Deviate Wine Bar hides down a flight of stairs at the far end of a carpark on Loewen Road, in a leafy, quirky corner of Dempsey Hill — and the name is the mission statement. 'Deviate' means to depart from an expected course or norm, and this little bar does exactly that. It describes itself, tongue in cheek, as 'a wine bar that's as pretentious as you are,' which is to say: not at all. As the team puts it, if you want pretentiousness you're looking in the wrong place; if you want a damn good time and a great atmosphere, relax, you've found them.
Wine is the main passion. The people behind Deviate have spent 30 years prowling the world — pouring, drinking, tasting and exploring — and have brought the results together in Singapore: a wide-ranging collection of beverages from all over the world, chosen by one simple criterion, that they love drinking them. Alongside the wine there's a great selection of whisky, gin and other spirits, plus a good range of the beers and ciders the team likes best. Unashamedly unfashionable, delightfully different, and experts only in knowing what they like.
The welcome is as broad as the drinks list. Most seating is long communal tables made for groups of friends or making new ones, backed up by a couple of fantastic old-school chesterfield sofas and a breezy outdoor area. Kids, dogs and all types of friendly humans are welcome, and since the team loves good food too, you're welcome to bring some — order in or BYO, just note there's no cutlery or crockery provided. Since August 2024 the Deviate team has also been running the cafe next door as Beans N' Bottles, hosting wine tastings most evenings, particularly for Peterson's Wines.
Tucked at the bottom of a flight of stairs, at the far end of a carpark behind Chang and Terra Madre on Loewen Road, Deviate Wine Bar earns its name before you even find your seat. 'Deviate' means to depart from an expected course or norm — and this little Dempsey Hill hideout does exactly that. It bills itself, tongue firmly in cheek, as 'a wine bar that's as pretentious as you are,' which is to say: not pretentious at all. As the team puts it, if you want pretentiousness you're looking in the wrong place; if you want a damn good time and a great atmosphere, relax — you've found them.
That's Deviate's own slogan for directions, and it's accurate. Head for the carpark behind Chang and Terra Madre restaurants on Loewen Road, walk to the far end — the opposite end from Swish swimming school — and take the flight of stairs down. The payoff is a gorgeous, quirky venue with long communal tables made for gathering a group of friends or making some new ones, a couple of fantastic old-school chesterfield sofas, and a breezy outdoor area for the warmer evenings. It's the kind of room that invites you to linger, and plenty of people do.
Wine is the main passion here. The people behind Deviate have spent 30 years 'prowling the world, pouring and drinking, tasting and exploring,' and they've brought the results together in Singapore: an incredible collection of beverages from all over the world, chosen by one simple criterion — they love drinking them. The team describes itself as unashamedly unfashionable, delightfully different, and experts only in knowing what they like. You're welcome to post your drinks on Instagram, they say — but that's not where they found them.
Wine isn't the whole story. Alongside the bottles you'll find a great selection of whisky, gin and other spirits, plus a good range of the beers and ciders the team likes best. What unites the list is less a category than a character: the only thing these drinks have in common, the bar jokes, is that the team loves drinking them.
Deviate is a drink specialist first, but it loves good food too, and rather than guard its turf it invites you to bring some. Order in or BYO, whatever suits — just note that space is limited and the bar can't help with cutlery and crockery, so plan ahead. The welcome extends well beyond food: kids, dogs and all types of friendly humans are welcome. The kids may get bored once the sun goes down, the team warns — you won't.
In August 2024 the Deviate team added a second string to its bow by taking over the cafe next door as Beans N' Bottles. Most evenings it hosts wine tastings — particularly for Peterson's Wines — and anyone curious can message the team for details.
Beyond the bar itself, Deviate runs ticketed events that can be purchased through its online shop, where some of its beverages are also available for delivery. A mailing list keeps regulars up to date with what's on.
Hours are generous: the bar opens from at least 3pm daily and runs until at least 10.30pm, with a licence until 1am — so if you're planning a late one, a quick call or message confirms the doors are still open. Whether you come for a quiet glass on the sofas, a long communal table with a crowd, or a tasting next door, Deviate delivers something increasingly rare: a wine bar with genuine personality, zero airs, and the good sense to know that great drinks and a great atmosphere are the whole point.