News

Finding affordable lunch in City Hall and Marina Bay can be tricky, so we’re here to help. From now till 31 July, Esplanade is offering a selection of 1-for-1 weekday lunch deals from just $20, so you can eat well with your office bestie and save some moolah while you’re at it. These deals are available from 12pm to 2:30pm, except on public holidays and eve of public holidays. All the deals are for dine-in too! Here are some of the highlights you can expect from the 1-for-1 dining promotions Esplanade is running. If you’re looking for a laidback lunchtime spot, head down to Harry’s at Esplanade. The cosy gastropub offers a wide selection of hearty pub grub for you to dig into, with 1-for-1 offers on their range of mains, pastas, and pizzas to sweeten the deal. There are a ton of options to choose from, so if you’re lost for choice, here’s what we’d recommend.  The Guinness Beef Pie ($17++) is a must if you’re in need of a bit of comfort food. This twist on the Aussie beef pie sees a buttery pie crust filled with beef shin slow-cooked in Guinness stout, served alongside fries and a garden salad. For clean-eating sticklers, Harry’s also has a selection of dishes that cater to you, including the Pan Seared Salmon ($22++), where a generous, well-seasoned portion of salmon is paired with brown rice, steamed veg, and pesto.  Those feeling thirsty can also top up $4++ for your choice of juice, soda, or Heineken 0.0. Otherwise, an added $8++ gets you a pint of Heineken. Unit number: #01-05/07 Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 12pm to 11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm to 12am Tel: 8268 8251 Website Harry’s is not a halal-certified eatery. Those in the mood for Japanese food can swing by Tomo Izakaya for lunch, and enjoy 1-for-1 deals on two lunch specials: their Unagi Chazuke ($20++) or the Kaisen Royshi Meshi ($20++). The former is perfect for a rainy day—you get grilled eel atop Japanese rice and an aromatic green tea broth to pour over the two. Otherwise, chirashi lovers will definitely enjoy the Kaisen Royshi Meshi, featuring mixed sashimi and rice paired with a delicate clear soup. The set also includes free-flow hot or cold Japanese tea. Overall, for $20++ for two people, this deal is a steal! Unit number: #01-09 Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 11pm Tel: 6333 0012 Website Tomo Izakaya is not a halal-certified eatery. Founded by the folks behind A Poke Theory, the edgy Alter Ego is a great lunchtime pick if you’re on the hunt for classic Western food around Esplanade. Step into its industrial chic premises, and pore over a huge menu of burgers, pastas, and rice bowls, all of which you can get 1-for-1, thanks to the current lunch deals running. FYI: you don’t just get mains 1-for-1 either—Alter Ego’s deal includes a drink and a dessert per diner. Unit number: #01-13D, Annexe Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 12pm to 10:30pm, Fri-Sat 12pm to 11:30pm Tel: 6327 9301 Website Alter Ego is not a halal-certified eatery. If you can’t get on a plane to Louisiana, then take the MRT down to Esplanade’s acclaimed Cajun-inspired seafood bar and grill, The Boiler. The restaurant is run by a former banker who decided to become a restaurant owner after trying authentic Cajun food on a trip to the US. He’s brought those flavours back to home turf now, so diners can expect seafood boils, rib racks and plenty more of such dishes on The Boiler’s menu.  They’re running a 1-for-1 deal on their lunch specials, with six different dishes to choose from, including pasta, seafood stews, and ribs. Speaking of ribs, we highly recommend getting their St. Louis-Style Pork Ribs, which stars fall-off-the-bone pork ribs generously slathered in a sweet-smoky barbecue sauce. Otherwise, opt for their Signature Haddock Fish & Chips, where you get three pieces of very fresh, sweet haddock served with crispy fries and a zesty tartare sauce. Each 1-for-1 lunch set, priced from $20++, also comes with a cup of ice lemon tea and your choice of ice cream, be it salted caramel, coconut, and vanilla. Unit number: #01-13A, Annexe Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5pm to 10:30pm Tel: 6909 3435 Website The Boiler is not a halal-certified eatery. Italian food is another crowd favourite no matter the time of day, but if you find yourself craving the cuisine for lunch, swing by Supply & Demand’s Esplanade trattoria. The beautiful restaurant has 1-for-1 deals on six different lunch specials, which you can dig into as you enjoy views of the CBD or the wider Esplanade promenade.  Their lunch specials let you choose from their popular pasta and seafood dishes, as well as handcrafted desserts and coffees made with house-roasted beans. One highlight is their Wild Caught Mussels In Craft Beer Sauce, where mussels harvested by the local fishmongers Ah Hua Kelong are cooked in a moreish sauce made of local craft beer. We’re also fans of their All’Arrabiata with Chicken, where a fiery tomato sauce coats al dente pasta and pieces of juicy chicken. These specials are priced at $20++! Unit number: #01-13, Annexe Opening hours: Tue-Fri 11:30am to 3pm, 5pm to 10:30pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 10:30pm Tel: 6336 0588 Website Supply & Demand is not a halal-certified eatery. Old School Delights offers delicious local food and nostalgia in equal doses. The Esplanade eatery looks like an old-school tuckshop, and they’ve also got a menu of traditional dishes to match as part of their 1-for-1 lunch deals. You get to choose from six different items, including plant-based options such as the Vegan Nasi Lemak ($20+)! Each set comes with your choice of drink, with options such as lemongrass drink, ice lemon tea, and ice lime barley, as well as a slice of crepe cake. The Old School Grilled Chicken Chop ($20+) is a time-tested favourite. You get a well-marinated and grilled piece of chicken thigh with crispy skin, paired with a side of French fries. For something more local, the Nasi Lemak Supreme ($20+) comes highly recommended. This loaded nasi lemak dish comes with all the building blocks of regular nasi lemak, dressed up with sambal prawns, a crispy chicken drumstick, and a fried begedil! Unit number: #02-25 Opening hours: Wed-Mon 12pm to 9pm Tel: 6909 3507 Website Old School Delights is not halal-certified but uses halal-certified ingredients. Straits Chinese Signatures is renowned for their authentic Peranakan fare, so if you’re up for a hearty, spicy lunch, pay the restaurant a visit. They’re currently running a 1-for-1 lunch special too, with six different dishes to choose from.  We suggest ordering the Nyonya Fried Laksa, a lightly spicy, aromatic alternative to your usual soupy laksa. Otherwise, you can also choose from the Mentaga Ayam, AKA butter chicken, Seafood Sayur Lodeh, and even the Impossible Vegetarian Bowls if you’re looking for a plant-based option! These lunch sets are priced from $20+, which also gets you an appetiser and your choice of drink, as well as a dessert. For starters, we’re big fans of the Ngoh Hiang, which is fried till crispy, and packed with still-juicy, well-seasoned pork.  Unit number: #02-21 Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 9pm Website Straits Chinese Signatures is not a halal-certified eatery. Head down to Esplanade from now till 31 July to enjoy these lunch specials, and save while you’re at it! That’s not all though. Drivers get three hours of free parking when they spend a minimum of $30.  Get more stories like this. Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.