Protein bowls, pasta and more: 5 lunch deals from $13++ to check out in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Dinners in town burning a hole in your pocket? Lunch out instead.

Often, restaurants save their best deals for the afternoon, and patrons pay significantly less for what is essentially the same quality of cooking. At least that is the commitment establishments like Acqua e Farina make to guests.

The Italian restaurant, which has outlets at The Rail Mall and Keong Saik Road, promises the same air-flown ingredients and portion sizes for lunch and dinner. While a plate of pasta on the dinner a la carte menu costs at least $37++, lunch pastas start at $17++ and are capped at $23++. 

“Most of the dishes are being priced at a loss,” says chef-owner Antonio Manetto, 51. “We hope and believe that when guests recognise the value of the experience, they are more likely to return, recommend us to others and become long-term supporters of the restaurant.” 

Despite the better value, lunch remains the quieter seating for now. This, he suspects, is because people often make a deliberate trip to Keong Saik Road for dinner, while lunch is primarily dictated by convenience and proximity. 

“That said, we believe there is still plenty of opportunity to grow our lunch business,” he says, adding that the area is home to a strong office crowd, residents and visitors searching for quality round the clock.  

At Wenzhou Mansion, lunch has received what the restaurant deems an “encouraging” response. Restaurant manager Kelvin Voon, 39, says: “We have also seen many guests return after their initial lunch visit to explore our dinner offerings and seasonal seafood specials. This suggests that the lunch menu has successfully served as an introduction to Wenzhou cuisine and encouraged diners to further discover the richness of the culinary tradition.”  

Here are five places to bookmark for lunch the next time you need something to look forward to at work. 

A la carte steals at Acqua e Farina 

Where: 400 Upper Bukit Timah Road, The Rail Mall, and 35A Keong Saik Road
Open: Various opening hours 
Info: str.sg/hnP9

Acqua e Farina deliberately eschews the set lunch menu for a reason. Chef-owner Antonio Manetto maintains that an a la carte menu gives guests “more flexibility and greater freedom to mix and match dishes according to their appetite, group size and how much time they have”.  

“Naturally, the dishes are also chosen to ensure that they aren’t too rich, so lunchtime diners feel good and energised, ready to face the day.”  

That means creations like linguine with smoked salmon in cream pesto sauce ($23++) – bright and herbaceous – and Ravioli ai Porcini ($21++), stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach, and tossed in a delicious mushroom cream sauce. 

While the Rail Mall and Keong Saik Road menus are largely similar, there are a few location-specific exclusives. Among the starters, the caprese buffalo cheese with roma tomatoes ($21++) is available only in Keong Saik Road. That restaurant also swops out the Rail Mall’s Pizza Prosciutto ($24++) for a tomato-based pizza with mozzarella and salami ($24++). 

Options galore at Wenzhou Mansion 

Where: 60, 62, 64 Tanjong Pagar Road
Open: 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm, daily 
Info: str.sg/4ggvN

Wenzhou Mansion has two types of lunch menus: an a la carte list that spans seven categories and set menus that start at $35++.

The a la carte menu comprises cold appetisers, dim sum and staples, seafood, soups and broths, meat dishes, vegetables and desserts. Some dishes are priced more affordably here than on the dinner menu, though portions are also smaller. 

For instance, the raw marinated Wenzhou swimming crab costs $68++ at lunch and $128++ at dinner. A cheaper, albeit reduced, portion of the char siew ($15++) is also available for lunch. 

“Many guests have shared that the lunch menu offers an accessible and convenient way to experience Wenzhou cuisine. It has attracted a significant number of first-time diners,” says restaurant manager Kelvin Voon. 

“Among our corporate clientele, the two- and four-person set menus have been particularly well received, as they are well suited for business lunches and group dining.” 

The set lunch for two costs $168++, while the four-person meal costs $288++. Both include regional specialities like duck tongue and yellow croaker fish, though the latter also features premium options such as Jiangnan-style stir-fried tiger prawns. 

Build your own bowl at Sip Sip  

Where: 01-01, 63 Chulia Street
Open: 9am to 11pm (Mondays and Tuesdays); 9am to 1am (Wednesdays to Fridays); 9am to 5pm (Saturdays) Info: www.sipsip.com.sg

Sip Sip, a dining and social destination in Chulia Street, has something for all hours of the day. 

Early birds dropping in for breakfast can start their day with a guava jam and peanut butter thick toast ($6.50++), pancakes with chocolate whipped cream ($5++) or its other bagels and toasts.

Lunch is a lighter affair, with a customisable menu that starts at $13++. Pick between quinoa or mesclun for your base, then add a protein – miso tempeh, grilled chicken breast, roasted boneless chicken leg or shoga salmon. Four sides – charred corn and kale crisps are among the options – complete the meal, which was introduced in May.

Cafe by day and bar by night, Sip Sip serves coffee and matcha till 5pm, at which point the bar trades its morning mugs for martini glasses. And it is now open on Saturdays too, armed with an all-day brunch menu entirely under $30++. 

It features brunch staples like French toast ($18++) – thick and custardy – as well as a beef pastrami grilled cheese sandwich ($24++) and cured salmon blinis ($26++).

1-for-1 buffet at Permata 

Where: 73 Sultan Gate 
Open: Noon to 2.30pm daily (lunch buffet) 
Info: www.gedungkuning.sg/permata 

For a feast fit for a prince, head to the historic Gedung Kuning (or Yellow Mansion) in Kampong Gelam, where Permata, a halal-certified buffet restaurant, is running a one-for-one buffet promotion priced at $88++ for two adults (usual price $88++ an adult). 

Further discounts are available for seniors and guests between seven and 17 years old. Children below the age of seven dine free. 

The restaurant refreshes its menu every couple of months, and the theme for July and August is flavours of the Lion City. The spread includes appetisers like roti john, ngoh hiang and cucur bawang, as well as salads and seafood on ice. 

Mains run the gamut of local classics, from Nonya laksa and nasi lemak to chilli crab and chicken rice. A wide array of condiments complements this abundance, including six kinds of sambal. 

This menu runs until Aug 31, and is available all week round. 

Korean set menu at Gu:um

Where: 29 Keong Saik Road 
Open: Noon to 2.30pm (Wednesdays to Fridays); 11.30am to 2.30pm (Saturdays and Sundays); 6pm to 10.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays)  
Info: www.guum.sg 

Korean steakhouse Gu:um is already positioned as the more accessible option for those who cannot afford a table at chef-owner Louis Han’s other restaurant, the one-Michelin-starred Nae:um in Telok Ayer Street. 

If you are looking to stretch your dollar even further, visit at lunchtime. Gu:um’s set lunch is priced at $48++ and is available from Wednesdays to Sundays. 

Each platter comes with banchan, a soup of the day, steamed egg, drink and main. Options include dishes like Moksal steak – a type of pork collar glazed with fermented fish sauce and grilled – and bulgogi naengmyeon – featuring somyeon in a fermented radish broth, topped with stir-fried beef brisket. 

These dishes are not on the restaurant’s a la carte menu, which instead foregrounds its grilled options, priced upwards of $56++, except for the Jeju Island Abalone, which costs $22++ a piece. 

A la carte rice and noodle dishes, on the other hand, hover around the $22++ to $68++ range.