Staring at the rows of swish restaurants along Orchard Road, it’s reasonable to conclude that meals in the shopping district can be costly. Yet there are plenty of affordable dining options in Orchard, and most of them happen to be in Far East Plaza.
Don’t be fooled by its plain appearance. Step through its doors and you’ll find cheap Thai food, value-for-money chirashi, and delicious salted egg yolk pork ribs. Bookmark this page the next time you visit Orchard Road and check out this list of best Far East Plaza food places!
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Nothing seems to go wrong with salted egg yolk, and New Station Snack Bar has long proven that with their Salted Egg Yolk Pork Ribs ($15++/$22++). Redolent of curry leaves, the creamy and savoury sauce adds depth to the meat. Don’t worry about the dish being jelak, as the chilli padi cuts through the rich gravy with a fiery kick.
Read our New Station Snack Bar feature.
Unit number: #05-95
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 8:45pm
Tel: 6734 2862
Website
New Station Snack Bar is not a halal-certified eatery.
It’s hard to miss the queue outside Maddie’s Kitchen come lunchtime. This unassuming spot has quietly built a fanbase for their hearty Hainanese curry rice sets. Their Pork Chop Rice ($6.80) is a standout, with pork that’s crisp-edged and tender within. If you’re after something soupy, their Red Garoupa Fish Soup ($16.80) is a reliable choice—clean, comforting, and generously portioned.
Read our Maddie’s Kitchen feature.
Unit number: #02-10/11/12/13
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9pm
Tel: 6365 0501
Website
Maddie’s Kitchen is not a halal-certified eatery.
Even if you aren’t a regular at Far East Plaza, you probably would have heard of Hainanese Delicacy. Their Chicken Rice ($6) is fluffy and fragrant, while also lacking a greasy aftertaste. Although some may find the dish rather bland, it pairs well with both their garlicky chilli sauce and their signature Salted Vegetable Duck Soup ($7.50).
Unit number: #05-116
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10am to 8pm
Tel: 6734 0639
Hainanese Delicacy is not a halal-certified eatery.
Kra Pow Thai Street Food is my go-to place for legit Thai fare in Orchard. They’ve got excellent Seafood Tom Yum ($15), which is creamy, fiery, and packed with flavour and fresh seafood. For a quality fish dish, consider the Three Flavoured Sea Bass ($45.50), where deep-fried sea bass is topped with a sour, sweet, and spicy Thai sauce. Else, go for their signature Minced Pork Kra Pow ($19.60), which will not disappoint.
Unit number: #03-26/27
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:30am to 3pm, 5pm to 9:30pm
Tel: 6734 1946
Website
Kra Pow Thai Street Food is not a halal-certified eatery.
The Kaisen Chirashi Don ($27.90++/$31.90++) dished up at The Sushi Bar is anything but normal. This palate-pampering rice bowl includes thick and fresh cuts of salmon, yellowtail, swordfish, and tuna. The unsung hero of the set is their yellowtail, which is both fatty and flavourful. For a high-SES treat, opt for their Premium Chirashi Don (seasonal price), which tops up the dish with uni and other seasonal catches.
Unit number: #04-28
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11:30am to 3:30pm, 5pm to 9:45pm, Fri to Sun 11:30am to 9:45pm
Tel: 9653 6464
Website
The Sushi Bar is not a halal-certified eatery.
With more than thirty years of history, Nanbantei stands as one of Singapore’s oldest yakitori restaurants and one of the best Japanese restaurants in Singapore. If you feel spoilt for choice, check out their Yakitori Bento ($18.50++), which features negina AKA chicken with leek and tsukune AKA chicken meatball. As their skewers are grilled with Japanese-imported charcoal, they possess a unique smokiness.
Unit number: #05-132
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11:45am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10pm, Fri-Sat 11:45am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10:30pm, Sun 11:45am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 10pm
Tel: 6733 5666
Website
Nanbantei is not a halal-certified eatery.
Walk into Puncak Best Noodles & Halal Food and you’ll notice their Honeydew Chicken Noodle ($7) resting on most tables. The candied sauce neutralises the charred bitterness of the roasted chicken, creating a cohesive medley of flavours. If that isn’t enough, complete your meal with their crunchy Fried Wantons ($7/$10). With diced carrots mixed into the filling, these dumplings carry a well-balanced taste.
Unit number: #05-94
Opening hours: Sun-Mon, Wed-Fri 11:30am to 9pm, Sat 11:30am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6738 4348
Puncak Best Noodles & Halal Muslim Food is a halal-certified eatery.
Cahaya Muslim Halal Restaurant is one of the few local eateries dishing up halal Hokkien Mee ($7.50). Sponging up the copious amounts of robust broth, these noodles are brimming with umami. If you can handle the heat, request for an additional dollop of their sambal chilli. This relish brings the dish up a notch with its volcanic heat.
Unit number: #05-91/92
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 9pm
Tel: 9169 9482
Cahaya Muslim Halal Restaurant is a halal-certified eatery.
Greenview Cafe has been dishing out mee hoon kueh for the past 30 years, with their best-selling item being the Minced Pork Mee Hoon Kueh ($7.20). This dish is available as a spicy rendition, but there’s no need to be intimidated by the noodles’ red hue as the spice is tolerable. The noodles are sweet and chewy, and the ingredients were flavourful, especially the savoury deep-fried anchovies. You can also get a bowl of Fried Mee Hoon Kueh ($7.90), which is done char kway teow-style, or a serving of their Herbal Mee Hoon Kueh ($8.90) if you prefer something lighter.
Read our Greenview Cafe review.
Unit number: #04-96
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:30am to 8pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 8pm
Tel: 6734 2312
Website
Greenview Cafe is not a halal-certified eatery.
Get spoilt for choice at All About Tiramisu, a specialty dessert shop with over 50 different types of tiramisu. Their dessert comes in four sizes: Regular ($27), Friends ($65), Family ($96), and Party ($180). Alcohol-spiked options are also available, such as the Classic Rum for those who like strong, punchy flavours, or the Bailey’s, which is a chocolatey dessert with hints of vanilla. Their tea-infused options are worth a try too, with refreshing flavours including Mango Yuzu and Rose Lychee.
Read our All About Tiramisu feature.
Unit number: #01-69
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11am to 8:30pm, Fri-Sat 11am to 9:30pm, Sun 11am to 8pm
Website
All About Tiramisu is not a halal-certified eatery.
Get your zi char fix at Susan Chan Food, where you can dig into popular favourites with the likes of mixed vegetable soup, omelette, and sweet and sour pork. Their most popular item is their Deep Fried Chicken W Salted Egg Milk Sauce (price TBD). This sinful dish features fried chicken coated in a sauce that’s fragranced by curry leaves and sweet milky cream. Their Hor Fun (price TBD) is also popular but sells out fast, so be sure to drop by early for a plate of wok hei goodness!
Unit number: #05-112
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30am to 1:45pm
Tel: 6733 5953
Website
Susan Chan Food is not a halal-certified eatery.
Sporting an industrial ambience and pink neon lights, it’s easy to mistake The Community Coffee for a bar. This indie coffee shop offers drip coffee and espresso-based brews from $5, with beans sourced from Brazil, Columbia, Ethiopia, and Peru. If you’re feeling peckish, get yourself some brunch bites such as the Toast and Jam (price TBD) or Smashed Avocado On Toast (price TBD).
Unit number: #02-94
Opening Hours: Daily 9:30am to 6:30pm
Website
The Community Coffee is not a halal-certified eatery.
Yan Ji Seafood Soup is touted as one of the best seafood soup stalls in Singapore, with over three decades of history. According to their website, the flavourful soup base is made using a slow and meticulous cooking process, resulting in rich seafood flavours. They have a variety of seafood soups to choose from such as Dory Seafood Soup ($12.90) and the Batang Seafood Soup ($14.90). Otherwise, the Premium Seafood Soup ($39.90) offers a mix of all their seafood items, and is enough to feed two people.
Unit number: #01-16A/B
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11am to 4pm, 5pm to 9pm, Sun 11am to 4pm, 5pm to 8:30pm
Website
Yan Ji Seafood Soup is not a halal-certified eatery.
Cafe-hopping can put quite a strain on the wallet in Singapore, but look closely, and you’ll find that there are affordable options such as Pancake and Friends. They are known for their souffle pancakes, rosti, and bagels which start from $6.
For their signature bagels, choose from flavours such as the value-for-money Smoked Salmon Cheese ($8), featuring generous slices of smoked salmon. But if you prefer something sweeter, go for the Banana Chocolate ($6), which comes with a decadent spread of chocolate hazelnut and banana slices.
Read our Pancakes And Friends feature.
Unit Number: #01-34
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 9:30pm
Tel: 9757 5322
Website
Pancakes And Friends is not a halal-certified eatery.
What’s unique about the Japanese bar Ume Maru is that they are manga-themed, which sets them apart from all the izakayas in Singapore. The very first thing that greets you is shelves carrying numerous copies of manga from popular series such as Bleach.
As you browse, sip on various interesting drinks such as the Mistia ($22++) inspired by Princess Mononoke, and the eye-catching Misao Umeshu ($22++). If you are feeling peckish, the bar has several bites you can munch on such as the Yuzu Soba ($22++).
Read our Ume Maru feature.
Unit number: #05-26
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 9am to 9pm, Fri 9am to 11pm, Sun 9am to 5pm
Tel: 8069 8055
Website
Ume Maru is not a halal-certified eatery.
Zhang Liang Mala Tang hails from Harbin, China, and has expanded rapidly with over 5,800 outlets worldwide. Their broth is simmered from beef bones, resulting in a rich, creamy base that pairs well with their build-your-own-bowl concept. Pick from a wide range of ingredients—think udon, crunchy vegetables, mushrooms, fresh prawns, scallops, and fish slices. Do note that pricing is based on weight!
Unit Number: #01-01
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6531 0331
Website
Zhang Liang Mala Tang is not a halal-certified eatery.
Fan’s Cafe keeps things simple with their no-frills setup and freshly baked buns. Their signature Shiopan Original ($3) is a solid pick, as it is crisp-edged, golden brown, and packed with buttery, salty flavour. There are also seasonal spins including the Kohi Choco ($4), which comes with a bittersweet coffee glaze, or the Hamu ($3.80), stuffed with savoury ham for something more substantial. Drinks include the usual suspects: Latte (from $5) and Matcha Latte (from $5.50).
Read our Fan’s Cafe feature.
Address: 14 Scotts Road, #01-41, Far East Plaza, Singapore 228213
Opening hours: Daily 8:30am to 9pm
Tel: 9183 0183
Website
Fan’s Cafe is not a halal-certified eatery.
Enjoy hearty Vietnamese eats at Cha Ca Cafe, located on Level 1 of Far East Plaza. Patrons enjoy their Banh Mi Heo Quay ($9), which is packed with juicy pork slices and an assortment of veggies, all within a crispy baguette. For a rice dish, consider the Ca Hu Kho ($8), which features braised fish that’s both savoury and slightly piquant. Finish your meal with some refreshing Goi Cuon ($5.50) AKA spring rolls, and get a cup of VS Iced Milk Coffee ($4.90) while you’re at it!
Unit number: #01-16D
Opening hours: Daily 10:30am to 9pm
Tel: 8285 0903
Cha Ca Cafe is not a halal-certified eatery.
Not to be confused with Na Na Original Thai Food, which also has an outlet in Far East Plaza, Na Na Thai Restaurant serves legit Thai dishes at decent prices. Their sweet Pineapple Fried Rice ($9.60) is served in a halved pineapple and pairs well with a bowl of Thai Green Curry Chicken (from $15.40). Along with their Tom Yam Seafood (from $15.30), these dishes are great for a hearty meal that’s packed with warmth and flavour.
Unit number: #04-022
Opening hours: Sun-Fri 11am to 9:30pm, Sat 11am to 9pm
Tel: 6333 8263
Website
Na Na Thai Restaurant is a halal-certified eatery.
Customers flock to Indo Rasa for Indonesian feasts. For mains, they’ve got classics such as Ayam Bakar ($9.80+), where a juicy chicken leg is grilled with a special BBQ sauce and served alongside fried tofu, tempeh, crackers and more. Pair it with their signature Nasi Goreng Sambal Ijo ($9.80+), a flavour-packed green chilli fried rice dish. If you prefer noodles, we recommend the Mie Celor ($11.80+) instead—yellow noodles in a coconut and prawn-based broth.
Unit number: #01-23
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 9pm
Tel: 9720 2721
Website
Indo Rasa is a Muslim-owned eatery.
If you’re on a budget after your latest shopping spree, give the restaurants at ION Orchard and Wisma Atria a miss and check out these affordable food places at Far East Plaza instead.
For more value-for-money gems in Orchard, check out our guide to 111 Somerset food places for beef donburi bowls and halal takoyaki. For more great eats near Orchard, check out our Orchard Road food guide.
This article was originally written on 4 June 2018.