The Backdrop

In the heart of Singapore’s famed shopping and nightlife district, Orchard Road, lies The Backdrop—a cocktail bar that positions itself as both a performance space and a laboratory of flavour. Located on the ground level of the bogvoco Orchard hotel at 581 Orchard Road (#01-15/16, Singapore 238883) (formerly part of the hotel’s main floor) the venue quietly invites you in through wood-panelled doors into a rich, cabaret-inspired interior. Founded by acclaimed master-bartender Dario Knox, The Backdrop is designed to rewrite the rules of mixology. The menu is framed as a series of “Acts,” charting the evolution of cocktail technique from the 1800s to the present day. Bartenders draw upon historic extraction, percolation and infusion methods to create what the bar terms “percolated cocktails”—a technique that replaces traditional shakers and mixing glasses with more advanced processes. The ambience is deliberately un-casual. Plush seating, dim lighting, art-deco touches and a deep red palette evoke a bygone era of glamorous nights. Reviewers describe it as “a hidden gem” and “speakeasy-style” with “jaw-dropped” details. Drinks often come with tableside flair—smoke, mist, theatrical finishes—and the menu encourages exploration. One highlight: a variation of the Negroni (“Negroni Supreme”) made with coconut-fat-washed gin and coffee-bean-infused vermouth, finished with hazelnut mist. Hours are mid-evening into the late night: Wednesday & Thursday from ~18:00 to 02:00, Friday & Saturday from ~19:00 to 03:00. The Bar is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Because of the elevated craft and central location, prices are premium and the venue is suited for a special night out rather than a casual drink. If you’re looking for a cocktail experience in Singapore that blends design, history, advanced technique and exclusivity—and you’re willing to lean into something more individual than a typical bar—the Backdrop is very much worth a visit.