Cocktails with Soul. What to Drink on Your First Night at Aniba
From first pour to final toast, let a passionate Aniba mixologist guide your first night—what to drink, when to sip, how to pair, and where to sit when the room starts to glow.
From behind the bar, with love…If we haven’t met yet, I’m one of the bartenders at Aniba.
I live for the soft clink of glassware, the hush before a busy service turns electric, and the moment a first sip makes two people lean closer.
At Aniba, cocktails aren’t just recipes—they’re love notes in liquid form, signed with Middle Eastern soul and a worldly polish that feels at home in Singapore’s cocktail scene.
You’re here because you’re planning your first night at Aniba. Good.
I’ll be your guide—part storyteller, part matchmaker—so your evening flows with the rhythm we designed for you: start bright and social, move into silky intimacy, end on a slow-burn glow.
Along the way, I’ll share our signature cocktails, the best seats for the party ambiance, zero-proof options that feel just as celebratory, and pairing tips so every bite syncs with every sip.
Welcome to Cocktails with Soul. Take a seat at the bar (or a velvet banquette). Let me pour you into the night.
How to Start Your Night at Aniba (And Why the First Pour Matters)
The opening drink sets the tempo. It’s the greeting, the handshake, the first glance that says: Stay awhile.
In a city that knows how to drink well, cocktail bars in Singapore often lead with technique; we lead with feeling—then back it with technique you can taste.
For first-timers, I recommend beginning with something uplifting and camera-ready, like the Coffee—a drink that turns heads when it crosses the room.
You’re not here to disappear into the evening; you’re here to arrive.
That’s why we built highballs that sparkle with personality and a sense of place.
They’re crisp, aromatic, and deceptively nuanced—perfect for breaking the ice and inviting conversation.
Pro tip: Arrive just as the room softens from pre-dinner calm to social glow.
Sit at the bar if you like the theatre of service; choose a low table if you’re in a date-night mood.
Tell me what you usually drink—or tell me your mood.
At Aniba, the story starts with you.
Signature Highballs to Open the Dance
MANGO + — Tropical Smoke, Street-Market Soul (Highball)
Patrón Silver Tequila, Montelobos Espadín Mezcal, Mango–Amba Cordial
This is the smile that starts the night.
Bright mango, the tangy twirl of amba (a mango-fenugreek pickle common across the Middle East), a mezcal whisper of smoke—it’s flirty without trying.
The tequila keeps it clean and sun-lit; the mezcal adds a dark eyebrow raise you’ll think about later.
If you like your first round playful, juicy, and social, this is your glass.
Best seats: Near the open kitchen for the buzz.
Pairing ideas: Harissa-glazed carrots, charred cauliflower with za’atar, or anything fire-kissed.
The drink’s tropical acidity loves smoke and spice.
CUCUMBER + — Crisp, Cool, With a Wicked Wink (Highball)
Prohibition Gin, Cucumber–Dill Syrup, Spicy Pickle
Think garden-fresh elegance with a cheeky streak.
The cucumber-dill syrup lays down a clean green note; a spicy pickle adds a playful snap; the gin holds the spine.
It’s the “I want something refreshing, but not boring” answer that keeps your palate lively and your conversation sharp.
Best seats: Start at the bar; watch us pull ice like origami and build the stack with precision.
Pairing ideas: Mezze boards (labneh, tahini, hummus with amba), citrusy crudo, olives.
The drink’s herbaceous profile brightens creamy dips and briny bites.
The Intimate Shift — When the Room Warms and You Lean Closer
After the opening dance, you’re ready for texture—a cocktail that lowers the lights in your glass.
This is where we pull in ingredients like toasted sesame, tahini, halva, honey, and date—flavours that speak softly but leave a long echo.
These pours aren’t dessert; they’re conversation accelerants, the kind that make time loosen around the edges.
From a bartender’s perspective, this is the second round that turns “We should stay a bit longer” into “Let’s never rush.”
The room hums; the party builds; your table becomes its own planet.
The Velvet Pour: SESAME
SESAME — Silky, Nutty, Luxe (Stem)
Bombay Premier Cru Gin, Toasted Black Sesame, Tahini, Honey, Halva
Some nights want champagne bubbles.
This wants silk.
We toast black sesame to release a cocoa-nut perfume, fold in tahini for a satin body, round it with honey, then lace a hush of halva.
The gin keeps it lifted and bright, so it never drifts into heaviness.
It’s the hand-hold of cocktails—confident, elegant, gently persuasive.
How to sip: Slow. Let it coat your palate, then notice how it finishes clean, not cloying.
Pairing ideas: Smoked eggplant with burnt lemon, roasted root vegetables with warm spices, or a square of dark chocolate as a late-night grace note.
Best seats: A velvet banquette for two, out of the bar’s line of sight—“our little world” seating.
A Love Letter to Dates — Ask Us for “Something With Dates”
They’re history and hospitality, festival and family.
We infuse spirits with dates, stir them into syrups, and let a whisper of orange blossom or rose lift the finish.
If you like cocktails with depth, warmth, and a touch of nostalgia, tell us you want something with dates.
We’ll write one for you—maybe with rye, maybe with rum, maybe with an amaro that remembers autumn.
Pairing ideas: Preserved-lemon couscous, braised vegetables, and lamb-adjacent sides for your dining partner if you’re sharing plates.
Occasion: The third act of the night, when the room is gold and your table is all easy smiles.
Zero-Proof, Full-Feeling — Celebrate Without Compromise
Not drinking tonight? You still get the show.
Our zero-proof cocktails are built with the same intention and architecture: structure, body, aroma, and finish.
We lean on bright citrus, herb distillates, saline, and textured syrups (never too sweet) so each glass feels like a real cocktail, not a placeholder.
Try these moods:
Floral Fizz (Zero-Proof): Orange blossom, citrus, a restrained spritz. Pair with mezze.
Green Garden Cooler: Dill, cucumber, verjus-style acidity, a mineral snap—ideal with crudo or light salads.
Spiced Date Temperance: Date reduction, black tea, bitters-like botanicals—a nightcap that tucks you in.
If you’re looking for the best zero-proof cocktails in Singapore or non-alcoholic cocktails Singapore, you’re exactly where you should be—at the bar, with a glass that still joins the toast.
The Party Inside the Romance — How the Ambiance Blooms
People often ask what kind of night Aniba is: date-night romantic or party-energy social?
The answer is both, by design.
Early evening, we’re all candlelight conversations and shared plates; by the second seating, the room loosens—laughs ring, glasses sing, and the bar hums like a secret everyone’s in on.
It’s a romantic bar in Singapore with a party’s heart, and the balance is why you stay past one more round.
Bartender’s vantage: We watch couples shift closer after the second pour, friends turn into choir sections by dessert, and perfect strangers trade recommendations across the bar like they’ve always known each other.
That’s our metric: when the room starts talking to itself.
Where to sit when it happens:
At the bar if you want front-row energy and a little banter with us.
Low tables for date-night eyes-only.
Near the open kitchen if you love a bit of theatre and motion.
What to Pair (So Every Sip Sings)
Pairings shouldn’t be homework—they should be helpful nudges. Here’s a quick guide I give guests who want their signature cocktails to dance with dinner:
MANGO + → Fire & Tang
Harissa-glazed carrots, charred cauliflower, preserved-lemon accents. The drink’s mango-amba brightness cuts smoke and lifts spice.
CUCUMBER + → Cream & Brine
Labneh with za’atar oil, hummus with amba, olives, citrusy crudo. Herbaceous, crisp notes refresh between creamy and salty bites.
SESAME → Smoke & Depth
Smoked eggplant, roasted root vegetables, cocoa-lean desserts. The cocktail’s nutty silk mirrors the roasted profile without heavy sweetness.
Something With Dates → Warm & Savory
Braised veg, couscous, slow reductions, and the final bites of the evening. Date warmth links arms with umami and spice.
Tip: Ask us to pace your drinks with the meal—bright for mezze, herb-cool for mid-course, silk or date-warmth for the back half.
It’s a three-act structure that feels like a story.
Order Like a Regular — My Go-To Flight for First-Timers
When someone says, “We’ve never been—what should we do?”, this is the arc I love to build:
Round One (Arrive): MANGO +
Social, luminous, and ridiculously easy to love. You’ve arrived.
Round Two (Lean In): SESAME
Slow the tempo; turn down the room. You’re here for each other now.
Round Three (Signature Moment): Something With Dates
Bartender’s choice. I’ll read your mood and write the ending you want—glowing and warm, or bittersweet and thoughtful.
Behind the Bar — Our Approach to Craft (And Why It Tastes Like Feeling)
Technique matters. You can’t fake clarity, balance, or texture.
We hand-press citrus for snap, measure salinity like we’re tuning a string, and handle ice with the respect it’s due (because dilution is a decision).
But here’s the real secret: we build cocktails for memory.
Aroma first. You drink with your nose before your tongue.
Texture second. Silk, snap, or spritz—mouthfeel is mood.
Finish last. A good cocktail leaves a lane for conversation, never bulldozing the palate.
That’s why our drinks feel like scenes, not stunts.
The Little Luxuries That Make the Night Feel Personal
We keep a mental Rolodex of preferences.
If you tell me you liked the dill on your CUCUMBER +, I might fold an herb note into your next pour.
If you blush at smoke, I’ll steer away from mezcal and build depth another way. Prefer a lighter night?
I’ll shape the arc with low-ABV or zero-proof rounds and the same attention.
Say the word and we’ll mark a birthday with a candlelit toast, nudge the pace to match your conversation, or find you a quieter corner as the party swells.
Your time is precious.
Our job is to make it feel beautifully spent.
When to Visit — Choosing Your Version of the Night
Early Evening: Soft, intimate, perfect for date night in Singapore. The bar breathes; the room glows like a promise.
Prime Time: The party ambiance blooms—lively, social, contagious. Great for couples who love a little buzz around them.
Late: Velvet hour. Order something with dates, let the night slow, and take the long way home.
Conclusion — Your First Night, Written in Glass
Here’s how I hope your first night at Aniba goes.
You arrive to the soft crackle of ice and the low murmur of a room warming up.
MANGO + puts sunshine in your glass and a grin on your face. A plate of mezze lands; you lean closer.
SESAME follows—silk in a stem, the conversation deepens, the party starts to glow at the edges.
You end with something with dates, and the finish tastes like a memory you’ll keep replaying.
That’s Cocktails with Soul.
That’s what we pour every night: flavour that feels like feeling, craft that holds a moment still, a room that turns date night in Singapore into your new favourite ritual.
Book your table, bring your person, and let us do what we love—make a drink that helps you fall in love with the night.
FAQs — Honest Answers from Your Bartender
Do I need a reservation to enjoy the bar?
Walk-ins are welcome when space allows, but a reservation (especially if you plan to dine) keeps your night seamless and seats you where you’ll love the vibe most.
You may reserve through our website.
Can you create something off-menu?
Gladly. Tell me your spirit, mood, and sweetness tolerance, and I’ll build you a one-of-one. Want “bright, not sweet” or “silky, minimal sugar”? Say the word.
Are there good non-alcoholic options?
Yes. Our zero-proof cocktails mirror the craft and complexity of our signatures, right down to glassware and garnish, so you can celebrate without compromise.
What should we eat if we plan to stay for two or three rounds?
Start with mezze, so cocktails have friends. Add a vegetable hero (smoked eggplant, roasted roots), then share something warm and comforting to close. We’ll pace the pours to the plates.
Is Aniba more romantic or more party?
Both. We’re a romantic cocktail bar that knows how to bloom into a celebratory room. Come early for whispers, stay late for the glow—or do the full arc.
Can you handle dietary preferences?
Absolutely. Tell us what you need—vegetarian, gluten-aware, low-sugar—and we’ll guide both food and drinks accordingly.
