From its origins as a fishing village to its role as a trading port under the British Empire, the Lion City’s history has been inseparable from that of the Singapore River. These days, the Singapore River is a bustling hotbed of restaurants and bars spread across Robertson Quay, Boat Quay and Clarke Quay.
Along with Circular Road, the Boat Quay stretch is an Urban List favourite as it really does have something for everyone. Whether you want to unwind with a pint of beer, live music and good old-fashioned Irish cheer at Molly Malone’s or you fancy sipping champagne while indulging in fresh oysters and enjoying unobstructed views of the city skyline at Southbridge, here’s where to find Boat Quay’s best restaurants and bars.
Southbridge
80 Boat Quay, Level 5 Rooftop
Image credit: Southbridge | Supplied
One of Singapore’s best-kept secrets, Southbridge is the city’s rooftop destination for chic and buzzy bar dining. The fully alfresco rooftop bar, which is located on top of a refurbished heritage shophouse, has one of the best 360-degree views of the Singapore skyline, which spans from the historic Parliament House, across the Singapore River, to the iconic Marina Bay Sands and Boat Quay skyline.
The 100-seater bar-restaurant serves up a fun dining experience, with gins from around the world and craft cocktails accompanying its elevated small plates menu focused on oysters and casual nosh. Their decadent selection of fresh live oysters come from the remote Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand and are served four ways: the Umami with ponzu and yuzu, the classic Mignonette with banana shallot and sherry vinegar, the Nikkei with bulldog sauce and togarashi, and finally the Natural with fresh lemon and tabasco.
The Dragon Chamber
2 Circular Road
Image credit: The Dragon Chamber | Facebook
Secretly located within a brightly coloured kopitiam behind a fridge door, The Dragon Chamber serves up guerilla style food that brings back age-old unconventional Chinese dishes. The menu is designed to push you out of comfort zone with adventurous dishes that showcase unconventional ingredients and unusual Chinese techniques of nose-to-tail animal preparation.
Some of it’s more unfamiliar offerings include the Dragon Claw (A Singapore farmed crocodile foot braised in herbal sauce and served on a bed of kale), Stingray in Dragon Curry (stingray with the Dragon Lord’s own house special coconut curry) and Milk Cracker Lemon Chicken (deep fried chicken slices with crushed milk crackers and peanuts topped with lemon sauce).
Skinny’s Lounge
82 Boat Quay
Image credit: Skinny's Lounge | Facebook
In a converted Chinese KTV bar off Boat Quay, Skinny's Lounge is the spot for hardcore bar hoppers. Nab a classic Skinny’s cocktail, like the packed-with-punch Boat Quay Zombie with three rums, apricot, orgeat, pineapple and orange or the Penicillin with scotch, ginger, honey and lemon. If you're a little indecisive, trust the process and be sure to ask the bar staff to make you one of their fave signature cocktails.
Decked out with a pool table, booth seating and a karaoke bar in the back, Skinny's will make you feel like a local (if you're not already) in less than one sip.
Dumpling Darlings
86 Circular Road
Image credit: Dumpling Darlings | Supplied
Got a hankering for dumplings? Dumpling Darlings, which is run by the same team behind Lola's Cafe, is a super popular restaurant offering nothing but dumplings and noodles, all made fresh each day. The neon-lit venue’s branding is inspired by the Japanese manga found in Shokudo (casual Japanese eateries), with storylines based on a main character Jo and her pet pig, Pork Chop.
As for the food, we recommend trying the spiced Sichuan dumplings, veggie mandu dumplings and braised pork noodles. To finish, the dessert dumplings, which are stuffed with poached pear, cream cheese, amaretto, vanilla bean and served with Tasmanian ice cream, are a serious game changer.
Lady Wu
11 North Canal Road, Attic Level, The Offshore Building
Image credit: Lady Wu | Facebook
A lively alfresco attic bar in the heart of Boat Quay, Lady Wu is named after Empress Wu Zetian, who ruled China during the Tang Dynasty. The focus here is on contemporary craft cocktails, with regular drinks promotions and a tempting menu of creative Chinese bar bites making this a popular choice among the after-work crowd.
Soak up the stylish interiors before heading to the spacious roof deck to enjoy some alfresco entertainment—Lady Wu boasts a packed weekly schedule of live music, performed in both English and Mandarin.
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Wild Child Pizzette
50 Circular Road
Image credit: Wild Child Pizzette | Supplied
A pizzeria and bar concept by The Cicheti Group, Wild Child Pizzette serves up 11-inch, Neapolitan-style pizzas that feature contemporary Italian toppings on a two-stage, slow-fermented pizza dough alongside a list of wild wines, ancient nihonshu (sake) and funky craft beers.
Our favourites include the Bella pizza with heirloom baby cherry tomatoes and rocket salad accompanied by slivers of parma ham and dripping with creamy stracciatella and drizzles of balsamic reduction, and the fiery Spianata Calabrese which is sprinkled with fennel seeds and drizzled with Sichuan peppercorn-infused honey for a sweet-and-hot combination that's hard to beat.
Barbary Coast
16 North Canal Road
Image credit: Barbary Coast | Supplied
One location, two vastly different experiences. From the team at Compound Collective, Barbary Coast is based on the eponymous drinking holes of San Francisco's Barbary Coast area during the gold rush of the 1840s.
On the bottom floor you’ll find Deadfall by Barbary Coast, a dive bar-style joint that was inspired by the most rundown of watering holes. The kind of place where out-of-luck gold miners could go, no matter how impoverished they were. Deadfalls were often hastily constructed in the hulls of beached ships, in alleys or down lanes, and existed until they were shut down, shot down or burnt down. They served coloured, sweetened spirits (often to hide the poor quality) but they provided a place where prejudice was nowhere to be found, everyone was welcome, and anything went—making it the perfect spot for a casual, no-frills drink
At the other end of the spectrum, upstairs, you’ll find Ballroom by Barbary Coast. This venue was, as the name suggests, based on the ballrooms of the day. When miners struck gold, they got suited and booted into the finest finery and headed to the nearest ballroom. These were often run by madams, served premium products and afforded a little more privacy from prying eyes on the street. Plush and opulent, it's the kind of place discerning drinkers who have a keen eye for details go.
Molly Malone’s Irish Pub
56 Circular Road
Image credit: Molly Malone’s Irish Pub | Website
Molly Malone's was the first Irish pub to open in Singapore, way back in 1995. More than a quarter-century on, it still maintains that unrivalled jovial atmosphere fundamental to any classic Irish Pub.
With live music on most nights and all the live sport you could want, you'll be hard pressed to find a better place to unwind with a pint and a plate of fish and chips.
Eat Sum Thing
66 Boat Quay, Level 1
Image credit: Eat Sum Thing | Facebook
Brought to you by Thugshop, the team behind Headquarters, Upstairs, Tuff Club and the Sunny Side Up boozy brunch series, Eat Sum Thing is a dining concept which amalgamates contemporary fusion tapas-style dishes, art and exclusive mixes created by a roster of Singapore’s finest DJs.
Led by Chef Brandon Lee, the menu offers a burst of flavours with dishes like Mac and Cheese Balls, Crab Toast, Miso Cod and Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower and Zucchini. It also boasts a concise yet curated selection of craft beers and natural wines.
My Little Spanish Place
54 Boat Quay
Image credit: My Little Spanish Place | Website
Having first opened its doors in Bukit Timah in 2010, My Little Spanish unveiled its second outlet in Boat Quay only five short years later. Based on the Spanish saying, “Mi Casa es Su Casa”, which means “My House is Your House”, the restaurant boasts a fully-fledged menu of Spanish home-style dishes and desserts designed by chefs Maria Sevillano from Spain and Edward Esmero from the Philippines.
Highlights include the jamon-stuffed creamy croquettes with jamon flakes, grilled broccolini with romesco sauce and toasted almond shaves, crispy potatoes with their special spicy sauce and Manchego cheese, and the homemade beef and pork meatballs in tomato sauce. Don’t forget to wash it all down with a glass of sangria.
Quay House
51 Circular Road
Image credit: Quay House | Supplied
Nestled among the shop houses of Boat Quay, Quay House is a culinary voyage that celebrates the rich tapestry of flavours, spices, and traditions that once graced the ancient sea routes connecting East and West.
Inspired by the culinary traditions of Asia, the wood fired chicken embodies the essence of fusion cuisine. Marinated with a blend of spices and herbs, the chicken is grilled over Ogatan charcoal, infusing it with bold, smokey aromas. It comes served with a refreshing Nepalese salsa which is bursting with flavour. Their seafood rice bowl pays homage to Singapore's rich maritime heritage and days as a bustling fishing village. Homemade kimchi and pickled vegetables add a punch that contrasts perfectly with the richness of the seafood.
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Main image credit: Barbary Coast | Supplied
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