Singapore Cocktail Festival 2023: An itinerary to the best cocktails, guest shifts and events

Shaking up new possibilities, Singapore Cocktail Festival returns with its biggest Festival Village at Bayfront Event Space from May 5 to 7, 2023 and a city takeover across 47 of the best bars in Singapore from May 5 to 21.

With boozy brunches, and guest shifts galore, sample cocktails from the best bars around the world! To help you make the most of your day and your SGCF City Takeover wristband, here’s a guide to the best cocktail events and SGCF Signature Cocktails (S$18++) happening in the next week.

In fact, as early as May 2 Tue, catch Jose Luis Leon from Mexico City’s Licorería Limantour (2022’s Best Bar in North America), bringing his creative antics to kick off Nutmeg & Clove‘s ninth anniversary celebrations. 

May 4, Thursday

Warm up at Jigger & Pony, where David Ong and Sciemon Maquirang from The Curator –  the Best Bar in The Philippines in 2019 and 2021 – serve up craft cocktails with a dash of Makati-style hospitality. Pop over to 28 Hong Kong Street to catch some of the best hotel bars in China in action. 

The House Collective brings together its Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Hong Kong based bartenders for Apple Pie Martinis, Cheese Ten Tarik, and more. Then, join Three x Co from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok’s Firefly Bar at The Bar at 15 Stamford before ending the night at Mr Stork with Seven Yi and Nick Huan from Taipei’s Room by Le Kief (No. 51 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars).

May 5, Friday

Start your weekend cocktail party at the Festival Village with headliner bars like The Elephant Room (SG) with The Bar at the House on Sathorn (BKK) from 5pm, and Stay Gold Flamingo (SG) with Recraft (PHP) at 8 pm. Between sessions, hop over to rum-focused cocktail pub Sugarhall for an exclusive two-day pop-up by Mumbai’s award-winning The Bombay Canteen. Line your stomach with their delectable signatures like Toddy Shop Fried Chicken and umami Chettinad Prawn Aglio Olio while their Head Bartender Prantik Haldar keeps up your liquid diet.

Catch Summer Chen and Darren Lim from Taichung’s speakeasy bar, Vender, as they step out of their “vending machine” and into Papa Doble till 11pm. Hailing from Guangzhou, Hope & Sesame (No.18 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars) brings their progressive crafting techniques to Underdog Inn, pairing tequila cocktails with Underdog Inn’s open-fire feasting menu.

May 6, Saturday

From 4pm, join Manhattan (SG) with Indulge Experimental Bistro (TPE) and Republic (SG) with Penicillin Bar (HK) at 7.30pm at the Festival Village. Head to The Bar at 15 Stamford, where Phnom Penh’s Sora Bar will be presenting Cambodian ingredients-inspired cocktails from their new menu. Don’t miss The Bar at 15 Stamford’s fruity, highball-style SGCF Signature Cocktail, The Way of the Wild.

May 7, Sunday

Start your Sunday earlier at Humpback. From 3pm, pair cocktails from Swrl, Tokyo’s leading wine cocktail bar, with Humpback’s seafood dishes and happy hour oysters. Watch Bartender Kohei Kamei execute their unique concoction that pair the likes of vodka with chardonnay and milk-brewed coffee. The last day of Festival Village sees Origin Bar (SG) collaborating with Sidecar (IND) at 4pm and Analogue (SG) with Maybe Sammy (SYD) at 7.30pm. 

From 5pm till late, Taiwan takes over Sago House with a line-up involving Venda’s Secret Bar (5pm), Marquee Taipei (7pm), Lowdown.tw (9pm), and Commons Taipei (11pm). Check out their SGCF Signature Cocktail, Smoke & Chicks, with smoky Scotch and juicy chicken flavours.

ALSO READ: Best cocktail brunches: Sip and savour your way to happy weekends

May 8, Monday

Cocktail parties are still going strong on Monday at bars like Republic, featuring Agung Prabowo from Hong Kong’s Penicillin Bar. End the night at Atlas with The SG Club’s Shingo Gokan from Tokyo and explore the aromas of jasmine and elderflower in gin with Atlas’ SGCF Signature Cocktail – The Flowers Of Symphony.

May 9, Tuesday

Start the night with Jerry Professors, Marco Nunes and Priscilla Leong from Melbourne, at 28 Hong Kong Street. The evening continues with Indian gin Strangers & Sons’ takeover of Sago House, before heading to Nighthawk with Jaffee Hsu and Henry Tasi from Commons Taipei. Spend the remainder of the evening at Jigger & Pony, savouring tantalising Indonesian flavours from Indonesia’s Best Bar, The Cocktail Club, No. 32 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars. While you’re there, sip on Jigger & Pony’s SGCF Signature Cocktail –Super Lemon Highball, for a refreshing take on the classic.

May 10, Wednesday

Taipei’s Reply takes the bar at Goho, while bigwigs from Thailand take over Sago House. Catch gin-focused Teens of Thailand at 6pm, Asia Today (No.43 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars) at 8pm, and sustainable bar Mahaniyom, from 10pm till midnight. A short walk will take you to Stay Gold Flamingo for a rock and roll night with speakeasy bar, Recraft from Manila. Round up the night at Analogue, with the No.29 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022, Maybe Sammy from Sydney.

May 11, Thursday

From 8pm till midnight, the best bar in Malaysia for four consecutive years, Bar Trigona, presents highlights from their Foraged Malaysia menu at Gibson. Try Gibson’s SGCF Signature Cocktail gin-based Moonstone with cacao liquor and a citrus peel cordial made from bar excess. Head downstairs to Live Twice for a tale of two vespers, with Bangkok’s Vesper (No. 19 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars). Use your City Takeover wristbands and indulge in their SGCF Signature Cocktail, Black Magic Collins.

May 12, Friday

A jazzy cocktail night awaits at Cool Cats. The Head Bartender of Taipei’s Indulge Experimental Bistro presents three specially crafted cocktails to accompany the live jazz and soul performance by Elvira Arul. Their banana-infused bourbon cocktail, B Symphony, SGCF Signature Cocktail, presents a play on the classic Americano cocktail; try it to see if you like it.

May 13, Saturday

The paradise in the sky, Las Palmas, shakes things up by way of a poolside party filled with beats and drinks. Starting at 3pm, kick back as you treat yourself to No Boundaries, their rum-based SGCF Signature Cocktail that transports you to the tropics with its kaya and pandan finish.

Then, join Sidecar (No.14 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars) from New Delhi, at Origin. You’ll want a taste of their SGCF Signature Cocktail Jindo too – a savoury twist to Salty Dog made with lacto-fermented pink grapefruit and capers cordial.

Singapore Cocktail Festival runs May 5 - 21, 2023. SGCF City Takeover runs at 47 cocktail bars across Singapore. City Takeover wristband available at $10, get them here. 

This article was first published in City Nomads.