Three-storey experiential Moutai House opens at Fullerton Waterboat House with baijiu-themed fine dining & rooftop bar

Situated along the Singapore riverfront, the iconic Fullerton Waterboat House has been home to some prominent F&B brands, such as Starbucks Singapore’s 100th store back in 2014.

So it should come as no surprise that after its last tenant, European restaurant-bar concept Picotin, vacated the space in 2024, that it would see another big name through its doors.

After all, the historic Art Deco-style building from the 1940s not only boasts impeccable views of the Singapore skyline, but also has retained unique elements from its time as an operational water-supply house, such as a glass-enclosed lookout deck, and circular, nautical-themed windows. 

It is now home to Moutai House Singapore, a three-storey lifestyle destination, where guests will be able to experience Kweichow Moutai — a well-known Chinese baijiu made from sorghum — in different ways.

The venue is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, though the brand has also launched immersive Moutai boutique stores in cities outside of China, such as Sydney and Melbourne, in Australia. 

While not available yet, there are plans for guests to be able to purchase and savour Moutai-tinged coffee, or even Moutai ice cream, as they peruse the bottles and merchandise. 

Exploring Moutai House Singapore

On the ground floor is a Moutai Experiential Centre where one can learn about the history, culture, and craftsmanship of this millennia-old liquor, as well as view some 300 exclusive Moutai collectible bottles.

There are even extremely rare bottles that are valued at up to S$1 million — see if you can catch a glimpse of them.

If not, you can also check out the birth-year Moutai collection, the first such dedicated collection in Southeast Asia, which features bottles that date back to the year Singapore gained its independence — 1965. 

There are some local-exclusive labels, too, such as the Kweichow Moutai Discovery Collection — Singapore (53% ABV, S$368) and the Culture Collection — Singapore (53% ABV, from S$618 for a 500ml bottle), which bear traditional Chinese motifs and local design elements such as Singapore’s national orchid, the Vanda Miss Joaquim. 

Chinese fine dining by a Michelin-recognised brand

Need something to munch on before you enjoy more of the aromatic Chinese liquor? 

Head one floor up to Imperial Treasure Moutai House, which dishes up flavours from Huaiyang and Guizhou, with the latter being where Moutai is from. 

The homegrown chain’s Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine concept in Ion Orchard retained its one-star status on this year’s Michelin Guide Singapore, and has also garnered stars for other outposts in cities such as Hong Kong and Paris. 

Its Moutai House outlet isn’t the brand’s first foray into Huaiyang cuisine, though — there’s an existing Imperial Treasure Huaiyang Cuisine at Ion Orchard — but a Guizhou focus, too? That’s new and unique to this venue. 

Guizhou fare leans spicy and sour, owing to its use of fermented products, while Huaiyang cuisine is all about fresh and clean flavours, with a mild sweetness. 

Here, you can opt to dine from its various course menus, starting at S$98 per person for lunch, or its a la carte one.

If you do order the courses, make sure it has the Huaiyang Four Treasures platter, which features appetite-whetting starters such as drunken chicken, and a very yummy deep-fried cod fish fillet in Yangzhou style, which delighted everyone at the table, among other bites. 

We also thoroughly enjoyed Guizhou-style yellow braised shark’s fin with seafood and bamboo pith, only available on the course menus, though there are a la carte alternatives, such as the yellow braised premium shark’s fin (S$168 per person). 

The silky broth packs a gentle heat with just the right amount of spice, as well as a generous amount of delicate, high-quality shark fin cartilage. This is also only available at Moutai House, so if there’s one dish to get, this will be it. 

Next, the three-ways marble goby “soon hock” fish (S$16 per 100g) is a showstopper, with the fish presented in various interpretations, such as fillets stir-fried with honey peas, and deep-fried rolls wrapped in beancurd skin. 

The deep-fried with pine nuts in sweet and sour sauce version, which is another way you can have your soon hock prepared, is also a menu highlight that you might want to go for, especially if you haven’t tried the Huaiyang-themed outlet yet. 

To me, the braised pork in Jiangnan style with Hokkaido sea cucumber was the most telling of Huaiyang fare and also a good contrast against the stronger Guizhou flavours. Usually cloying, the pork here was impeccably soft and fragrant — I cleaned it off the plate within a minute.

It is available on the a la carte menu at S$56 sans sea cucumber, and served alongside steamed buns. 

While Moutai doesn’t feature in all dishes, there’s nothing stopping you from ordering a bottle or two — you even get complimentary corkage for a 500ml bottle of Moutai if you order a 100ml portion of decanted Moutai (from S$56).

As with many of its more upmarket concepts, Imperial Treasure Moutai House is stylish, sleek and perfect for anything from a family gathering to even a first date. 

The only downside I can think of is its smaller dining space, owing to the building’s structure. The restaurant isn’t massive — it only seats 45 and there’s just one private room, one floor down where the experiential centre is. 

But though the dining room was packed when we had our meal, it still felt cosy, intimate, and comfortable overall. 

Rooftop bar by local cocktail heavyweight Nutmeg & Clove

Right at the top of the Waterboat House, in its lookout deck and on the rooftop is Sohaus, a cocktail bar that’s been developed in partnership with Moutai House and local hospitality group Nutmeg Collective.

The group is most notably behind Nutmeg & Clove, which recently ranked No. 38 on the 50 Best Bars 2026 list, and No. 12 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, too. 

The bar’s name is a combination of the words “social” and “haus”, which mirrors its intention to be a spot where people can come to mingle and unwind, against the backdrop of Singapore’s city centre. 

As you might have already guessed, most of the drinks here incorporate Moutai in some form or another, though the intensity and expressions vary. 

There are a total of 18 cocktails in its debut menu, divided into eight signatures and 10 classics reimagined with the Chinese liquor. However those who don’t take Moutai needn’t fret — there’re some non-alcoholic drinks, as well as beer, wine, and hard liquor choices. 

For its signatures, Sohaus keeps things trendy and relevant, serving up drinks such as a Dubai Chocolate Manhattan, Mala-tini, milk tea Alexander, and a matcha melon cooler — all are priced at S$28. 

Arguably the most viral of the lot, the Dubai Chocolate Manhattan features whisky, Moutai, pistachio, cacao, port wine, and cherry. It’s not as stiff as most Manhattans go, which is not a bad thing — it keeps you level-headed enough to take in the shifting sights around you. 

For me, I was thoroughly charmed by the milk tea Alexander, a Chagee-like take on the decadent dessert cocktail — it comes with Moutai, shochu, da hong pao tea, pear, and salted genmai. It’s creamy but stays light on the palate owing to the various mildly sweet elements woven in. 

If you prefer a more regular version, there’s a brandy Alexander (S$28) on the menu, too, though of course, it comes spiked with Moutai. 

If you want something for the ‘gram, alongside the many rooftop pictures you might have already taken, the Blind Box Fizz (S$28), a gin-based Moutai cocktail with pink guava, raspberry, cherry, and clarified milk is an easy choice. 

With Sohaus open from 5pm to midnight, it means you can opt to have sunset drinks then dinner down below, or dinner first, before easing into the night after with some drinks. 

Whichever your route, the all-new Moutai House at The Fullerton Waterboat House has everything you need for a good night out, even if you’re not a huge Moutai drinker. 

Oh, and plan for a few hours — trust me, you’ll need all that time to thoroughly experience and enjoy all three floors. 

This was a hosted tasting.

For more new openings around town, check out Shirazi for some Persian fare or popular Japanese fast-food chain Matsuya Singapore at Suntec City.