Best affordable food places in the CBD
The first thought that comes to mind when I think of the Central Business District (CBD) is fancy restaurants, which equates to expensive food. But having been to a fair share of eateries in the area, I’ve learned that there are plenty of wallet-friendly options if you look closely enough. Here’s a guide to 15 cheap food places in the CBD that promise quality, accessibility, and affordability.
1. Great Nanyang Heritage Cafe
There’s nothing like kopitiam classics that are delicious and wallet-friendly, and Great Nanyang Heritage Cafe is a spot that ticks all the boxes. They have an extensive menu at affordable prices and a quaint ambience that momentarily takes you back in time. Their first outlet is conveniently located in Tanjong Pagar at Craig Road, making it the perfect breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot for those working in the area.
We recommend getting the Signature Hainanese Chicken Cutlet ($15.90+), which gives you a crispy, well-marinated chicken cutlet. Though deep-fried to achieve that perfect crunch, the meat within remained tender and juicy, made even tastier when paired with the house-made gravy. To go with your hearty main, get a cup of their Hor Ka Sai (from $3+), which is essentially a delicious mix of Milo and coffee.
Read our Great Nanyang Heritage Cafe review.
Address: 5 Craig Road, Singapore 089665
Opening hours: Daily 7:30am to 8:30pm
Website
Great Nanyang Heritage Cafe is not a halal-certified eatery.
2. Keen’s Bagelry
Save Keen’s Bagelry to your to-visit list for bagels under $20. Located near Downtown MRT Station, the popular bagel store reopened in 2024 with more interesting flavours to try, including bagelwiches and plain bagels paired with three different spreads of your choice: Maple Butter ($7), P&J ($7), and Scallion Cream Cheese ($6.50).
If you love a classic egg and cheese combination, go for their Hashstack ($13) bagel. It’s loaded with crispy hashbrown, melted cheese, creamy Hokkaido milk scrambled eggs, and house-made truffle mayo. This bagelwich alone is incredibly delicious, but we recommend adding Streaky Bacon ($3.50) for something more filling and flavourful. They also serve Long Black ($6) and Cafe Latte ($6.50), both perfect with bagels if you ask me.
Read our Keen’s Bagelry review.
Address: 12 Marina View, #02-19/20, Asia Square Tower 2, Singapore 018961
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9:30am to 3pm
Website
Keen’s Bagelry is not a halal-certified eatery.
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3. SOTBOX
SOTBOX is for the busy bees working around Suntec City. This pick-and-go kimbap kiosk has an affordable range of rolled rice with different ingredients, spanning veggies and meat, depending on what you like. Fun fact, they are helmed by the same team behind Sotpot restaurant, a popular spot for Korean rice pots located at the same shopping mall!
You can’t go wrong with their Classy Classic ($8.50) kimbap, which comes with 10 pieces and comprises all things delicious and healthy: rice, egg, ham, pickled radish, carrots, and cucumber. For those looking to get a quick, hassle-free bite, get something from their kkoma kimbap range instead. The mini kimbap, such as the Ham & Cheese Dancing Duo ($2), is filling yet easy to eat on the go. Aside from kimbap, there’s something called the cupbap, which translates to “rice cup”. The Beef Bulgogi Bibim Cupbap ($7.90), featuring grilled beef, veggies, and egg, is sure to fill you up in no time.
Read our SOTBOX feature.
Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, #B1-157, Suntec City, Singapore 038983
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am to 7pm
Website
SOTBOX is not a halal-certified eatery.
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4. Tokyo Soba
If you love soba as much as I do, you would have heard of Tokyo Soba, a cosy, hole-in-the-wall eatery in Tanjong Pagar with nett prices. The ingredients you find in a bowl of their soba are all imported from Japan, so you’re guaranteed an authentic taste.
During our visit, we tried their popular Duck Breast Soba ($17), starring a hot broth made using dashi and soy-based tare, fresh buckwheat soba, and juicy duck breast meat. We liked that the broth was light, with the duck meat absorbing all the sweet-umami goodness. You can also get Katsuni ($9) alongside your noodles for a hearty meal. For the uninitiated, this is essentially pork katsu cooked in an egg mixture and white pepper marinade.
Read our Tokyo Soba review.
Address: 12 Gopeng Street, #01-12/13/14, Icon Village, Singapore 078877
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Website
Tokyo Soba is not a halal-certified eatery.
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5. Kamal’s Restaurant
Kamal’s Restaurant, a shophouse eatery specialising in fried chicken briyani, is an easy four-minute walk from Telok Ayer MRT Station and in the vicinity of Maxwell Food Centre. It gets packed during peak hours, so we encourage you to come down slightly earlier before the crowd thickens.
We had to try the signature Fried Chicken Briyani ($8), featuring a pile of basmati rice topped with deep-fried chicken thigh and a crispy papadam. Though the chicken was slightly dry, we enjoyed the aromatic notes of turmeric, masala and more. Turns out, their basmati rice—made with a variety of herbs and spices—was the real deal here as it was fluffy and flavourful. Besides briyani, there’s the buttery, golden brow Plain Prata ($1.50) and Egg Prata ($2.20) for a lighter meal.
Read our Kamal’s Restaurant review.
Address: 7 Stanley Street, Singapore 068726
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 6pm, Sat 7am to 5pm
Tel: 6221 7677
Kamal’s Restaurant is a Muslim-owned eatery.
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6. Fun Wan
Fun Wan, a cheeky name that translates to “rice bowl” in English, serves up affordable zi char options all in a single bowl. You can choose to dine in or takeaway, though we recommend the latter as their 40-seater space gets packed during peak hours. FYI, the eatery is a quick four-minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station.
Think of this eatery as a cai png stall, where you can pick the ingredients you want in your rice bowl with their Build Your Fun Wan option that’s priced at $10.90+. The bowl comes with your preferred choice of protein, carbs, and sauce, alongside some tangy achar, sous vide egg, and seasonal vegetables.
Read our Fun Wan feature.
Address: 77 Robinson Road, #01-04, Robinson 77, Singapore 068896
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 10:30am to 10pm, Fri 10:30am to 3pm
Website
Fun Wan is not a halal-certified eatery.
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7. Thachang
Thai restaurants are aplenty in Singapore, but not all offer a robust, comforting bowl of Thai boat noodles. Thachang is one of the few that does it right, and we’re sure this Telok Ayer restaurant will tickle your fancy if you appreciate the noodle dish. Plus, it’s just four minutes away from Telok Ayer MRT Station by foot.
We really enjoyed the Special Pork Boat Noodle ($10.90++), consisting of liver, chewy pork balls, and tender pork slices. An equally delicious alternative is the Special Beef Boat Noodle Soup ($11.90++), boasting a rich, flavourful beef broth perfect for a rainy day. You get a generous portion of beef slices, beef balls, and chewy rice noodles!
Read our Thachang review.
Address: 171 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068621
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 10pm
Website
Fun Wan is not a halal-certified eatery.
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8. Heritage Pork Noodles
Sheng rou mian, translated to “raw meat noodles”, is a popular dish hailing from the Sabah region of Malaysia. You can try it at Heritage Pork Noodles at Tanjong Pagar Plaza, where all items on the menu are priced under $10.
The stall is known for selling innards with their noodles, but worry not if you’re not a fan as their Meat Ball, Minced Meat, Sliced Meat and Loin Tendon ($6.50) is just as tasty. This comes with all kinds of meat, and you can even top up $2 for more add-ons: meatballs, minced meat, sliced meat, loin tendon, liver, or intestine. For a good mix of everything, we recommend the Signature Noodles ($8): noodles of your choice, meatballs, minced meat, sliced meat, loin tendon, liver, and intestine.
Read our Heritage Pork Noodles review.
Address: Block 5, #02-04/05, Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Singapore 082001
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 8am to 2:30pm
Tel: 8511 3683
Heritage Pork Noodles is not a halal-certified eatery.
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9. Qin Ji Rougamo
Lots of people working around Tanjong Pagar flock to Qin Ji Rougamo during their lunch hours, a popular chain from China selling rougamo AKA Chinese burgers. In case you didn’t know, rougamo is a street food item originating from the Shaanxi Province. This snack makes for a great pick-me-up on the go.
It’d be remiss of you to leave without trying their signature Chinese burgers, so we recommend getting the Qin Ji Pork Rougamo ($6.50), a crispy pastry loaded with juicy shredded pork that’s slow-cooked for about 10 hours. Otherwise, the Black Pepper Beef ($6.50) is a great alternative with a mild kick of spice thanks to the pepper bits. Having the rougamo alone isn’t filling, so get a bowl of the Sour & Spicy (Potato Noodle) With Minced Pork ($9.80), featuring silky noodles submerged in a tangy-spicy broth.
Read our Qin Ji Rougamo feature.
Address: 7 Wallich Street, #B2-04, Guoco Tower, Singapore 078884
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9pm
Qin Ji Rougamo is not a halal-certified eatery.
10. Chengdu Bowl
Here’s a popular spot for legit Sichuan food in the form of mains, tapas, and grain bowls: Chengdu Bowl. The eatery is a quick two-minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station and can house about 30 diners at once.
For something easy and comforting on the stomach, their Savory Braised Beef Rice Noodle ($13.80++) is a great choice; this main comes with a beefy and rich broth with thin rice noodles and tender beef slices. If you love veggies in your grain bowl, go straight for the Umami Oyster Mushroom Beef Bowl (from $12.80++). Else, the Mala Magic Mapo Tofu Bowl (from $11.80++) is an excellent choice for something punchy and spicy.
Read our Chengdu Bowl review.
Address: 120 Tanjong Pagar Road, #01-01, Singapore 088532
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm
Website
Chengdu Bowl is not a halal-certified eatery.
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11. Hazukido
Hazukido, a Taiwan-famous croissant brand that specialises in Japanese-style viennoiserie, opened their first outlet at Ngee Ann City in 2024. Recently, they launched another outlet in Telok Ayer, offering flaky, buttery croissants packed with a range of fillings.
Our favourite of the lot was the Taro & Pudding ($6.50), a croissant loaded with swirls of rich yam filling and finished with a pudding slab. If you appreciate sweet-tangy flavours, we recommend the Lemon Meringue Clouds ($6.50) instead; this pastry comes with a zesty meringue that pairs nicely with the crisp, slightly chewy dough. There are plenty of flavours to check out besides these two, so pay them a visit to try them for yourself!
Read our Hazukido feature.
Address: 8 Club Street, #B2-17, ICON Link@ClubStreet, Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre, Singapore 069472
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8am to 6:30pm
Website
Hazukido is not a halal-certified eatery.
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12. Tsukimi Hamburg
One of my favourite places to dine at whenever I’m in the CBD is Tsukimi Hamburg, where you can enjoy quality Wagyu hamburg sets priced under $20 at nett prices. For easy access, the casual eatery is a five-minute walk from Telok Ayer MRT Station.
If it’s your first time here, the signature Tsukimi Hamburg Don ($14.80) is a good place to start. Each bowl comes with short-grain rice topped with a 180g handmade patty made of US beef, pork, and Miyazaki Wagyu. You also get a fresh egg yolk to mix with your rice and patty for an extra creamy and indulgent meal. Fans of bacon can opt for the Bacon Hamburg Steak Teishoku ($18.80) instead, which comes on a hotplate with a pork hamburg steak and a thick cut of bacon.
Read our Tsukimi Hamburg review.
Address: 86 Market Street, #01-05, CapitaSpring, Singapore 048948
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:30am to 9:30pm, Sat 10:30am to 3:30pm
Tsukimi Hamburg is not a halal-certified eatery.
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13. Golden Nur
Family-run Golden Nur is a popular stall at Market Street Hawker Centre that often sees snaking queues of customers, all eager to get their chicken briyani and roti prata. Do note that there are three mealtimes here, with different items served respectively: breakfast, lunch, and tea.
Those dropping by for breakfast can enjoy their Plain Prata ($1.20) or Egg Prata ($1.70), while the highlight comes during lunchtime: the Crispy Chicken Briyani ($6.50). For this wallet-friendly price, you’re served a hearty portion of yellow basmati rice topped with a whole deep-fried chicken leg. We had no complaints about the meat—it was tender, juicy, and well-seasoned throughout. It tasted even better when paired with the crispy batter bits that came atop the chicken leg.
Read our Golden Nur review.
Address: 86 Market Street, #03-11/12, Market Street Hawker Centre, Singapore 048947
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm
Tel: 9060 4355
Golden Nur is not a halal-certified eatery.
14. BHC Chicken
BHC Chicken needs little introduction. This Korea-famous fried chicken chain was the talk of the town when they finally reached our shores in early 2024! During our visit, we tried a good variety of their offerings, enough to fill up two long tables. We had a couple of favourites, from small bites to mains that we recommend sharing with your dining companion(s).
Start your meal with their Cheese Balls ($6.90++), starring five crispy balls packed with hot, stretchy mozzarella cheese. Then, dig into the signature Bburinkle (from $18.90++), which is essentially fried chicken covered in BHC’s secret seasoning that’s equally sweet and cheesy. If you appreciate spice, get the Macho King (from $18.90++) instead.
Read our BHC Chicken review.
Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-332A/332, Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Website
BHC Chicken is not a halal-certified eatery.
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15. Gyoza-San
Dumpling lovers are in for a treat at Gyoza-San, a halal gyoza kiosk offering eight different types of dumplings at affordable prices ranging from $6.50 to $7.50. Even better, all dumplings are pan-fried upon order so that you can enjoy them in their best state. FYI, there are no seats for you to dine in here, which means only takeaway is available.
Many of us can’t say no to the Sichuan peppercorn and chilli flavour, AKA Mala ($6.90), which is the perfect treat if you’re looking to relieve your stress with something spicy and numbing. For something less spicy and more tangy, get the Tom Yam Kung ($7.50). This dumpling comes packed with tender chicken, alongside tom yum sauce on the side for dipping.
Read our Gyoza-San review.
Address: 30 Raffles Place, #B1-29, CIMB Plaza, Singapore 048622
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:30am to 3pm
Website
Gyoza-San is a halal-certified eatery.
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Guide to cheap food places in the CBD
Our guide to affordable food spots in the CBD will surely come in handy for those working or studying in the area, especially in the face of inflation and rising costs of living. If you’re on a budget, read our guide to the best cheap restaurants in Singapore. Alternatively, check out these best stalls for $3 or less dishes in Singapore.
15 Stalls With Dishes That Are $3 Or Less—Prawn Mee, Orh Luak, Nasi Lemak And More
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