If you are looking for a dining option that is intimate enough to be romantic, while at the same time remaining completely affordable, here’s a guide to the affordable and most romantic restaurants in Singapore for couples.
These options are especially useful if you are on a first date, and on a very tight budget, and will definitely help you impress your date at the same time. They are also great for couples who don’t want to splurge on caviar and champagne, but want the time of their lives. All the restaurants mentioned here will let you get away with a meal within the range $30 – $60 per head, as long as you don’t order something fancy.
1. Pasta Brava
Pasta Brava is finger-licking delicious if you are looking for fancy Italian food at a great price. Not only is this among the classier affordable and most romantic restaurants in Singapore for couples, it also provides you several options for entertainment while you are waiting for your food. Here, you can get some crayons to doodle on the tablemats, or entertain your date with a round or two of Pictionary.
What you need to try:
Obviously, the pastas! If you are a fan of tomato and seafood, give the Linguine Regina Del Mare a try. The risottos too are pretty interesting, so you might want to try out Risotto Nero AllaSinfonia Dei Nostri Mari which combines squid ink with seafood.
2. Club Street Social
Any restaurant that serves breakfast all day long sure has to be a hit. Club Street Social is the kind of restaurant that serves as a romantic getaway during the day, and a hub of drinking at night, so you can be sure you won’t go wrong. One word of warning though: the place is usually full and there is limited seating, so you might want to get a reservation beforehand.
What you need to try:
The sandwiches. The biggest hits are Black Angus Ribeye Panini and the Duck Confit with Roasted Mushrooms Panini, both of which can satisfy the tiniest of budgets.
3. Akashi
This is great if you are in the mood for casual Japanese yet don’t want to indulge in the mass-market offerings out there. If you are looking for something indie, head over to Akashi. This restaurant is also a bit busy so it would be a good choice on a first date when you would anticipate some awkward conversation.
What you need to try:
The restaurant has a good selection of combo menus, all of which provide great value for money. Hot favorites are Sushi Tsuki (a combination of sushi including tuna, salmon and tamago) and Otsukuri(a combination of sashimi including tuna, salmon and yellowtail).
4. L’Entrecote: The Steak and Fries Bistro
The L’Entrecote does seem to be a wee bit too clinical to be romantic, but the red table settings give it just the perfect dose of intimacy without becoming too overwhelming. Do book in advance though: the place is usually short on seating space.
What you need to try:
There is only one item of note on the menu: the Entrecote Steak and Fries. It comes with a sideline of golden fries and is drenched in a very special secret sauce that seems to have a tang of mustard and vinegar. It comes in two sizes, large and small, so you can pick whatever you have the stomach for. You can even opt for the Escargots de Bourgogne to make your dinner even more distinctively French.
5. Trapizza
If you and your date want to go to one of the affordable and most romantic restaurants in Singapore for couples that overlooks the beach, you need to check out this casual yet chic pizzeria. The layout is open air, so you get to enjoy a cool sea breeze while you dine on their signature wood-fired pizza. You can top off your date with a stroll on the beach afterwards too!
A word of warning: Avoid anything with alcohol though as the drinks are strong. The location is a little out of the way too, so you may want to skip this completely if you are on your first date. Save it for a stage in your relationship when you are more comfortable with your date.
What you need to try:
The hot favorites at this joint are the Pizza Siciliana that has the standard olives, sausages and capsicum topping, as well as the seafood linguine which, as the name suggests, is a seafood pizza – both of which go extremely well with the lovely sea breeze.
6. Les Bouchons (Rive Gauche)
If you are looking for an affordable yet very good restaurant for steak that transports you to Paris (yes, there is definitely such a thing), this is your place to be.
What you need to try:
The grilled Ribeye with Vigneron Butter which is just the right amount of juicy and goes very well with fries. If you want a bit more variety, add in the Burgundy Escargot with Garlic Butter as an appetizer too.
7. PS Cafe at Palais Renaissance
The PS Café is great if you are looking for one of the more convenient affordable and most romantic restaurants in Singapore for couples. PS Café has five branches throughout Singapore and it is continuing to expand, so you will find something close to you. All the outlets are extremely chic and classy with just the right amount of lighting to create the perfect romantic vibe.
What you need to try:
The Truffle Shoestring Fries provide very good value for money with their excellent portion size and their drizzling of exquisite truffle oil. If you are in the mood for something offbeat, try the Crab Tart, which is a combination of prawn bisque cream, lemon-dressed greens and harissa. For dessert, you cannot go wrong with the Sticky Date that combines perfectly warm pudding with butterscotch or vanilla ice-cream.
8. Da Paolo Ristorante (Club St)
What started out as a modest Italian diner is now one of Singapore’s largest chain of bars, bistros and pizza joints.
What you need to try:
You cannot go wrong with the Caprese, an Italian cheese salad, or the Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia, in other words squid ink pasta. If you’re looking for something different you can even sample the Risotto di Spinaci con Aragosta, a combination of lobster bisque and slipper lobster meat.
9. Pietro Ristorante Italiano
A haven for delicious Italian food made with fresh ingredients and in-house sauces.
What you need to try:
This joint is famous for its pizzas, straight out of the wood-fired oven, and this is something you absolutely cannot say no to. Some of the pizzas even have a buy-one-get-one-free deal, so it’s great value for money too.
Pietro’s menu also consists of very intriguing risotto, appetizers, soups and pasta along with several interesting desserts. If you are interested in pasta, you should definitely try out the Linguine al Cartoccio which is a spicy crayfish pasta that comes highly recommended.
10. Quayside Fish Bar and Bistro
This is another of the affordable and most romantic restaurants in Singapore for couples that offers great access, and a fantastic view of, the beach. Here you can get fresh seafood in a setting similar to that of a gastro-bar. This restaurant is unique in that it will also sell you fresh seafood that you can take home in case you want to cook something on your own at home.
What you need to try:
You should definitely give the Turbot that comes with a sideline o mashed mint-peas and green-tea white truffled shoe-string fries a try. If you are looking for something spicy sweet, opt for the Chilli Crab Linguine.
