The best rooftop bars in Singapore
Combining expansive views, balmy weather and first-class cocktails, these are the best rooftop bars in Singapore
It’s little surprise that Singapore – a city brimming with skyscrapers – boasts some of the highest and hippest rooftop bars around. They come in a wide assortment, too – some offering brunch and bubbly at dizzying heights with panoramic views of Singapore’s skyline, others offering respite and refreshment from the hustle and bustle of the city, just a few floors below. You’ll find some atop some of the best hotels in Singapore, while others are a prelude to the city’s renowned nightlife scene.
While all promise a rooftop perch to while the hours away, no two venues are alike; quite the feat for a tiny island nation. From sky-high locales to low-slung haunts, these are the best rooftop bars in Singapore to get your fill of stunning vistas, balmy weather and first-class cocktails.
1-Arden Bar
Best for: A prime showcase of The Garden City
Location: 88 Market Street, Level 51, CapitaSpring, Singapore 048948
Price: Cocktails from 18 SGD (~13 USD)
Part of the 1-Arden collection of venues split across various floors of the towering CapitaSpring building in downtown Singapore, 1-Arden Bar is a rooftop with a birds-eye view of the CBD. What makes it extra special is that it is sited right beside the 1-Arden Food Forest – a living forest found atop the building. Many of the ingredients used at the bar are gathered from here. The idea is to showcase sustainability – specifically that of a circular economy – in action. Order the Garden Night Out for a cocktail made using kaffir leaves harvested from the living, breathing forest right beside you.
Altro Zafferano
Best for: Views of Marina Bay from on high, Italian cuisine
Location: 10 Collyer Quay, Level 43, Ocean Financial Centre, Singapore 049315
Price: Cocktails from 20 SGD (~15 USD); Wines from 18 SGD (~13 USD) per glass
Part restaurant, part rooftop bar, Altro Zafferano – smack in the middle of Singapore’s CBD – is the place to be for top-notch modern Italian cuisine as well as fine wines and cocktails with a view. The terrace area offers a distinct menu, which is what we’re most interested in, eschewing the fine dining of its restaurant for a more casual menu of snacks and cocktails. With Singapore’s famed Marina Bay as a backdrop, start with the Negroni 2.0 for the quintessential Italian cocktail taken up a notch with fruity, savoury undertones. Or peruse its wine list for one of the largest selection of Italian producers anywhere in town.
HighHouse
Best for: Dining, drinking and dancing in one spot; the highest rooftop in Singapore
Location: 1 Raffles Place, Level 61-63, One Raffles Place, Singapore 048616
Price: Cocktails from 20 SGD (~15 USD)
If modern pan-Asian cuisine and draught cocktails (we highly recommend the tangy and crisp Triple Lime Sling) while progressive beats play in the background sounds like a dream, then this is the place for you. Nouveau establishment HighHouse is a place to see and be seen, thanks in no small part to the 360-degree panoramas offered here at the highest rooftop spot in Singapore. Ascend to the 63rd floor to find the true pinnacle of the three-storey venue. Here, breathtaking views stretch in every direction while DJs keep the mood upbeat. Once you’ve had your fill of fresh air, seek out the dancefloor below to keep the party going, and check out our dedicated Singapore nightlife guide for more.
Lady Wu
Best for: Letting loose after work
Location: 11 North Canal Road, Attic Level, The Offshore Building, Singapore 048824
Price: Beer from 13 SGD (~10 USD) per glass; Cocktails from 17 SGD (~13 USD)
This Boat Quay rooftop hideout is an institution: a spot for the after-work crowd to let loose and unwind with all manner of inebriations – beer, wine, spirits or cocktails, you name it. Noise, whether from the busy streets a few floors below, or from the raucous crowd all around you, all forms part of the cacophony that is the heartbeat of Lady Wu. So come early, chope (meaning “reserve” in Singlish) a spot by the coveted alfresco area, and go with the flow in this beautiful tumult of a place.
Lantern
Best for: Sprawling views of Marina Bay just a few floors below
Location: 80 Collyer Quay, Roof Level, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, Singapore 049326
Price: Cocktails from 26 SGD (~19 USD)
Perched atop The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, this bar takes its name from the red lanterns that used to hang from the pier below to guide ships entering the harbour. Today, Lantern is where you want to be for front-row seats to take in the whole of Marina Bay. At six floors up, the rooftop bar is high enough to be above any obstructions, while low enough for the sights and sounds to feel visceral. Try the range of Singapore Sling renditions, especially the fruity and floral Fullerton Sling, for the full experience. Be sure to hang around till 8pm or 9.30pm to catch the complimentary Marina Bay Sands Light and Water Show every evening.
Las Palmas
Best for: Holiday vibes in the centre of Singapore
Location: 99 Irrawaddy Road, Level 33, Courtyard Marriott Singapore, Singapore 329568
Price: Cocktails from 22 SGD (~16 USD)
While most rooftop venues are centred in the south of Singapore, this Palm Springs-inspired spot is towards the centre of the island nation; this means the sweeping views from Las Palmas uniquely feature the entirety of Singapore stretching in every direction. But it’s the Californian charm this place exudes that draws people in – think soft pastel colours, poolside frolicking and cabanas to while the hours away. Order up a Nifty Fifties for a blast from the past made using a base of shochu and cachaca mixed with tea, citrus and pink dragon fruit syrup. Don’t miss out on the food, too. The Juicy Kiss Angus beef brisket sandwich with Swiss cheese and caramelised onion is sure to keep hunger pangs at bay.
LAVO Singapore
Best for: Glamming it up
Location: 10 Bayfront Avenue, Tower 1, Level 57, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018956
Price: Cocktails from 23 SGD (~17 USD); Wines from 22 SGD (~16 USD) per glass
Living the high life doesn’t get much better than at the Singapore outpost of TAO Group’s American-Italian restaurant and rooftop bar, LAVO. Expect the brand’s signature vibe dining and drinking at the tippy top of Singapore’s world-renowned Marina Bay Sands, where LAVO’s alfresco terrace area has formed the backdrop to many a postcard-perfect photo, often with a champagne flute in hand. From this vantage point, find the entirety of Singapore sprawling beneath you. Once done with the gawking and photo taking, order The Meatball and feast on one of the best meatballs in town (which goes perfectly with reds).
LeVel33
Best for: Beers, views and more beer
Location: 8 Marina Boulevard, Tower 1, #33-01, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore 018981
Price: Beers from 16.90 SGD (~12 USD)
A microbrewery 33 floors up sounds like a crazy idea, but that’s exactly what the people behind LeVel33 have done. We won’t go into detail about how they used a skycrane to transport the brewing tanks up when they first opened more than a decade ago – what’s important now is how amazing the beers are (all brewed onsite, of course). The selection is but a handful, but what you get is well executed – the blond lager never fails to impress, and the wheat beer is tastefully refreshing. Definitely have a full meal here, too, if you feel so inclined – the kitchen team dishes out a full contemporary menu that caters to any palate.
Mortar & Pestle
Best for: Cocktails in the heart of buzzing Chinatown
Location: 269 South Bridge Road, Level 4, Singapore 058818
Price: Cocktails from 24 SGD (~18 USD)
This hidden gem is a place you’d want to bring all your best friends to, but not let anyone else know about. Chill, low-slung, and spacious (a rarity for Singapore), Mortar & Pestle has thankfully remained under the radar for the benefit of those in the know. It’s a hideaway where you can feel the buzz from the bustling streets of Chinatown below, yet detached enough so you and your crew can form your own little bubble. It’s especially lovely to roam about the roomy terrace with the fresh, gin-based Real Barry Rickey cocktail in hand – perhaps making a few new friends while you’re at it.
Mr Stork
Best for: That glamping feeling
Location: 5 Fraser Street, Level 39, Andaz Singapore, Singapore 189354
Price: Cocktails from 27 SGD (~20 USD); Wines from 20 SGD (~15 USD) per glass
For a dose of innocent fun, head up to Mr Stork, which crowns the Andaz Singapore hotel (considered one of the best hotels in Singapore). Appealing to the inner child in all of us are a number of teepee tents pitched atop the sprawling rooftop bar and gardens, serving as alternative seating areas. Cosying up with friends inside not only gets everyone instantly giggling, but are actually pretty comfortable. There’s even a table in the middle of the tent to place your drinks. Normal bar seats and tables are available, too, for those who prefer basking under the night sky. Come during twilight to avoid Singapore’s scorching heat while enjoying gorgeous sights.
Smoke & Mirrors
Best for: Artsy, stylish nights in town
Location: 1 St. Andrew’s Road, #06-01, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore 178957
Price: Cocktails from 28 SGD (~21 USD)
Found at the rooftop of the National Gallery (one of the best museums in Singapore), Smoke & Mirrors is a cocktail bar as classy as the building it is situated in. Each of its signature cocktails are wonderful creations worth admiring. The gin- and whisky-based A Wish, for instance, is inspired by the Trevi Fountain in Rome and serves as a miniature ‘fountain’ replete with an accompanying Smoke & Mirrors minted coin for you to toss into the vessel and make a wish. Pick a seat by the edge of the terrace for unobstructed views of the civic district and The Padang – a large field where Singapore’s annual National Day parade is traditionally held.
White Shades
Best for: Draught cocktails on the roof; serious highballs downstairs
Location: 25 Boon Tat Street, Level 4, Singapore 0696227
Price: Cocktails from 15 SGD (~11 USD)
Each floor of White Shades houses a different concept. Ascend to the fourth level to find their rooftop space, where cocktails on tap, soju cocktail towers and other fun ways of imbibing await. Start with the Elderflower’s Dew for a floral tea-based tipple served with bubbles. This rooftop den is a great launch pad to begin a night of bar hopping, as many of Singapore’s top mixology spots are a stone’s throw away from here, including White Shades’ own craft cocktail space on the second floor. Want more? Head to White Shades’ first level for a groovy highball bar that exudes just the right amount of warmth and cosiness.
1-Altitude Coast
Best for: Adults-only poolside parties and a taste of the island life
Location: 10 Artillery Avenue, Level 7, The Outpost Hotel, Sentosa Island, Singapore 099951
Price: Cocktails from 16 SGD (~12 USD)
Found atop The Outpost Hotel, one of only a few adults-only hotels in Singapore, is 1-Altitude Coast. This vibrant rooftop escape is part poolside day club, part all-day diner, and full-on vibey thanks to a rousing soundtrack and spectacular views of the Singapore Straits and its coastline. The tropics-inspired cocktail list boasts creations like The Islander, a soothing gin-based mix of honey, lemon, and ginger beer. For something stiffer, get the Ocean Daze, which exudes alluring notes of pineapple, smokey maple, and salted caramel. Those who really want to get the party started need look no further than their themed drink packages that offer bottle service experiences sure to get the whole rooftop thumping.
Barouv Rooftop Bar
Best for: Starting a night about town
Location: 33 Erskine Road, Level 4, The Scarlet Singapore, Singapore 069333
Price: Cocktails from 18 SGD (~13 USD); Wines from 14 SGD (~10 USD) per glass
The Scarlet Singapore, arguably the city state’s sexiest boutique hotel, hides an intimate secret in the form of Barouv Rooftop Bar. Imagine a lush alfresco garden setting paired with a plush indoor pavilion, and you’ll get a gist of the elegant, cosy space. Though standing at just four stories high, its charming terrace overlooks the heritage shophouses of Erskine Road, resulting in an eclectic, laid-back vibe. We recommend starting your evenings here to enjoy the Happy Hour prices before taking a short jaunt to the neighbouring Ann Siang Hill, Telok Ayer, and Duxton areas, where many of Singapore’s top bars and restaurants reside.
Cé La Vi
Best for: That quintessential rooftop bar experience
Location: 1 Bayfront Avenue, Tower 3, Level 57, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018971
Price: Cocktails from 25 SGD (~18 USD); Wines from 18 SGD (~13 USD) per glass
With the rooftop of Marina Bay Sands as its address, you know Cé La Vi is bound to be one of the city’s coveted hotspots – understandably so with views of the postcard-perfect Marina Bay precinct sprawling beneath. Cé La Vi is actually a three-in-one venue, counting a sky bar, restaurant, and club lounge among its interconnected concepts. The sky bar is where you want to be for picturesque views with a cocktail in hand, while the restaurant – the beating heart of the combined space – serves up contemporary Asian cuisine best enjoyed with a bottle of wine. Countless legendary parties have been thrown at its club lounge, with top-tier DJs belting out slick beats to a jetsetting crowd.
Dusk @ Mount Faber Peak
Best for: Sky-high views from a natural vantage point
Location: 109 Mount Faber Road, Level 2, Mount Faber Peak, Singapore 099203
Price: Cocktails from 18 SGD (~13 USD); Wines from 16 SGD (~12 USD) per glass
Don’t let the name of the venue fool you: Singapore doesn’t actually have any mountains. Still, at 106m above sea level, Mount Faber Peak is one of Singapore’s natural high points, and Dusk leverages this in many ways. The first thing you’ll notice are the green, natural surrounds. It’s quite a trek to get here (we recommend using the Cable Car), so reward yourself with a refreshing Smoky G&T once you arrive, mixed with smoked tea gin, ponzu, yuzu, tonic water, and pine smoke. If you’re peckish, the modern European-Asian dishes here are worth checking out.
Olibier Rooftop Bar
Best for: Easygoing, laid-back vibes within culture-rich Little India
Location: 70A Dunlop Street, Singapore 209398
Price: Beers from 10 SGD (~7 USD); Cocktails from 16 SGD (~12 USD)
Found a stone’s throw away from many of Singapore’s backpacker accommodations, Olibier is the kind of place you head to for a fuss-free evening of drinking while rubbing shoulders with fellow intrepid travellers who have found their way to the same surreptitious watering hole. Craft beers by the bottle and uncomplicated cocktails are the way to go here, but the bar carries a decent selection of sake too, if you’re so inclined. Garlic fried rice and chicken wings will easily keep the hunger pangs at bay, but we love how they offer good ol’ instant noodles and Koko Crunch with milk too, just in case you’re feeling classy.
Southbridge
Best for: Bubbly and oysters to go with the views
Location: 80 Boat Quay, Rooftop, Level 5, Singapore 049868
Price: Cocktails from 18 SGD (~13 USD); Wines from 18 SGD (~13 USD) per glass
What started out as a CBD hideaway for those in the know has now become a mainstay of the local bar scene. Southbridge has been serving up good nosh and drinks paired with impeccable views for over a decade now. With sights of the Singapore River below and the Singapore Flyer above, it makes the wayfinding to this clandestine rooftop spot worth the search. Not many can resist the scene that greets you the moment you exit the elevator (especially during sunset). But once you’ve found your composure, be sure to order up a platter of signature oysters to go with a glass or two of prosecco. The good range of champagnes might keep you on the bubbles all night, but give the reasonably-priced cocktails a go too.