Singapore’s love affair with sake shows no sign of slowing. Once niche, it’s now celebrated through biannual festivals and an expanding circuit of bars and restaurants spotlighting small-batch, unpasteurised, and aged sakes. The local sake scene is so sophisticated it’s even sparked the birth of Orchid Craftworks, the city’s first sake brewery. Only got 48 hours in Singapore? Here’s where to head for sake.
302 Beach Rd, Singapore 199600
Omu Nomu
Best for: rare, rotating sakes and lively counter-side discoveries.
One of Singapore’s most exciting sake bars, Omu Nomu is the only spot in town pouring doburoku – an ancient, unfiltered sake style rarely seen outside Japan. Chef-owner Gerard Alexis keeps things unpredictable: the sake list changes weekly, spanning Muroka Nama Genshu to aged Koshu. The 24-seater’s binchotan-grilled foie gras skewers and over-the-top uni-ikura-negitoro maki match the boldness of the drinks.
omunomu.sg
Table 33
Best for: elegant hot sake and rarefied pairings in a discreet setting.
A serene bar for true connoisseurs in Palais Renaissance. Founder and sake sommelier Janice Chi curates a refined hot sake programme that redefines atsukan, serving umami-forward brews at carefully calibrated temperatures. Expect house-aged bottles, single tanks from Fukui, and collectors’ labels from Akita G Club. The pairing menu proves sake’s versatility, whilst the Champagne list rivals the city’s finest.
ishinomaki.com
390 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238871
25 Mohamed Sultan Rd, Singapore 238969
Orihara Shoten
Best for: old-school authenticity and an encyclopaedic sake selection.
Singapore’s original tachinomi (standing bar), Orihara remains the city’s most authentic sake outpost. Over 400 labels from 40 Japanese breweries line its wood-clad shelves, each hand-picked by the Tokyo-based owners. It’s also behind Sake Festival Singapore. Order the signature mochi buta alongside an award-winning Chikuha Junmai, or any other Japanese libations, including plum wines, liqueurs, whiskeys, and craft beers.
oriharasg.com
Sake Matsuri
Best for: tasting Japan’s finest brews in one big, exuberant celebration.
The 2025 edition of Singapore’s biggest independent craft sake festival – taking place at the airport’s Changi Experience Studio – features 150+ sake breweries and 400+ labels across Japan, including seasonal, small-batch, and award-winning brews flown in specially for the event. A grand showcase will feature award-winners, alongside unpasteurised sakes and rare ones including Doburoku, an intriguingly creamy, completely unfiltered sake.
sakematsuri.sg | 31st October–2nd November 2025
78 Airport Blvd, Singapore 819666
8 Stanley St, Singapore 068727
Shukuu Izakaya
Best for: discovering the breadth of regional sakes guided by passionate experts.
A buzzy, insider izakaya run by four certified sake sommeliers, Shukuu is the place to dive deep into Japan’s liquid heritage. The menu spans over 50 labels, rotating through seasonal, small-brewery and unpasteurised sakes rarely seen outside Japan. Flights are paired with charcoal-grilled skewers and fine charcuterie. Serious enthusiasts should book its ‘1,200 Years of Japanese Sake’ tasting sessions.
shukuu.sg
The Bar Kakure
Best for: sophisticated sips in a discreet, Tokyo-style setting.
Hidden above omakase restaurant Ki-Sho, Kakure is a dim, elegant sake bar with one of Singapore’s most refined lists. Expect impeccable service, exquisite glassware, and a house-exclusive label. Led by bar veteran Kazuhiro Chii, this boutique bar is as close to authentic Japanese cocktail culture as you can get. Just take note: you’ll need a code to get in.
thebarkakure.com
29 Scotts Rd, Singapore 228224
73 Neil Rd, Singapore 088901
Suiraku
Best for: nuanced temperature pairings that reveal shifting aromas and depth.
An under-the-radar sake specialist, Suiraku stands out for its nuanced temperature pairings – sommeliers pour the same sake chilled, warm, or room-temperature to reveal shifting aromas and depth. Its intimate counter, kaiseki-style plates, and ever-evolving list attract chefs and insiders alike, who come for its experimental food and sake pairing menus, which recently showcased shinkame and even sake kasu or sake lees.
yoyaku.toreta.in
Waku Ghin by Tetsuya Wakuda
Best for: Michelin-starred seasonal dishes and world-class sake.
Tetsuya Wakuda’s bar at Marina Bay Sands doubles as a temple to Japan’s finest sakes. Wakuda – Japan’s first overseas Sake Ambassador – curates an extraordinary list, featuring the restaurant’s exclusive Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo M. Served by the glass, each pour complements the restaurant’s Michelin-starred seafood and seasonal dishes, including its signature marinated botan shrimp with sea urchin and caviar.
marinabaysands.com
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018956
55 South Bridge Rd, Singapore 058686
SAKEMARU Artisan Sake Hideout
Best for: insider-only access to Japan’s rarest artisanal sakes.
Part tasting bar, part private club, Sakemaru champions small-batch brews sourced direct from family breweries across Japan. Over 50 artisanal sakes rotate monthly, many unavailable elsewhere in Singapore. Head sommelier Tadashi Okushima guides guests through cult bottles like Juyondai and Isojiman. The modern Kappo-style cuisine, spanning everything from fresh sashimi to soy-sauce-burnished nigiri, is a welcome accompaniment.
