Best Bars in Singapore: The Bar Awards Singapore 2016 Full Results!

PUBLISHED March 13th, 2016 11:00 pm | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:27 pm

The Bar Awards Singapore 2016, an annual affair that brings the bar community to celebrate achievement in the bar industry, recognised ten outstanding individuals, teams, and establishments tonight.

How It Worked

Back for the third year running, the awards is founded and organized by industry veteran Tron Young. The journey to determining the winners started in December last year, when nominations were open to the public. The public nominations were turned over to The Panel – a carefully curated group of F&B professionals, operators, bartenders, as well as passionate members of the public – who came up with The Shortlist of top contenders of every award category.

The first round of voting also allowed The Panel to nominate a “Wild Card” (an individual or establishment who they think deserved to be shortlisted); a “Wild Card” makes The Shortlist only if three or more members of The Panel nominates the individual or establishment. The Panel then votes again on the shortlist for the ultimate winners.

Well, we’re pretty sure you’re itching to get to the winners and we have first dibs on the ranked results! So, scroll down for the best in the local bartending business:

The Bacardi Young Bartender of the Year

Everyone on this list is an exceptional young talent in the bartending scene and is likely to go far within the field. To be considered, candidates had to be under the age of 25 at the point of nomination.

Winner – Brendon Khoo, 28 Hong Kong Street

 

2. Boo Jing Heng – Jigger & Pony
3. Cedric Mendoza – Manhattan
4. Sin Kim Shin – Jigger & Pony
5. Ashwin Raj – 28 Hong Kong Street
6. Brandon Hon
7. Symphony Loo – Neon Pigeon
8. Joel Poon – The Library
9. Reena Rivera – The Horse’s Mouth
10. Charles Faggotter – The Cufflink Club
11. Cherrie Soh – Shin Gi Tai
12. Jonathan Emmanuel – Potato Head Folk
13. Benedict Poh – The Horse’s Mouth
14. Hilda Tan
15. Bryan Kishore – FRESH!

Best Culinary Experience in a Bar

We’re sure you agree that the hard working individuals and teams slaving over a hot stove/fryer/cooker, whilst we revel into the wee hours, deserve their time in the sun!

Winner – Anti:dote

2. 28 Hong Kong Street
3. Manhattan
4. Tess Bar & Kitchen
5. Vasco
6. DSTLLRY
7. The Horse’s Mouth
8. Gibson
9. Potato Head Folk
10. Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall
11. LongPlay
12. L’Aiglon
13. D.Bespoke
14. The Flagship
15. Jigger & Pony

Best Service Crew

How many times have your nights out been marred by a single bad hospitality experience? This one’s for the best team who’re on their feet and keeping a smile on their faces the whole night (and sometimes, day).

Winner – Manhattan

2. Anti:dote
3. 28 Hong Kong Street
4. Jigger & Pony
5. Operation Dagger
6. Tess Bar & Kitchen
7. Vasco
8. D.Bespoke
9. Spago by Wolfgang Puck
10. Bread Street Kitchen
11. Neon Pigeon
12. El Tardeo
13. FRESH!
14. Club 39
15. L’Aiglon

The Pilsner Urquell Best Beer Bar

The craft beer community has seen many new players join in the recent years and it’s cool to show appreciation for bars who put a lot of efforts into bringing the best brews to consumers.

 Winner – Druggists

2. Ice Cold Beer
3. Smith Street Taps
4. Jibiru, Craft Beer Bar
5. The Good Beer Company
6. TAP
7. No. 5 Emerald Hill
8. Draft & Craft
9. Brewerkz
10. Little Island Brewing Co.
11. CATO
12. Colbar
13. Nickledime Drafthouse
14. The Bucket List Bar
15. South Coast
16. Cook & Brew Gastro Bar
17. Prive (Chijmes)

The Monkey 47 Best Restaurant Bar

Food has always been Singapore’s first love; and we’re happy to see that many restaurants have improved and enhanced their dining experience with a great cocktail and beverage programme.

Winner – Tippling Club

2. FOC
3. Tess Bar & Kitchen
4. Burnt Ends
5. Sugarhall
6. Cut by Wolfgang Puck
7. Neon Pigeon
8. Humpback (Wild Card)
9. Long Chim
10. Waku Ghin (Wild Card)
11. The Black Swan
12. Kite
13. Super Loco
14. Adrift by David Meyers
15. Bread Street Kitchen
16. Club 39
17. Oxwell & Co.

Best Spirits & Liquor Selection

Judged by the hard work put into curating the alcoholic collection – think sourcing rare bottles, constantly changing their list, and finding new and unique tipples – this category where bigger is not always better.

Winner – The Auld Alliance

2. 28 Hong Kong Street
3. Fine Spirits by La Maison du Whisky
4. Manhattan
5. The Secret Mermaid
6. Anti:Dote
7. D.Bespoke (Wild Card)
8. Orihara Shouten
9. Sugarhall
10. The Spiffy Dapper
11. The Library
12. Quaich
13. The Flagship
14. Jigger & Pony
15. Vasco
16. L’Aiglon

The Cointreau Most Creative Cocktail Bar

Let’s face it; it’s not easy being creative for one drink, let alone the entire cocktail list. These cocktail bars are make our nights extra fun and exciting, and are always a joy to stop at.

Winner – Operation Dagger

2. The Tippling Club
3. Anti:Dote
4. Gibson
5. Manhattan
6. 28 Hong Kong Street
7. Smoke & Mirrors
8. House of Dandy
9. The Powder Room
10. Bitters & Love
11. FRESH!
12. Tess Bar & Kitchen
13. DSTLLRY
14. L’Aiglon
15. The Horse’s Mouth

The Campari Best New Bar

Opening a new bar or restaurant is not easy; the amount of stress, deadlines to meet, and coordination is maddening. And these 15 amazing new bars have done it well enough to earn a spot on the list.

 Winner – Gibson

2. Vasco
3. Smoke & Mirrors
4. The Flagship
5. Shin Gi Tai
6. Long Chim
7. Fresh!
8. Spago by Wolfgang Puck
9. Bread Street Kitchen
10. Club 39
11. Humpback
12. Kite
13. El Tardeo
14. Bar at Hotel Vagabond
15. Tiger’s Milk

Bartender of the Year

Voila! The most talented bartenders in the country, ’nuff said.

Winner – Tom Hogan, Anti:dote

2. Steve Leong – Tess Bar & Kitchen
3. Vijay Mudaliar – Operation Dagger
4. Aki Eguchi – Gibson
5. Anthony Zhong – Shin Gi Tai
6. Kamil Foltan – formerly of Tippling Club
7. Bannie Kang – Anti:dote
8. Luke Whearty – Operation Dagger
9. Yugnes Susela – Smoke & Mirrors
10. Nicholas Quatroville – formerly of L’Aiglon
11. Zdenek Kastanek – 28 Hong Kong Street
12. Peter Chua – 28 Hong Kong Street
13. Naz Arjuna – Bitters & Love
14. Sam Wong – formerly of Neon Pigeon
15. Kino Soh – FRESH!

The Stolichnaya Best Cocktail Bar

This is the one you’ve been watiting for, folks. Your barhopping plans, sorted.

Winner – 28 Hong Kong Street

2. Anti:Dote
3. Manhattan
4. Operation Dagger
5. Jigger & Pony
6. The Tippling Club
7. Gibson
8. D.Bespoke
9. Tess Bar & Kitchen
10. Bitters & Love
11. Cut by Wolfgang Puck
12. DSTLLRY
13. The Cufflink Club
14. L’Aiglon
15. The Powder Room

And there you have it – the crème de la crème of the local beverage scene, as well as a handy little list when you’re wondering where to go on your next alcoholic adventure.  Till next year!