10 places under S$20: Affordable Suntec City eats

With the weather oscillating between hot and rainy in recent weeks, you’d have probably defaulted to dining within the cool and sheltered confines of shopping malls. 

Dining out at a mall doesn’t have to be overly pricey. If you find yourself in Suntec City and you’re out of ideas on what to eat, we’ve uncovered 10 places for affordable food in Suntec City. 

These Suntec City restaurants have meal options below S$20, so you can indulge a little while keeping your budget in check. Plus, there’s a variety of cuisines for all taste buds.

Here are our top 10 picks for affordable Suntec City food under S$20:

1. Kiwami: Ramen & Gyoza Bar

Suntec City Tower 1, 02-458, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 10pm)

Why visit? Kiwami is a Japanese restaurant that specialises in ramen with tonkotsu broth. It has affordable weekday lunch sets by day and by night, its regular menu starts at a very wallet-friendly S$11.90 for its highly recommended original mazesoba. You can also opt for its many izakaya-style bar bites and gyoza, starting at S$4.90 for its age tofu.

But perhaps the most value-for-money find at Kiwami is its lunch sets, which start at S$9.90 for a cha shu fried rice that includes braised pork. All sets, which include soup and dry ramen options, come with a drink and three pieces of grilled gyoza. 

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Premium Kiwami tonkotsu ramen (S$13.90), original mazesoba (minced pork stew dry ramen, S$11.90)   

2. Poke Theory

Suntec City Tower 5, B1-122, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Sunday (10am to 9pm) 

Why visit? Poke Theory serves up poke bowls, a Hawaiian dish made of marinated, diced raw fish typically on top of rice and greens. It first opened its doors in Telok Ayer in 2016 and was one of the first few shops to serve this dish locally. 

Its bowls start from S$11.50 for a light bowl that comes with 75g of marinated fish or 100g of marinated chicken, and a large bowl goes for S$18.50 for 150g of marinated fish and 200g of chicken. The fish can be swapped out for its vegan avocado poke if you prefer a meatless option.

Once you’ve settled on the base, pick any seven of its fresh or pickled ingredients to add to your bowl, your sauce of choice and you’re done! 

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Original shoyu salmon, spicy mayo salmon and spicy garlic sesame tuna (all can be added to your poke bowls or added for S$4 per additional 50g serving) 

3. Eat at Seven — Maguro O

Suntec City Tower 1, 03-314, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Friday (11.30am to 3pm, 5.30pm to 10pm), Saturday and Sunday (11.30am to 10pm) 

Why visit? Eat at Seven — Maguro O is a brand new Japanese restaurant that just opened in June, specialising in high quality maguro (tuna) from renowned fishing regions in Japan. It serves up dishes with different maguro cuts, whether it’s the otoro (tuna belly) or akami (lean tuna meat), and in different forms, from sushi rolls to grilled dishes. 

Prices start from S$15.80 for a mini negitoro (chopped tuna) don set or a mini aburi (torched) salmon don set. All sets come with fried karaage chicken, steamed chawanmushi, pickles, fruit, and miso soup. 

If you happen to prefer sushi rolls, its rolls go from S$14.80 for a yasai (vegetable) roll to S$49.90 for a decadent premium aburi otoro roll with truffle oil. Those who prefer cooked dishes can also take their pick from tempura-style plates or grilled items.

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Mini zuke maguro don set — marinated tuna (S$17.80), maguro katsu — breaded tuna fillet (S$16.80) 

4. Asian Twist Express

Suntec City Tower 3, 02-601, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Friday (7.30am to 9.30pm), Saturday and Sunday (8.30am to 9.30pm)

Why visit? Created by 365 Food, Asian Twist Express is a restaurant that specialises in Asian food made healthy, hence the name Asian Twist. It’s the founders’ dream to turn many types of Asian food into healthy and delicious dishes that can be consumed every day – yes, every day!

We also loved the eatery’s quirky dish names, such as Netfish & Chill — salmon with rice (S$12.90), Sticky Lips — chicken collagen soup (S$12.90) and Currysmatic Chick — curry chicken (S$11.90). All of its signature dishes are well below S$20, hearty and extremely filling, so dine your heart out at Asian Twist Express. 

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Signature homemade 3-days mentaiko roasted potatoes (S$16.90), Sticky Lips (collagen chicken soup, S$12.90)

5. Downstairs

Suntec City Fountain Court, B1-132, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Thursday (8.30am to 8.30pm), Friday (8.30am to 9pm), Saturday (9am to 9pm), Sunday (9am to 8.30pm)

Why visit? Downstairs, true to its name, is located right down below at Suntec City’s Fountain Court at basement one. But this retro, void deck-inspired eatery gets its name from the everyday term we use to describe the space below our flats — downstairs. 

Downstairs, which is owned by the same parent company behind Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, serves up nostalgic local dishes and other interesting additions. Think braised pork belly rice (S$7.30), wanton noodles (S$6.50) and chicken chop hor fun (S$7.50).

Whether you’re there for photos or food, a trip to Downstairs will surely evoke fond memories. 

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Braised pork belly rice or noodles with lava egg (S$7.30), chicken chop hor fun (S$7.50), salted egg chicken rice (S$9)

6. HarriAnns Nonya Table

Suntec City Tower 5, 01-416A, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Sunday (8.30am to 7.30pm) 

Why visit? If you love Peranakan or nonya cuisine, a trip to homegrown HarriAnns Nonya Table should be in order. The shop’s origins date back to 1940 as a simple pushcart selling traditional glutinous rice and nonya kueh. Today, it has six locations across the country, while still maintaining its original flagship outlet. 

The shop was started by the late Uncle Harry and Auntie Annie, hence its name HarriAnns. Even if you haven’t dined at its spaces before, you may have come across the brand at top hotels such as Marina Bay Sands, Shangri-La or Fullerton, as it supplies its kuehs there.

Its homely nonya dishes are affordably priced and generously portioned — enjoy Peranakan favourites such as ayam buah keluak (chicken, tamarind gravy and candlenuts, S$15) and babi pongteh (nonya braised pork in fermented soybean sauce, S$12), for well below S$20. 

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Nonya laksa (S$10.50), babi pongteh (S$12) 

7. iSTEAKS

Suntec City Tower 1, 02-472/473, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 10pm) 

Why visit? Craving steak but on a budget? iSTEAKS is the perfect spot to go to, given its commitment towards making typical steakhouse dishes more affordable. Its menu has a wide selection of cuts and qualities, so you can order to your heart’s desire or whatever your wallet can afford. 

If you want to keep your meal below S$20, you can opt for its poultry or seafood selection. Poultry dishes start from S$15 for 260g of a char-grilled thigh fillet and for seafood, choose from its tilapia fillet (S$18.50) and dory fillet (S$15.50) to keep costs low.

It also has a wide assortment of pasta options, such as carbonara (S$19), aglio olio or neapolitan (prices start from S$13.50 depending on protein of choice). 

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Char-grilled ribeye (from S$29.50), boneless chicken thigh fillet with barbeque sauce (S$15) 

8. Chopstix & Rice

Suntec City Tower 4, B1-100, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 4pm, 5pm to 9.30pm) 

Why visit? Since 2002, Chopstix and Rice has been the go-to spot for authentic Indonesian dishes and nasi padang, having served more than a million plates since it started. Its dishes are high-quality while staying extremely wallet-friendly, and are power-packed with the freshest ingredients.

If you want to get the greatest bang for your buck, gather your friends and colleagues to indulge in its sharing plates so you can sample its bestsellers, such as the beef rendang ($14.90) and ayam goreng belado (fried chicken served with belado sauce made from chillies and kaffir lime, S$8.90), all at once. 

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Ayam goreng belado (S$8.90), beef rendang (S$14.90)

9. Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe

Suntec City Fountain Court, B1-128, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Sunday (7am to 10pm) 

Why visit? Anyone who loves Hong Kong-style cafes would have gone to Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe — or at least have heard of the brand. The cafe serves up the best of cha chaan teng favourites all under one roof. 

With an opening time of 7am, you can count on this trusty chain for breakfast right up till supper. 

Don’t be deceived by its restaurant front — you can have breakfast for as low as S$2.90 for a crispy bun with condensed milk or S$3 for a polo bun with butter, giving you more budget for more dishes in the same meal.

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Chicken chop and egg nissin noodles in soup (S$9.90), wanton char siu dry noodle (S$10.80)

10. Maccha House

Suntec City Fountain Court, B1-172, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Open: Monday to Sunday (11.30am to 9.30pm) 

Why visit? If you’re a green tea lover then you need to swing by Maccha House at Suntec City’s Fountain Court for its wide selection of maccha delights from Kyoto. 

Maccha House’s main courses, despite its quality and quantity, are extremely wallet-friendly. A sukiyaki hotpot set with either chicken, beef or pork, goes for just S$14.99. If you prefer to fuel up with carbs, its filling yuzu beef donburi set is S$13.99.

Its selection of maccha drinks start from S$3.90 for an iced maccha latte. If you still have stomach space and don’t mind springing for a bit more, try its signature maccha tiramisu (S$7.99), a fan favourite and guaranteed to have you coming back for more. 

Price range: $$

Crowd favourites: Maccha tiramisu (S$7.99)

For more ideas on what to eat at Suntec City, check out Suntec City’s halal food places and restaurants you can only find at Suntec City.  

This article was written in partnership with Suntec City.