Bugis Junction is one of my favourite haunts. It’s plonked right in the heart of Singapore’s downtown area and enjoys direct connectivity to Bugis MRT, and I’ve spent many hours here ever since I was a teen.
This sprawling mall has close to 200 shops spread across 3 floors and a basement, and no matter the time or day, it always seems to be packed with a mixture of families, tourists, young teenagers out on dates, and working adults fleeting from meeting to meeting.
If you’re on a budget, this article is for you. Here are our top 10 picks in Bugis Junction for a cheap and good meal.
1. Fu Lin Original Fried Yong Tofu (#03-30B)
On the 3rd floor of Bugis Junction lies one of my favourite yong tau foo joints ever— Fu Lin Original Fried Yong Tofu. Yes, it’s that Fu Lin Yong Tofu— the same one at 721 East Coast Road which has been serving crispy yong tau foo since 1995.
Unlike most yong tau foo places which blanch your ingredients and serve it dry or with soup, Fu Lin Yong Tofu is most well known for its minced chicken and mushroom gravy, which is doused over deep-fried yong tau foo ingredients for an indulgent and satisfying meal.
As with most yong tau foo shops, prices will go by how many ingredients you’ve picked.
For example, 6 Pieces (Fried + Gravy + Noodles) will set you back S$8. Additional Meat Gravy costs S$1.50 and if you’re picking more ingredients, note that most items cost an additional S$0.90, while certain items like Cheese Hotdog and Ngoh Hiang are more expensive and are considered 3 pieces each.
If you’re not up for fried ingredients or its mushroom with meat gravy, Fu Lin Original Fried Yong Tofu also offers 6 Pieces (Soup + Noodles) (S$7) or 6 Pieces (Curry + Noodles) (S$8).
Daily: 10am – 9pm
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2. Josh’s Grill (#01-69)
Who ever said that Western restaurants had to be expensive hasn’t been to Josh’s Grill. Tucked along the outskirts of Bugis Junction’s 1st floor, you’ll find this casual Western bistro at the traffic light towards Liang Seah Street.
It specialises in flame-grilled Western dishes, with mains starting from S$12.90.
Considering that each main dish comes with your choice of 2 hot or cold sides, its S$12.90 price tag is pretty affordable.
Choose from staples like Char-grill Chicken Chop with Homemade Onion Sauce (S$12.90) or more interesting combinations like Char-grill Chicken Chop with Mixed Berries Sauce (S$12.90), and pick from side dishes like Mac & Cheese, Cold Spaghetti and Cheesy Butter Rice.
Alternatively, try its Crispy Battered Fish with Homemade Tartar Sauce (S$13.90), or go all out with its Au Sirloin with Beef Sauce (200g) (S$23.90).
+65 6337 8633
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
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3. The Original Boat Noodle (#02-46)
Boat noodles are perfect for when you’re feeling peckish, because they’re served in tiny, hand-sized bowls that you can slurp up in a single mouthful.
To satiate all your boat noodle cravings, head to The Original Boat Noodle, which is located on the 2nd floor of Bugis Junction.
Pick from 4 types of boat noodles— Pathumthani (a dark soy sauce broth which is both sour and spicy), Ayutthaya 2.0 (creamy dark broth with coconut milk), Creamy Tomyum (hot and sour soup with milk) and Sweet Kuey Chap.
Each bowl will cost you a mere S$1.80++ and you can pick between Beef and Chicken, as well as your choice of noodle (Rice Noodle or Springy Noodle), so feel free to go all out and order one of every kind.
Apart from boat noodles, The Original Boat Noodle also offers classic Thai dishes like Pad Thai (S$8.90), Yum Mama (S$7.90) and Bangkok Omelette Rice (S$9.90).
+65 6665 0246
Sun to Thu: 11.30am – 8.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 9pm
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4. Malaysia Boleh! (#03-30)
Taking over what used to be Food Junction on the 3rd floor of Bugis Junction is Malaysia Boleh!, a popular food court offering Malaysian street eats.
This particular location opened in July 2022, and was the homegrown brand’s 4th outlet. Currently, Malaysia Boleh! has a total of 6 locations in Singapore, including The Centrepoint and i12 Katong.
From Claypot Chicken Rice (S$5.50) to Mixed Beef Noodles (from S$7.50), the choices at Malaysia Boleh! are varied enough to give you a real headache during lunch time. Should I order the Signature Noodle (S$6.50) from newly-launched Sei Ngan Zai Roast Duck, or a classic plate of Char Kway Teow (S$5)?
Making its first appearance in Singapore is also Ipoh White Coffee (S$2), so be sure to snag a sip of this traditional Ipoh drink while you’re here.
Daily: 10am – 10pm
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5. Miam Miam (#02-14)
Freshly out of renovation is Miam Miam, a French-Japanese cafe on the 2nd floor of Bugis Junction.
What I particularly love about Miam Miam is its unique offerings, which range from souffles to donburi, thus ensuring that I can satisfy my food and dessert cravings in the same place.
Most of its main dishes start from S$15, with options like Carbonara (S$16.50) and Shogayaki Pork Donburi (S$16.50), but a must-try when you’re at Miam Miam is its signature Famous French Toast (S$11.80). This is an all-time classic, featuring warm French toast drizzled with maple syrup and freshly made vanilla whipped cream.
For a little bit more oomph, go for the Vanilla Souffle (S$10.80), an airy yet indulgent dessert that’s made with homemade vanilla custard, or try the Souffle De Nuage (S$17.90), which is tomato rice topped with an egg and cheese souffle.
+65 6837 0301
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Fri: 11.30am – 10pm
Sat: 11am – 10pm
Sun: 11am – 9.30pm
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6. Osaka Ohsho (#B1-K2)
I’ve walked past Osaka Ohsho a dozen times, and I can bet you have too. You’ll find this Japanese restaurant in the basement of Bugis Junction, near Cold Storage.
What you might not have known is that Osaka Ohsho first established itself as a gyoza specialist in Osaka and they’ve been around since 1969! Currently, Osaka Ohsho has over 300 outlets all across the world, including Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea and Singapore.
Whether or not you come here for its Gyoza Rice Set (12 pieces) (S$10.90) or other Japanese dishes such as Sui Gyoza Nabeyaki Ramen (from S$9.90), you’ll be surprised to find out that most of its dishes are reasonably priced.
Not to mention, Osaka Ohsho often has seasonal items and promotions too, such as its Rice Sets which start from S$10.90, or Fried Rice options which start from S$9.90!
+65 6338 0343
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
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7. Tangled (#B1-K10)
Pasta is one of my go-tos for a quick and fuss-free meal, and while most fast food pasta joints tend to take the express method in its preparation, Tangled doesn’t.
This takeaway kiosk specialises in freshly made pasta and keeps it affordable, with prices starting from as low as S$8.90.
It might be a takeaway kiosk, but that doesn’t mean its offerings aren’t anything less than spectacular.
You can look forward to interesting pasta combinations such as Mango Tango (S$9.90), which is made of squid ink spaghetti aglio e olio with prawns and mango salsa, or Moo Ragu (S$11.90), a classic beef ragu pasta which uses beef that had been slow-cooked for 16 hours.
More impressively, Tangled’s pastas are all freshly made with natural ingredients. For example, Pesto Besto (S$10.90) uses spinach pasta, while Truffle Shuffle Shrooms (S$8.90) features mushroom pasta.
Daily: 11am – 9pm
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8. LeNu Chef Wai’s Noodle Bar (#B1-22)
LeNu Chef Wai’s Noodle Bar is tucked away in the basement of Bugis Junction, serving delicious bowls of beef noodle soup that’ll warm you up from the inside out.
More importantly, its dishes are relatively affordable too, with the cheapest dry noodle dish costing S$9.30.
LeNu Chef Wai’s Noodle Bar offers 2 types of broth: braised beef broth, which has been prepared for 18 hours, and its pork bone broth, which is rich in collagen and protein.
While most folks go for the Braised Wagyu Beef Noodle (S$17.90), those on a budget won’t be shortchanged with its Braised Marbled Beef Noodle (S$12.30), which uses the same rich beef broth.
As for the pork bone broth, my personal favourite is the Braised Pork Rib with Scallion Noodle (S$13.30) thanks to its comforting broth and tender pork ribs.
+65 6336 7965
Mon to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 10.30am – 10pm
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9. Hey! Yakiniku (#01-92/96)
The rise of casual yakiniku joints that serve wallet-friendly grill options hasn’t gone unnoticed, and one of the latest brands to enter the ring is Hey! Yakiniku, which is located on the 1st floor of Bugis Junction.
With a slogan that says “No smoke! No GST! No service charge!”, Hey! Yakiniku is one of your best bets if you’re looking to satisfy your yakiniku cravings while on a budget.
It offers 9 yakiniku set menus such as the popular Karubi Set (S$15.90 for 200g) or Sukiyaki Karubi Set (S$12.90 for 100g), the latter of which is their most affordable item on the menu. All sets come with rice, soup, kimchi or salad, and spicy bean sprouts to ensure you have a complete meal with your grilled meats.
Daily: 11am – 10pm
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10. Eighteen Chefs (#04-06)
Ever since halal-certified Eighteen Chefs was founded in 2007, it became a household name thanks to its affordable set meals and baked rice.
More inspiringly, Eighteen Chefs was started by ex-offender and former drug addict Benny Se Teo with the mission of hiring ex-offenders and troubled youths. Benny retired in Nov 2021, but the chain is still going strong, with a total of 8 outlets spread across Singapore.
At Eighteen Chefs, you’ve got the ability to make your own baked rice dish, with options starting from as low as S$8.80 for students and S$9.20 for the rest of the public.
Start by choosing your choice of carbs, such as Spaghetti (S$8.80 for students, S$9.20 for public) or Cheese Baked Rice (S$8.80 for students, S$9.20 for public), and move on to pick your choice of sauce. My favourite will always be its Creamy White, though you can opt for Spicy Garlic or Spicy Tomato.
Lastly, pick your main ingredient from options such as Chicken Sausage, Butter Corn, Mushroom or Broccoli. You can also add on extra ingredients like Minced Beef (S$2.80) or Sliced Beef Steak (S$3.80).
Be sure to whip out your student card or NSF identification, as you’ll be entitled to a free meal, which comes with soup/ice cream and iced lemon tea.
+65 6734 9741
Sun to Thu: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 10pm
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Bugis Junction
200 Victoria Street, Singapore 188021
Bugis Junction
200 Victoria Street, Singapore 188021
