Singapore is a food haven, but the cost of dining out can add up. However, you can still find affordable and hearty meals all over the country.
Looking for cheap and good local food in Singapore? Other than unique, multi-concept cafés and pet-friendly food spots, here are some meal recommendations in the Changi Precinct like Tampines, Bedok, Changi Airport, and Jewel which are yummy yet light on the wallet.
Visitors planning a fun day out in the east of Singapore or foodies planning to explore different cuisines can look forward to enjoying these tasty food options as part of their day out programme in the Changi Precinct.
1. Changi Village – Pranakorn
At Changi Village, a stone’s throw away from the hawker centre, sits a quaint eatery - Pranakorn, serving authentic and homely Thai dishes at affordable prices. Not only does this eatery do its pork dishes well, its seafood is also fresh.
There are some special dishes offered on its menu that are rarely found in other Thai restaurants, such as Thai-style Stick Noodle with Minced Pork in Tom Yum Soup (S$7.10), Homemade Fried Pork Cake with Century Egg (S$7.10) and Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (S$11.80). Most of its rice and noodle mains start at around S$7, as do some of their side dishes, so one can easily afford a homely and filling meal for just under S$15.
The next time you visit Changi Village for food, don’t make a beeline for the famous stalls in the hawker centre, check out Pranakorn instead.
Address: Blk 4, Changi Village Rd, #01-2086, Singapore 500004
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday — 11:30am to 3:00pm, 5:30pm to 9:45pm, closed on Monday
2. Tampines – Al Mahboob Rojak
Yummy Indian rojak nicely plated and ready to be devoured.
Good Indian rojak is difficult to find these days. For those not familiar with this dish, it consists of various types of fritters, best eaten with a sweet, peanutty dipping sauce. Looking for cheap food in Tampines? Across the road from Our Tampines Hub, Al Mahboob makes Indian rojak freshly every day at its restaurant. It sells many interesting options not commonly available at your typical Indian rojak hawker stall, such as cabbage fritters, beef lungs and sotong hidup.
All its rojak comes with a generous side of fresh green chillies, onions and cucumbers, as well as unlimited serving of its delicious dipping sauce. Although deep fried, the batter of the fritters is crispy and light, making it dangerously addictive.
Besides rojak, the other dishes offered at this restaurant such as maggi goreng and nasi goreng are really delicious too. The rojak fritters start from about S$1.50 a piece and mains from S$7, making it an affordable and sinfully good option if you’re in Tampines.
The food eatery is air-conditioned and there are many convenient parking options available nearby – at Our Tampines Hub or nearby housing estates. The bustling eatery is frequented by many regulars and families, but the queues move fast and you will not need to wait long before you are served your cheap, piping hot plate of Indian Rojak.
Address: 300 Tampines Ave 5, Singapore 529653
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday — 11:00am to 8:00pm, closed on Monday
3. Bedok – Mr Kneady’s
Hip hawker stalls like Mr Kneady’s, have set up shop on level 2 of The Bedok Market Place, offering a good selection of different cuisines. Image credit: Red Dot
Looking for good food in Bedok? One of the most frequently recommended Bedok food items might just be the Bak Chor Mee (minced pork noodles) at Bedok 85 Market. For those not living in the east, here’s a lesser-known eating place worth checking out – The Bedok Market Place. Located in Simpang Bedok, the market evokes a nostalgic feel, and has comfortable and breezy seating areas, so diners can enjoy their meal in comfort even though the area is not air-conditioned. So the next time you’re on the hunt for what to eat in Bedok, don’t forget to visit this hidden gem!
Pizza is mostly served in restaurants or eateries, but Mr Kneady’s operates out of a hawker centre. While most of us would be familiar with sourdough bread, Mr Kneady’s sells handmade sourdough pizza, baked fresh on the spot. Credit to the stall owners, they come up with limited edition pizza flavours every few months, so that returning diners can have something new to look forward to all the time. On their evergreen menu, one of the most popular items is ‘Space Oddity’ – a tomato-based pizza topped with salami, pepperoni and mozzarella.
My personal favourite though, is the ‘Art of War’, the only sweet pizza on the menu. It is made with a Crème Fraiche base, topped with bananas, blueberries and white chocolate chips. The pizzas here come in a single size and prices start from S$13.
While you’re here to eat at Bedok, why not bring your camera along to take some mouth-watering photos that will make everyone drool? You can also get your bread fix and bring home sourdough breads made freshly by the owners of Mr Kneady’s. With close to ten different kinds of sourdough breads, you will be spoilt for choice.
Address: 348 Bedok Road, #02-24, The Bedok Marketplace, Singapore 469560
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday — 11:00am to 8:00pm, closed on Monday
4. Siglap – Fu Lin Tofu Yuen
At Fu Lin Tofu Yuen along East Coast Road, crispy Yong Tau Foo is the star on the menu.
You may have seen FuLin Yong Tau Foo (YTF) stalls at some food courts, but this eatery along East Coast Road in Siglap is where it all started more than 26 years ago.
If you are looking for the typical YTF boiled in soup, Fu Lin is not the place for you. Here, every piece of YTF is deep-fried to golden brown perfection and slathered with a savoury minced meat and shiitake mushroom gravy just before serving. The YTF is still crispy when it reaches your table – yum! Pair your piping hot food with a cup of icy tea or coffee and you’ll have the best of both worlds.
For those who are familiar with YTF, it is the wide range of ingredients that you can choose from to customise your dish that makes it special. At Fu Lin Tofu Yuen along East Coast Road, you can expect to choose from a wide variety of vegetables, stuffed tofu and fish paste products. You can enjoy it with a side of thick rice vermicelli served in their special gravy or rice to accompany the flavourful YTF dish. This is definitely a source of comfort food, any day of the week. The best part? The price of each YTF piece starts from S$0.40, with a minimum order of six pieces – you should be able to enjoy a satisfying meal in East Coast for under S$15.
Address: 721 East Coast Rd, Singapore 459070
Opening hours: Daily, 9:30am to 9:00pm
5. Changi Airport – HUSK Nasi Lemak
Creamy coconut rice served with melt-in-your-mouth beef rendang at HUSK Nasi Lemak in Changi Airport Terminal 3.
Good nasi lemak is widely available in Singapore, and most locals have a favourite stall that they frequent, but HUSK Nasi Lemak stands out in the crowd for daring to offer this local favourite as a fusion dish.
In place of the common fried chicken wing, HUSK offers protein options such as Taiwanese style chicken chop, lemak drumstick, fried fish with assam pedas (sour and spicy) sauce and even sous vide beef rendang. These options go surprisingly well with its creamy coconut rice. The onsen egg in this dish gives a refreshing twist to the dish, as the chilled egg freshens your taste buds before you go in for another mouthful of lemak rice. The crispy bits on top of the rice add texture to the whole dish as well.
While HUSK is operating more of a kiosk concept stall at Terminal 3, there is a dine-in area for customers who wish to consume their nasi lemak fresh on the spot. Looking for cheap and good food at Changi Airport? HUSK Nasi Lemak checks all the boxes.
Address: Changi Airport, Terminal 3, Basement 2 (near to the children’s playground)
Opening hours: Daily, 10:30am to 11:00pm
Enjoy delicious, cheap food at Changi Village, Bedok, Changi Airport & more
From food at Changi Village and Changi Airport to Tampines and Bedok, there's no shortage of options when it comes to affordable eats in the East.
So, the next time that you are planning to explore Changi Precinct for a picnic or a day out with the kids, why not include one of these eateries in your programme? With such delish food options at such affordable prices, there's no excuse not to enjoy a good meal in the east! You might just find yourself hooked and coming back for more either on the very same night for supper or the very next day!
For those who prefer having dishes delivered right to their home, why not give Changi Airport’s food delivery service–Changi Eats–a try? Order food from up to five different stores and restaurants in Changi Airport and Jewel Changi Airport in a single order, with free delivery for food purchases S$50 and above. Even better, prices on Changi Eats are exactly the same you would have paid dining in, without any service fees or charges.
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