54 Cheap Eats in Singapore

No matter what your tastes lean towards, there are restaurants in Singapore to whet your appetite. The various cuisines of the world are well-represented in all parts of the island, so whether you crave scrumptious French pastries in the morning, a healthy but indulgent lunch of sushi and sashimi, or a late supper of dim sum, you’re sure to stumble upon a restaurant in Singapore that provides exactly what you’re looking for. Even well-known international celebrity chefs including Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey and Wolfgang Puck have set up their restaurants in Singapore, so there’s no need for us to catch a flight just for a chance to experience their world-class fine dining chops.

Whether you’re penny pinching or looking to splurge at your next meal, Singapore’s restaurants will leave you spoilt for choice. From simple kitchens to casual eateries to fine dining establishments, the local restaurant scene covers a broad range of budgets, so you can always have an excuse to indulge, regardless of how little or how much you wish to spend. And in a food-obsessed nation like Singapore where eating has been declared a national pastime, all-you-can-eat joints tend to be especially popular among its locals, who seek them out for the opportunity to sample a little bit of everything and for as much as they want, at one single price. Seek out the most highly-rated buffet restaurants in Singapore near you, reserve online, then gather your best mates together to feast like there’s no tomorrow.

Featuring a blend of influences from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan and western cuisines – to name a few – Singaporean cuisine is diverse, and that has a lot to do with its history as a port city with a large immigrant population. No visit to Singapore is complete without sampling dishes like Hainanese chicken rice, laksa and chilli crab – and these are just a small fraction of the highlights one can expect to find at restaurants in Singapore that specialise in the local fare. For some of the most authentic homegrown flavours, Wok Master in Farrer Park does tze char right, though Uncle Chicken (Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice) in Tiong Bahru is where you should be heading to for steaming plates of Singapore’s highly-acclaimed national dish. Both Singaporean restaurants are bookable on Quandoo, which makes it easy for you to secure tables even during busy periods.

Regardless of your dietary preferences and limitations, you’ll find that they’re well taken care of across the restaurants in Singapore. A significant local Muslim and Hindu population means that a plethora of halal as well as pork-, beef- or even meat-free dining establishments are well within reach. My Spice Affair in Kallang is a must-visit for home-cooked halal Malay cuisine, especially for its famous nasi ambeng. While those in favour of a wholesome, plant-based meal should check out Xing Hua Vegetarian Restaurant in Bugis, which dishes out the goods without preservatives, MSG or additives. Last but not least, there’s also Annalakshmi Restaurant in Clarke Quay, known for its delicious Indian vegetarian buffet with a unique pay-what-you-want concept.