Singapore’s nightlife scene is boiling over with cool new bars, and among them is a handful of blink-and-miss-it speakeasy-style spaces helmed by award-winning bartenders with one thing on their minds: high-quality cocktails. With unmarked doors and need-to-know passwords, going out just got a little more exciting.
Dapper Drinks
Originally a tiny upstairs bar in Boat Quay, Spiffy Dapper has just expanded into a bigger space. It’s still just as hidden, though, thanks to a second-floor location, no signage and blackout curtains all around. The team built almost everything from scratch, including all the furniture and even the hand-beaten copper bar. The same care goes into the bespoke cocktails. “We are very serious about the craft, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” says owner George Abhishek Cherian.
Order this: Just sit back and relax—the bartenders will suggest a cocktail based on your favorite spirits (SG$18-24 ($103-138)).
Find it: Look up when you get to the address and climb the stairs. 73 Amoy St., Singapore, (+65) 8233-981
Spiffy Dapper, looking good
Staring Daggers
Despite the grungy exterior, venturing down the dark, dilapidated stairs leading into Operation Dagger soon gets very Scandinavian-cool. When you walk in, you’ll immediately notice the huge cloud-like light installation—6,000 light bulbs that were hung by hand. This molecular cocktail bar serves up refined, adventurously technical concoctions, so expect some experimental flavors and funky presentations.