Wondering where to find tasty yet affordable food in Singapore? You’re in luck!
I’ve put together the ultimate list of the 10 best cheap eats you can enjoy without overspending.
From famous chicken rice to tasty noodle dishes, you’ll discover delicious meals loved by locals.
I’ll also share the exact places to eat these dishes, saving you time and effort searching. I hope this guide helps you find great food at prices you’ll love! 😊
1. Fried Hokkien Mee
a. What Is Fried Hokkien Mee and Price
- About the Dish: Fried noodles made with yellow noodles, thin rice noodles, prawns, squid, pork belly, and egg, cooked in a tasty seafood broth.
- Served With: Comes with spicy sambal chili paste and a slice of lime on the side.
- Typical Prices: Usually around S$5 for a small plate, or S$8–10 for bigger portions at hawker stalls.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Flavor: Rich, savory seafood taste with a slight smoky aroma. Not spicy unless you mix in the chili paste.
- Texture: Soft, moist noodles with tender seafood pieces and crispy pork lard bits.
- Different Styles:
- Wet Style: Noodles with more sauce, giving a richer taste.
- Dry Style: Less sauce, stronger smoky taste.
- Chili & Lime: Adjust the spiciness and freshness by adding sambal chili and lime juice to your liking.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee (Old Airport Road Food Centre): Popular stall with lighter-style noodles and clear prawn taste.
- Come Daily Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee (Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre): Known for noodles in thick gravy. Rich flavor.
- Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Noodles (Chomp Chomp Food Centre): Traditional, slightly dry noodles with classic flavor.
- Swee Guan Hokkien Mee (Geylang Lorong 29): Noodles cooked over charcoal fire for smoky taste.
2. Hainanese Chicken Rice
a. What Is Hainanese Chicken Rice and Price
- Popular Dish: Chicken rice is Singapore’s best-known food, originally from Hainan in China.
- Ingredients: Tender steamed chicken served with tasty rice cooked in chicken broth, sliced cucumbers, and clear chicken soup.
- Sauces: Usually comes with chili sauce (spicy and tangy), ginger paste (mild ginger flavor), and dark soy sauce (sweet and salty).
- Extras: You can add sides like vegetables, eggs, or chicken organs if you like.
- Typical Price: Usually around S$5–S$6 at hawker stalls.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Chicken: Soft and smooth steamed chicken, mild and lightly seasoned. You can also choose roasted chicken with crispier skin.
- Rice: Rich, flavorful rice cooked in chicken broth with garlic and ginger.Delicious even on its own.
- Sauces: Customize the taste with spicy chili sauce, ginger paste for aroma, or sweet dark soy sauce.
- Soup: Simple, clear chicken broth that’s refreshing.
- Variations: Some places serve “kampung” chicken, which has leaner meat and a firmer bite.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Tian Tian Chicken Rice (Maxwell Food Centre): Very famous stall with Michelin recognition. Known for tender chicken and especially tasty rice.
- Tiong Bahru Boneless Chicken Rice (Tiong Bahru Market): Popular local stall serving juicy steamed and roasted chicken.
- Wee Nam Kee (United Square, Novena): Restaurant with fast service and good portions. Serves both steamed and roasted chicken.
3. Char Kway Teow
a. What is Char Kway Teow and Price
- Popular Dish: Stir-fried flat rice noodles with eggs, bean sprouts, cockles (small clams), fish cake, and Chinese sausage.
- Main Flavors: Made with dark soy sauce, chili, and usually fried in pork lard for extra flavor.
- Typical Price: About S$5 to S$8 at most hawker stalls.
b. What it Tastes Like
- Sweet and Savory: Has a slightly sweet taste from dark soy sauce, balanced with savory flavors and smoky aroma from high-heat cooking (“wok hei”).
- Rich and Filling: A tasty, slightly oily noodle dish with soft noodles and crunchy bean sprouts.
- Personalize Your Order: You can request “no chili” for a non-spicy version or ask to leave out cockles if you prefer.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow (Old Airport Road Food Centre or Lau Pa Sat): Offers classic (dark sauce) and lighter (white) versions. Michelin-listed with shorter lines.
- Outram Park Fried Kway Teow (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre): Famous for smoky flavor and generous portions. Long lines (30 to 60 mins wait).
- 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow (Zion Riverside Food Centre): Known for its great smoky taste and generous servings.
- Hill Street Fried Kway Teow (Bedok South Food Centre): Popular for strong smoky flavor and many toppings.
- 786 Char Kway Teow (Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre): Halal-friendly, no pork or lard used. Spicier and drier style, popular with Muslim customers.
4. Chicken Briyani
a. What Is Chicken Briyani & Price
- Chicken Briyani: A tasty rice dish cooked with spices, basmati rice, and chicken. In Singapore, it’s commonly known as “Nasi Briyani”.
- Two Main Styles: Two Main Styles: Indian style, where rice and chicken are cooked together in a sealed pot. This method helps the flavors blend well. Malay style, where rice and chicken are cooked separately. It’s served with curry gravy poured over the rice.
- What You Get: Usually comes with curry gravy, a boiled egg, crispy cracker (papadum), and pickled vegetables.
- Price Range:
- Hawker Centres and Food Courts: Around S$7 to $8.
- Casual Restaurants: Around S$10 to $15.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Aromatic and Savory: Rich flavors from spices like cumin, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. It’s flavorful without being overly spicy.
- Rice: Light, fluffy rice with grains separate, not sticky.
- Chicken: Usually tender and juicy; Malay versions might have crispy skin.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Allauddin’s Briyani (Tekka Centre): Popular hawker stall serving generous portions and flavorful rice.
- Bismillah Biryani (Little India): Award-winning restaurant serving traditional Indian “dum” briyani with less gravy but intense flavors.
- Mr Biryani (Little India): Serves Hyderabadi-style briyani with tender chicken marinated in yogurt and fragrant saffron rice.
- Geylang Briyani Stall (Geylang Serai Market): Malay-style briyani loved by locals for its tasty coconut-based gravy.
- Singapore Zam Zam Restaurant (Kampong Glam): Historic eatery near Sultan Mosque, well-known for delicious briyani.
- Islamic Restaurant (Kampong Glam): Long-established restaurant famous for its heritage briyani recipe since 1921.
5. Bak Kut Teh
a. What is Bak Kut Teh and Price
- Bak Kut Teh: A popular Singapore dish made of pork ribs cooked in broth with garlic, white pepper, and herbs. Served hot with rice and sides.
- Typical Price: Usually costs around S$8 to S$12 per bowl.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Peppery Style: Most common type in Singapore. Clear soup with strong garlic and pepper flavor, savory and lightly spicy.
- Herbal Style: Darker soup made with herbs and soy sauce. Slightly sweet and herbal, less spicy. Usually served in claypots.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Song Fa Bak Kut Teh (Clarke Quay): Well-known restaurant with balanced peppery soup and tender pork ribs. Free soup refills.
- Founder Bak Kut Teh (Balestier Road): Popular for its spicy peppery broth and generous pork servings. Good for late-night dining.
- Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha (Tanjong Pagar): Favorite among locals for strong peppery flavor. Open early till late. Popular for pig organ sides and braised peanuts.
- Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh (Rangoon Road): Known for extra peppery soup and premium pork ribs. Busy local spot with authentic atmosphere.
- Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh (Geylang): Offers herbal-style bak kut teh served in claypots. Known for flavorful herbal broth and tasty dry bak kut teh version.
6. Bak Chor Mee
a. What Is Bak Chor Mee and Price
- Dish Overview: Bak Chor Mee is a popular local dish of noodles served with minced pork, meatballs, mushrooms, and sometimes pork liver.
- Style Options: You can order it dry (noodles mixed with sauce) or in soup. Dry is usually the favorite choice.
- Typical Price: Prices are usually between S$6 to S$8.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Dry Version: The noodles taste savory, tangy, and a bit spicy, mixed with vinegar, chili, soy sauce, and pork lard.
- Soup Version: Noodles in a clear pork broth that’s mild and comforting, often flavored with garlic.
- Flavor Variations: Some stalls add more vinegar for a sharper taste, while others keep it milder. You can choose spicy or non-spicy.
- Textures: Expect chewy noodles, tender pork, crunchy pork lard, and sometimes soft pork liver or mushrooms.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (Crawford Lane): A Michelin-star stall famous for its tangy, vinegary sauce.
- Tai Wah Pork Noodle (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre): Michelin Bib Gourmand award-winning stall.
- Jin Xi Lai (Mui Siong) Minced Meat Noodle (Jalan Besar): Popular for delicious pork liver noodles.
- Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles (Toa Payoh): Local favorite known for tasty mushroom sauce and generous portions.
7. Curry Chicken Noodle
a. What Is Curry Chicken Noodle and Price
- Local Favourite: Curry chicken noodle is a tasty Singaporean dish of noodles served in a creamy coconut curry broth, topped with chicken, potatoes, tofu puffs (tau pok), and sometimes fish cake.
- Typical Price: Usually priced between S$6 to S$8 at hawker centres.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Flavour: The curry broth is creamy, slightly spicy, and rich in coconut milk, giving it a smooth and savory taste.
- Spice Level: Mild to medium spiciness by default, but stalls offer chili paste on the side if you prefer extra heat.
- Variations: Some places serve a thicker, richer curry, while others make it lighter and easier to drink.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre): Known for aromatic curry with tender, boneless chicken. Recognized by Michelin Bib Gourmand.
- Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodle (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre): Famous for its flavorful curry broth, handmade chili sauce, and tender chicken.
- Da Po Curry Noodles (Golden Mile Food Centre): Offers Hainanese-style chicken and unique extras like pig’s skin or liver. Known for its flavorful broth.
8. Wanton Mee
a. What Is Wanton Mee and Price
- Dish Overview: Wanton Mee is thin egg noodles topped with roasted pork (char siew), leafy greens, and pork-filled dumplings (wontons). It’s usually served dry with sauce or in soup.
- Typical Price: Usually around S$4 to S$6 at local hawker stalls and food courts.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Flavor: The noodles are savory and slightly sweet, mixed with soy sauce and sometimes chili sauce. The roasted pork is sweet and smoky, while the wontons are juicy and mild in taste.
- Texture: Noodles are chewy, pork slices are tender, and wontons are soft.
- Variations: You can choose between dry noodles mixed with sauce or noodles served in soup.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Ji Ji Wanton Noodle House (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre): This stall has been featured in the Michelin Guide since 2016. They serve generous portions of noodles topped with roasted pork, mushrooms, and both boiled and fried wontons.
- Yong Chun Wan Ton Noodle (Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre): A famous stall known for springy noodles and tasty dumplings. It’s Michelin-recognized.
- Eng’s Wantan Mee (Tanjong Katong): Popular for thin noodles and very spicy chili sauce you can add yourself.
- Chef Kang’s Noodle House (Toa Payoh): Created by a Michelin-starred chef. Offers high-quality noodles, grilled pork, and flavorful dumplings.
9. Laksa
a. What Is Laksa and Price
- Laksa Basics: Laksa is a popular Singapore noodle soup with rice noodles in spicy coconut milk soup. Common toppings include prawns, fish cake, cockles, and fried tofu.
- Typical Price: A bowl usually costs between S$4 and S$8 at food centres.
b. What It Tastes Like
- General Taste: Laksa tastes creamy, spicy, and a bit sweet. Coconut milk makes it rich, and chili gives it a nice warmth without being too spicy.
- Variations: The most common type in Singapore is curry laksa, which has coconut milk. Another type, called Assam laksa, uses a sour and spicy fish broth, but it’s less common here.
c. Top Places to Eat
- 328 Katong Laksa (East Coast Road, Katong): A well-known stall famous for creamy laksa with short noodles that you eat with just a spoon.
- Sungei Road Laksa (Jalan Berseh, Bugis): An old-school stall famous for charcoal-cooked broth that adds a smoky taste.
- Janggut Laksa (Roxy Square, Katong): Known as the original Katong laksa stall, serving creamy, tasty broth.
- Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa (Alexandra Village Food Centre): Laksa served hot in a claypot with thick gravy, seafood, and chicken. It’s Michelin-recommended and very popular.
10. Roti Prata
a. What Is Roti Prata and Price
- Roti Prata Basics: A fried flatbread that’s crispy outside and chewy inside, originally from India but very popular in Singapore.
- Served With: Your prata order comes with curry for dipping, usually fish, chicken, mutton, or vegetarian dhal. Sugar is also available if you prefer a sweeter taste.
- Typical Prices: Plain prata usually costs around S$1 to S$1.50. Egg or cheese prata is about S$2.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Taste and Texture: Crispy and flaky outside, soft and chewy inside with a mild buttery flavor.
- Flavor Options: You can order it plain or with fillings like egg, cheese, onion, banana, chocolate, or special creative combinations.
- Curry Sauce: Usually served with a spicy curry sauce, commonly fish or mutton curry. Vegetarian dhal curry and sugar are popular alternatives.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Ar-Rahman Royal Prata (Tekka Centre): Serves many types of prata like plain, egg, cheese, and sweet flavors such as chocolate banana.
- Mr and Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Prata (Joo Chiat Road): Famous for extra crispy prata, expect queues.
- Sin Ming Roti Prata (Gim Huat Coffeeshop): Popular for their special small “Coin Prata”.
- The Roti Prata House (Upper Thomson Road): Known for crispy prata, great for late-night cravings.
Special Mention #1: Kaya Toast
a. What Is Kaya Toast and Price
- Kaya Toast: A popular Singaporean breakfast of crispy toast with sweet coconut jam (“kaya”) and butter.
- Common Set: Usually served with soft-boiled eggs and a hot drink like coffee or tea.
- Typical Price: About S$2–S$3 for toast alone, or around S$5–S$7 for a set with eggs and coffee or tea.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Taste: Sweet and creamy coconut jam balanced by salty butter on crunchy toast. It’s tasty but not heavy.
- Types of Kaya:
- Nyonya Kaya (Green): Mild, sweet flavor with a pleasant pandan scent.
- Hainanese Kaya (Brown): Richer, caramel-like sweetness from browned sugar.
- Variations: Sometimes served on soft steamed bread or French toast, occasionally combined with peanut butter.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Ya Kun Kaya Toast: Famous local chain known for thin, crispy toast.
- Killiney Kopitiam: Singapore’s oldest coffee shop, thicker toast with lots of kaya and butter. Original shop is on Killiney Road.
- Toast Box: Modern cafe-style chain, slightly thicker toast.
- Tong Ah Eating House: Near Chinatown, popular for very crispy charcoal-toasted bread.
- Chin Mee Chin Confectionery: Charming old cafe in Katong area serving kaya toast on soft buns.
Special Mention #2: Satay
a. What Is Satay and Price
- About Satay: Small pieces of grilled meat or seafood served on sticks. Popular choices include chicken, beef, mutton, pork, and prawn.
- Serving Size: Usually comes in sets of 10 sticks, great for sharing.
- Typical Prices: Around S$0.70–S$0.90 per stick (S$7–S$9 for 10 sticks).
b. What It Tastes Like
- Meat and Seafood Flavor: Slightly sweet and smoky from charcoal grilling. Juicy inside, with lightly charred edges.
- Peanut Sauce: Thick, peanut-based sauce that’s slightly sweet. Some stalls mix pineapple into the sauce for extra flavor.
- Popular Choices:
- Chicken: Tender and mild, most common choice.
- Beef: Richer taste, slightly chewy.
- Mutton: Stronger flavor, firmer meat.
- Pork (non-halal): Juicy with crispy bits of fat.
- Prawn: Fresh, sweet, and lightly smoky flavor.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Satay Street (Lau Pa Sat): Located at Boon Tat Street (open evenings only). Many stalls, lively atmosphere and various meats.
- Haron Satay (East Coast Lagoon Food Village): Stall 55 at East Coast Lagoon Food Village. Famous halal stall known for tasty chicken and beef satay.
- Satay by the Bay (Gardens by the Bay): Outdoor dining near Gardens by the Bay. Relaxed place with many stalls selling good satay.
- Shi Xiang Satay (Chinatown Complex): Popular pork satay served with peanut-pineapple sauce.
- TKR Satay (Newton Food Centre): Known for juicy pork and chicken satay. Busy, lively place, especially at night.
Special Mention #3: Roasted Meat and Roasted Pork
a. What Is Roasted Meat and Roasted Pork (and Price)
- Char Siew (Roasted BBQ Pork): Sweet roasted pork, sliced thinly and served on rice or noodles.
- Roast Pork Belly (Sio Bak): Pork belly roasted until crispy on the outside and tender inside.
- Typical Prices: About S$4–S$5 per dish at hawker stalls. A combination of two meats usually costs around S$6–S$8.
b. What It Tastes Like
- Char Siew: Soft and juicy with a sweet and slightly smoky taste.
- Roast Pork Belly: Crispy and salty skin with juicy, savory meat underneath. Less sweet than char siew.
- Sauces and Condiments: Usually served with dark sweet sauce on rice and spicy garlic chilli sauce on the side.
c. Top Places to Eat
- Tiong Bahru Lee Hong Kee (Tiong Bahru Market): Popular stall known for tasty roast pork and char siew cooked over charcoal.
- Fatty Cheong (ABC Brickworks, Queenstown): Famous among locals for sweet, tender char siew and crispy roast pork.
- 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist (Lavender Street): Great crispy roast pork and tasty char siew.
- New Rong Liang Ge (Queen Street, Bugis): Opens early at 7am, serves good-quality roast pork and char siew.
