Ling Ling by the Wine Company: Menu, Reviews, Reservations

Ling Ling by The Wine Company is the kind of place Singaporeans either swear by or shrug off — a wine bar that grew out of a Dempsey original nearly three decades old, now operating from Block 8 Dempsey Road with over 300 bottles on its shelves and a menu that leans casual rather than fine-dining. With TripAdvisor ratings hovering around 2.8 out of 5, there’s enough split opinion to make you wonder whether it’s worth the detour.

Location: Dempsey Hill, Singapore ·
Address: Blk 8 Dempsey Road, Singapore 247696 ·
Type: Family Style Restaurant ·
Wines Available: Over 300 ·
Reservations: Recommended

Seven key facts anchor what you need to know before booking a table:

Ling Ling by the Wine Company Menu

Three things define what lands on your table at Ling Ling, according to available sources: Western mains, local Singaporean dishes, and an app-based ordering system paired with downloadable PDFs from the official site.

Food options

The menu leans family-style — think shareable plates rather than individual courses. Wheree describes the offering as a mix of local and Western cuisine with a wide variety that accommodates different palates. A TripAdvisor photo comment mentions “wide array of food and wines, value for money.” One notable gap: detailed menu items (specific dish names, wine labels available by the glass) don’t appear in published sources, so your best bet is downloading the current PDF directly from The Wine Company website.

Wine pairings

Victor Szechenyi, a French national credited with building the wine list, oversees a collection exceeding 300 labels from over 50 wineries (The Wine Company Official). The philosophy centers on accessibility — pairing quality wines with what the official site calls “great price tags.” Snacks and light bites complement the bottle menu rather than compete with it. If you’re booking specifically for a wine tasting, this is reportedly the venue’s strongest suit.

Menu access

• Official site hosts downloadable menu PDFs
• App-based ordering mentioned in sources for streamlined service
• Current dish-specific listings not publicly available — contact venue directly for seasonal items

The implication: food quality gets mixed marks in reviews, but the wine program has clear pedigree. Go for the bottle selection, manage expectations on the kitchen.

Ling Ling by The Wine Company reservation

Booking a table here requires no fancy platform — but skipping the step during peak times is a gamble.

Booking process

Two primary channels work for reservations at Ling Ling: WhatsApp messaging and the contact form on the venue’s website. The Wheree directory explicitly notes that reservations are recommended during peak hours. Silverstreak’s reporting confirms the phone line (+65 6261 5123) as a direct booking channel. Unlike larger Dempsey establishments that use online booking widgets, Ling Ling keeps it low-tech — which means calling or texting tends to get faster confirmation than submitting a web form.

Availability tips

• Weekends (Friday and Saturday) hit the midnight closing shift — book at least 2-3 days ahead
• Sunday afternoons tend to be quieter if you prefer walk-in luck
• Confirm your booking within 24 hours if you don’t receive a reply — reviewers note occasional gaps in responsiveness

What this means: for groups of four or more, lock in your slot early. Solo diners or couples have more flexibility, but spontaneity risks finding every table full.

Ling Ling by The Wine Company reviews

Visitor feedback paints a nuanced picture — friendly staff and wine variety contrast with service inconsistencies and mixed food impressions.

Customer feedback

TripAdvisor currently lists 11 reviews for Ling Ling by The Wine Company with an average rating of 2.8 out of 5 (Tripadvisor). That’s notably below the Singapore restaurant average — the venue ranks #9,548 out of 9,910 restaurants on the platform. The Wheree directory offers a slightly more positive snapshot, describing “cozy atmosphere with friendly service and diverse wines and dishes.” Wanderlog mentions staff who “provide warm and friendly service, though may slow during peak times.”

Negative signals cluster around service responsiveness. TripAdvisor SG’s reviews for the original Wine Company location include phrases like “service worse than McD” and “Avoid” — though it’s worth distinguishing between Ling Ling (Block 8) and the original The Wine Company (14D Dempsey Road). They’re related but distinct venues with separate review profiles.

Pros and cons

The trade-off: wine enthusiasts find genuine value here; casual diners expecting a polished restaurant experience may leave underwhelmed.

Ling Ling by the Wine Company dress code

This is one of the genuine gaps in available information. Sources don’t specify formal attire expectations, and no reader review explicitly describes what others were wearing.

Attire guidelines

Based on the venue’s positioning as a relaxed Dempsey wine bar — not a fine-dining establishment — the practical assumption is smart casual at most. The Wheree profile describes a “spacious indoor atmosphere” without mentioning dress restrictions, and the family-style dining setup suggests you won’t be turned away for wearing shorts or sandals. If you’re planning a special occasion or business dinner, calling ahead to confirm any specific expectations remains the safest move.

The Wine Company Dempsey

Ling Ling exists within a larger wine story in Dempsey. Understanding the family tree helps calibrate what you’re actually booking.

Location details

The Wine Company (the original) operates from 14D Dempsey Road with outdoor seating available and a separate review profile on TripAdvisor SG. Ling Ling by The Wine Company sits at Block 8 Dempsey Road — a different address, likely a second location within the Dempsey cluster. The Silverstreak retrospective notes that The Wine Company launched in 1996 selling nibbles like sausage and cheese alongside bottles, evolving into formal wine experiences by 2003. Both venues share the parent brand identity but serve distinct footprints of Dempsey Hill.

Photos and ambiance

Available photo evidence shows indoor seating with a relaxed bar setup. No outdoor terrace imagery exists for Ling Ling specifically — Wheree confirms no outdoor seating, in contrast to the original 14D location. The atmosphere skews toward intimate indoor conversations rather than alfresco dining. For ambiance photos, the Wheree directory and TripAdvisor galleries offer the most current visual reference.

The pattern: two Dempsey addresses, two different experiences. Book Ling Ling for climate-controlled comfort; book The Wine Company (14D) if outdoor seating matters to your group.

“"We’ve been creating awesome wine experiences for everyone. With over 300 wines from over 50 wineries, we’ve paired them with great price tags, just for you."”

— The Wine Company, Official Website

“"Our hearts, minds and palates are set on building a wine world where everyone can have the chance to try, taste and freely explore our collection of wines."”

— The Wine Company, About Us Page

Related reading: Pepper Lunch Pasir Ris Mall menu and reviews

Singapore diners seeking intimate wine spots may find parallels with the hidden Love Tilly Devine wine bar in Darlinghurst’s atmospheric alleys.

Frequently asked questions