The CHOYA Ginza Bar in Singapore is only the second international outpost outside Japan, following a 2024 debut in Hong Kong.
Signature to the bar restaurant's menu is its food-and-drink pairings featuring creative uses of ume and umeshu.
CHOYA Ginza Bar Singapore is located at Millenia Walk.
CHOYA Ginza Bar arrives in Singapore, offering a fresh take on Japanese plum liqueur through adventurous presentations.
If your understanding of umeshu begins and ends with a glass over ice, CHOYA would like to have a word. Though the Japanese plum liqueur may have been introduced to Singapore in the 1990s, it has spent much of that time doing little else besides being enjoyed as is. The newly opened CHOYA Ginza Bar at Millenia Walk is here to change that impression with cocktails and plum-laced dishes that explore the deeper complexities of ume and umeshu.
Opening its doors this October, the Singapore outpost is only the second international location of the original concept launched in Ginza, Tokyo. Since its founding, CHOYA Ginza Bar’s mission has been straightforward — to show that ume and umeshu have got more to offer than they’ve gotten credit for.
CHOYA Ginza Bar is introducing the TC Negroni, which gives the classic bar staple a distinctly Japanese makeover by introducing the sweetness of ume to the drink’s heady blend of Campari, gin, and vermouth. For a gentler alternative, order the TC Sonic, a refreshing combination of umeshu and soda given an added flourish with air-flown Japanese plum. In other words, there is a drink for those who like their cocktails boozy, and another for those who prefer an afternoon where the room isn’t spinning.
The food menu takes a similar approach, weaving ume into dishes rather than treating it as a novelty garnish. The Grilled Pork Jowl arrives with ume aioli and an ume yakiniku glaze, its succulent meat balanced by a refreshing slaw. The 4-Cheese Lasagna goes decidedly off-piste, layering Japanese eggplant, zucchini and tomato ragout with an ume béchamel that gives the otherwise unapologetically rich dish a well-appointed tartness.
The most intentional part of the dining experience at CHOYA Ginza Bar comes in the form of CHOYA’s ume-pairing signatures, created specifically for Singapore. The Golden Rod combines CHOYA Single Year, CHOYA Nectar, rye whiskey and fresh mango juice, paired with Hamachi Tropical Ceviche to bring out the lighter, savoury notes of the liqueurs. For those with a serious sweet tooth, the CHOYA Cookie Cheese Cake Drink combines CHOYA Kokuto Umeshu and Tiffin liqueur, with cream, cocoa crumbs and fresh milk, paired with a cookies-and-cream cheesecake finished with a CHOYA glaze and ume salted caramel.
“Most people know CHOYA as a glass of umeshu on the rocks, but there is so much more to discover,” shares Edison Ong, Director of Letat Agencies Pte. Ltd., CHOYA’s primary distributor in Singapore. “With the CHOYA Ginza BAR Singapore, we wanted to create a place where guests can experience the versatility of ume in different ways, be it through cocktails, across a tasting flight or even through food and dessert.”
Founded in 1959, CHOYA has grown into one of Japan’s best-known umeshu producers, with its products now available in more than 60 countries. Much of that success boils down to its unwavering commitment to its raw material. CHOYA primarily uses the Nanko plum from Kishu, Wakayama, known for its thick flesh, delicate texture, small pit, and thin skin, as well as its naturally pronounced flavour. After all, when you have spent more than six decades perfecting the art of turning prized plums into a drink, leaving it on the rocks forever seems like a bit of a waste.
Where: The CHOYA Ginza Bar, Millenia Walk, Promenade, Singapore
When: Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday from 4pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 12am
Contact: choya.sg