GRAZIA Address Book: Ballroom By Barbary Coast

Be transported right into the heart of Gold Rush-era San Francisco, at this plush vintage bar in Singapore

Ballroom By Barbary Coast is the most flamboyant vintage bar in the heart of downtown Singapore, here's what you need to know about the space — Photo: Courtesy of Barbary Coast

Before the 1840s, San Francisco was just a run-of-the-mill American city. That is, until James W. Marshall’s discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, which led to the beginning of the Gold Rush, a mass migration of miners across the country who flocked to California in search of gold and riches. When the miners struck gold, they went out on the town in their finest suits, looking for the best private establishments to kick up their feet and celebrate. It is this very tale that inspired the creation of Ballroom By Barbary Coast, a plush vintage bar in the heart of Singapore.

As an homage to the madams who used to operate ballrooms of a similar merit, the bar space at Ballroom By Barbary Coast is covered in an eclectic combination of flamboyant wallpapers. Another nod to a bygone era, fine velvets of different colours line the wall of the historic building on North Bridge Road while intricate furnishings transport guests right into the heart of Gold Rush-era San Francisco.

In keeping with the vintage theme, the tipples found in the Ballroom invites us to traverse countries around the world by exploring a multitude of age-old tales. The lively concoctions are inspired by folklore and fairytales from the Philippines, Scotland, England, and of course, Singapore, amongst other destinations. For instance, The Sang Nila Utama features black Assam tea, coconut water and pandan, for a uniquely Singaporean-inspired flavour journey.