15 Great World food options to try
Located just a stone’s throw away from the bustling Orchard Road lies Great World (formerly known as Great World City), a swanky shopping mall with a plethora of choices for foodies to discover.
A popular shopping spot for residents in the River Valley area, the family-friendly mall got a makeover in 2020 with a refreshed look and more than 70 new tenants added to its mix. A bonus: It’s much more accessible now, given that the Great World MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line opened in November 2022.
Take advantage of this convenience and pop by this mall next time you’re hungry. It has a food court on level three and a variety of stalls in the basement that sell simple items such as curry puffs and kueh if you just need a snack.
Otherwise, picturesque cafes, restaurants, burger joints and Asian favourites are just some of the other options you have for food in Great World City.
Here are 15 Great World City food places to check out.
1. Luke’s Lobster
Great World City, 01-152, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (10.30am to 9.30pm)
Why visit? Opened in New York in 2009 by ex-Wall Street banker Luke Holden, Luke’s Lobster initially got its seafood from Luke’s father’s wholesale seafood business in Maine. As demand for its seafood grew, the brand launched its own seafood company in 2012 and has stuck to its commitment of serving traceable, sustainable seafood.
Luke’s Lobster has outlets in only two countries outside of the United States — Japan and Singapore. The first outlet here was opened to much fanfare in 2020, thanks to its super-famous lobster rolls that boast juicy morsels of lobster that go perfectly with the split-top buns.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: The lobster roll (S$29.50) is the signature dish here, or you can try Luke’s trio (S$35.50), a lovely trinity of half-sized rolls containing lobster, crab and shrimp. If you’re hungry, you can turn your rolls into a meal with chips, soup or curly fries and a drink. Not a roll person? Alternatives include sandwiches and soups such as lobster bisque.
2. Shake Shack
Great World City, 01-101, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Friday (11am to 9.30pm), Saturday and Sunday (10am to 9.30pm)
Why visit? Despite what its name suggests, there are more than just shakes here. Shake Shack created a stir when it launched in Singapore in 2019, as many here have tried the famous brand’s burgers, fries and shakes in the United States and fell in love with it. Singapore was the first Southeast Asian country to get Shake Shack stores. Today, it has nine stores in Singapore, as well as outlets in Hong Kong, China, Japan and the Philippines.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Try one of its 100% all-natural Angus beef burgers such as the ShackBurger (from S$9.90), which is a simple cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and the brand’s Shacksauce, or SmokeShack (from S$11.80), a cheeseburger with cherry peppers that give it a touch of spice, as well as smoked bacon.
The pandan shake (S$8.60) is a Singapore exclusive — a delicious vanilla custard blended with pandan and coconut, and topped with gula melaka crumble for that extra local flavour.
3. Windowsill Pies
Great World City, B1-K114, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 9pm)
Why visit? If you’re not vibing cake, pies are an alternative sweet treat that can bring comfort on a dreary day. At Windowsill Pies, its exquisite IG-worthy pies are all handmade. The store first opened as a whimsical shop in Jalan Besar in 2011, and has since gained a reputation for its signature buttery flakey crust and intriguing flavours. It now has two stores — one in Great World City and another in Jem, plus a kitchen at Roxy Square.
There are classic flavours as well as seasonal specials, and if you don’t like pie, there are also viennoiseries, shortbread and cookies.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: You can’t go wrong with well-loved options such as the classic pecan pie (S$65), which is a joy to eat with crunchy full-sized roasted pecans and a butter and brown sugar custard filling.
If you’re a chocoholic, try the s’mores pie (S$67), a creamy milk chocolate pudding and dark chocolate fudge topped with toasted smoked marshmallows and housemade graham crackers, or the grasshopper pie (S$67), a whipped dark chocolate ganache and flourless chocolate cake with fresh mint cream and salted chocolate cookie crumbles slathered over the top. Want a mix of everything? You can also get 10 slices of assorted pies with flavours of your choice at S$69.
4. Konjiki Hototogisu
Great World City, 01-143, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 9.30pm)
Why visit? The original Konjiki Hototogisu was founded in Tokyo, Japan in 2006 and received a Michelin star from 2019 to 2023 — making it the third ramen restaurant in the world to get a Michelin star.
It arrived in Singapore in 2018 and now has 10 outlets, including one in Great World City. The main draw is its oyster ramen (S$15.90), exclusive to this outlet and available as oyster king shio ramen or a creamier oyster king paitan ramen. There’s no better place than here if you want to have top-notch ramen in Great World City.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Besides the oyster ramen, there are other ramen dishes priced from S$13.90, with options including black spicy ramen and tonkotsu smoked pepper. Try the crab ramen (S$16.90), featuring a broth made with Japanese blue crabs and served with a dash of tomato paste for extra flavour.
5. Viet Taste
Great World City, Food Junction, Level 3, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (10am to 9.30pm)
Why visit? This is one for fans of Vietnamese food, and best of all, it’s conveniently located in the Great World City food court. There’s an extensive menu of authentic and wallet-friendly dishes at Viet Taste, and there are some vegetarian options, too. The stall is known to draw long queues that thankfully clear quite quickly.
Price range: $
Crowd favourites: Try traditional Vietnamese favourites such as the Hanoi pho beef noodle soup (S$8.90), a filling meal that’s served with thick beef slices, or grilled pork chop with rice (S$10.20), which comes with a small salad.
6. Elemen Classic
Great World City, 01-122, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (11.30am to 3.30pm, 5.30pm to 9.30pm)
Why visit? ‘Love Self, Love Earth’ is the motto at Elemen Classic, a well-known vegetarian restaurant. It’s known for its unique dishes that are artfully plated and focused on its diners’ well-being. Healthy, natural and sustainable food is the order of the day here, with a menu that utilises fresh ingredients and is a creative mix of Eastern and Western cuisine.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Chef’s specials include the braised eggplant with rice (S$14.80) and seaweed egg fried rice (S$15.80). You could also go with a group and enjoy a five- or eight-course set meal (S$28.80 and S$33.80 per person, respectively), where you can choose from dishes such as seaweed tempura tofu with California roll and black truffle porcini pasta.
7. Goobne Korean Chicken
Great World City, 01-115, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (10.30am to 10pm)
Why visit? Many of us love crispy chicken but it isn’t always the healthiest choice. What if we told you you could get oven-roasted chicken that’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside? That’s where Goobne Korean Chicken, which opened its Singapore branch in 2020, comes in. Opened in Korea in 2005, the brand now has outlets worldwide, in countries such as Japan, Australia and Hong Kong. K-pop fans will remember boyband EXO were once featured in an ad for the brand, where they sang about its volcano sauce.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Try the oven-roasted goobne original (from S$13) or the goobne galbi (from S$15), which sees the chicken coming in a Korean-style barbecue sauce. You can opt for wings, boneless or a half or whole chicken for this. If you’re looking to try something different, get the chicken fried rice with spicy volcano sauce (S$15) served on a hot plate, or the carbonara rice cake (rice cake and pasta stir-fried in a cream sauce, S$15).
8. Da Paolo Gastronomica
Great World City, 01-163, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (9am to 10pm)
Why visit? A concept by Da Paolo group, Da Paolo Gastronomica is a gourmet boutique that combines the cafe and retail concepts in one location, so home chefs can get inspired and pick up some items from the store after dining there.
There are multiple outlets islandwide, each offering quality fine foods from Europe and freshly made everyday Italian meals that you can take home with you.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Try the grilled tuna and cheddar panini (S$13) or baked chicken and baby spinach panini (S$13.50) for a simple and comforting meal. Pasta and lasagna dishes are available from S$16, as well as all-day breakfast options and delicious desserts, too.
9. Black Society Dimsum Kitchen
Great World City, 01-121, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Sunday to Thursday (11am to 10pm), Friday and Saturday (11am to 10.30pm)
Why visit? Experience and taste dim sum culinary art at Black Society Dimsum Kitchen, which has given the traditional dim sum a trendy twist. That’s right, you won’t just get regular dim sum here, its artisanal creations are served in unique shapes such as swans and roses, making it a must-visit spot and one of the more popular Great World City restaurants.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Its dim sum selection is extensive, ranging from the usual to intriguing and adorable ones such as the Miss Piggy custard bun (S$7), carrot dumpling (S$7.50) that is shaped to look like a real carrot, the spicy shumai with Lao Gan Ma chilli (Chinese steamed dumpling, S$6.50), and the famous chilli crab tart (S$7.50). If you can’t decide, try a dim sum tasting platter (S$18.80), featuring black har gau, mala shumai and custard lava bun, among others. Hungry? There are lots of rice, noodles and congee to satisfy your carb intake, too.
10. The Dark Gallery
Great World City, 01-117/118, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 10pm)
Why visit? If chocolate is your first love, pop into this cafe by boutique chocolatier The Dark Gallery. Although dark chocolate is the centrepiece of its menu, it isn’t the only chocolate variation here. There’s also milk and white chocolate, as well as flavours such as red velvet, salted peanut butter and sea salt butterscotch for its artisanal ice cream.
This outlet is the brand’s first triple concept that combines cafe, retail and a dedicated dine-in salon, with outlet-exclusive desserts. From chocolate-focused cakes to beverages, it’s every chocolate lover’s dream come true.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Indulge in 88% very dark chocolate ice cream (S$10), signature frozen s’mores (S$12) or 65% Ecuador dark chocolate molten cake (S$9.50). Or why not have a cuppa with your dessert? Order the single origin chocolate and coffee pairing (S$18) and you’ll get a hot coffee of your choice plus a single origin chocolate pastry and a 70% Dominican Republic chocolate praline.
11. Robert Chicken
Great World City, B1-K123, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (10am to 9pm)
Why visit? Worried that the robots are taking over? You’ll see the positive side of this when you dine at this eatery as the food at Robert Chicken is cooked by a robot. Not to worry — the quality is definitely on par. The first Robert Chicken outlet was opened in Gangnam in 2019 when entrepreneur Kang Ji-young found a way to address issues such as labour costs and a shortage of workers.
Enter Robert, a flexible mechanical arm that’s able to fry a whopping 100 chickens in two hours. It now has 15 outlets in South Korea and the android landed in Singapore this year. Robert the robot makes chicken that’s super crispy, with a range of flavours to choose from.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: The boneless K-fried chicken is available from S$11 for six pieces in its original flavour. Add S$2 for butter soy or sweet and spicy flavours, and S$3 for black pepper or chipotle mayo. Also try other Korean snacks such as the rice cake (S$3.90) and seaweed roll (S$3.90).
12. The Oyster Bank
Great World City, 01-111, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Thursday (11.30am to 3pm, 4.30pm to 9.30pm), Friday (11.30am to 3pm, 4.30pm to 10pm), Saturday (11.30am to 10pm), Sunday (11.30am to 9.30pm)
Why visit? Opened by sisters Ethel and Andrea Chua, The Oyster Bank is a casual, seafood focused joint that serves comfort food with a Japanese influence. It first opened in 2019 at Funan, and now has a total of three outlets. Raw food is at its core with an emphasis on fresh and quality ingredients, but there are also rice bowls and bar bites to pair with its wide range of tipples.
With daily happy hour deals from 12pm to 9pm and a happy shucking hour from Monday to Friday 5pm to 8pm and all day on Saturdays and Sundays, where naked oysters are going for S$2, it’s a great place to hang out with your pals.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: The naked oysters (between S$3.75 and S$3.95 per piece, depending on how many you order), served with lemon wedges and tabasco, are fresh and delicious. However, we say go for the flavoured raw oysters (from S$4.55 and S$4.75 per piece) such as kimchi cucumber, grapefruit ponzu and tosazu kombu. Baked oysters and oyster shooters are available, too.
13. Bangkok Jam
Great World City, 02-127, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (11.30am to 10pm)
Why visit? You can’t talk about Great World food and not mention this popular Thai place. Opened in 2007, this was the first Bangkok Jam restaurant in Singapore and it now has three outlets islandwide. The Thai culinary team hand picks each ingredient to ensure you get an authentic dining experience.
The extensive menu includes curries, omelettes, noodles, meat and seafood dishes, as well as desserts such as waffles and cakes. If you can’t go Bangkok any time soon, this is a good option to quell your cravings.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Start with the handmade tapioca balls with pork fillings (S$10.90) or the spicy smoked seabass soup (S$12.90) to whet your appetite.
For something hearty, rice dishes such as the classic stir-fried Thai minced basil (S$15.90) or wok-hei tom yum fried rice (S$14.90) are the way to go. Vegan options are available, too, such as the vegan homemade tapioca balls (S$10.90) and vegan green curry (S$14.90).
14. Tambuah Mas
Great World City, B1-110/111, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 10pm)
Why visit? Homestyle Indonesian cuisine is what you’ll get at Tambuah Mas. It’s one of the oldest Indonesian restaurants in Singapore and its traditional dishes are made from family recipes that have been passed down for generations.
It’s best known for its fiery sambal belacan made of chili padi, lime, tomato and shrimp paste that’s prepared in-house by its Indonesian head chef.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: A must-try is its sop buntut makassar, the restaurant’s rendition of the popular Indonesian oxtail soup. Simmered in low heat for more than three hours, it’s a flavourful collagen-rich broth that goes great with rice.
Other dishes include gado gado (S$8.50), tahu telor (S$13.50), and tender beef rendang (S$12.50), which you can have with a plate of nasi goreng istimewa (S$17).
15. All The Batter
Great World City, B1-K124, 1 Kim Seng Promenade
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 9pm)
Why visit? All The Batter is Singapore’s first avocado cafe brand that opened its first outlet in Anchorpoint in 2014. Yes, everything here is made with avocado, from cakes to drinks. Also, most of the cakes do not contain dairy or butter and are made with low-GI sugar. You can even opt to make them eggless and gluten-free. Dessert fiends will love the avocado dark chocolate truffles (S$15 for a tub of six) and seasonal avocado gelato (S$22).
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Avocado milk balls (S$28 for a box of 18) is its bestseller — it’s a delightful dessert featuring fresh avocado milk cream in a signature choux pastry. Don’t miss the avocado citrus cheese tarts (S$18 for a box of six), which are made with fluffy avocado cream cheese as well as natural citrus flavours, encased in shortbread tart crusts.
You can also order full-sized cakes such as the avocado strawberry gateau, made with fresh strawberries within two rich layers of its signature avocado batter cake and topped with strawberries with dark chocolate melted over the top.
Still hungry? Read our guides on the best Geylang food options and fish head curry in Singapore.
All eateries featured here are on the GrabFood delivery service and offer free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited.
Do explore the new GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.
You can also book a ride to Great World City.
Balvinder Sandhu
Author
Balvinder has been writing professionally for more than 25 years. She needs a dose of spice every other day and will tell anyone who listens that Singapore has the best and most-affordable food in the world, okay?
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