Singapore: Local Beverages

Gin-based cocktail containing cherry liqueur and pineapple juice, shaken to produce a rosy hue. Created around 1915 at Raffles Hotel by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon, it allowed women to discreetly enjoy spirits. The Singapore Sling remains the city’s most famous cocktail and a hallmark of colonial-era bartending.

Local coffee brewed from dark-roasted robusta beans often caramelised with sugar and butter. Introduced by Hainanese immigrants, kopi is served in kopitiams with condensed or evaporated milk, yielding versions like kopi O or kopi C. It forms an essential part of Singapore’s breakfast culture.

Hot milk tea prepared by mixing strong black tea with condensed or evaporated milk and pouring the mixture repeatedly between cups to create a frothy top. Introduced by Indian Muslim immigrants, teh tarik is a social drink served at roadside stalls and food centres across Singapore.

Iced beverage made by mixing chocolate malt powder with milk or water and topping it with a generous heap of undissolved powder. This over-the-top version of the Swiss-invented Milo drink gained popularity in Singapore’s kopitiams and mamak stalls and is especially beloved by students and night owls.

Sweet pink drink created by mixing rose syrup with evaporated or condensed milk and ice. Common at Malay and Indian Muslim eateries, it provides a fragrant, cooling respite from tropical heat and is often served at festive occasions. Singaporeans enjoy it alongside spicy dishes.

Freshly extracted juice from crushed sugarcane stalks served over ice. Sold at hawker centres and markets, it offers a natural sweet drink that helps beat the tropical heat. Vendors often add a splash of lemon for tartness, making it a staple of Singapore’s beverage stalls.

Herbal beverage made by dissolving cubes or strips of black grass jelly (made from mesona plants) in sweetened water or soy milk. Known locally as chin chow, it is prized for its cooling properties and is commonly sold at dessert stalls and traditional drinks carts in Singapore.

Pale lager first brewed in Singapore in 1932 by Malayan Breweries, combining European brewing techniques with local tastes. Tiger Beer became the city-state’s flagship beer, winning international awards and symbolising local brewing heritage. It is widely available at bars, hawker centres and supermarkets.