Nutmeg & Clove - Singapore

A visit to one of Singapore’s most celebrated bars to see how their local twists on classics hold up.

There is a weight of expectation that comes with walking into a venue plastered with “World’s 50 Best” plaques. Nutmeg & Clove, located in a colonial-era shophouse in downtown Singapore, certainly carries that weight. The place was the No.28 on the 2024 World’s 50 Best Bars list when I visited, and is now the No.50 on the 2025 list, barely managed to remain on the list. It positions itself as a place that interprets classic cocktails through a Singaporean lens, serving up history alongside its drinks.

The exterior is classic colonial charm, but step inside and the atmosphere shifts immediately to modern sleekness. On a busy night, the energy is palpable—the kind of “full house” buzz that tells you a place is popular.

The Modern Shophouse Vibe

The space is narrow, just one shophouse unit, and manages to feel both intimate and frantic simultaneously. It’s clearly a well-oiled machine; the service supervisor handles the guest interactions while the bartenders keep their heads down, churning out orders with efficiency rather than conversation.

It’s a different energy from the “bartender as host” model. Here, the bar team feels separated from the guest experience, focused entirely on production. It works for the volume they handle, but it does change the dynamic if you’re used to chatting across the bar.

The “Twist” Paradox

Nutmeg & Clove doesn’t really do direct classics; the menu is dedicated almost entirely to classic-inspired signatures with strong local twists. The selection is impressive, but it raises an interesting question: at what point does a “twist” become an entirely different drink?

The Garden City is a prime example of their approach. Visually, it sits in the Margarita family—reminiscent of a Tommy’s Margarita. It’s a genuinely refreshing cocktail, very spiced and herbal with a strong basil aroma coming off the garnish. It works well as a drink on its own terms, balancing freshness with complexity.

Then there is the Is It Really Boulevardier?. The menu describes it as a Boulevardier inspired by a “strong Singapore twist,” incorporating pandan, coffee, and coconut.

This is where the “classic twist” concept feels stretched. The drink tastes predominantly of coconut and coffee—more like a tropical coffee cocktail than the bitter, spirit-forward profile you expect from a Boulevardier. The relationship to the classic seems to be purely technical (the base spirit or the build) rather than maintaining the original’s flavor profile. It’s a tasty drink, but if you order it expecting a variation on the classic, you might be confused.

Execution and Verdict

The technical skill on display is good—solid, consistent, and capable of handling a busy service. However, it feels functional rather than exceptional. The bartenders execute the recipes well, but the spark of “craft” sometimes feels lost in the volume of service.

Nutmeg & Clove is a great venue for exploring local flavors and seeing how Singaporean ingredients can be woven into cocktail formats. Just be aware that when they say “twist,” they mean it quite literally—often distorting the classic character into something new entirely.

Cocktail Rating:
Skill: 4 - Solid, consistent execution
Recipe: 4- Creative use of local ingredients
Ingredients: 4 - Quality components throughout

Overall Cocktail Rating: 4/5

Place Rating:
Taste: 4 - Good drinks, even if the “classics” are not really classics
Ambiance: 4 - Busy, modern energy in a historic shell
Service: 4 - Efficient and professional
Value: 4 - Standard pricing for a Singapore bar

Overall: 4.0/5 - A strong representation of the Singapore modern cocktail scene

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Nutmeg & Clove
Location: Downtown Singapore
Price Range: ฿฿฿฿ (Cocktails are 26 SGD each, about 650 THB) Vibe: Modern bustle in a colonial shophouse
Perfect For: Exploring Singaporean flavor profiles