Anthology Singapore’s new local-inspired cocktail menu has drinks inspired by ice kachang, kaya toast & more

Anthology Singapore, a bar located right in the heart of pulsating nightlife destination Boat Quay, has launched a new series of local-inspired, nostalgia-inducing cocktails, as well as an all-new food menu. 

Tucked in a heritage shophouse along Circular Road, Anthology first opened in 2023, and has been serving up well-crafted spirits infused with decadent Southeast Asian influences — a nod to our local roots and flavours.

The bar has just rolled out a new cocktail menu, titled the Old Street Dessert Shop collection, which (as it is so-named) comes with concoctions inspired by familiar local desserts.

The story behind Anthology

Cocktail aficionados and regular bar-hoppers may already know this: Anthology is the flagship outlet of Compendium Spirits, a local distillery established in 2015 by Rachelle The Rabbit Meadery. 

The brand, Rachelle The Rabbit Meadery, was born with the goal of making mead (known as honey wine and coined the “drink of gods”) more mainstream in Singapore, as it wasn’t a common drink of choice back then. 

In 2019, the brand rebranded to Compendium Spirits, introducing a compendium of spirits inspired by the versatility of our local flavours.

Anthology was subsequently born in 2023, opening along Circular Road, and became a space where the team could bring their spirits showcase to the heart of the bustling nightlife scene in Singapore’s downtown core.

Besides just tipples, there are also delicious Asian tapas on Anthology’s menu, and if you’re looking for more than just a drink, you can expect nothing less than an all-rounded, local-themed dining experience here.

The Old Street Dessert Shop collection

Anthology Singapore frequently doles out seasonal menus — its most recent one was titled “Voyage to Nanyang”, which was a tribute to the pioneers who helped to shape modern Singapore.

This time around, its latest cocktail menu features local desserts, served up in a manner that is reminiscent of the yesteryears. Its latest menu introduces six new drinks, with flavours that run from sweet to savoury, and even strong, on top of five other cocktails from past menu iterations.

Diners can take a sentimental trip down memory lane with the colourful Ice Kacang (S$38), a massive shaved ice cocktail that’s designed to be shared between two.

In this dessert, Chendol gin — one of Compendium Spirits’ signature spirits — is poured over the shaved ice dessert and topped with coconut cream, corn, chendol and red beans.  

A trio of syrups is also presented on the side, comprising rose and pandan syrup, as well as gula melaka, in cute plastic bottles that look like they came right out of an old-school kopitiam — go ahead and be as liberal with them as you’d like!

Another ’gram-worthy drink is the Bandung (S$22), a youthful pink-toned beverage also starring the distillery’s beloved chendol gin. Distilled from gula melaka, the gin boasts the sweetness and fragrance of the palm sugar — the perfect addition to the classic bandung drink. 

While not an actual bandung drink, it still carries sweet nuances of lychee and rose syrup — core ingredients of a classic bandung drink — perfuming the drink with a delicate floral hue. 

The booziness comes from a splash of bandung soju for an added buzz, and it’s then topped with a light, creamy lychee foam to balance out the booziness of it all.

Those in the mood for something more robust will enjoy the Kaya Toast (S$24) , a savoury option, topped with — you guessed it — a slab of toast with kaya and butter on the side. It’s Anthology’s rendition of the perennial-favourite Singaporean breakfast, all within a drink.

Made with Compendium Spirits’ teh-o liqueur, the Kaya Toast cocktail comprises robust nuances of black tea, so every sip tastes rich and full-bodied. 

The toast, topped with kaya and butter, is more than just a decorative snack, too! The butter is served slightly torched, such that it slowly melts into the cold drink, infusing a touch of creaminess into it.

Classic hawker-themed favourites 

You can enjoy a plethora of savouries on Anthology’s menu, together with your cocktails, all of which are newly introduced, too. Our favourite of the lot is the solefish and pork dumplings with black garlic (S$20) — rotund dumplings stuffed plump with a meaty combination of juicy pork and sweet solefish. 

It’s not the usual stuffing that we’d expect, but the bold solefish flavour complements the savouriness of the pork well, imbuing each dumpling with a briny, subtly salty taste. The entire mouthfeel is indulgent, and together with the aromatic black garlic, it tastes exceptional, especially for bar grub.

If you want to get more decadent proteins, there’s also the Amoy Street char siew (S$28), which features caramelised char siew slices that have been meticulously grilled for an even, smoky char. Each bite is a good mix of savoury and sweet (just slightly), making for a satisfying side to even the booziest of drinks. 

Another dish that caught our fancy is the laksa tau pok (S$16), a straightforward bar snack spotlighting crispy tofu puffs perched atop a spicy and velvety laksa sauce. The tofu puffs are also stuffed with fresh prawns, pork and turnip, so you get a variety of hearty flavours in each bite.

We can just see everyone loving the orh nee (S$16), a silky, purple-toned dessert adorned with candied chestnuts — yes, it’s the popular wedding dessert, and yes, you can get it at the bar. 

Here, you get a good balance of textures — the soft succulence of the yam paste, as well as the crunchiness of the sugar-glazed chestnuts — and it’s a great finisher after all of the earlier indulgent bar bites, or if you’re just craving something sweet and satisfying. 

For those who are looking for a unique take on Singapore’s classic, traditional flavours, whether it’s in the form of cocktails or food, you’ll want to add Anthology to your list of must-visit spots in town where you’ll be in for a memorable trip to the past! 

This was an invited tasting.

For other bars, read about craft beer bistro Autobar at Raffles Place with its S$35 heritage lunch set and S$10 happy hour promo, and hidden Japanese bar Shako-Ba at Boat Quay. Alternatively, check out the newest openings in Singapore here. 

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Anthology Singapore for its local-inspired cocktails.