Novena Beer Hall With 100-Plus World Beers: Brauhaus

Brauhaus Restaurant & Pub sits in the basement of United Square at 101 Thomson Road, units B1-13/14, a few minutes from Novena MRT, and its menu header still reads Est 1989. Step inside and the mall disappears: dark wooden ceilings, rustic German decor, a pool table and a beer list that runs to dozens of countries. A half German pork knuckle is $22, a large whole one is $49, and a bottle of Augustiner Lager is $16.50. For anyone typing beer hall near me in Novena, Thomson or Balestier, this is the old-school German option, and it has been pouring since 1989.

The pub's about page tells the founder's story. Michael Chuah backpacked around the world in his twenties and settled for a while in Japan, where he worked at a German restaurant in Ginza. The real inspiration, he says, came from the themed parties he used to host at the guest house where he lived. When he came back to Singapore he opened Brauhaus, and he chose to stock beers from the home countries of the friends he had made on the road.

The homepage adds that his search for the right pork knuckle took him to Germany to learn how to roast it. That is still the dish the pub is built around. The about page describes the room's wooden, nicotine-stained ceilings and rustic German decor, and calls Brauhaus one of its kind in Singapore. That worn wood gives the place more character than a newly fitted beer hall can fake. The website also advertises alfresco dining with smoking tables available.

The bar menu reads like an atlas. It is arranged country by country, from Argentina's Quilmes to Vietnam's Bia Saigon, and counts more than 100 beers. Germany has the biggest section. Augustiner Lager and Augustiner Dunkel are $16.50 each, as are Franziskaner Hefe, Früh Kölsch and Löwenbräu. Schlenkerla Rauchbier, the smoky Bamberg beer, is $17, and the strong Aventinus Eisbock at 12% is $24.

Belgium is the other big section, with Chimay Blue at $21, Kwak at $22 and Rochefort 10 at $24. The fun part is the rare stuff you will not see in most Singapore bars: Akosombo from Ghana at $15, Windhoek from Namibia at $15, Chinggis from Mongolia at $15 and Rato Bhaat from Nepal at $15. A good way to spend an evening is to pick one beer from a country you have visited and one from a country you have not. All prices are subject to service charge and GST.

Start with the German Pork Knuckle. The menu sells it as a half for $22, a small whole knuckle for $38 or a large whole one for $49. The homepage describes tender meat inside a crisp crackling shell, and the half is enough for one hungry person. Pair it with sauerkraut for $7 or a pretzel for $7.

The sausage list is long and cheap by Singapore standards. A Sausage Platter is $28, while single sausages such as the Pork Bratwurst and the Muenchner Weisswurst are $16 each. German specialities include Meatloaf Steak at $19, Goulash Stew at $23 and a Chicken or Pork Schnitzel at $24.

Then there is the local twist. The Brauhaus Signature Beehoon is $12, and the homepage singles out a Pork Knuckle Bee Hoon that tosses slivers of knuckle meat with silky rice vermicelli. You can also order ikan bilis fried rice, sotong balls or mala fried rice next to a German beer, which is exactly why regulars like it. For something unusual, the Crocodile Schnitzel is listed under Brauhaus Specials at $34.

Fridays and Saturdays are the big nights, because the bar stays open an hour later than during the week. The about page lists live music and a pool table, so weekend nights have more energy than weekday afternoons. If you want a booth for a group, send a WhatsApp message to the number on the website before you go; the pub also takes bookings for private events and corporate parties.

Lunch is the time for a slow plate of pork knuckle. From Monday to Saturday the kitchen starts at midday, so an early lunch gets you the calmest room. Smokers should ask for one of the alfresco tables. Sunday is a later start, so plan an evening visit that day.

Novena is not a nightlife district, which is part of the charm. Before dinner, walk along Thomson Road to the Church of St Alphonsus, better known as Novena Church, whose Saturday novena services gave the area and the MRT station their name. The church was rebuilt and reopened in 2017 and the modern building is worth a look.

For a longer walk, head south along Thomson Road to Balestier Road, one of Singapore's oldest roads, lined with ornate pre-war shophouses, lighting shops and old coffee shops serving bak kut teh and chicken rice. A short detour off Balestier brings you to the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, a colonial villa where the Chinese revolutionary stayed during his visits to Singapore, set in a garden. After the walk, Brauhaus is a natural place to finish with a cold beer.

Address: Brauhaus Restaurant & Pub, 101 Thomson Road, #B1-13/14, United Square, Singapore 307591. Hours: Monday to Thursday 12pm to 12am, Friday and Saturday 12pm to 1am, and Sunday from late afternoon until midnight.

Getting there: Novena MRT on the North South Line is about five minutes on foot, through Novena Square or along Thomson Road. Food and drink prices are subject to service charge and GST. Save Brauhaus in the Karpo APP and ask it for a late-night dessert stop or a hawker breakfast nearby the next day.