Annalakshmi Restaurant

Annalakshmi Restaurant is an Indian vegetarian buffet restaurant at Downtown Gallery on Shenton Way. It works on a simple idea: eat as you want, give as you feel. Most diners pay whatever they wish, and the money goes to charitable causes.

Annalakshmi has served Singapore since 1986. It was founded by Swami Shantanand Saraswathi. Today it is run by a mix of volunteers and full-time staff. Volunteers help to prepare the food, pack meals and serve guests.

A long history in Singapore

The restaurant first opened at the Excelsior Hotel. Over the years it has moved several times, with earlier homes at Chinatown Point and Central Square. Today the buffet restaurant and the newer Annalakshmi Café are both at Downtown Gallery on Shenton Way.

The pay-as-you-wish model began in 2001. The thinking is that everyone should be able to enjoy a good meal, whatever they can afford. Proceeds have long supported projects in rural India. More recently, the team has also delivered meals to migrant workers, older people and low-income families in Singapore.

What to expect from the buffet

Lunch and dinner are both served as buffets. The food is home-style Indian vegetarian cooking, with dishes from both the north and the south of India. Expect fragrant basmati rice, Indian breads and sambar, a lentil and vegetable stew. Diners over the years have also mentioned dhal, vegetable curries and breads such as chapati. Drinks such as lassi have been on offer too.

Take a plate, help yourself, and go back for more if you are still hungry. When you finish, you decide how much to give.

Good to know before you go

• Walk-ins: small groups do not need to book.
• Groups of eight or more: contact the restaurant before you come. Larger groups pay a fixed amount per person instead of giving as they wish.
• Diet: the whole menu is vegetarian, which makes it an easy choice for mixed groups.
• The café: Annalakshmi Café is on level 3 of the same building. It serves vegetarian food from an à la carte menu during the day, on a walk-in basis.
• Catering: the team also caters for events and functions.

Getting there

Downtown Gallery is at 6A Shenton Way, in the heart of the Central Business District. The restaurant is on level 1, unit #01-03. It is close to the office towers of Tanjong Pagar and Marina Bay.

More to explore

If you enjoy this kind of food, read our guide to Indian food in Singapore and our picks for vegetarian and vegan dining. You can also browse more Indian restaurants in Singapore, or head to Little India for a wider choice of vegetarian cooking. For other places to eat in the area, see all restaurants in Marina Bay and the CBD. Updates are posted on the Annalakshmi website.