Dining/Drinking

Ginger.Lily Bar Singapore review: Connecting directly with the wide pedestrian thoroughfare of Orchard road, Hilton Singapore Orchard’s the new destination concept with “reimagined” cocktails was introduced in September 2025, and where Happy Hour Asia recently got the opportunity to stop by for a drink experience and try a few of the concoctions.

And quite an experience it was! In connection to its debut, Ginger.Lily Bar had also launched ‘Synaesthesia 2.0’ – a multi-sensory cocktail menu inviting guests to “drink differently, feel deeply, and rediscover the familiar.” And especially with one particular craft cocktail the notable bar thoroughly delivered on that promise! More on that further below.

This visit being on a Friday night also meant that a DJ was entertaining with mainly deep house beats – promised, upon the bar’s launch, to be ‘genre-fluid’ DJ sets on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Ginger.Lily Bar Singapore review: cocktail destination ambition

And noteworthy this venue likes to be seen as representing the evolution of a regular cocktail bar – aiming to be a dedicated cocktail destination as “a living expression of creativity, curiosity, and craft.”

Ginger.lily Bar is separated from the next-door Ginger.lily lobby lounge and the walkway with stylish partition walls. One feature comes in the form of modern frosted screens illuminated with varying colours, to give the bar a more night spot vibe. Along one marble-clad wall these screens are also framed, vertical and pointed into the bar, with openings offering views also of the botanical-themed lobby lounge, and focused on – as in the name – the beautiful ginger lily plant (a genus of fragrant, tropical perennial plants in the ginger family, native to Asia). In its elegant interior afternoon tea (with a themed ‘From Root to Bloom’ high tea Inspired by Japanese savouries and refined French pâtisserie), artisanal cakes, and an all-day menu are served.

So, part tearoom, part lounge, part bar, over at the sub-concept Ginger.Lily Bar the interior also has the characteristics of a stylish hotel lounge, with seating (including wooden, upholstered vintage style chairs) options around large, round marble tables. Beige wall- and corner sofas, with two others facing opposite directions, contribute to some semi-privacy between guests as well.

Further inside, closer to the bar, the black ceiling with thin wood beams is lower, with a square bar counter where the bartenders are on the outside of this inverted bar. This configuration also encourages guest interaction, as it is easier in this way to for us to come up close and see how the concoctions come to life.

These days many ingredients are also premade, often using rotary evaporators (like one they have in this bar and with processes and longer preparation time not allowing for immediate mixing), which almost gives unlimited innovation these days when it comes to cocktail creativity. And the crew turned out to be a warm and gracious bunch, happy to share details and recommendations while making the drinks.

The various spirits, meanwhile, are placed as a backdrop on multi-layered shelves, while the wine is stored and chilled in dedicated wine fridges.

There is also a rack with sealed test tubes containing botanical spices, and with a spray function including a small pump, resemble yesteryear’s perfume bottles!

Ginger.Lily Bar Singapore review: cocktails for the senses

Also, the main menu comes with reference to Orchard road’s past as orchards and gardens, in its floral décor on the cover. Meanwhile, a natural dark green is a theme colour, including for the vests the staff wears, and for the list of the ‘Synaesthesia 2.0’ drinks.

These cocktails are focused on enhancing the senses; here with Taste combined with either Sight, Sound. Feel or Scent and presented as: ‘food x cocktails x senses’ – with which this hotel lounge bar distinguishes itself.

So, pairing food and cocktails is core for this Ginger.Lily Bar cocktail concept. And in doing this a trend is noticeable within Southeast Asia’s very vital bar scene; not lest in Singapore where the multicultural food culture seemingly also offers endless inspiration. Get ready for mojito caviar and more!

And the line-up, where flavours take flight, is:
The Pesto Diaries
Cross Med Baby One More Time
Aroi Mak Mak
Eau De Curry
Taco ‘About Umami
The Devil Wears Melon
Set Fire To The Feta
Sunning On Fumes
Extrait De Brunch
Funk Shui Mushter

And while studying this cocktail menu, each new guest is served with an amuse-bouche combined with one ‘cocktail of the day’, the ‘Set Fire to the Feta’ (honey-infused dry gin blend inspired by bell peppers and feta cheese, finished with port wine chocolate)! The bite-sized red bell pepper comes as an edible prelude to the cocktail.

Then, choosing the first drink is in the Sight category, ‘The Devil Wears Melon’, which clearly is a multisensory cocktail and one which includes memory and that discovery of the familiar: 3D movie glasses, and here adapted to be in one colour only, and with two options: red eyeglass for pronounced sharpness, or pink – with the purpose to enhance the experience of sweetness.

Now, such experiences using one’s senses are individual so we will let everyone try it and fully enjoy it. Regardless of one’s personal experience it is pretty cool with turning the sight into world tinted in one colour only…

This Cointreau-based cocktail – served in a curvy-shaped glass – is inspired by the curious combo of chilli lime and watermelon salad (!), with subtle funk from cheese distillate and bitters! And it comes with the innovation ‘Mojito Caviar’ as edible accompaniment! This last part is a molecular mojito caviar that indeed resembles caviar – served on a small, brown wooden spoon.

“Stealing the limelight with bold elegance, this clear green libation balances fresh watermelon and citrus with subtle funk from cheese distillate and bitters.”

A unique take on chili lime watermelon salad with, watermelon rind juice, cheese distillate, citrus served with molecular mojito caviar. Experiment the drinking experience with red eyeglass for pronounced sharpness, while pink enhances the sweetness.

Next, ‘Aroi Mak Mak’ (meaning ‘delicious’, a peach-pink Feel concoction, takes its inspiration from the famous Thai flavour ‘Tom Yum’¨.

“Emotion is the quiet conductor of flavour. A gentle mood draws out sweetness; a heavy heart sharpens bitterness.”

This highball cocktail is an impressive work of art with bubbles on top of a milky layer (egg white) and with a peach-hued rose at its centre! The edible rose is made from frozen beer jelly! All in all a great example of artfully blending flavour, aroma, and texture.

Crowned with a rose, each sip carries a bright, citrus lift that echoes the warmth of a Thai welcome.

Aroi Mak Mak (made with Stranger Sons Guava Gin) is delicious – slightly on the sweet side, while savoury and with a “bright citrus lift.” This standout tipple allows having small sips, perfect for long conversations with friends – or dates!

Then follows another cocktail that makes a daring mix of corn mango and Campari for ‘Taco ‘About Umami’ – a Taste drink that explores umami (delicious savoury taste) through layered flavours and unexpected combinations.

“Layers of umami and brightness collide in this bold mix. Creamy mayo with corn mango, and bitter Campari meet the subtle depth of Umesha [Japanese liqueur] like a flavour passport from Japan to Mexico.”

The accompaniment: iced sour plum! This has a very strong taste on your palette.

One more Sight also ought to be mentioned: ‘The Pesto Diaries.’ The menu page (with a yellow transparent film on top of the page) introduces: ’Before We Sip. We See. Colour becomes the quiet narrator that shapes expectations, hinting at taste, teasing the familiar.’

Inspired by Pesto pasta, this is “a clear, herbaceous twist on a culinary classic, garnished with playful Snellen letter jellies.” Sip with yellow-tinted glasses to awaken a spark of sourness or green-tinted glasses for a burst of freshness. Edible accompaniment: Snellen Letter jelly. No clue what that is – which is not always necessary either for this kind of sensorial journey…

After these examples it very much makes sense with a “new dimension where food inspires the drink and every cocktail comes with an element of surprise to heighten your senses.” It’s a pretty complete experience for those looking for such bar adventures, going beyond just having a drink or two.

Happy Hour Asia is also please to share: Ginger.Lily Bar offers an all-day happy hour (12 noon to 8 pm), with Aperol Spritz, Negroni, Margarita, Paloma, Lychee Martini, Bellini and more ($14++) or House pours ($12++): Pol Remy Brut, Miranda ‘Somerton’ Cabernet Sauvignon, and Miranda ‘Somerton’ Chardonnay.

The night ends on a high with a negroni as night cap, leading to missing the last subway train and thus resulting in a nice night walk towards and along the Singapore river back to the hotel.