Six Affordable Southeast Asian restaurants in Singapore

Are you a fan of Southeast Asian cuisines?

If you’re missing Southeast Asian food because of the travel restrictions, fret not! Singapore is home to some wonderful Southeast Asian restaurants, which will definitely satiate your cravings for Southeast Asia delicacies. 

Here are six affordable Southeast Asian restaurants you should try:

Searching for an authentic yet budget Thai experience? Look no further than Thai Tantric Restaurant, located at Orchard Tower.

For appetisers, you can get a Thai mango salad or a spicy prawn salad with fresh kailan at $10 and $12 respectively.

For mains, you can get a plate of pineapple fried rice for $8 or a regular plate of pad thai for $7.

Of course, any visit to a Thai restaurant would not be complete without a bowl of sour and spicy tom yum. A bowl of tom yum clear soup costs $12 at Thai Tantric. 

Address: 400 Orchard Rd, #03-44 Orchard Tower, Singapore 238875

Opening hours: Mon to Sat 11.30am to 10.30pm

Step into Penang Kitchen for a taste of the famous Penang cuisine from Malaysia. Established in 2005, they pride themselves in dishes that perfectly mimic the delicious smells and flavours of those you’d find on Malaysia’s streets.

Voted one of Singapore’s best by the Michelin Guide, Penang Kitchen’s Assam Laska is available at just $9.

You can also sink your teeth in their Char Kway Teow, their top dish, for the same price.

If you’re in the mood for dessert, you can have chendol or gula melaka with sago for $4 and $3.20 respectively.

Address:

Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Rd #03-89, Singapore 228213

Coronation Arcade, 5 Coronation Road #01-05, Singapore 269406

Opening hours:

11am to 3pm, 4pm to 8.45pm daily (Far East Plaza)

10.30am to 3pm, 4pm to 8:45pm daily (Coronation Arcade)

With origins from Vietnam, Vietnamese Delight Pho 99 is a small and humble restaurant located at Telok Ayer Street that thrives on the support of loyal customers over the years.

You can enjoy a bowl of Pho Tai, a classic Vietnamese meal of beef slices & rice noodles bathed in clear beef broth at $9.50. Or you can enjoy Nui Xao, a hearty meal of macaroni topped with stir-fried chicken, beef or pork served with homemade sweet fish sauce at $10.50. 

If you’re looking for a drink to pair with your mains, try the Cafe Sua Da, which is authentic coffee from Vietnam for $3, or a Saigon Special, a bottle of richly made beer from Saigon at $7.

Address: 57-58 Amoy Street Singapore, Singapore 069884

Opening hours: Mon to Fri 10am to 9pm, Sat 10am to 5pm

As one of the oldest Indonesian restaurants in Singapore, Tambuah Mas has enjoyed an endearing reputation for serving generations with heart-warming traditional Indonesian Homestyle Cuisine from Padang, Sulawesi and Java since 1981.

Delight in the tahu telor, beancurd that is crisp-fried in egg batter and drizzled with homemade spicy-sweet dark sauce at $12.50.

You can also get the soto ayam, a chicken broth with shredded chicken, bean sprouts and potato croquette at $5.50 or the nasi goreng udang, Indonesian-styled fried rice with prawns, at $12.

Address:

Tanglin Shopping Centre #04-10/13, 19 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247909

Paragon #B1-44, 290 Orchard Road, Singapore 238859

Great World City #B1-110/111, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, Singapore 237994

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm daily

If you’re itching to try Burmese cuisine, consider Inle Myanmar, a restaurant dedicated to serving customers uniquely-Burmese delicacies lovingly prepared from treasured family recipes.

Order a side dish of mixed pig’s organs at $9 or a spicy chicken salad at $7.50. For mains, you can get a set meal (for one) of chicken curry or prawn in tomato gravy at $8.50 and $12 respectively, which includes rice and chilli fish sauce.

Feeling thirsty? You can wash the food down with a cup of Myanmar milk tea at $2.50 or Myanmar bundung at $3.

Address: 111 North Bridge Road, #B1-07 (A/B) Peninsula Plaza, Singapore 179098

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm daily

Kabayan Filipino Restaurant is a cosy, economical eatery that offers some of the best Filipino cuisines in Singapore.

Look forward to dishes such as pork sinigang, kare-kare, and Filipino-styled spaghetti. Each dish typically costs around $5 to $10.

Address: Orchard Rd, #03-25 Lucky Plaza, Singapore 238863

Opening hours: 9am to 9pm daily