When Andy Yap first thought about opening an outpost of his Mexican restaurant Margarita’s in Dempsey Hill, his friends were sceptical.
His business senses turned out to be right. Now, almost two decades later, Dempsey Hill is a buzzy lifestyle destination bustling with activity, whether you’re there at night for a quick drink or visiting during the weekend.
Meanwhile, Margarita’s still stands strong, owning the now-crowded Mexican niche even in the face of star-studded neighbours with international acclaim.
Though a scrupulously authentic menu informed by Andy’s frequent travels to Mexico has played a part in its success — not to mention an abundant supply of agave tequila — he gives the most credit to his longstanding patrons.
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Over 160 years of history in Dempsey Hill
Funnily enough, Andy’s fateful decision to open Margarita’s in Dempsey Hill wasn’t driven purely by dispassionate instinct. He was also going with his gut.
Before stepping into its current identity as a bohemian enclave, Dempsey Hill was a military headquarters and barracks for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Most notably, it housed the Central Manpower Base (where all Singaporean men must report to for registration before enlistment), the Tanglin Dental Centre and the SAF Music and Drama Company (which produced many local talents including Jack Neo, Kumar and Ivan Heng).
Before that, it was a nutmeg plantation hit by blight, bought over and converted into a garrison for British soldiers back when Singapore was still a colony. Though most of the hill’s history was largely peaceful, The Tanglin Barracks, as it was known then, once served as an internment centre for British prisoners of war when the Japanese took over.
This eventually gave rise to legends about purported supernatural activity at several blocks in Tanglin camp – not that Andy paid any heed when it was time for him to move into Dempsey Hill in the late-2000s.
Margarita’s one of the earliest tenants in modern Dempsey Hill
Though the area was fresh out of a $3 million redevelopment by local property company Country City Investment then, Andy says that Margarita’s was the first to get their restaurant up and running.
The only unexpected presence he’s experienced came much later in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
"As humans disappeared, animals came back out in full force. There were snakes, monkeys, wild chickens – even otters, who came by for a swim at the pond outside our restaurant."
Self-guided audio tour of Dempsey Hill now available
Having operated since 1988 with locations at Faber Drive and East Coast Road (both now closed), there’s plenty of history to be found within the walls of Margarita’s itself.
Mostly, you’ll find a sizable collection of paintings and paraphernalia either reminiscent of or directly sourced from Mexico, which, together with its high ceilings and colourful furniture, help to give the restaurant vibes typical of a “hacienda” (a Spanish term for a large plantation home).
"Plus, the parking is free (laughs)."
This isn’t just good news for the usual visitors to Dempsey Hill. You can now make use of this free parking to find out more about the history of the enclave with an immersive audio tour jointly developed by Klook, Dempsey Hill and Cinewav.
As it is a self-guided tour, you can pause and resume the tour at any time, giving you plenty of leeway to soak in the greenery and enjoy a margarita or three at, well, Margarita’s (one of the stops on the tour).
Margarita’s Dempsey Hill
Location: 11 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249673
Opening Hours: Daily, 11:30am – 10:30pm
Tel: +65 6471 3228
Website: https://www.margaritasrestaurante.com/
