IN FOCUS: Ginseng gelato, cordyceps cocktails? A modern TCM boom takes root across China

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TCM Wellness Trend: Ginseng Gelato and Cordyceps Cocktails Are Taking Over

The TCM wellness trend sweeping across China is no longer just a mainland obsession — and if you've been paying attention to Singapore's bar and café scene lately, you'll know this wave is already lapping at our shores. From cordyceps-spiked cocktails to ginseng-laced gelato, a new generation of entrepreneurs is turning ancient remedies into seriously craveable bites and sips. The question everyone's asking: is this genuinely good for you, or just the most photogenic placebo money can buy?

What Is the Modern TCM Boom Actually About?

Think less dusty apothecary, more sleek cocktail bar with a wall of dried herbs and a bartender who can explain the difference between astragalus and angelica root without blinking. Across China, founders in their twenties and thirties are opening spaces that blend traditional Chinese medicine ingredients — think wolfberries, red dates, pearl powder and reishi mushrooms — into menus that feel more Brooklyn than Beijing. The aesthetic is clean, the branding is sharp, and the target audience is wellness-curious millennials who want their indulgences to come with a side of self-care.

The appeal is real and the timing makes sense. Post-pandemic, there's been a measurable shift in how young Asians think about food and drink — not just as pleasure, but as preventative care. TCM has always been embedded in Singaporean culture through family recipes and sinseh visits, but this new wave repackages it in a format that feels aspirational rather than medicinal. It's less about bitter herbal soups and more about a $22 reishi latte that looks incredible on your feed.

Where Singapore Is Already Doing This Right

Singapore hasn't been sitting still. Outpost Coffee Roasters has been experimenting with adaptogen-infused brews, while wellness café Hvala has long championed Japanese-influenced matcha rituals that overlap with this broader East Asian wellness aesthetic. But for a more explicitly TCM-forward experience right now, Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine offers a masterclass in how traditional Chinese ingredients can anchor a modern dining experience — their herbal soups and slow-cooked braises use classic TCM pantry staples in ways that feel both grounding and genuinely delicious.

Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine
📍 190 Keng Lee Road, Singapore 308409
📞 +65 6732 3637
⏰ Daily 11am–3pm, 6pm–11pm
🗺 View on Google Maps

For something more experimental, Analogue Initiative — Singapore's beloved plant-based cocktail bar — has been quietly pushing the boundaries of what wellness-forward drinking can look like, with low-ABV concoctions that incorporate ingredients like lemongrass, pandan and butterfly pea flower. It's not hardcore TCM, but it's exactly the kind of thoughtful, ingredient-led drinking that sits in the same spirit.

Analogue Initiative
📍 1 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089109
📞 +65 9750 8880
⏰ Tue–Sun 5pm–midnight
🗺 View on Google Maps

Is It Treatment or Just Theatre?

Let's be honest — a single ginseng gelato scoop is not going to fix your qi deficiency. TCM practitioners themselves are divided on whether micro-doses of herbal ingredients in cocktail form deliver any genuine therapeutic benefit, or whether the quantities involved are simply too small to matter medicinally. That said, the cultural value of reconnecting with these ingredients — of normalising TCM outside the clinic context — is something even sceptics tend to acknowledge as worthwhile.

What's more interesting is how this trend forces a conversation about what wellness actually means in 2025. If eating a red date and wolfberry gelato makes you feel more connected to your heritage and more mindful about what you put in your body, does it matter whether the health benefits are measurable? Singapore, with its deep-rooted Chinese heritage and its equally deep love of good food, is perfectly positioned to lead this conversation in Southeast Asia — and the entrepreneurs watching China's TCM café scene are already taking notes.

• Trending ingredient: Cordyceps (energy and immunity-boosting mushroom)
• Classic staple: Wolfberries and red dates in teas and desserts
• Price range: $15–$28 for TCM-inspired drinks and small plates
• Best for: Wellness-curious foodies, heritage culture lovers, adventurous drinkers

The Verdict

Whether you're a true believer in the healing power of reishi or simply someone who likes the idea of a cocktail that's doing something more than just getting you tipsy, this trend is worth paying attention to. Singapore's food and drink scene has always been brilliant at absorbing global trends and making them its own — and with TCM already woven into the city's cultural DNA, the conditions are ripe for something genuinely exciting to emerge here. Keep your eyes on Keong Saik and Chinatown's café strips for the first wave of truly TCM-forward concepts. In the meantime, start with a bowl of herbal braise at Chui Huay Lim and a low-ABV botanical cocktail at Analogue — your body and your Instagram will both thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the modern TCM wellness trend?

It's a movement, popular in China and spreading across Asia, where entrepreneurs incorporate traditional Chinese medicine ingredients like ginseng, cordyceps and wolfberries into modern food and drink formats — think gelato, cocktails and artisanal cafés — to appeal to wellness-conscious younger consumers.

Where can I try TCM-inspired food and drinks in Singapore?

Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine uses classic TCM pantry ingredients in its herbal soups and braises, while Analogue Initiative on Keong Saik Road offers botanical, wellness-forward cocktails. Keep an eye on Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar for newer concepts entering this space.

Are TCM cocktails and gelato actually good for your health?

The therapeutic doses in most food and drink formats are too small to deliver significant medical benefits on their own. However, incorporating TCM ingredients into your diet regularly — even in small amounts — can be part of a broader wellness-conscious lifestyle, and practitioners acknowledge the cultural value of normalising these ingredients.

Why is this trend relevant to Singapore specifically?

Singapore has deep Chinese cultural roots and a long history with TCM through family recipes, sinseh clinics and traditional medicine shops. The city is also obsessed with food innovation and wellness, making it a natural fit for this kind of East-meets-modern concept to take hold and evolve.

What TCM ingredients should I look out for on menus?

Watch for cordyceps (linked to energy and immunity), reishi mushroom (stress and sleep), wolfberries (antioxidants), red dates (blood nourishment), pearl powder (skin), and astragalus root (immunity). These are the most commonly used ingredients in modern TCM-inspired food and beverage menus.

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