Good hawker food don't look great, but they don't have to anyway. Don't miss their flavourful sambal chilli, which the owner painstakingly makes from scratch. I also love the soup that is chock-full of ingredients - special shout out to the sliced pork and pork liver that were cooked till just right and tender.

Another Hot 100 list favourite, this Chinese noodle stall in Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre is a respected spot for Xiao Long Bao ($6 for 10), Hong You Chao Shou (dumplings in chilli oil and vinegar, $4.50 for 10) and Zha Jiang Mian ($3.50). The xiao long baos are plump and juicy, and are said to rival those at Din Tai Fung. The hong you chao shou on the other hand sees minced meat dumplings drenched in a bath of vinegar, chilli oil and Sichuan spices. The dumplings are prepared fresh upon order, but Burpple Tastemaker Julius Lim assures us that it is well worth the waiting time. The zha jiang mian is a steal at $3.50, and makes a good bed to soak up dripping sauces from the dumplings.
Avg price: $5
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang

A short walk from City Hall MRT station, this cafe facing Raffles Hotel dishes out hearty, protein-based grain bowls at reasonable prices (prices are nett). Like its sister outlet in Duxton, Ninja Bowl, you can choose to have soba, greens or Ninja Rice as your base ($2 each), of which we recommend the latter that mixes brown and Japanese rice. The What's Your Beef ($18) bowl features 150g of Australian ribeye, cooked to a medium-rare doneness. It is loaded with grilled corn, sautéed mushrooms, honey glazed carrots and golden garlic chips, all perfectly plated to surround a wobbly onsen egg. There are only 30 plates of What's Your Beef available daily, so head down early to snag one! For non-beef lovers, either the Oh My Cod! ($18) that comes with a perfectly pan-seared miso-sake marinated cod fillet, or the lightly grilled Squid Fix ($18) will satisfy. Oh, and since you (kinda) ate clean, you might as well share a Marvellous Matcha ($16) — the irresistible oozing matcha hotcake!
Avg Price: $20 per person
Photo by Burppler Shawn Loh

A Poke Theory rolled out its first poké bowl at its Boon Tat outlet four months ago, and already it has won over the hearts of many young CBD folks. It's a convenient and favourable dining option in the CBD (there are plenty of seats), so head down early to avoid disappointment. The two sizes, Regular (from $11.50) or Large (from $15), refer to the amount of fish you get, not the size of the bowl. Choose from one of three bases (rice, quinoa or lettuce) and one of four marinades — get the signature sushi rice infused with garlic and chili and the spicy mayo salmon for your marinade. Toppings like cherry tomatoes, cubed pineapples and furikake are free flow, while premium toppings like Kale Chips, Crispy Salmon Skin and Spiced Cashew Nuts ($2 each) come highly recommended by the Burpple community. Don't leave without having their Superfood Smoothie Bowl ($6) to share — we're partial towards the refreshing Raspberry Tropic that comes topped with pomegranate seeds, mango cubes, coconut chips and sunflower seeds.
Avg Price: $15 per person
Photo by Burppler Monica Lie

Juicy guo tie always! Xiao long bao was a bit of let down as the meat is mushy... but rest of the food is good, also had the boiled dumplings which is quite nice. The service here is very good too.

Tight on cash but bent on impressing your date? Head to this cosy restaurant near Kembangan MRT for quality Western fare at very affordable prices. In general, the pastas are more competitively priced than their meat mains yet equally tasty — try the Duck Confit Tagliatelle ($16) or Gnocchi ($17) with roasted corn and corn puree. If you have a larger budget, go straight for the Flat Iron Steak ($28), a seasonal dish served only from Fridays to Sundays. While lean, the beef is incredibly tender, and comes topped with zingy chimichurri. For dessert, have the Popcorn Flan ($13) to share. It's like popcorn, but made so much better with trimmings like hazelnut brittle and caramel foam.
Avg Price: $50 per couple
Photo by Burppler Jayson Yeo

The drunkard pork noodles ($7.90) were really chewy and flavourful with the chilli adding a spicy kick to it. The red tomyam chicken soup ($6.90) had a nice balance of sour and spice to it too! These dishes had a generous serving of meat as well.

This hawker stall at Amoy Street Food Centre has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2013, working its way to being awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in both 2016 and 2017. Run by Shatec graduates and fine-dining-trained chefs Gwern Khoo and Ben Tham, A Noodle Story puts a premium spin on local wanton noodles, and their service is top-notch too! Brave the queues for their lauded Singapore Style Ramen ($7). Unlike what its name suggests, the base features thin, springy wanton noodles laced in an umami-rich sauce, topped with painstakingly prepared ingredients — juicy prawn-filled dumplings, a crisp-golden potato prawn, an oozy lava egg and, in Tastemaker Kelly Wong's words, "melt-in-your-mouth chashu bathed in a sweet and savoury gravy". Be prepared to wait an average of 30 minutes for a bowl of this deliciousness, although the Burpple community seems to have had luck with 15-minute waits when they visit at the magic hour of 6:15pm. Our advice? Better early and wait than late, for they close the stall the moment noodles run out, more or less around 7pm.
Avg Price: $10 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Kelly Wong

A longtime favourite among Thai food fans, Ah Loy Thai draws the crowds for both its flavourful cooking as well as reasonable prices. They have moved from their Shaw Towers home to a bigger space along Tan Quee Lan Street, making it great for value-conscious group gatherings. The dishes here are pretty much bang on in terms of taste, so it's hard to go wrong. Some of our favourites include the Thai Lemon Steamed Fish ($17), bathed in a spicy and zesty sauce perfect for drenching rice in, the Tom Yum Goong ($8.90) that's thick and just the right amount of spice and tang, and the tender and crisp Garlic Pork ($9.40) that'd help douse the fiery flames. Good old Thai Iced Tea ($2.50) will help too.
Pro tip: They only accept cash, so make sure you stop by the ATM first!
Avg Price: $10 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Cassie Ong

While a haven for vegetarians, Fortune Centre is also home to this nondescript yet wholly popular shop dishing out bowls of donburis to hungry hordes. Tucked away on the third floor, Japanese Curry Express is a popular spot for students and office workers in the area, and for good reason! The Pork Katsu Curry ($7) is one of their cheaper options and consistently hits the spot if you're in the mood for something deep-fried. What we really like however is the Salmon Mentai Don ($10), which sees generous slices of lightly torched salmon and mentaiko laid over fluffy Japanese rice. Portions run small, so upsize the bowl (additional $3) for a donburi that'll definitely hit the spot. If you're still pecking, get the moreish Salmon Kara Karaage ($6) to share and nibble on lightly battered salmon offcuts.
Avg Price: $10 per person
Photo by Burppler Alicia Kho

The 12th concept by chef Keisuke Takeda specialises in hamburg steak. In fact, there are only two items on the menu — the Keisuke Prime Beef Hamburg Set ($18.80) and the Triple Cheese Prime Beef Hamburg Set ($20.80). Both are made using minced prime US beef shoulder, and are seriously juicy and tender. Spend the extra $2 for the incredibly molten centre of cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan. While prices aren't likely to give hawkers a run for their money, you get a lot more than what you'll pay for here. These guys are seriously generous with the complimentary side dishes. They have about 20 items on rotation, including salads, cold pastas and eggs done any way you like from the live egg station! Burp. Pro tip: Burppler Colin Tan suggests visiting early close to opening times (11:30am and 5:30pm) to avoid the crowds.
Avg Price: $20 per person
Photo by Burppler Darrick Leow