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

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.

Tron Young, Founder of The Bar Awards

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

Brendon Khoo

 

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

Anti:dote’s Chef de Cuisine Tryson Quek
  1. 28 Hong Kong Street
  2. Manhattan
  3. Tess Bar & Kitchen
  4. Vasco
  5. DSTLLRY
  6. The Horse’s Mouth
  7. Gibson
  8. Potato Head Folk
  9. Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall
  10. LongPlay
  11. L’Aiglon
  12. D.Bespoke
  13. The Flagship
  14. 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

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

Just one of the special brews at Druggists
  1. Ice Cold Beer
  2. Smith Street Taps
  3. Jibiru, Craft Beer Bar
  4. The Good Beer Company
  5. TAP
  6. No. 5 Emerald Hill
  7. Draft & Craft
  8. Brewerkz
  9. Little Island Brewing Co.
  10. CATO
  11. Colbar
  12. Nickledime Drafthouse
  13. The Bucket List Bar
  14. South Coast
  15. Cook & Brew Gastro Bar
  16. 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

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

The Auld Alliance
  1. 28 Hong Kong Street
  2. Fine Spirits by La Maison du Whisky
  3. Manhattan
  4. The Secret Mermaid
  5. Anti:Dote
  6. D.Bespoke (Wild Card)
  7. Orihara Shouten
  8. Sugarhall
  9. The Spiffy Dapper
  10. The Library
  11. Quaich
  12. The Flagship
  13. Jigger & Pony
  14. Vasco
  15. 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

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

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

Bartender of the Year

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

Winner – Tom Hogan, Anti:dote

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

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


Chief Editor

Emily heads the editorial team on City Nomads by being a stickler for details, a grammar Nazi, and a really picky eater. Born and bred in Singapore, she loves cats, the written word, and exploring new places. Can be bribed with quality booze across the board.