Budget
Killiney Kopitiam
A Singaporean legend now franchised across the island, this ordinary-looking coffeeshop continues to pack in the crowds for its famous kaya toast a steal at $0.80 per slice, with the kaya itself also sold at $3/5 for a small/large jar. For lunch or dinner, try the more substantial chicken curry with grilled French bread $4.50.
Asian Food Mall
One of the cheapest food courts in the district. Prices are about 30% cheaper than the food courts at nearby malls while still maintaining excellent Singapore standards. Stalls serve local and Asian fare: the chicken rice stall usually sells out well before closing and the ayam penyet is no slouch either.
Gyoza no Osho
On the ground floor of a musty mall filled with dodgy Japanese karaoke joints, this greasy spoon joint specializing in ramen noodles and gyoza dumpling will make you sweat — partly because the soups are hot, partly because they don't have aircon.
Ayam Penyet Ria
Very popular Indonesian eatery specializing in ayam penyet or "smashed chicken", breaded, deep-fried and flattened, served with the fiery chili sambal of the name. For a less spicy treat, sample their excellent rawon beef soup.
Almost every shopping mall has its own food court, but for gourmet snacking, it's hard to beat the collection of shops and stands at Takashimaya's basement. Be careful though, those $2 squid balls won't fill you up.
Food Republic
Food court done up as a series of hawker carts and decorated with various nostalgic knick-knacks. The food is a notch above average try eg. the hokkien mee fried noodles, with a perennial queue snaking out in front, and so are the crowds. Slightly more expensive than the competition.
Midrange
Central
Hip Hong Kong-style tea cafe offering both Chinese classics like rickshaw noodles as well as modern fare like baked rice with cheese and their infamous durian fried rice. Try the thousand layer tofu with pork floss $4 and wash it down with some yin-yang tea and coffee mixed together, $3.
Lao Beijing
Among Singapore's best places for Northern Chinese cuisine, particularly well known for their guotie and jiaozi dumplings. Can get expensive in the evenings, but the weekend High Tea buffet Sat, Sun and holidays, 3-5 PM only at S$13.80 per person is a deservedly popular steal — not only is there the traditional laid-out buffet, but you can also order dumplings from the menu.
Din Tai Fung
The Singapore branch of the award-winning Taiwanese chain, serves some of the best xiao long bao $8.50 per platter this side of Shanghai. Expect to queue near mealtimes, but it's a big place and the queue moves fast. Second outlet at Wisma Atria.
Big O
Casual Western-style eatery best known for having some of the best desserts in town, including some great New York-style cheesecakes and the pungent Spike D durian cake.
Sushitei
A popular chain of conveyor belt sushi joints, with the Takashimaya outlet tops for quality and popularity. You pay a slight premium here for the fresh ingredients, but at $2 and up per plate it's still a steal. Second outlet in Paragon.
Shimbashi Soba
The best Japanese soba noodles you'll find in Singapore, made by hand in the adjoining glass-walled workshop. The best time to come here is lunch, when you can get filling set meals for $15 or so.
Sakae Sushi
A fairly happy compromise of price and quality, plates $1.90 each except red premium plates at $6.90. All you can eat on weekdays 3-6 PM only for $16.90++. Tip: order off the menu if you don't see what you want, the price is still the same.
Soup Restaurant
Offers not only excellent Chinese-style soup, but also plenty of traditional Singaporean Chinese fare, including their trademark samsui chicken slow-boiled chicken eaten wrapped in lettuce with garlic sauce. Eat a Chinatown Heritage Course $50 for two for lunch and take the leftovers home for dinner. Franchises throughout Singapore, including Suntec City and Changi Airport.
Top end
Chatterbox
Possibly Singapore's most famous chicken rice, and at $30/plate after tax, certainly its most expensive — but you do get very generous portions, air-con, red-lacquered furniture and panoramic views over Orchard. For the budget alternative, go to Mr Chicken Rice in the Downtown East mall next to the Singapore Flyer, run by Chatterbox's original chef and offering the same for $3! Often full on weekends, so call ahead, or eat the same meal at the Observation Lounge on the level below. Frequent 1-for-1 promos for AmEx cardholders.
Mezza9
Famous for their Sunday Munch, arguably the best of Singapore's many extravagant hotel brunches. Worth a splurge at $138 per person, including free-flow Perrier-Jouet champagne. 11:30 AM to 3 PM on Sundays only, reservations essential.
Sushi Kikuzawa
Tiny hole-in-the-wall sushi joint, but the ten counter seats here are packed every night thanks to their simple concept: pay a flat fee and the chef makes all the sushi you can eat. You can either let the chef pick, or order off a ten-page menu. Reservations highly advisable.
Sabai
Authentic fine Thai cuisine cooked by a group of Thai chefs. Rather pricy for the food served, with a small buffet dessert table. Try the red and green curries and the stuffed chicken wings. Staples like pad thai and pineapple rice are also good.
Crystal Jade Palace
The flagship of the chain, which serves authentic Cantonese food. Dinner here is fairly expensive, but the set lunch for two is good value at $50. The dim sum during the lunch time is worth trying as well as the roasted meat and wonton noodles during lunchtime. Reservations recommended as queues can be as long as an hour.
Orchard Road is brimming with fiercely competitive restaurants. One easy option is Crystal Jade (http://www.crystaljade.com/), a popular chain of Chinese restaurants with outlets in nearly every major shopping mall in Singapore, including Suntec City, Shaw House and Paragon.
Orchard is a good place to sample not just Singaporean food, but food from all over the planet. That said, if you're pinching pennies, prices tend to be slightly inflated by Singaporean standards, but well, at least it's not as bad as Sentosa.