Quick answer: For Japanese that spans affordable unagi to refined sushi, hit Unatoto or Tomi Sushi. TungLok Peking Duck is the go-to when you want a proper celebration meal, while Supply & Demand works every time you need a bistro that can do pizza and a decent glass of wine. A-Roy Thai keeps it properly authentic after thirty years, and Mister Donut solves the post-meal sweet craving with mochi-like rings.
Your schedule is packed – every meal needs to pull its weight. In Novena, the dining scene has options that help you eat strategically, whether you are fuelling a study sprint or closing a deal. This list is your playbook: seven spots chosen for speed, substance, and the kind of space that lets you think without distraction.
This is one of 70 guides in Best Food in Central Singapore & the City — start there if you would rather compare before you commit.
Novena packs a lot of eating into a small area. The Velocity building alone holds half this list, which means you can decide on the spot and still end up somewhere decent. If you have already worked through these and are looking further afield, our Culinary Gems in Jurong East for Sophisticated Diner round-up covers the west side with the same eye for a good meal.
Omoté
Omoté runs a rooftop izakaya fusion concept on the third floor of Velocity @ Novena Square, a space with enough room that you do not feel like you are eavesdropping on the next table.
Chirashi bowls are the reason to come. The Umami Soy Chirashi tosses sashimi cubes in a roasted soy marinade that makes each spoonful savoury and complete. There is a Truffle Roasted Garlic Chirashi for something more aromatic, and the Spicy Yakiniku Don brings prime beef with a heat that builds rather than shouts. The Salmon Booster Chirashi gets a lot of love for thick slices and the salty pop of ikura on top.
This is a good pick when you want Japanese but need a setting that feels a touch more put-together, whether that is a date or a small group of friends who appreciate a chirashi done right.
When you are meeting a client, chope a table by the window – the natural light makes everything look sharper. The chirashi bowls land fast, so you stay on schedule, and the airy layout means you can talk strategy without raising your voice or feeling rushed.
Address: #B1-03, Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179103
Phone: +65 9899 3670
Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 9:30pm daily
Price: Mid-range
Website
TungLok Peking Duck
TungLok Peking Duck on the second floor of Velocity runs with an ingredient-first confidence, being the first in Singapore to bring in Irish Duck from Silver Hill Farm.
The duck comes three ways and none of them are ordinary. Crispy skin with blueberry sauce and popping candy is the one that gets people talking – it fizzes in your mouth, a small moment of theatre that actually works. You also get breast meat with mustard or sweet dark sauce, and thigh wrapped in wheat wraps with condiments from an Eight Treasures Box. Beyond the bird, the wok-fried Truffle Australian Wagyu Beef Cubes and Grilled Lamb with Cumin keep the table going. Lunch runs 11:30am to 3pm (last order 2:30pm), dinner 6pm to 10pm (last order 9:30pm).
Book this when someone’s parents are in town, or when the occasion calls for a meal where the duck arrives with ceremony and nobody looks at their phone for an hour.
Book this when you need to make an impression on someone who has seen it all. The popping candy moment gets a smile every time, and the Irish duck is solid. Tables turn quickly, so a weekday lunch keeps your afternoon on track without the dinner crowd.
Address: 181 Orchard Road, #07-07/08/09 Orchard Central, Singapore 238896
Phone: +65 6736 0006
Hours: Lunch 11:30am – 3pm, Dinner 6pm – 10pm daily
Price: Premium
Website
Editorial round-up, not a directory listing. Missed someone worth knowing about? Send it our way.
Mister Donut
Mister Donut sits on the ground floor of Velocity and does one thing so well that people make a special trip: the Pon De Ring, a mochi-like donut with a soft, chewy centre that Japanese bakeries have perfected.
The classic Pon De Ring is where you start, but Singapore-exclusive flavours like Chocolate and Strawberry Chocolate give you a reason to deviate. Yeast donuts round out the cabinet – Honey Dip, Sugar Raised, Angel Cream – and they sell them in bundles of six or ten if you are bringing some home. Each one is made with Japanese technique and it shows in the bounce of the dough. They open 11am to 9pm daily, which puts them right in the sweet spot for a post-lunch or pre-dinner pick-me-up.
If you have a sweet tooth but do not want something heavy, this is your stop. Grab a box before heading home and you become the favourite person in the household, at least for the evening.
After a tuition session, a Pon De Ring is a quick, quiet win – that chewy bite feels like a tiny celebration. Grab a box before the after-school rush; the queue moves fast, and your child will finish it before you even leave the building.
Address: 1 HarbourFront Walk, #B2-34 VivoCity, Singapore 098585 (More branches available here)
Phone: +65 6610 5287
Hours: 11am – 9pm daily
Price: Budget-friendly
Website
A-Roy Thai Restaurant
Over thirty years in the business, A-Roy Thai has outlasted most of its neighbours on the third floor of Velocity, and that staying power comes from Thai chefs who cook their own heritage dishes without cutting corners.
The Ho Mok Maphrao Aon is the dish to order if you want a reason to return: seafood otah steamed in a young coconut, creamy and fragrant with a subtle sweetness that lingers. The Lemongrass Salad balances sweet and tart in a way that wakes up your palate. Steam Seabass in Spicy and Sour Soup, Thai Green Curry, and desserts like Mango Sticky Rice and Durian Sticky Rice fill out a menu that covers the full Thai arc from sharp salads to rich coconut finishes. They run the same split-shift hours as most of the building: 11:30am to 3pm, then 5:30pm to 9:30pm.
This is the table you want when a group cannot agree on what to eat – Thai food has a way of satisfying everyone, and A-Roy does it with the ease that comes from decades of practice. If you are exploring other neighbourhoods with the same spirit, our Culinary Gems in Joo Chiat for Sophisticated Diner guide has a similar eye for authenticity.
Use this as your go-to when you are mentoring someone over dinner. The Ho Mok Maphrao Aon is shiok, and the young coconut keeps it light enough for a working meal. The flavours are bold but never loud, so the conversation stays centre stage.
Address: 238 Thomson Road, #03-61/63, Velocity @ Novena Square, Singapore 307683
Phone: +65 6338 3880
Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 9:30pm daily
Price: Mid-range
Website
Tomi Sushi
Tomi Sushi came out of Niigata in 1954 and brought its house-brewed soy sauce with it, now running a proper sushi counter on the second floor of Velocity @ Novena Square.
Every piece of nigiri and sashimi sits on 100% Niigata Koshihikari rice, a detail you taste when the fish hits your tongue and the rice holds its shape without clumping. The Assorted Tuna Sushi “Maguro Zanmai” uses Southern bluefin tuna that melts with the kind of richness you only get from careful sourcing and handling. Lunch specials like the Sushi Bento and Chirashi give you access to that same quality at a more approachable price during the midday window. The soy sauce they brew themselves is balanced enough to complement the fish rather than drown it – a small thing that separates a good sushi meal from a great one.
Come here when you want sushi that takes itself seriously but does not make you feel underdressed for showing up in your weekend clothes.
Sit at the counter for a lunch that demonstrates attention to detail – the rice is the real power move. Perfect for a one-on-one with a colleague you are grooming; the calm pace lets you talk without distraction, and the tuna leaves you clear-headed, not sluggish.
Address: 9 Raffles Boulevard #02-12/13, Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596 (More branches available here)
Phone: +65 6238 1123
Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 9:30pm daily
Price: Mid-to-premium
Website
Unatoto
Unatoto is Japan’s big unagi chain and it landed on the ground floor of Velocity with a simple promise: charcoal-grilled eel that does not cost a week’s allowance.
The Unadon Double is the move – a generous portion of grilled unagi over rice, with that charred edge and slick tare sauce that makes unagi so satisfying. Sides like Ebi Tempura Don and Seasonal Vegetable Tempura round out a quick meal. Unagi brings a dense hit of protein, vitamins, and DHA, which makes this one of the few meals where you can feel slightly virtuous while eating something that tastes this indulgent. Hours stretch from 11am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, and a shorter 9am to 3pm slot on Sunday, so you can hit it for a late lunch or an early dinner.
For a quick Japanese fix that feels like a reward after a long morning, few things beat unagi over rice. If you are also exploring halal options elsewhere, our Halal Culinary Masterpieces in Singapore for Sophisticated Tastes guide covers another side of the island’s eating scene.
When your teen needs a substantial meal before a long night of revision, the Unadon Double delivers. The smoky char is shiok, and the portions are generous enough to keep them going. It is fast, no fuss – in and out before the next study burst.
Address: 238 Thomson Road, #01-84, Velocity @ Novena Square, Singapore 307683 (More branches available here)
Phone: +65 6909 7519
Hours: 11am – 10pm Mon–Sat, 9am – 3pm Sun
Price: Budget-friendly
Website
Editorial round-up, not a directory listing. Missed someone worth knowing about? Send it our way.
Supply & Demand
Supply & Demand takes over a unit at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine on Mandalay Road, an award-winning modern Italian bistro that folds Pan-Asian influences into a menu built for long, relaxed meals.
Thin-crust pizzas, al dente pastas, creamy risottos – the Italian staples are all accounted for and executed with the consistency that earned them RAS ‘Best Western’ Restaurant 2016 and a recurring spot in Wine & Dine’s Top Restaurants list from 2016 to 2021. Calzones and cichettis add variety, and the wine list is international enough to give you a reason to linger. They open from 9am to 9:30pm daily, so you can roll in for a late breakfast or a proper dinner.
This is the one to pick when the group chat cannot agree on cuisine and you just need a place that does everything well, with enough wine to smooth over the indecision.
After a marathon seminar at the medical school, walk over to lepak with a plate of pasta and a decent glass. The space is roomy, the pastas are reliably al dente, and you can actually decompress and talk about what you learned.
Address: 11 Mandalay Road, #01-02, Lee Kong Chian School Of Medicine, Singapore 308232 (More branches available here)
Phone: +65 6734 9588
Hours: 9am – 9:30pm daily
Price: Mid-range
Website
How to choose
Your pick boils down to mood and company. Craving a solo bowl of something deeply savoury? Unatoto or Omoté will sort you out in half an hour. Bringing a date or a small group who appreciate the details? Tomi Sushi or TungLok Peking Duck reward those who slow down and pay attention.
Budget runs from under fifteen dollars for a box of donuts or a bowl of unagi, up to a proper spend for the Peking duck experience. Most of these sit in the mid-range – enough to feel like a treat without requiring a special occasion. A-Roy Thai and Supply & Demand are the safe bets when the group has mixed tastes. Mister Donut is the pit stop, not the main event, but it might be the one you think about on the MRT home.
If you are specifically after Japanese, note the difference in approach: Tomi Sushi is about precision and freshness, Unatoto is about charcoal-grilled comfort, and Omoté is a fusion izakaya that balances both. Do not sleep on the lunch specials at Tomi Sushi if you want that Niigata quality at a gentler price.
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Price Signal | Best For | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omoté | Japanese fusion | Mid-range | Chirashi bowls, group dining | 11:30am–2:30pm, 5:30pm–9:30pm |
| TungLok Peking Duck | Chinese fine dining | Premium | Celebrations, the full duck experience | Lunch 11:30am–3pm, Dinner 6pm–10pm |
| Mister Donut | Japanese donuts | Budget-friendly | Pon De Ring, sweet cravings | 11am–9pm |
| A-Roy Thai Restaurant | Thai | Mid-range | Authentic heritage dishes, families | 11:30am–3pm, 5:30pm–9:30pm |
| Tomi Sushi | Japanese sushi | Mid-to-premium | Nigiri, seasonal fish, soy sauce | 11:30am–2:30pm, 5:30pm–9:30pm |
| Unatoto | Japanese unagi | Budget-friendly | Quick grilled eel bowls | Mon–Sat 11am–10pm, Sun 9am–3pm |
| Supply & Demand | Italian bistro | Mid-range | Pizza, pasta, wine, mixed groups | 9am–9:30pm |
Summary
Novena’s eating scene rewards the decisive and the curious alike. Whether you want charcoal-grilled unagi that punches above its price, Peking duck with a side of theatre, or a bistro where the wine list earns its shelf space, these seven spots cover the ground. Most sit inside Velocity, so you can even walk the mall and decide on instinct – a rare luxury in a city of endless reservations.
Disclaimer: All information here is compiled from publicly available sources and believed accurate at the time of writing. Details like hours and prices can change, so confirm directly with the business before making a special trip.
Frequently asked questions
Which restaurant in Novena is best for a celebration dinner?
TungLok Peking Duck is the natural pick. The Peking duck arrives in three courses, including crispy skin with blueberry sauce and popping candy, and the setting suits a proper occasion. Call ahead to book.
Is there a good budget-friendly Japanese option in Novena?
Unatoto delivers charcoal-grilled unagi dons at an affordable price, with the Unadon Double giving you a generous portion. They are open until 10pm most days, so it works for a late lunch or casual dinner.
Where can I find good Thai food in Novena?
A-Roy Thai Restaurant has been around for over thirty years on the third floor of Velocity @ Novena Square. Dishes like Ho Mok Maphrao Aon (seafood otah in coconut) and Mango Sticky Rice are the reasons people keep coming back.
Do any of these places open for breakfast or brunch?
Supply & Demand opens at 9am daily, making it the earliest option on this list for a relaxed breakfast or brunch with Italian bistro fare and coffee. Unatoto also opens at 9am on Sundays.
What dessert spot should I try in Novena?
Mister Donut, on the ground floor of Velocity, specialises in Pon De Ring donuts with a soft mochi-like chew. The classic version is the one to try, and Singapore-exclusive flavours like Chocolate and Strawberry Chocolate add variety.
Can I find good sushi without paying top dollar in Novena?
Tomi Sushi offers lunch specials like the Sushi Bento and Chirashi that deliver the same Niigata Koshihikari rice and seasonal fish quality at a more approachable midday price.
