The ultimate guide to Telok Ayer

An establishment on Telok Ayer, this sandwich joint takes Singapore's sandwich game to levels beyond your sad ham and cheese bagged lunch. Think layers of generous servings of meat and savoury sauces. Throw in that serving of tater tots on the side if you're feeling a bit naughty. A word of warning: these sandwiches are messy, over-the-top affairs, so have a pack of napkins at the ready.

There's no need to guess what this place is known for – it's in the name. Meatsmith is a modern smokehouse in Telok Ayer where you can get real-deal American barbecue. Some of the things you'll find on the menu are its meat platters, house-made sausage, tangy vinegar slaw, juicy burgers, brisket, burnt ends, smoked ribs, craft beer, bourbons and aged cocktails. 

Plain Vanilla is anything but plain. Step into the café, and you'll find platters of pretty made-in-house pastries and cakes on display, all ready to tempt your taste buds. Choose from a dozen flavours ($4.50 each): red velvet’s made with Valrhona chocolate and capped with a thick cream cheese frosting; cookies and cream’s a chocolatey affair with smashed Oreos weaved into its frosting. There’s also a deli section with wholesome options like granola bowls, toasties, and sammies if you're feeling something savoury.

If you're in the heart of the CBD and looking for really healthy food, Shake Farm serves up healthy juices, protein shakes, acai bowls, super toasts, pita pockets and salads you and mix yourself. Healthy eating comes with a cost of course, as salads start from $10 for a regular bowl. Shakes and juices start from $8 but it is packed with natural superfood ingredients like bananas, spinach, almond butter and more. Eating clean? Walk away from the greasy plate of char kway teow and get on the health train at Shake Farm. 

Get your grill on at this shophouse restaurant, which serves up fresh cuts of smoky meat. Carnivores will want to stick their forks in the Black Angus prime beef rib ($150/serves up to three) or roasted bone marrow ($25). A selection of burgers, crafted by chef Colin West, also features prominently on the menu – go for the breakfast stack, replete with bacon, eggs and cheddar ($24-$33).

The kitchen-bar went through a revamp for its third anniversary, roping in Scottish chef Seumas Smith of Michelin-starred restaurants Lords of the Manor and Dinner by Heston. Moosehead serves up Mediterranean cuisine with influences from South-East Asian street food, such as slow-cooked pork belly with roast turnips and cavolo nero ($31), and bone marrow with anchovies on sourdough ($10)

Spice up your lunch with Indonesian dishes that are rich in flavour and not in its price tag – a bowl of spicy beef noodles sets you back less than $5, even with an added begedil (deep fried potato patty). For over 36 years, it has been a great little place for nasi padang as well as other Indonesian classics such as nasi goreng cabe hijau (green chilli fried rice). Most diners complete their meal with its homemade teh tarik for the extra kick.

This small noodle shack tucked away from the busy stretch of Telok Ayer Street feeds the spice-seeking CBD crowd with Sichuan cuisine. It's decked out in bamboo poles, rattan chairs, hanging pendant lightbulbs and noodles drying out in the open – all adding to its cosy, hole-in-the-wall ambience while you dine in. There are eight varieties on its menu including the signature braised beef ($12.50), and Australian ox tongue with vine pepper ($14.50) which delivers a seductive balance of spicy, aromatic and fresh Sichuan cookery.

Conveniently located right next to Telok Ayer MRT station, Market Street Food Centre (previously known as Golden Shoe) has most of the stalls from its previous address at Raffles Place transferred to its new digs here. A short walk from the touristy hawker centre of Lau Pa Sat, this food spot has a cheaper variety — even a cup of hot teh tarik costs less than $1! Whether you’re craving for nasi lemak, hor fun, chicken biryani or fruit smoothies, you can easily find them here, under one roof.

Café by day and cocktail bar by night, this outfit serves up coffee and brunch-style meals for the working crowd. Get the avocado toastie ($8) for a quick, healthy lunch, or load up on the chicken meatball pasta ($13) if you're feeling hungry. Pair your meals with a cuppa or a glass of cold-pressed juice. After hours, watch it transform into Bitters & Love, shaking up specialty cocktails and bar snacks for you to unwind with. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for Free the Robot’s mascot, Baileys, who sometimes makes an appearance in the day.

If it's coffee that you want, pop by Aussie-style café Sarnies. Opened by Australian Ben Lee, this sandwich shop lives up to its name with rustic ’wiches like chicken schnitzel ($14.80) and smoked salmon ($15). But it's the coffee that steals our hearts. Sarnies’ cuppas have made it to Lonely Planet’s list of best coffees – choose from an exhaustive list of brews including flat whites, macchiatos and mochas.

Eliza is no run-of-the-mill bar. In fact, hers tells a story of snazzy parties complete with classic cocktails and Shanghai bites set to the grooves of live pop jazz or something a little more energetic spun by the resident DJ until the early hours (when possible once more). This lush concept is the brainchild of Coterie Concepts, spearheaded by Eu-Yen Tay and Sandara Sam, a restauranteur in Shanghai. Together with Group Chief Bartender Sam Wong, former Managing Director of Shanghai Dolly Gordon Foo and DJ Aldrin of Zouk fame, let Eliza help you unwind after a long day.

Part art gallery, part restaurant, part bar, and part after-work party space, Telok Ayer Arts Club makes for the most interesting addition to the CBD. Brought to you by the same people behind SPRMRKT, expect good vibes on the dance floor (when possible), French-Mediterranean cuisine from the kitchen (currently for takeaway only), Asian-inspired drinks and a revolving series of art exhibitions at this space that refuses to be pigeonholed.

In an intimate 54-seater space, this food and wine bar places proud emphasis on vino from the Old World, with European wines rotated every week alongside a Grands Crus selection – the highest level of vineyard classification in Burgundy, France. Owner Jean-Christophe Cadoret works closely with his team based in France to select wines for import. And diners may want to indulge in a glass of 2000 Château Latour or 2005 Mouton Rothschild (from $18/glass), or the 2014 Domaine Heimbourger Chablis ($16/glass, $80/bottle). You don’t have to commit to a full glass, either – there are tasting (25ml) and half-portions (75ml) available, which start from $10.

In the mix of cafes and eateries in Telok Ayer, Sun Moon is a fruit shop and grocers in the hip neighbourhood. You might mistake it for a fruit stand from the outside but step inside to check out what they have stocked. Besides fresh fruits and vegetables, there are also fruit bowls, freshly-made smoothies and also a salad bar in-store if you need a healthy lunch option in the CBD. 

After years of operating as an online store, Perk by Kate now has a brick-and-mortar store at Telok Ayer Street, carrying all its delicate intimates and garments, including its signature lace bralettes. Besides offering lush intimates for ladies, the local lingerie brand also carries dreamy loungewear – think two-piece silk PJs, comfy chemises, lacey slip dresses and soft robes that’ll be giving you sweet dreams.

Get your bespoke menswear at Q Menswear, which provides both ready-to-wear and tailoring services to create that perfectly fitted suit. The local outfit also stocks a slew of accessories such as lapel pins, pocket squares, and everything in between so that you can look your spiffiest in the shortest amount of time.

What started out as a bespoke-only outfit, has now grown to offer more made-to-order services, ready-to-wear shoes, as well as shoe repairs and servicing. For a touch of exclusivity on your feet, book an appointment and the team can set you up with a handcrafted, quality leather pair that’ll make Cinderella’s glass slippers jealous.