Good food, better value: Wine bars in Singapore up their game

SINGAPORE – Mr Tan Ying Hsien, Singapore’s first Master of Wine, has had more than a few glasses in his career. Some in bars, most at home among friends. One drink, however, sticks out in his memory, and not for the quality of its grapes.

The then Britain-based university student was back in Singapore for a holiday and went out to dinner with a friend. With him were a couple of wine bottles and some glasses, a perfectly regular way for him to cap a good night out, except they were at a hawker centre and this was in the mid-1980s, when the wine scene was still in its infancy. 

“The hawkers gathered round and looked at us like we were aliens. It was a bit of a crazy thing to do then, and in the sweltering heat,” recalls the 64-year-old.

In those days, wine connoisseurs were rare and wine bars rarer still. There was a smattering of establishments trying to cultivate a widespread appreciation of wine – among them French restaurant Les Amis. It opened what late wine connoisseur N.K. Yong called “Singapore’s finest wine shop”, Vinum, at Shaw Centre in 1995. But by and large, this beverage was the preserve of a select few. 

Today, however, whether you are a card-carrying oenophile or a neophyte who cannot tell the difference between a pinot noir and a cabernet sauvignon, there is a bottle somewhere in Singapore with your name on it.

It might be tucked away in the cellar of a long-beloved institution or displayed in the fridge of a snazzy new bar. It could be a traditional Burgundy, dry and fruity, or a funky natural wine that fizzles on your tongue. 

Thousands of years after the first grapes were crushed into liquid, wine has yet to go out of fashion. In November, ProWein, an international trade fair for wine and spirits, released its inaugural World Business Report for Singapore, calling the Republic “one of Asia’s most sophisticated and strategically important wine and spirits markets”. 

It reports a “cautiously positive” outlook for sales of wine, with 19 per cent more trade experts expecting growth than decline. A majority describe their current business situation as good or satisfactory, and most expect their company’s economic condition to improve within the next three years.

“While overall growth expectations are moderate, the country’s role as a regional gateway, combined with its premium positioning, continues to attract international producers,” it wrote, identifying increasing demand for premium and artisanal wine as the most important opportunity for market expansion. 

According to United States-based market researcher Inkwood Research, the Singapore wine market was valued at some $634 million in 2022 and is expected to cross $947 million by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.77 per cent from 2023 to 2030.

But in Singapore’s volatile food and beverage scene, a good wine list alone may not guarantee longevity. How, then, have the country’s wine bars evolved to keep pace with the changing tastes of its drinkers? 

Who is drinking?

Mr Tan, then a lawyer, recalls returning permanently from Britain in 1996 to a changed scene.

He got a room in his mother’s landed property converted into a wine cellar – a decade ago, wine fridges were hard to come by – attended wine events and became a member of wine societies. 

This burgeoning interest blossomed into a robust community of connoisseurs in the 2000s, fuelled by more accessible information – thanks to the internet and mobile phones – and the growing fine-dining scene. This, in turn, augmented Singapore’s circle of sommeliers, conferring upon them new-found respect. 

Then there was the emergence of casual restaurants such as The Wine Company, founded in 2003 and still located in Dempsey, and Wine Connection, which entered Singapore in 2005, and now has more than 30 outlets islandwide.

According to former Straits Times wine columnist Jenny Tan, their presence helped to democratise wine. 

“Instead of, say, going to a cafe, people could go to one of these wine restaurants and not have to spend a whole lot more. The fact that it was much more affordable made people rethink – that maybe wine wasn’t just for the rich,” she says. 

Wines now are enjoyed by an even wider swathe of society. Mr Rajeshwaran Gopal, 46, owner of Les Climats, a wine and cheese shop in Tessensohn Road, says women make up 60 to 70 per cent of his clientele. 

“It used to be rare to see women order wine. They’d pass the list to the men and, at most, the men would ask if they wanted something dry or sweet,” says the former group chief sommelier of Les Amis Group, who has worked with wine for nearly three decades. “But now women earn as much as men, and they make the decisions. They’re more open to suggestions too.” 

Most of his customers are millennials in their 30s and 40s, and it is this group that industry veteran Magdalene Tang, 64, credits with driving the wine bar revival. She founded Mag’s Wine Bar, later renamed Mag’s Wine Kitchen, and now simply MAG’S.

The infamously teetotaller Generation Z, on the other hand, may not yet have the disposable income necessary to sustain such a lifestyle.

Mr Gopal hardly receives any patrons in their early or mid-20s. Neither does private members’ wine club 67 Pall Mall Singapore. 

But Mr Tan is holding out hope, confident that as Gen Z matures, it will begin to turn its attention away from matcha, towards wine.

“A greater appreciation of wine is part of one’s cultural development. It’s a form of civilisation,” he says. 

Wines are also great vessels for storytelling, adds Ms Tan. Each bottle of wine tells the tale of its producer and, if stored over the years, becomes a time capsule for its owner too. 

Mr Roberto Duran, 45, wine director at Temper Wine Room & Lounge, agrees that while overall alcohol consumption seems to be dipping, guests are drinking with more intention.

“People aren’t drinking just to drink any more. They want to know the story, the provenance, and they want to feel something, whether that’s to unwind, explore or elevate a moment. Wine fits beautifully into that shift,” he says. 

“Curiosity is a significant motivator in Singapore, and we’re seeing more people eager to explore different styles and pairings in a relaxed, unpretentious setting.” 

What are people drinking?

More diverse drinkers means more diverse drinks. Wine RVLT – now rehomed in Henderson Road as Revolution Wine Bistro – led the charge towards natural wines, which are now a hipster staple in bars like Le Bon Funk, Middle Child Wine Bar and Wildcard. 

Asian wines, too, are having a moment. Japanese wines flow from the decanters of three-Michelin-starred Odette at National Gallery Singapore and Ami Patisserie in Scotts Road. 

Some restaurants and bars have even found ways to give customers a taste of the premium stuff without breaking the bank.

Big Wine Freaks in Bukit Pasoh Road, for instance, launched its Second-Round programme in October 2025. Rare, large-format bottles – think magnums and double magnums costing up to a few thousand dollars – are popped open and enjoyed by the glass. 

“These are bottles that are almost never poured in this way. They’re increasingly rare, harder to source and usually opened only on special occasions,” says its general manager Riccardo Nardone, 37.

“By making them accessible in this context, we turn something typically reserved for collectors into a shared, celebratory moment, and a genuine reason for guests to stay longer, explore more and come back.” 

It is open to all diners from 9.30pm on Fridays. Prices of glasses usually fall in the $20 to $30 range. 

Wine club 67 Pall Mall Singapore shares similar aspirations of accessibility. It sells more than a thousand wines by the glass, with prices ranging from $12.50 to $300, and hosts masterclasses to help members deepen their appreciation of different labels.

Ultimately, however, the classics still reign supreme. Tried-and-tested bottles of Burgundy and Bordeaux make up 70 to 80 per cent of the club’s sales.

“Guests want to drink less, but they want to drink better, so they focus on something that they know they like,” observes Ms Shirley Tan, 34, head sommelier at 67 Pall Mall Singapore. 

Ms Tang personally sources her wines from the Old World. Asian wines, she says, are hard to sell because though their prices are comparable with those of European vintages, consumer perception has not yet caught up with the quality of such bottles.

Indeed, when ProWein surveyed trade experts on which origins of imported wine were expected to sell well in 2026, no Asian countries featured in the top 11.

Bars focusing exclusively on this niche in Singapore have also proven short-lived. VITIS Wine Bar and Bistro, which opened in September 2024 at Duo Galleria and touted itself as a platform to showcase Asian wines, closed in early 2025.

Champagne, however, could give red a run for its money. In ProWein’s report, sparkling wine stands out as the most promising growth segment.

Its enduring popularity has fed into the growth of champagne-only bars like Convivial in North Canal Road and, more recently, The Champagnery in Amoy Street. 

How are people drinking?

In a 1992 Business Times column, Dr Yong remarked: “Rarely do I come across a restaurant which is exceptional for both its cuisine and its wine list.” 

But the modern diner, inundated with choice, has come to expect more than just good drinks at a bar.

“Bar food can’t just be a line-up of fried snacks any more,” says Mr Duran. “Guests are looking for intent, craft and meaning behind every dish, with the same level of detail they’d expect from a good restaurant.”

The pressure to deliver the right experience is greater still for wine bars, which have an even trickier value proposition.

Ms Denise Lum, 36, owner of Wildcard, a bistro-cum-wine bar at Furama RiverFront, knows exactly what she is up against. “You can’t make cocktails at home, but you can easily get a similar bottle of wine for half the price elsewhere.”  

Mr Nardone, who wants to disabuse guests of the notion that wine bars are quiet, formal spaces, says: “Wine is naturally lower in alcohol, consumed more slowly and closely connected to food, conversation and pacing.

“For many guests, that makes it feel complete rather than excessive, and more compatible with a lifestyle that values enjoyment without overdoing it.

“People sometimes walk in expecting a library. What they find instead is a party.” 

Even 67 Pall Mall Singapore, which prides itself first and foremost on the strength of its wine list, cannot afford to treat food like an afterthought.

In 2023, the Singapore branch launched its resident chefs series, collaborating with chefs like Damian D’Silva of Rempapa, Carlos Montobbio of Esquina and Rishi Naleendra of two-Michelin-starred Cloudstreet to create menus paired with wines in the club’s collection. 

In its 2026 collaboration with Keng Eng Kee Seafood, for instance, the zi char restaurant’s prawn paste chicken ($24++) is paired with a glass of 2019 Vilmart & Cie, Cuvee Grand Cellier d’Or, 1er Cru, Brut ($35++).

“We try to match fried food with bubbly or acidic wines, just to cut through the oiliness,” says head sommelier Ms Tan. 

Braised dishes such as beef rendang, on the other hand, might go well with a red – something that can match its intensity. 

Whether you like your drink fruity or your food fried, here are five new or refreshed concepts to sip and sup at.

Temper Wine Room & Lounge

Where: 01-07, 83 Neil Road
Open: 5pm to 1am, Mondays to Thursdays; noon to 1am, Fridays and Saturdays
Info:

www.temper.sg

Temper, a new lifestyle concept in Neil Road, takes its name from “the quiet precision behind every great pour”. But the experience at this self-professed “sensorial playground” is anything but understated. 

Into the mix is swirled a soundtrack that spans eras and genres: jazz, acoustic, soul, funk and even obscure Asian tracks. 

The menu, too, buzzes with flavour. Together with chef Nicolas Tam of one-Michelin-starred Willow in HongKong Street, head chef Ronald Sim has put together a list of little luxuries.

Get a whole turbot ($95++ for 900g) in the name of sybaritic indulgence or opt for something more casual but no less tasty – the French dip sandwich ($28++), for instance. 

“The chefs reimagined familiar favourites with their own flair, keeping everything approachable and comforting yet subtly elevated,” says wine director Roberto Duran, 45, who collaborated closely with them to harmonise the food and wine programmes. 

It was a fairly seamless process, he says, given that he previously worked with chef Tam at the now-defunct Joel Robuchon Restaurant. The 1,200 label-strong wine cellar helps too. 

Mr Duran prides himself on the breadth of his collection – 2,100 bottles from 30 countries, including more underrated producers like Cyprus and Greece. 

“We want to showcase high-quality vineyards focusing on low intervention and small production,” he says. He is especially keen on volcanic wines, which have a distinctive smoky fragrance and a touch of spice. 

Perfect for Temper’s weekend crowd of 25- to 45-year-olds. “The younger generation may have studied or lived abroad in Europe, so they’re open to discovering new profiles. Their palates are more developed than those of the previous generation,” he says. 

Wildcard  

Where: 01-03 Furama RiverFront, 405 Havelock Road
Open: 4pm to midnight, Wednesdays to Fridays; 11am to midnight, weekends
Info:

www.wildcardsg.com

Wildcard, a wine bar that refuses to be just a wine bar, celebrated its second birthday in mid-2025 with a new chef and a firmer identity 

While creating a category-transcending space where guests feel comfortable hanging out has always been part of the plan, owner Denise Lum wants Wildcard’s next chapter to be underpinned by even more intentional hospitality. 

That means Thursday jazz nights and Sunday test kitchens, in which guest chefs – hawkers and home cooks welcome too – take over the space with a one-day-only menu. Want to let loose? Grab an instrument and head to the front. Not in the mood to socialise? Feel free to curl up in a corner with a book.

Ms Lum says: “Our general philosophy to a food and drink programme is like something for every feeling, and I think that’s especially evident in our wine selection.”

There is no official wine list, just a fridge of artfully labelled bottles. And because guests rarely come in with a fixed vintage in mind, they are encouraged to pick their drink by feeling. 

Even the menu, developed by chef Angelo Maniam, is short and compact to minimise indecision. It blends longstanding Wildcard favourites like the prawn sando ($25++) and torched mackerel ($24++), with dishes inspired by his part-Indian heritage, such as the scallop tartare with pani puri and ginger lime juice ($12 for two). 

“It’s like when you go to your mum’s house, she’s not going to have six options for you. She’s just gonna cook. So, we wanted something like that, that feels casual and familiar,” she says. 

MAG’S 

Where: 82 Neil Road
Open: Noon to 2.30pm, 6 to 10pm, Mondays to Saturdays
Info:

magswinekitchen.com

Turning 30 is typically regarded as a pivotal point in a person’s life. Likewise with restaurants.

And so Mag’s Wine Kitchen is marking this milestone with some appropriately major changes: It has a new location (Neil Road), new look (a two-storey shophouse with a private dining room) and a new name (it just goes by MAG’S now.) 

“It was time for a change, time to be a little bit more progressive,” says founder Magdalene Tang, 64. “I wanted something easier to pronounce, and for it to become like a household name.” 

The restaurant may have dropped “wine” from its name, but it is no less serious about its alcohol. The walk-in cellar still houses rare vintages handpicked by Ms Tang, such as Chateau Latour 1959 and Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle 1990. 

Head chef Ian Tan has injected some new blood too in the form of a “secret stash” of value-for-money discoveries priced from $120+. 

Food-wise, he has also “gone rogue”, in the words of his mentor Ms Tang, replacing her original European-leaning menu with Wafu cuisine – a Japanese-inspired approach that blends local and modern European influences.

Highlights include somen noodles topped with seared scallop ($25++), as well as Abalone Liver “Pao Fan” Porridge ($50++), which remains an off-menu item. 

Because the kitchen had already been cooking with Japanese ingredients and collaborating with Japanese chefs, formalising its culinary shift in this way felt like the natural next step, says Ms Tang.  

She has no interest in chasing trends, however. “I’ve never been in it for the race. I’m not interested in the 100m dash where everything becomes a temporary fancy and then dies out after a while. I’m here for the marathon.” 

Les Climats

Where:  01-07, 1 Tessensohn Road, 1953
Open: 3pm to midnight, weekdays; noon to 5pm, Saturdays
Info: @

l

esclimats.sg

on Instagram 

Les Climats, which officially opened in May 2025, is your friendly neighbourhood wine shop that just so happens to serve the same cheese as Singapore’s top restaurants. 

Here, however, 100g cuts of comte and stilton from renowned French affineur Bernard Antony retail for $18. The know-how to obtain and serve these cheeses is one of the leftover perks from owner Rajeshwaran Gopal’s long career in fine dining. 

Formerly the group chief sommelier of Les Amis Group, the 46-year-old has traded the burgundy velvet of the company’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant for the warmer terracotta hues of his passion project. 

“You know you’re burnt out when you no longer get excited by customers ordering thousand-dollar bottles of wine. It wasn’t fair to my employer, so I thought it was time to try something else.” 

At Les Climats, he is a one-man show, beholden to no one, not even the diversifying tastes of local wine lovers. You will not find any trendy varieties here; his cellars are stocked exclusively with personal favourites. 

“If you look at the selection here, it’s not the most balanced. It’s mostly French,” he admits. “But every single bottle here, I’ve drunk at one point in time, and I’ve brought it back now to share it with people.” 

Most wines here are priced between $90 and $200, sold at a flat profit of around $60. In contrast, restaurants typically mark up bottles of wine at two to three times its retail price. 

He hopes that by making his wines affordable, he will be able to encourage more people to appreciate the finer things in life and, in turn, sustain Singapore’s precarious fine dining scene.

“We need more wine bars. They’re like primary schools – they prepare wine drinkers to head to the next level. If you want fine dining restaurants to do well, the wine bars have to do a good job.” 

The Champagnery  

Where: 94 Amoy Street 
Open: 7pm to 3am, Tuesdays to Thursdays; 7pm to 4am, Fridays and Saturdays 
Info: @

thechampagnery.sg

on Instagram 

Tucked behind a sandwich shop in Amoy Street is The Champagnery, a speakeasy lounge dedicated exclusively to bubbly. 

From by-the-glass pours of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc ($48++ a glass, $240++ a bottle) to the champagne-forward cocktails (from $22++), it wants to prove that champagne does not have to be reserved for special occasions alone. 

“People don’t want to wait for a birthday to have an excuse to eat in a nice restaurant. Maybe they want to do it with a friend whenever they’re both free, maybe they want to spend a bit more just because it’s a Wednesday,” says Ms Natasha Fathin, 31, co-director of Two S Creatives, the group behind The Champagnery and dining concepts like Spanish restaurant Asador in Joo Chiat. 

So, too, with champagne. “They’re not just popping bottles when there is something to celebrate. A lot of people are realising that there’s no point in waiting for the right moment, so they make the moments as and when they come,” she adds.  

Since opening in November, it has attracted a modest stream of visitors, typically aged 35 and above. “The appreciation of champagne doesn’t just come when you’re young. It takes time and understanding,” says general manager Benedict John Gerard, 35. 

Open till 4am on Fridays and Saturdays, it presents a late-night alternative to those who do not feel like squeezing into a sweaty dance floor with university-aged revellers. The mix here is more of a throwback too – think old-school hip-hop and R&B hits – rather than a rundown of today’s Top 40. 

The team is still working on a menu of bar bites, but for now, it wants to keep things fuss-free by focusing on the drinks. In the meantime, sandwiches from Mamma Mia Focaccia – which fronts the speakeasy – are available until 9.30pm.