with a decent selection of wine. Its kitchen is probably the one thing that stands out. The tapas is not the best around, but it’s great value for your bucks.
– No. 5 is an unpretentious and relatively affordable martini bar. All martinis are 1 for 1 from 9:00pm onwards. So the idea here is to grab some cold ones at Ice Cold Beer until 9:00pm and then head to No5 for some martinis. The drinks are not the diluted crap they serve you in so many bars today. They have proper martinis with some interesting specials. Try the chilli martini. Story goes that a guy choked on one and passed out because it was way too hot for his palate. They toned it down a notch and use a milder chilli now.
Emerald Hill Road, Singapore 229289, +65 6732 0818
[su_gmap width=”300″ height=”200″ address=”Emerald Hill Road, Singapore 229289″][/su_spoiler]
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Drinks & Co: By far my favourite bars these days. For one, it is along Club Street which now restricts access to cars at night. The vibe is a lot better than before and it feels like an upmarket version of Hong Kong’s Lang Kwai Fong. And yet, Drinks & Co probably has the cheapest drinks for a bar downtown. A bottle of Chivas is only SGD75 and that’s inclusive of a SGD10 corkage fee. The place however is so popular now that it’s almost impossible to get a seat. What you can do is get one of those large stools and use that as a table while you and your friends stand around. For those who are not familiar with Singapore prices and rolling their eyes at the SGD75 price tag, a similar bottle in a typical bar would probably cost you twice as much.
[su_gmap width=”300″ height=”200″ address=”44 Club Street, Singapore 069421″]
Drinks & Co, 44 Club Street, Singapore 069421, +65 6222 2005[/su_spoiler]
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Timbre @Substation: If you like live music and good pizzas while drinking, then Timbre is the place for you. The owners were in their early to mid-20s when they started Timbre and their aim was to support the local music scene. They’ve done a great job at that too and the bands that play there are probably some of the best locally. It’s sad that bands in Singapore play mostly covers but then again, it’s because the local crowd will usually not entertain originals. Sad but true. Anyway, Timbre also prepares some of the best pizzas you can have in Singapore. And it’s all at affordable prices too. Be mindful that the place gets packed very fast in the evening so show up before 7:00pm if you want a table. For a smoking table you better park there even earlier.
Timbre @ The Substation, 45 Armenian Street, Singapore 179936
[su_gmap width=”300″ height=”200″ address=”Emerald Hill Road, Singapore 229289″][/su_spoiler]
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Clarke Quay Bridge: Clarke Quay has dozens of pubs and restaurants, one more expensive than the other. The cheapest drinking spot there, and probably in the whole downtown area, is at the bridge. You buy your drinks at the 7 11 nearby, or you bring your own and station yourself on the bridge at Clarke Quay. Frequent flyers are University exchange students and backpackers. The good thing is that you get to meet a lot of interesting characters and mingle with the crowd (and boy does it get crowded). There are also buskers around which adds to the entertainment value. The bad thing is that things can get quite rowdy the later it gets. Then again, this is Singapore, so when I say rowdy, it just means lots of noise.
Clarke Quay, 3 River Valley Road, Singapore 179024
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Any ‘Kopitiam’: If you like beer and want to drink like a local, then sit down at one of the many coffee shops or ‘kopitiams’ in Singapore. It’s best done with a group of people. After a while, don’t be surprised if you’re approached by a neighbouring group of drinking ‘uncles’, curious about your country of origin and culture. It’s all very friendly and makes for a great experience. ‘Hawker centres’ provide the same atmosphere. Popular ones which open till late include Newton Circus and Lau Pa Sat. And you can always enjoy some local delights while indulging in your Tiger beer. Why not some satays, rojak, and chicken wings?[/su_spoiler]
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If budget is not an issue, why not try one of the many cocktail bars in Singapore?
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