A new presence in Tanjong Pagar’s dining scene, temper is a sensorial hideaway that’s intimate and playfully unfiltered. Built for the discerning who know what they like but seek something more, the venue serves up intuitive wines, moreish dishes, cocktails, hospitality, and soundscapes that slide between moods.
Setting up home adjacent to Mondrian Singapore Duxton, temper takes its name from the quiet precision behind every great pour; where temperature, texture, and timing align, and every moment is tempered to feeling. Just as wine and glass are gently tempered to reveal their fullest expression, the venue is intentionally designed to unveil a series of layered, distinct experiences.
The 4,000 sqft space channels Bauhaus clarity and cinematic warmth. Defined by raw materials, sculptural geometry, and softened by moody light, a sweeping arched portal and layered terrace cove ceiling tie the intimate wine room above and buzzier cocktail lounge below. A collective of culinary and cultural mavericks drives it all—from a Master Sommelier and rising name in the cocktail scene to Michelin-decorated chefs and one of Singapore’s most influential music curators—each bringing nuanced sensibilities and their own edge to the world of temper.
A Conversation in Wine
Roberto Duran, Wine Director of temper and former head sommelier of private members’ wine club 67 Pall Mall, leads the wine room. Designed for low-lit conversations and easy, exploratory tastings, the wine room features a custom-built cellar housing over 1,200 labels and 2,100 bottles from more than 30 countries—with 250 available by the glass.
Roberto’s list favours intuition over formality, pairing mood, dish, and moment with a label that simply fits—whether you’re a seasoned collector or just wine-curious.
Cocktails with Character
The cocktail menu is shaped by consulting South Korean bartender June Baek, known for her earlier stints at Madame Fan and MO Bar. A Chivas Masters Global finalist and Singapore champion in 2018, June works with a sharpened instinct for flavour, creating cocktails that intrigue the palate and stir curiosity. Together with Head Bartender Kishan, the duo distils their vision into a tight list of temper signatures and pours inspired by the neighbourhood.
The refreshing temper’s Cup blurs the boundaries between wine and cocktail, lacing Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret with ripe strawberry, cool cucumber, tropical kiwi, with a touch of sparkling wine. Meanwhile, the classic Dirty Martini gets a Southeast Asian twist—its brine swapped for a vinegar-soaked star fruit pickle, lending a tang that’s bright and unexpected. The T.T.K. (Tutu Kueh) Old Fashioned blends peanut butter–washed Monkey Shoulder whisky with sesame, cacao bitters, and a wisp of coconut smoke for a spirit-forward, savoury, nutty sip.
In Duxton’s Arts and Culture Collection cocktails, guests are invited to embark on a pour-by-pour journey from the neighbourhood’s early days as a nutmeg plantation to the creative playground it is today. Jinrikisha—melding Código 1530 Blanco, togarashi shrub, pineapple, sesame, and lime—channels the punchy rides that once pulled into the station, while Poppy Den marries smoky Ardbeg 10 Single Mat Whisky with ginger, watermelon, lemon, and rose for a vibrant sweet-sour-spicy tribute to Duxton’s opium-laced past. Capturing the district’s shift into a culturally charged, style-forward destination is the richly built Kaws: creamy, chocolatey and sweet, with a herbaceous whisper, a reflection of the six-metre bronze sculpture by its doors.
Soul in Every Note
The buzzier of the two rooms, the cocktail lounge hums with a rhythmic undercurrent shaped by a bespoke music programme curated by Joshua Pillai—DJ, Phat Cat Collective co-founder, and former Head of Programming and Music at CÉ LA VI Singapore, KU DE TA, and Mandala Club. The soundtrack drifts across eras and genres: vinyl deep-dives, live jazz, stripped-back acoustic sets, and late-night spins of soul, funk, and obscure Asian gems.
Guests can expect a soundtrack as varied and vibrant as the wine and cocktail lists. Think sultry saxophone riffs layered over deep, electronic beats from Kaye of DarkerThanWax or Dita Jacob’s soul-drenched vocals. Nick Zavior slips in with his velvet timbre, weaving traditional Bel Canto technique through everything from 1960s anthems to golden-era pop. Behind the decks, the energy shifts and swells, with DJ Keith Colaco bringing the same genre-hopping magic that’s lit up ZoukOut and Wonderfruit, while YA5TH, a pioneer in Singapore’s DJ scene, drops hip-hop and R&B grooves.
“With temper, we’re offering Singapore the ‘sweet spot’ we all seek: a wine room with fine food and ambience, a cocktail lounge with live music, and social spaces that feel discerning but unpretentious,” says Joshua Pillai. “I’m excited to be bringing all this together with jazz, funk, soul and R&B, and can’t wait for our guests to discover our rolling series of live musicians. We’ve got a soundtrack to match every pour, dish, and mood.”
Dishes Tuned for Taste
Bringing all this together is culinary programming by Executive Chef Nicolas Tam, chef-owner of three-time one-Michelin-starred Willow, and Head Chef Ronald Sim who was previously from Burnt Ends and Candlenut. The duo leans into unpretentious food that’s dialled in with precision. Dishes are crafted to satiate the palate and draw guests back.
Signatures guests can expect include decadent seafood starters like the Crab Roll—toasted soft rolls piled with tender crab claw meat—or the Red Shrimp Carpaccio, flattened Argentinean shrimp with a shrimp head emulsion drizzle. For something heartier, the wagyu-blend temper. Burger—loaded with molten cheddar cheese and Chef’s special housemade sauce—is set to be a crowd pleaser, alongside the Crispy Chicken Drumsticks dusted with chilli-lime powder. Designed for dunking into a delightful beef broth, the French Dip Sandwich layers Tajima roast beef in a housemade baguette.
At the centre of it all is a delectable seafood tower stacked with ocean-fresh oysters, Dungeness crab, mussels and crustaceans—served in two sizes for sharing or feasting. Raising the indulgence factor, a whole 900g Turbot in a luscious pil-pil collagen sauce emerges with perfectly crisp skin, while the Uni Linguine marries al dente ribbons with velvety sea urchin and molten egg yolks in cream. To end on a sweet note, the Pastel de Nata, Portugal’s beloved custard tart, arrives warm with a dusting of cinnamon on the side.
A layered space designed for expression and connection, temper is open Mondays to Wednesdays, from 5pm to 1am and Thursdays to Saturdays, from 12pm to 1am. Starting from October, temper will host its Adult Brunch every first Saturday of the month, and a Family Brunch on the last Sunday from 12pm to 4pm.
