From chicken soto soup to pasta to snapper curry, enjoy eight lunch sets from $8.90 in town

SINGAPORE – The journey is long, the day longer still. For Singaporeans who have been exposed to the convenience of working from home, returning to the office can feel like a tedious hassle. 

To make their efforts worthwhile, restaurants are trying to woo back diners with set meals and value deals that make the trek to town a little less painful. 

In some cases, the introduction of these lunch menus has helped boost footfall, by around 35 per cent in the case of Capitol Tower restaurant Sushisamba Singapore, for instance. Shisen Hanten in Hilton Singapore Orchard also reports a 50 per cent rise in lunch footfall, thanks to its set menu. 

Here are eight set lunch options for every budget – whether you want to eat more for less or go all out and treat yourself. 

D’Penyetz Heritage

Where: 01-00, 5 Kadayanallur Street
Open: 11am to 9pm daily 
Info:

@dpenyetz.heritage

on Instagram 

Lunch sets at Indonesian restaurant D’Penyetz Heritage in lifestyle hub Kada in Maxwell start at $8.90 for gado gado Surabaya – mixed vegetables with peanut sauce – rice cakes, kerupuk, a bowl of soup and a drink. 

Other options under $10 include its Javanese chicken soto soup, which comes with rice; and beef ball noodle beehoon soup. Both sets cost $9.20 and include a drink. 

Protein-heavy meals are priced slightly higher, at $11.90, for the restaurant’s signature ayam penyet set, and $12.50 for one with a whole fried pomfret. Still, these combos, rolled out in February 2025, remain among the Central Business District’s (CBD) most affordable options. 

Branch owner Mahathir Omar, 45, says: “As our menu is quite extensive, we thought we’d better come up with lunch sets, which make it easier for customers to decide what to order.”

The menu was developed based on customer preferences, tracked since the restaurant opened in December 2024. So far, Mr Mahathir says, the response has been encouraging, though the sets have not really had an impact on the size of its lunch crowd. 

The casual eatery chain, which has outlets in Jem and Downtown East, also offers a special saver deal from 2.30 to 8.30pm at its Maxwell outlet. For $6.50, customers can get a plate of tahu telor, chicken skin or gado gado, with the option to add a cup of teh tarik for $1. 

D’Penyetz Heritage is halal-friendly, though it is still in the process of obtaining official certification. 

Sushisamba Singapore 

Where: Level 52 Capital Tower, 168 Robinson Road
Open: Noon to 3pm daily (Mondays to Saturdays), 5.30pm to midnight (Mondays to Wednesdays); 5.30pm to 1am (Thursdays), 6pm to 1am (Fridays); 6pm to 2am (Saturdays); closed on Sundays  
Info:

www.sushisamba.com

For a fancier experience with cuisine from farther afield, check out Sushisamba’s Vivo Business Lunch, which starts at $58++ for two courses.

From noon to 3pm on weekdays, customers can pick two starters from a range of small plates such as Peruvian corn salad or salmon seviche, as well as a main course. Options include seafood cazuela rice; and chicken with koji miso, ginger, garlic and chimichurri. 

Get dessert – mochi ice cream with passion fruit – for an additional $10, while drinks cost $20 more. 

The restaurant prides itself on its ability to cater to different dietary preferences, and the lunch menu has a number of gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. The crispy tofu taquito and mushroom tobanyaki, for instance, check all three boxes. 

“We also use gluten-free soya sauce and are always happy to customise dishes to suit special dietary restrictions such as allergies,” says Sushisamba Singapore’s executive chef Paul Hallett, 48.

He adds that lunch is always prepared a la minute and special attention is paid to dishes with raw produce – like seviche and sushi – to retain their freshness.

The first Singapore outpost of the global brand is perched on the 52nd floor of Capital Tower in Robinson Road, which means its 360-degree view of the Singapore skyline is as much the highlight as its Japanese-, Peruvian- and Brazilian-inflected cuisine. 

It also means, however, that the chance for organic footfall is slim. Chef Hallett hopes the lunch deal will boost awareness of the restaurant’s offerings. 

With its comparatively lower price point – the omakase set menu starts at $185++ a person, while the boozy Copacabana brunch is priced at $168++ – it could also serve as a more accessible entry point to Sushisamba’s brand of sky-high dining.  

27 Degrees West 

Where: 362 Orchard Road 
Open: Noon to 11pm (Sundays to Thursdays); noon to midnight (Fridays and Saturdays); closed on Mondays 
Info:

27degreeswest.com

At Indian restaurant 27 Degrees West, lunch is served in a four-tiered tiffin carrier flown in from the western Indian city of Jamnagar, one of the country’s leading centres of brass production. 

Inspired by the lunches of salarymen in colonial India, the Dabba Du Jour meals are available from Tuesdays to Fridays from noon to 2.30pm, with offerings rotating daily. Each set comes with a starter, a main, bread and a dessert, and costs $24.90. 

“Our team researched regional cooking techniques and flavour profiles from different Indian states, focusing on dishes that would transport well in traditional tiffin containers,” says owner and celebrity chef Varun Inamdar, 40. 

“The final menu selection balances authenticity with ingredients available locally and dishes that can be efficiently prepared during peak lunch hours.”

Tuesdays find the kitchen in the north of India, cooking up Punjabi classics such as dal makhani, a buttery stew of black lentils and red kidney beans spiced with chilli oil and smoothed over with creme fraiche.

Coastal dishes such as Goan Saraswat snapper curry and Kerala mixed vegetable thoran get their turn in the tiffin on Wednesdays, accompanied by sweet treats like Mangalore Sabudana Payasam, a dessert made with sago pearls, coconut cream and cardamom. 

On Thursdays, the menu heads down south, picking up regional specialities like Andaman and Nicobar Islands chilli curry and ivy gourd stir-fried Andhra Pradesh-style along the way. 

And, finally, Fridays present a highlight reel of the restaurant’s bestsellers, including paneer tikka as well as dal tadka, the house dal made with lentils, cumin, coriander seeds and chilli oil. 

Amo 

Where: 33 HongKong Street
Open: Noon to 2.30pm and 6 to 11pm daily 
Info:

www.amorestaurant.sg

Italian restaurant Amo in HongKong Street revamped its menu at the end of 2024. With the overhaul comes a new two-course lunch option ($28++) aimed at guests with tighter schedules. 

It is a streamlined version of the restaurant’s previous three- and five-course sets, and reflects a growing trend of moving away from long, languid meals at higher prices. 

The new lunch set is served from noon to 2.30pm on weekdays. It features a rotating selection of appetisers, followed by a choice of pasta or meat for the main course. 

Starters, for instance, could include a spinach salad with Parmigiano cheese and crispy Parma ham, or pumpkin soup with truffle pesto and hazelnuts. 

For mains, diners might be given options like trofie pasta with pesto and Parmigiano cheese, or roasted chicken leg with potato mash and rosemary jus. 

“Inspired by seasonal ingredients, this menu delivers a quick, satisfying lunch experience, ideal for busy professionals or casual gatherings,” says chef-restaurateur Beppe de Vito, 51, founder of the ilLido Group, which runs Amo. 

He adds that the response has been excellent so far, with guests especially appreciative of the weekly changes to the menu. “This has led to a growing number of familiar faces returning week after week.”

The Marmalade Pantry 

Where: 01-01 (Lobby Level) Oasia Hotel Downtown, 100 Peck Seah Street; and 01-02/04 Oasia Hotel Novena, 8 Sinaran Drive
Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily 
Info:

www.themarmaladepantry.com.sg

To feed the hordes of hungry workers heading out for lunch, The Marmalade Pantry has rolled out outlet-exclusive set lunches ($28++) at its Tanjong Pagar and Novena joints. 

The two-course meal includes a soup of the day, main dish and beverage. Dessert is available at an additional cost – $5 for a cupcake or $12 for a slice of cake. 

The menu, available from 11.30am to 3pm on weekdays, is refreshed quarterly. 

“This allows us to showcase seasonal ingredients and introduce a variety of flavours, while still offering familiar favourites,” says Mr Brian Stampe, 52, chief operating officer of Commonwealth Concepts, which runs the brand. 

“Whether it’s a casual catch-up with friends or a business lunch, the rotating menu helps us keep the dining experience dynamic and satisfying, catering to the evolving preferences of our guests.”

The restaurant identified mains from its a la carte menu which guests might appreciate for lunch. For example, it noticed that some diners tend to gravitate towards lighter, fresher options such as the Viet-Thai prawn salad and chicken tabbouleh to avoid the post-lunch “coma”.

Others, meanwhile, seek familiar flavours like the creamy mushroom spaghetti, squid ink carbonara and spicy chicken burger. All of these options are on the January to April menu.

“Ultimately, our goal is to create a menu that caters to diverse preferences, delivering a satisfying and fuss-free dining experience to all our customers,” Mr Stampe adds.  

Shisen Hanten 

Where: Level 35 Hilton Singapore Orchard, 333 Orchard Road
Open: Noon to 3pm and 6 to 10.30pm daily 
Info:

shisenhanten.com.sg

  

Fancy some strong spice and Michelin-approved finesse? Head to Japanese-Sichuan restaurant Shisen Hanten in Hilton Singapore Orchard for a luxurious five- or six-course lunch. 

Since reopening in December 2024, the newly renovated one-Michelin-starred restaurant has expanded its set lunch menu, with more signature dishes for diners to choose from. 

 Its third-generation chef-owner Chen Kentaro, 45, says: “We introduced this lunch set to allow business people who are looking for a place to hold work luncheons during their workdays to enjoy an appealing dining experience without the time commitment for a full dinner.”

The executive set lunch, which starts at $68 and is available only on weekdays, begins with an appetiser – either dim sum or a trio of Shisen Hanten specials. Next comes soup, which can be upgraded to a foie gras chawanmushi with crab roe soup for $18. 

For mains, guests pick from eight options, including sweet and sour pork with black vinegar and kung pao chicken. They can also add another main dish for $10. 

The restaurant’s signature mapo tofu with Hokkaido rice is available as a rice option, as is its spicy Inaniwa noodle soup. 

And for dessert, guests can pick one of the following: almond pudding, mango pudding or Sichuan jelly with seasonal fruit. 

Raffles Courtyard 

Where: Raffles Arcade, 328 North Bridge Road
Open: Noon to 10.30pm daily 
Info:

str.sg/etdz

Raffles Hotel, with its bevy of fine-dining restaurants and top-dollar rooms, is not the first place that springs to mind when looking for a quick weekday lunch. 

But the Raffles Courtyard set lunch is surprisingly affordable. For $25++, guests can dine on a main course and enjoy a beverage or dessert in the hotel’s lush courtyard.

Options include laksa alla chitarra (which costs $26 on the a la carte menu), smashed burger (usual price $34), red curry duck confit (usual price $28) and spaghetti aglio olio pecorino (usual price $26).

For an additional $5++, diners can pick a glass of wine or beer as their beverage. Free-flow iced Singapore Sling tea – the non-alcoholic version of the hotel’s iconic creation – is available too, at $10++ more. 

Prior to December 2024, the restaurant was open only in the early evenings to cater mainly to guests looking to end the day with some cocktails and light bites in an al fresco space. 

“We see the lunch offering as an opportunity to delight our guests with a new dining experience in the daytime at Raffles Courtyard, the city’s social space,” says Mr Joseph Lim, 46, director of food and beverage at Raffles Hotel Singapore. 

“Our new set lunch dishes are unique, hearty renditions of South-east Asian specialities designed to reflect the relaxed, lush al fresco setting amid Raffles Hotel Singapore’s heritage grounds.”

And unlike most CBD lunch deals, the set menu is available from noon to 2pm throughout the week, even on weekends. 

Cafe Quenino

Where: Level 1, 9 Cuscaden Road
Open: 6.30am to midnight daily
Info:

str.sg/zkFf

Another hotel is also hoping to lure diners to its premises with casual, more affordable lunch options. 

Cafe Quenino at Artyzen Singapore in Cuscaden Road offers lunch sets priced at $38 for two courses and $48 for three, available on weekdays from 11.30am to 2.30pm.

“Our goal is to offer diners a refined but approachable experience with the bold flavours we associate with traditional Singapore favourites,” says Mr Jeff Crowe, 66, general manager of Artyzen Singapore. 

“Singaporeans and residents will recognise familiar flavour profiles and, hopefully, appreciate our creative approach.” 

Scallop otak dumplings in coconut lobster bisque, for instance, puts a modern spin on a classic local ingredient. It can be ordered as a starter, one of several options that also include an heirloom tomato salad and Ora King salmon sashimi. 

Among the mains, the char siu glazed pork belly has emerged as a favourite among diners, according to Mr Crowe. Diners can also opt for the chef’s special to try something fresh and unexpected. 

“Since revamping the lunch set, we’ve seen an increase in footfall, with more diners discovering and enjoying the enhanced experience and variety the menu offers.  More importantly, we’ve noticed a rise in repeat guests who are also bringing their friends to experience Cafe Quenino.”

Correction note: This story has been updated with the correct price of the Raffles Courtyard set lunch - $25++ instead of $25. The name of a dish served at the restaurant has also been corrected.