Arch Alley

Arch Alley is one of the most ambitious hospitality openings Batam has seen in recent years. Housed in a purpose-built, two-storey red-brick building in the Rezeki Graha complex in Batam Centre, it looks more like a converted European warehouse than anything else on the island: arched windows, a glowing "Comfortably Numb" signage wall over the entrance, chandeliers hanging over a long bar, and an upstairs lounge and terrace that catch the sunset over the city. Opened around 2023 under the tagline "Where Craft Meets Flames", it has quickly become the venue Batam hotels recommend to visitors from Singapore looking for something beyond standard island dining.

Food is the headline act. The kitchen is built around a wood-fired oven and charcoal grill, turning out steaks, brisket, bone marrow, woodfire oysters and pizzas, alongside pastas and a broader Western and Asian menu. But the drinks programme is what earns Arch Alley a place in this directory. The bar promotes fresh, preservative-free craft beer on tap, and visitors have noted house-branded ales and stouts alongside imported craft options, including IPAs that are otherwise hard to find in Batam. The wine list is equally serious, with 100-plus labels from 11 countries including a strong showing of Balinese wines, plus whisky and a cocktail list.

Arch Alley is very much a restaurant-bar rather than a dedicated taproom, and the atmosphere reflects that: expect table service, live bands most evenings from Tuesday to Sunday, private booths and a VIP room, and a lively, sometimes loud, crowd at weekends. For craft beer drinkers crossing over from Singapore, it is one of the more reliable places in Batam Centre to find a well-kept pint alongside a proper meal. Bookings are recommended on weekends and can be made via WhatsApp.