The Drinking Culture of Singapore

"As imperfect as such measures may be, Singapore counts four of its bars among the World's 50 Best in the current ranking, and 11 among Asia's top 100. Since the inaugural Asia's 50 Best Bars list debuted in 2016, three Singaporean entrants - 28 HongKong Street, Manhattan and Jigger & Pony - have won the crown a combined four times. In four of the other years, a Singapore bar was runner-up."

"In the cocktail sphere, few cities or countries have been able to capture such magic or maintain such a high level for so long. Thank, perhaps, a youthful chip on its shoulder but also Singapore's creative energy, willingness to go big and bold, and its dynamic, multicultural roots.Whether visiting one of those modern hot spots, paying homage to an icon like Long Bar at Raffles Hotel to nab a Singapore Sling or starting your day with some kopi, you're always drinking well in Singapore."

""You can't talk about cocktails here without mentioning the legendary Singapore Sling," says William Camcam, the head bartender of Employees Only Singapore. Raffles debuted the drink back in 1915 and estimates that it serves as many as 1,000 of them per day. Having one during a trip to Singapore is an obligatory tourist ritual, even if it's not something that locals seek out with regularity. What locals do seek out on a daily basis is their cup of kopi, the word for coffee in Hokkien."

Four Singapore bars rank among the World's 50 Best and 11 appear in Asia's top 100, with multiple wins and frequent runner-up finishes demonstrating sustained prominence. The city pairs youthful confidence with creative energy, boldness, and multicultural roots to sustain a high-level cocktail scene. The Singapore Sling, created at Raffles in 1915, remains a tourist ritual with Raffles serving up to 1,000 daily. Kopi is a daily staple brewed from robusta beans roasted with margarine and sugar, filtered through a cloth sock and often customized with condensed milk. Teh tarik is another common frothy, pulled milk tea enjoyed locally.

Read at InsideHook