A deep dive into Singapore’s most wallet-friendly lunch spots in the City Hall, Raffles Place, and Telok Ayer areas.
The Comfort Food Champions
Ameising Memories
Location: CIMB Plaza, Raffles Place
Price Range: $7.80 – $9.80
This kopitiam-style eatery delivers nostalgia with every bite. The braised pork rice ($7.80) is their sleeper hit—tender chunks of pork belly swimming in a deeply savory sauce that’s been simmered long enough to develop layers of umami. The fat renders down beautifully, and the sauce soaks into the rice just right.
The curry noodles at $9.80 push the budget boundary but justify the splurge. Expect a coconut-rich broth with the right amount of heat, though it can get heavy by mid-afternoon. The prawn noodles ($8.80) offer better value for daily rotation—the broth has that essential prawn shell sweetness without being too oily.
Best for: Groups who can’t decide. The menu sprawl means everyone finds something.
Skip if: You’re health-conscious. These are indulgent, carb-heavy comfort meals.
Uptown Nasi Lemak
Location: Telok Ayer Coffee Shop
Price Range: $4.40 – $10
At $4.40 for the basic plate, this might be the CBD’s best bang-for-buck meal. The coconut rice hits all the right notes—fragrant, slightly creamy, with individual grains that don’t clump. The sambal has that crucial balance of spicy, sweet, and savory with enough kick to make your nose tingle.
The beef rendang is where they shine. Slow-cooked until the meat falls apart, with a sauce that coats your mouth with warm spices—cinnamon, star anise, and lemongrass all making subtle appearances. The sambal sotong delivers on texture (tender, not rubbery) but can be inconsistent on spice levels depending on the day.
Best for: The 11:30am crowd who wants to beat the lunch rush.
Watch out: Portions are generous. The “standard” plate might be plenty for some.
The Modern Hawker Evolution
Ah Lock & Co
Location: Guoco Tower
Price Range: Under $10
This Hakka grain bowl concept bridges traditional and modern beautifully. The signature bowl (just under $10) features chicken tofu and meatballs that taste homemade—you can detect actual chicken texture rather than processed paste. The long beans provide a crucial textural contrast, while the seaweed adds a subtle brininess.
What’s impressive is the double-boiled soy bean soup that comes with the bee hoon option. It’s silky, mildly sweet, and feels nourishing rather than heavy. The chicken yong tau foo stuffing has that bounce you want, though sometimes the pieces can be a touch oily.
Best for: Health-conscious office workers. This feels virtuous without being boring.
Note: The vegetarian rice bowl is substantial and doesn’t feel like an afterthought.
Dumpling Darlings
Location: Multiple (Circular Road, Amoy Street)
Price Range: $8.50+
The lunch set is legendary for a reason—ridiculous value that often defeats even hearty appetites. But let’s talk about the standalone noodle bowls at $8.50. The noodles have that crucial springy bite, and the broth bases range from light and ginger-forward to rich and sesame-heavy.
The dumplings themselves deserve analysis. Wrappers are made in-house, giving them that delicate-yet-sturdy quality that holds up in soup without dissolving. Fillings are generous, well-seasoned, and crucially, still juicy. The pork and prawn combination offers the best texture contrast.
Best for: First-timers should get the lunch set. Return visits explore the a la carte.
Pro tip: Go at 11:45am or after 1:30pm to avoid the peak crush.
The International Contenders
Little Ribbons Pasta Co.
Location: Funan Mall
Price Range: Under $10 (base prices)
Customize-your-own pasta concepts can go wrong fast, but Little Ribbons keeps quality high across the board. The aglio olio base is properly garlicky with that crucial hint of chili heat and good olive oil that actually tastes like something. The tomato-based sauces are bright and acidic, cutting through the richness.
Pasta cooking is consistent—al dente without being crunchy. The portion sizes are substantial, almost too much for a light lunch. Where you need restraint is the add-ons. It’s tempting to pile on proteins and vegetables, but three additions will blow past $10 fast.
Best for: Carb-loading before a big presentation or long afternoon.
Caution: That food coma warning in the article is real. Plan accordingly.
Arcade Fish Soup
Location: Multiple (Marina One, Marina Bay Link Mall)
Price Range: $8.50
Since 1988, they’ve perfected the formula. The fish is always fresh—you can tell by the firmness of the flesh and the clean, sweet taste with no muddiness. The milk-based soup is creamy without being heavy, while the clear version lets the fish flavor shine through with ginger and tomatoes providing depth.
The fried fish option adds textural interest with a light, crispy batter that doesn’t overwhelm. Mixing sliced and fried fish in one bowl gives you the best of both worlds. Rice or noodles—both work, though the bee hoon soaks up the soup particularly well.
Best for: Rainy days, recovering from a cold, or when you need something gentle on the stomach.
Value assessment: At $8.50, it’s honest pricing for consistent quality.
The Lau Pa Sat Experience
Rokus
Location: Lau Pa Sat Stall 22
Price Range: $7.90+
Finding a decent burger under $8 anywhere in the CBD is nearly impossible. Rokus’s classic cheeseburger delivers beyond its price point. The beef patty is properly seasoned, juicy, and cooked to order—no dried-out pucks here. The cheese melts into the meat, and the signature sauce adds tang without drowning everything.
The Korean-inspired options are fun for variety, but the classic cheeseburger remains the best value. The bun holds up well, which matters when you’re eating in a busy hawker center.
Best for: When Western comfort food calls but the budget doesn’t stretch to $15+ burgers.
Setting: Lau Pa Sat can be chaotic at lunch. Come early or late.
Sonny’s Pizza
Location: Circular Road
Price Range: $7 – $9 per slice
New York-style pizza in the CBD for under $10 feels like finding treasure. The slices are properly sized—one slice is actually filling. The crust has that ideal foldable quality with some char on the bottom, and the cheese-to-sauce ratio shows someone understands pizza fundamentals.
At $7-9 per slice, it’s not the cheapest lunch, but it’s authentic and satisfying. The homemade claim is evident in the quality—this isn’t assembly-line food. Splitting a whole pie with colleagues becomes remarkably affordable.
Best for: Pizza cravings that won’t accept substitutes.
Atmosphere: Hole-in-the-wall charm. This is about the food, not Instagram.
The Local Legends
Bedok Bak Chor Mee
Location: Circular Road
Price Range: $5+
At $5 for a bowl of minced meat noodles, this is serious value. The minced pork is well-seasoned with that essential vinegar tang cutting through the richness. The mee pok (flat noodles) have the right chew, while the mushrooms add earthiness and the ikan bilis provide salty crunch.
The dry version is superior—the sauce clings to the noodles properly, and you can taste all the components. Soup version works when you want something lighter. The liver and meatballs are fresh additions worth the upcharge, and even a large bowl with extras stays under $10.
Best for: Authentic Singaporean comfort food at unbeatable prices.
Landmark: Look for the yellow interior on Circular Road.
Jai Thai
Location: Purvis Street (delivery friendly)
Price Range: Under $10 for most dishes
Ordering Thai food to your office under $10 seems impossible until you find Jai Thai. The green curry chicken ($8.90) arrives with that proper herbal complexity—lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves all present. The curry is creamy but not cloying, with enough heat to make your lips tingle.
Phad Thai is executed well—noodles have wok hei (breath of the wok), bean sprouts add crunch, and the tamarind tang balances the sweetness. The seafood fried rice is generous with prawns and squid. Vegetarian options are plentiful and don’t feel like afterthoughts.
Best for: Days when leaving the office isn’t happening but you want real flavor.
Split delivery: Makes it even more affordable among colleagues.
The Hidden Gems
Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen
Location: Telok Ayer Street
Price Range: $6.50 lunch sets
A hipster bar serving yong tau fu lunch sets for $6.50 shouldn’t work, but it does brilliantly. The industrial decor elevates the hawker experience without pretension. The yong tau foo pieces are stuffed generously—the tofu puffs are crispy outside, soft inside, and the stuffing has that essential pork and fish paste ratio correct.
The soup base is clean and clear with a subtle sweetness from slow-simmered vegetables and bones. You choose noodles or rice, both solid foundations. For $6.50 in this location with this ambiance, it’s borderline absurd value.
Best for: Impressing visitors with “I know a place” energy on a budget.
Timing: Bar opens at night, so stick to lunch hours.
Swissbake
Location: Multiple (Clarke Quay, Harbourfront)
Price Range: $6.20 – $9.20
Sometimes you don’t want a heavy meal. Swissbake’s Kraftwich menu hits that lighter-lunch sweet spot. The poached egg and turkey ham muffin ($6.90) is breakfast-for-lunch perfection—runny yolk, quality ham, and a toasted muffin that doesn’t fall apart.
The turkey ham and cheese Kraftwich ($9.20) is straightforward but well-executed. Fresh ingredients, proper seasoning, good bread. The salted caramel latte ($6.20) is an affordable treat that doesn’t taste budget.
Best for: Lighter appetites or when you have an evening event and don’t want to be stuffed.
Bonus: Good for quick meetings over coffee and a snack.
Final Verdict
The CBD’s budget food scene proves that $10 can buy excellent meals if you know where to look. The common thread among these spots is honest cooking—no shortcuts, no gimmicks, just good ingredients prepared well.
Best overall value: Bedok Bak Chor Mee and Uptown Nasi Lemak lead the pack for price-to-satisfaction ratio.
Most impressive quality: Dumpling Darlings and Ah Lock & Co show that affordable doesn’t mean compromised.
Hidden champions: Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen and Ameising Memories deserve more recognition.
For variety seekers: Lau Pa Sat remains unbeatable for options under one roof.
Whether you’re a CBD regular or just visiting, these spots prove that Singapore’s food excellence spans all price points.