With its outlandish art nouveau style, Dragonfly Singapore captures the imagination, just like its sister bar in Hong Kong. Designed by Australian interior whiz Ashley Sutton, who also created The Iron Fairies in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, both feature a stained-glass dragonfly centrepiece and hundreds of hand-blown, wing-patterned lamps that emit an ethereal teal glow.
Dragonfly Singapore sets itself apart from its sister outpost and the competition with a unique new drinks programme created by American bar manager Morgan Raelin Barron, who compares the process of creating cocktails to a dragonfly skimming across the water. As with fresh takes on classic drinks, new ripples are created at their source.
Although she admits that favourable first impressions are hard to achieve, Barron is proud of her debut menu. Aptly titled The Cause and Effect, the thoughtfully designed menu is categorised according to base spirits like whisky and rum. Each cocktail ripples from classics like the Manhattan or Jack Rose to more experimental ones.
According to Barron, “Considering the deep appreciation Singaporeans have for a good classic, we focus on enhancing these with additional complementary flavour profiles.”
Her decorated career spans award-winning establishments across the US, including Allegory in Washington, DC, which ranked 23rd in the 2024 North America’s 50 Best Bar list, and Singapore’s Jigger & Pony, which is third among Asia’s 50 Best Bars this year.
Despite this, few people know she began bartending after graduating from university while living in Washington, DC. Her experiences in both countries influence her cocktail recipes. “When I first started creating cocktails, I wanted to be abstract, leaning towards bizarre flavour pairings. Over the past few years, especially after spending time in Asia, my cocktails have become more intentional and cleaner.”
Currently, she focuses on making the spirits shine, while considering each guest’s full experience—from the moment the drink hits their table to the last sip. She created the bestselling Bite the Blossom at Dragonfly Singapore a year ago and continues to refine it today. It combines hanami-infused vodka, oloroso sherry, and fresh rhubarb cordial.
“The first version had fino sherry instead of oloroso. Previously, I couldn’t decide whether to use fresh or cooked rhubarb as there is a big difference in taste,” she says. “I am never satisfied with most of the cocktails I make, so I appreciate any chance to improve them.”
