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Check in at these watering holes that have successfully navigated the pandemic with just the right ingredients. By Stacey Rodrigues

- Stacey Rodrigues

Ask any F&B business owner about when’s the right time to open a new bar and the answer is likely that there isn’t one. But even the biggest risk-takers might’ve taken pause before thinking about starting something new in the midst of a pandemic that had everyone stuck at home, not to mention bars shuttered for several months.

However, where there is change, there is opportunity. As Singapore continues to open up and make the slow return to some semblance of normality, several bars have taken the time to reimagine their menus and experiences, adjusting to a 10.30pm alcohol curfew; some more daring individuals have even launched completely new concepts.

1-Atico, located in the “penthouse” of ION Orchard, is one such example. It had been in the works long before Covid-19 hit and in spite of the uncertainty of how business would turn out, the team behind it pushed on to launch in January this year, with an Argentinian restaurant FIRE, a Japanese-Peruvian sumiyaki bar and grill called FLNT, and Atico Lounge, which opened recently in April.

“We believe that 1-Atico can provide a safe space for people who want to be transported to a new world where they can forget about the hustle and bustle of life and immerse themselves in a fantastic new experience of great cuisine, wines, service and ambience,” says Massimo Aquaro, Group Dining Development Director at 1-GROUP. “Especially with the current travel restrictions, people are constantly on the lookout for new experiences that can plug the gap in the no-travelling situation.”