Previously a coastal road situated along the island’s old waterfront, Telok Ayer has transformed into a hip and busy neighbourhood teeming with cafes and restaurants to feed the CBD office crowd and avid café-hoppers.
From idyllic garden-themed cafes, burger joints and Korean eateries to cocktails at inconspicuous bars, choosing what and where to eat has never been harder. Surrounded by a mix of old and restored shophouses and modern high-rising buildings, Telok Ayer is filled with a combination of rich heritage and modernity.
If you have not ventured to this side of Singapore before, here is your Telok Ayer Food Guide – 14 Bistro and Cafes To Check Out In This Bustling District.
A POKE THEORY
A Poke Theory was founded with the vision to provide healthily, and balanced nutrition food packed with delectable flavours. Specialising in poke—one of Hawaii’s best-known dishes—, diners can enjoy the freshest cuts of fish and ingredients at this hip and sleek café.
For those popping by for breakfast or tea, A Poke Theory has a range of superfood smoothie bowls and cold-pressed juices that you can indulge in without the guilt.
A Poke Theory
27 Boon Tat Street
Singapore 069623
Mon to Fri: 11am – 8pm
Sat: 11am – 4pm
(Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays)
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
BURGER JOINT
Craving for a good juicy burger? Burger Joint whips up good ol’ fashioned American-style burgers that will tantalise your taste buds.
Sink your teeth in the classic Cheeseburger (S$17.80) which features a thick patty sandwiched between sliced onions, gooey melted cheese and buns.
Burger Joint
115 Amoy Street
#01-03 Singapore 069935
Tel: +65 6221 8648
Mon to Wed: 11.30am – 11pm
Thurs to Sat: 11.30am – 12am
Sun: 11am – 8pm
Nearest Station Telok Ayer
CHONG WEN GE CAFÉ
Located next to Thian Hock Keng Temple, this Peranakan café is another hidden gem in Telok Ayer.
Diners can indulge in an array of Peranakan delights such as Nyonya Mee Siam (S$7.80), Nyonya Curry Chicken (S$10.80) and much more while admiring the collection of vibrant vintage tiles on display.
Chong Wen Ge Café
168 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068619
Tel: +65 8688 3028
Daily: 11am – 5.30pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
Tucked away along Amoy Street, this cosy copper-clad café is known for their Insta-worthy Gold Brew, which essentially is cold brew coffee with edible glitters! The coffee is made from Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans which provides a light and refreshing texture.
Dapper Coffee
73 Amoy Street
Second Floor
Singapore 069892
Tel: +65 9005 4790
Mon to Fri: 8am – 5pm
(Closed on Saturdays & Sundays)
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
FREE THE ROBOT
A stone’s throw away from Telok Ayer MRT station, Free The Robot is a hip café which offers a selection of brunch-style fare along with cold brew coffee and cold-press juices.
Sharing the same space with Bitters & Love, this café transforms into a cocktail bar at night where diners can grab quirky local-flavoured cocktails.
Free The Robot
118 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068587
Tel: +65 6438 1836
Tue to Fri: 8.30am – 4.30pm
Sat: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Closed on Mondays and Sundays
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
GEMMILLS
Gemmills is a quaint Mediterranean-inspired café decked in vintage wooden furniture that exudes a calming ambience.
From hearty dishes such as Lamb Lasagne (S$22) to sweet treats such as the Pecan Pie with Lemon Whipped Cream (S$9), you can feast on a myriad of homemade delights which will make you feel right at home.
Gemmills
110 Amoy Street
Singapore 069930
Tel: +65 6221 5564
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 11pm
Fri: 12pm – 12am
Sat: 6pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
MY AWESOME CAFÉ
My Awesome Café is a good place to visit for tasty sandwiches, salads and aromatic coffee. Some food options that you can go for include the Honey Glazed Ham Sandwich (S$14), Cold Cut Platter (S$25) and My Awesome Salad (S$15).
With a variety of savoury dishes and an even larger assortment of alcoholic beverages, My Awesome Café is the perfect place for a gathering with friends.
My Awesome Café
202 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068639
Tel: +65 6222 2007
Daily: 9.30am – 12am
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
Sourcing ingredients from all over the world such as flour from Japan and butter from France, you can only expect nothing but the best when it comes to freshly baked goodies from Pantler.
This modern bakery is well-known for their delicate bakes that are light on the taste buds yet packed full of flavour.
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Pantler
198 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068637
Tel: +65 6221 6223
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 7.30pm
Sat: 10.30am – 5.30pm
Closed on Sundays
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
PARK BENCH DELI Previously only available at pop-up gigs, Park Bench Deli has come a long way when it comes to whipping up sandwiches oozing with Cheddar cheese and layered with smoked pastrami. Diagonally across Amoy Street Food Centre, this humble shop incorporates international influences into sandwiches such as Kong Bak Banh Mi (S$14) and Torta (S$14). Mileslife is our favourite app to accumulate miles through everyday spending. You can earn 2 miles for every dollar spent at this restaurant. Download and try Mileslife out now! You can use our code ‘Ladyironchef‘ upon your first spending to get 1,000 miles. Park Bench Deli 179 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068627 Tel: +65 6815 4600 Mon to Fri: 7.30am – 4pm, 5pm – 9.30pm Sat: 9am – 4pm (Closed on Sundays) Nearest Station: Telok Ayer 
SARNIES Seeing as to how Sarnies sees a full house almost every day, it goes without saying that this humble coffee shop is arguably one of the more popular cafes in Telok Ayer. Some items on their menu include hearty breakfast fare, massive salads, gourmet sandwiches, homemade pastries and excellent coffee—all at affordable prices. If you are planning to drop by during teatime, try the Sarnies Brownie (S$5) for a decadent sweet treat. Sarnies 136 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068601 Tel: +65 6224 6091 Mon and Tue: 7.30am – 10.30pm Wed to Fri: 7.30am – 12am Sat & Sun: 8.30am – 4pm Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
SHOP WONDERLAND
Right next to Sarnies, Shop Wonderland is a cosy cafe with an interior largely inspired by botanicals. They offer an indulgent selection of cakes and hearty portions of food.
The rustic cafe offers brunch items over the weekends such as Avocado Toast and Bacon (S$16), Marmite Toastie served with Onsen Egg (S$14) and Big Breakfast (S$22).
Shop Wonderland
134 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068600
Tel: +65 6229 5848
Tue & Wed: 8am – 6pm
Thurs & Fri: 8am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 6pm
Closed on Mondays
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
SPRMRKT
Founded with an aim of making every day a little different, SPRMRKT redefines your supermarket experience by encouraging diners to browse through a curated selection of produce, products and artwork to bring home after they enjoy a meal at the café.
The menu consists of All Day Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Sides, Bar Bites, Weekend Brunch and a range of beverages.
SPRMRKT
2 McCallum Street
Singapore 069043
Tel: +65 6221 2105
Mon to Thu: 8am – 8pm
Fri, Sat & Sun: 8am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
VANILLA BAR AND CAFÉ
At Vanilla Bar and Café, you will be greeted with a sweet waft of vanilla scent as soon as you enter. Besides an all-day breakfast menu and a variety of hearty mains, Vanilla Bar and café also offers an Asian-fusion omakase upon request.
If you are looking for something unconventional, go for their signature Truffle Sea Salt Kaya Toast.
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Vanilla Bar and Café
3 Boon Tat Street
Singapore 069612
Tel: +65 6423 0366
Mon to Thu: 10.30am – 11pm
Fri: 11am – 12am
Sat: 11am – 9pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
WANG DAE BAK POCHA
Founded by the owners of Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ, this eatery offers a selection of BBQ meats, a variety of traditional Korean dishes and a selection of rice wine and cocktails.
With an interior that resembles the Korean street scene back in the 70’s, Wang Dae Bak Pocha provides a unique dining and drinking experience like no other.
Wang Dae Bak Pocha
93 Amoy Street
Singapore 269913
Tel: +65 6220 0322
Mon and Tue: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 12am
Wed to Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 1am
Sat: 5.30pm – 1am
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer