Explore Singapore: Accela’s Guide To Telok Ayer
Telok Ayer is a special neighbourhood we hold close to our hearts at Accela. One of the hipper neighborhoods in town, Accela has made Telok Ayer our home for the past six years.
Naturally, we’ve done our fair share of exploring during lunch breaks to sniff out the area’s latest spots and hidden gems, to see if they were worth the hype. But for this guide, forget the well-known lunch destinations you see in every neighbourhood roundup. While we all have our individual favourites, here’s a sampling of the lesser-known places to check out around Telok Ayer, curated from our very own experiences.
Corner Bar L’Operetta
Just a few steps from the lobby of our old office, Corner Bar L’Operetta serves Japanese and Italian cuisine in one place. We frequently patronise the place for a range of reasons. Sometimes, the group shares different cravings and wants them all satisfied in one place. Sometimes it’s pouring outside and it’s a hassle to walk far for lunch. At other times, convenience just seems to take precedence branching out to novel lunch spots. It was in these times we would head over to Corner Bar L’Operetta.
Hold up – does a colleague need more time to finish up an email before lunch? “No worries, we’ll grab seats and we’ll see you just downstairs”. Corner Bar L’Operetta has become a convenient and cosy lunch stop that brings the Accela family together to catch up on the latest news and happenings.
The restaurant-bar is also big enough that we can almost always find seats for any number of diners within five minutes, even during peak lunch hours. Accela’s favorites from the menu include the daily special Japanese don sets and pasta dishes such as the Burrata pasta.
Address: 7 Boon Tat Street
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30-11pm; Sat 5.30pm-11pm
Contact: http://www.operettacornerbar.sg/
SunMoon
Everyone at Accela secretly loves SunMoon, an unspoken favourite we usually save for busy days to grab a quick bite. Once in a while, someone would forgo a group lunch for SunMoon, in order to meet deadlines or satisfy a craving – it has undeniably been a lifesaver for stressful days at work!
SunMoon rarely makes an appearance in Telok Ayer guides. Compared to the glitz and glamour of surrounding cafes and hipster restaurants, this fruit shop might seem pale in comparison, both in appearance and in their offerings. But as the old adage goes, never judge a book by its cover. Walk into the back of the shop and you’ll find a fresh salad bar with DIY salads for a mere $5, or at $7 accompanied with either smoked duck or chicken breast, making it one of the more affordable salads for a notoriously expensive part of town.
There are no fancy toppings or sauces but as mentioned, it’s originally a fruit shop-cum-salad bar – and the ingredients SunMoon have are known to be super fresh! Special shout out to their croutons and avocados, which you have to make a special request for and always come with the perfect ripeness.
Address: 167 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068618
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8am-7.30pm, Sat 9am-3pm
Contact: https://www.sunmoonfood.com/
Annalakshmi Janatha
This unassuming Indian vegetarian restaurant is easy to walk past without noticing. Its wooden doors and homely interior make it feel more like a residence than a restaurant, with simple metal ware making up most of their cutleries.
Dishes are laid out buffet-style, featuring a wide range of authentic Indian curries, soups, sides, and carbohydrates for mains. The menu changes daily, and it’s this surprise plus unlimited servings that draw us to frequent this establishment.
Furthermore, Annalakshmi works on a pay-as-you-wish basis which, quite frankly, adds an element of excitement to the meal – as if we’ve scored the best value-for-money lunch! Though, there is an unspoken rule that most people pay $10 when they check out. Still, $10 for a delicious, authentic Indian spread in the CBD still makes the price to pay worth it!
Address: 104 Amoy St, Singapore 069924
Opening hours: 11am-3pm, closed on Sundays
Contact: 6223 0809
Having spent so much time in the area, we’ve all inevitably became Telok Ayer experts. Being a frequent spot for after-work drinks and get-togethers, the Accela team has come to pride ourselves in doubling up as unofficial hosts and guides to our friends and family even outside of work. As we move on to the next chapter with our new office, we fondly part with the memories we had at Telok Ayer and look forward to exploring our new neighborhood of Chinatown.
