Higher Ground: Thugshop Continues Its Scene Ascent With Its Newest Rooftop Bar Venture

It’s a different sort of Thugshop experience up here (Credit: All images courtesy of Thugshop)

The towering identity of Thugshop as one of the scene’s most established nightlife purveyors continues to look up. Fresh off its second KAOS in the CBD urban takeover, the group has just rolled out its latest venture called Higher Ground, a new rooftop bar that extends Thugshop’s influence in the F&B space as opposed to its traditionally party-centric antics. It’s conveniently perched atop the fourth level of 64 Boat Quay, which Thugshop devotees would recognise as the next-door neighbour of its Headquarters flagship; the epicentre where it all began. Yet despite being so close to home, the space within presents a different atmosphere and design language altogether.

Higher Ground’s rooftop space is much roomier than next door at Upstairs

Unlike Thugshop’s other adjacent F&B venture, Eat Sum Thing, Higher Ground’s visual DNA is less gritty and more elegant with clean industrial surfaces paired with wooden textures. The rooftop area of the 80-seater venue is much more expansive than the balcony of sister club Upstairs, able to accommodate flocks of guests keen on imbibing and dining with panoramic views of the CBD vista. The rooftop setup is also a nod to Thugshop’s storied history; one might recall the collective’s trendsetting string of rooftop parties back when Thugshop went by The Council. Its potential as an open-aired party spot is plain to see, proven by Higher Ground’s launch week recently that roped in Gerd Janson as a fitting headliner.

Like Eat Sum Thing, Higher Ground’s culinary approach is no afterthought. Its pan-continental menu is also the brainchild of Chef Brandon Lee, who now applies his adventurous expertise to a fresh canvas. Recommended signatures include the Bak Kut Teh Spring Rolls and the Chilli Crab with Perilla Leaf Tempura, playful mod-Sin takes on local fare; and mains such as The Classic hand-stretched pizza and The Spiced Chicken served with citrus yogurt dressing. These are bold bites that diversify the Thugshop forte, showing the scene that they can cook up surprises in both the kitchen and the dancefloor. Whether you’re craving some pre-party sustenance or simply need a new city habitat to hang, Thugshop invites you to chase a new high.