By Dorcas Lee

By 6pm, Singaporean workers begin their daily migration from the CBD. Office chairs roll back, laptops close, and a sea of suits spill out onto the streets looking to forget the day’s deadlines. From a quick pint to a delectable meal, the afterwork experience boils down to two things: no fluorescent lighting and ambient noise loud enough to cover the sound of an email notification.

Heineken’s First Sip House, located at 36 Keong Saik Road, extends beyond another party pop-up. Here, the experience is built around the small rituals that come alive at night – the first sip of an ice cold beer, the first proper conversation without corporate lingo, and a space to decompress after a day of maximising shareholder value. 

Running across three floors, the pop-up revives the iconic corner shophouse – known for lively dinners and post-work gatherings in its yesteryear. At the centre of it is the First Sip Bar, where mixologist June Baek and Chef Justin Hammond present an exclusive menu of beertails and bites built on Heineken’s Pure Malt.

The four pairings include:

Punched Out: Tangy tuna tartare with Pure Malt powder on warm crostini, paired with a Soju Bomb of Heineken Original and omija berry.

The Recharge: Mushroom parfait with a Pure Malt balsamic caramel that diners finish themselves, served alongside a Heineken Silver Spritz with grapefruit, ginger and thyme.

The Discovery: Malted peanut butter soba with cured egg yolk and shichimi tōgarashi, paired with a layered Malt Sour made with Heineken Silver and silky malt foam.

The Payoff: 48-hour slow-cooked beef short rib tacos with a three-day malted mole, accompanied by a Heineken 0.0% Michelada with optional Tabasco, wasabi or sambal – an alcohol-free option to keep things accessible. 

There is a table-side theatricality to the menu. Dishes arrive partially unfinished, tacos unassembled, sauces and garnishes on the side, and salads still in jars, with the final balance of taste left up to the diner. More sauce, less spice, extra acidity? You are the executive decision-maker here.

On the third floor, visitors can attempt the five-step “perfect pour” ritual at the Pourfection Lounge, with a chance to win the new StarMark glass engineered to improve aroma and carbonation. Across the lounge, there is also an Art Jam, where mildly stressed adults can express themselves creatively.

The space also leans into the social aspect of the afterwork. Through “Star Tap”, guests are given interactive wristbands to unlock new experiences, meet your next bestie, and earn exclusive rewards – a networking concept that, thankfully, does not require exchanging LinkedIn profiles. 

More than anything, Heineken’s First Sip House understands something important about afterwork culture in Singapore: where Thursday evenings deserve to have the same pizazz as the weekend.

Heineken’s First Sip House runs from 7 to 16 May 2026 at 36 Keong Saik Road. General admission is free and includes one complimentary Heineken beer, with an option to purchase Pure Malt Beertail & Bites ticket, priced at $21. Bookings are available via Klook.