Little Shop Of Wonder

134 Telok Ayer Street

Open from Mon to Sat: 8am to 6pm, closed on Sun

Its name conjures up images of a magic shop or whimsical toy store, but the owner of Shop Wonderland creates fantasies out of floral blooms in her new flower-cafe in Telok Ayer.

It's not new per se as Melissa Wang first set up shop in Haji Lane. As the lease was due, she took the chance to move closer to the city centre. "Telok Ayer has a lot of potential. There is more footfall, and the overall vibe is more exciting," she says.

Ms Wang has also evolved from her original store's folksy charm to a 'modern botanical' look for the new place. One wall is covered with prints of palm leaves, while on another wall near the kitchen is a leafy display by Ms Wang. Black and white floor tiles and rattan furniture complete the look.

The second floor of the shop houses the bright and airy floral studio. Here, customers pick their blooms, which are packaged into bouquets in her signature "natural and texture floral style". There is also a small selection of stuffed toys and greeting cards to pair with the flowers. "The current retail scene is challenging, hence I prefer to just concentrate on a smaller product range," she says.

What's new at this outlet, is the hot food. "We used to only sell cakes, but now, with space for a kitchen, we can include hot food on the menu, which is what customers have been asking for," she says.

On that aspect, Ms Wang works on the menu with her partner Sarah Khaw, who also owns the cake shop Sarah's Loft. Breakfast platters are available in the morning, and in the afternoon, there are options such as beef goulash and smoked salmon puffs. Shop Wonderland has also become the new hot spot for desserts such as its Earl Grey lavender cake and the pomegranate pistachio cake.

"We are definitely getting a different crowd here, than at our old place," she says.