This Summer Season Try a Manhattan in Singapore
Sip on New York’s essence this summer at Manhattan Bar Singapore, where cocktails turn time into art
Words Mika Reyes
Photos courtesy Conrad Singapore
May 17, 2025
There’s a certain romance to summer in New York—the balmy evenings, rooftop soirees, the restless hum of a city that never truly sleeps. But what if the essence of a Manhattan summer could be savored halfway across the world? At Manhattan Bar at Conrad Singapore Orchard, this vision is made tangible through their latest menu: Seasons of Manhattan.
A landmark in Asia’s cocktail scene, Manhattan Bar has long been a custodian of sophisticated craft. With 31 meticulously curated cocktails, this new menu invites guests on a sensory pilgrimage through the rhythm of New York’s seasons—from the exuberance of Spring’s rebirth to the hushed elegance of Winter’s twilight. Each drink unfolds like a chapter in a well-loved novel, inviting patrons to step into the city’s climate, culture, and defining moments.
The menu itself is a visual experience, presented as a desk calendar that reads like a curated journal of the city’s most evocative snapshots. Vivid pop-up illustrations bring each season to life—whether it’s Central Park’s first bloom, the fiery golden hues of autumn, or the twinkle of Rockefeller Center in December. A soft built-in light offers clarity in the bar’s warm enclave, ensuring that every detail, every nuance of this storytelling experience, is felt.
Summer in the City
When the mercury rises and asphalt radiates heat beneath hurried footsteps, summer in New York demands a drink that defies convention. Enter It’s Gettin’ Hot in Here, an elevated toddy infused with butter-washed genever, spiced honey, basil, sage, thyme, and a whisper of chili. Gently sous-vide and served at precisely 70°C, this cocktail mirrors the city’s urban heat island effect, where the very concrete intensifies the blaze.
For those seeking a drink that pulses with New York’s cultural heartbeat, Harlem Shake delivers in full rhythm. Named after the iconic dance born on the courts of Rucker Park, this tiki-style cocktail channels Harlem’s creative pulse with rums, coconut cream, pineapple, lime, hazelnut liqueur, and gardenia—a liquid tribute to innovation and artistry.
A Journey Through Time
Beyond the glass, Seasons of Manhattan embraces the art of time—of patience, refinement, and storytelling. The world’s first in-hotel rickhouse, housed within Manhattan Bar, showcases barrel-aged expressions inspired by the city’s seasons, with each pour an ode to craft and collaboration. The legendary Triumph of Liberty, a smoke-laced Old Fashioned, pays homage to Independence Day. Meanwhile, the Friends of Manhattan series brings together visionary bartenders from Melbourne’s Millie Tang to London’s Connaught Bar, where shared mastery is preserved through bespoke aging.
And of course, no experience at Manhattan would be complete without its celebrated culinary pairings. Whether it’s a Lobster Taco wrapped in crisp wonton to welcome summer or an amber-hued Burmese curry with roasted cauliflower and burrata for autumn’s embrace, each plate is designed to complement the elegance of the drinks.
So while New York’s summer may remain a world away, the experience need not be. This season, a Manhattan awaits you—right here in Singapore. After all, isn’t time, like a well-crafted cocktail, best savored?
