Our favourite type of men is RAMEN. This awesome noodle dish has everything you could ever ask for — tender fragrant cha shu, gooey lava egg, springy noodles and irresistible broth. Repeat after us: ramen is life.

Sadly, ramen isn’t the cheapest. One bowl could easily set you back by S$15 or more. But, finding one that’s both affordable and good isn’t an impossible task. In fact, we’ve found 10!

Singapore actually has quite a number of eateries and stalls that do great ramen priced below S$10. Some of these places are even run by Japan-trained cooks, so you can expect ramen of superb quality.

Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/butakin1214/

#1 BUTA KIN

One of the OG stalls to sell ramen in a hawker centre, Buta Kin is one of the reasons people flock to Beauty World Food Centre. This stall serves up a range of Japanese dishes, from ramen to curry rice.

Their Special Tonkotsu Ramen (S$6.90) sees straight, doughy noodles drowned in broth made from pork & chicken bones and chicken feet. The bowl comes with three tender slices of cha shu, a hanjuku egg and black fungus.

They also offer Tonkotsu Black Ramen (S$6), which is infused with aromatic black garlic oil.

144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Beauty World Food Centre, #04-28
Singapore 588177
Tel +65 8661 6028
Tues to Sun: 11.30am – 8.30pm
Nearest Station: Beauty World

#2 GONPACHI RAMEN

Just another piece of evidence that Kovan is an underrated gem for foodies. Gonpachi Ramen is a cosy little neighbourhood joint that does a variety of unique ramen creations.

Their menu features unconventional ramen such as Sweet Sake Marinated Pork Chop Ramen (S$7.80) and Seven Wonder Ramen (S$7.80). Their Smoked Duck Chashu Ramen (S$7.80) is a safe choice

Block 212 Hougang Street 21, #01-329
Singapore 530212
Tel +65 6584 1943
Sun to Thu: 11.45am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Fri to Sat: 11.45am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10.45pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/evirobiex/

#3 JAPANESE CURRY EXPRESS

If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, you’re probably familiar with Fortune Centre, the pinnacle of plant-based dining in Singapore. Even if you’re not, we’re giving you one solid reason to visit that building — Japanese Curry Express.

This homely eatery hidden on Level 3 does some legit Japanese food at a little less than market prices. They offer Char Siew Ramen and Smoked Duck Ramen at $7, both

190 Middle Rd, Fortune Centre, #03-04
Singapore 188979
Tel +65 9689 6314
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/francavielsworld/

#4 KURO OBI

A takeaway concept by the famed Ippudo Ramen, Kuro Obi offers customisable chicken broth ramen starting from $8. Adjust your noodle texture, oil richness and even the amount of garlic and onion according to your preference!

Their classic Shiro-Obi (S$8) comes with thick, wavy noodles in a pool of creamy chicken broth and topped with a slice of chicken cha shu, half of a hanjuku egg and nori seaweed. If you’re in the mood for some spice, try their Aka-Obi (S$10), a spicy shrimp rendition of the chicken broth ramen.

2 Bayfront Avenue, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, #B2-54/55
Singapore 018972
Tel +65 6688 7064
Daily: 10.30am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Bayfront

Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/liptakang/

#5 RAMEN MONSTER

Decked out in colourful hues and a playful atmosphere, Ramen Monster is breaking the stereotypes of a typical ramen restaurant. With an aim to make ramen affordable and accessible for all, Ramen Monster pushes out straightforward bowls of ramen at reasonable prices.

Their menu features a modest variety, with dishes such as Tsukemen (S$9.90), a type of dipping ramen where noodles are served separate from the broth.

238 Thomson Road
Velocity @ Novena Square #01-53
Singapore 307683
Tel +65 6356 4710
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/stevedino87/

#6 RAMEN TAISHO

If we were to do a blindfolded taste test, we probably wouldn’t be able to differentiate Ramen Taisho’s ramen from the ones churned out at a restaurant. This hawker stall in Maxwell is run by a married couple, Hock Soon and Kalene.

With years of travelling around Japan to learn the art of ramen up his sleeve, Hock Soon is certainly not afraid to show off what he’s learnt.

The Black Garlic Ramen (S$7.80) is spiked with robust black garlic oil while the Salted Egg Tonkotsu Ramen (S$8.80) sees an intriguing blend of briny essence and creaminess.

1 Kadayanallur Street, Maxwell Food Centre, #01-32
Singapore 069184
Tel +65 6777 5859
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Fri: 11.30am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

#7 SUPPARAKI RAMEN

If there’s one question in life that demands an answer, it would be this — just how does Supparaki Ramen do it? With all their mains priced below S$10, each bowl of ramen is shockingly excellent.

Their Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen (S$7.90) is an absolute steal with its richly flavoured pork bone broth and broad slices of cha shu. For those who are craving dry noodles, their Dry Truffle Ramen (S$6.90) will do you no wrong.

1 North Point Drive, Northpoint City, #B2-152
Singapore 768019
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Yishun

#8 TAKAGI RAMEN

Run by an Australian-Japanese lady, Takagi-san and her husband, Takagi Ramen is as legit as it gets. This joint serves up a variety of mouthwatering ramen concoctions, from Miso Ramen (S$6.50) to Butashoga Ramen (S$8.90).

Their Butashoga Ramen swaps out the usual cha shu slices for flavoursome hand-pulled pork, so it’s a relatively healthier option for those who want to skip the fats.

51 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, #01-01C
Singapore 569922
Tel: +65 9138 8017
Daily: 11am – 12am
Nearest Station: Ang Mo Kio

#9 WAFU JAPANESE CUISINE

One of the few gems in Capitol Piazza’s Food Republic, Wafu Japanese Cuisine serves up satisfying Japanese mains. Ramen and omu rice? Check.

While their ramen isn’t of amazing quality, it’s still a pretty decent rendition. Fuel up with their Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen (S$8.20) or their dry Abura Ramen (S$6.90).

13 Stamford Road, #B1-20/27, Capitol Piazza
Singapore 178905
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

#10 WAKON RAMEN

Volcano seafood ramen at $9.90? Heck, yes. Wakon Ramen is ready to fix your ramen cravings with their respectable line-up of ramen bowls.

Their Volcano Seafood Ramen incorporates chili paste into their tonkotsu broth. And be warned, it’s not for the faint-hearted. If spicy foods just aren’t your thing, you can go for their shio-based Tokyo Ramen (S$6.90).

28 Dover Crescent, #01-97
Singapore 130028
Daily: 10.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Dover

When Singaporeans see the word Yishun, save for the Yishun-dwellers, they normally think of the many odd occurrences that have been blown up on social media and the news often over the past few years.

However, many don’t realize that Yishun is a treasure trove of rather affordable yet delicious food options! One of them, our latest food-find, is Suparakki Ramen located in Northpoint City, serving ramen under S$10. Meaning “super lucky” in Japanese, you’ll find you and your tastebuds feeling exactly that when you taste their ramen.

First up, we tried one of Suparakki Ramen’s classic ramen bowls – the Tonkotsu Black Garlic Ramen (S$9.90). It comes with a good portion of springy ramen noodles, three slices of thinly-sliced chashu, black fungus, seaweed, spring onions and a gooey ramen egg. You can also choose to have it spicy or non-spicy!

We felt that the broth was quite substantial and had a nice richness, complemented by the slight smokiness of the black garlic oil. However, the black garlic taste faded as we continued eating.

We also ordered their Dry Truffle Ramen (S$6.90), which is one of their newest menu items. The bowl comes with pulled pork, shredded seaweed, spring onions, black fungus and a ramen egg. The ramen noodles are drizzled in a special sauce that includes fragrant truffle oil.

We were super impressed by the ramen as it had a very strong truffle flavour. Be sure to mix in all the ingredients and the egg so that you get a good mouthful of all the toppings and chewy ramen noodles. We did find the noodles a tad salty, but it was still a pretty legit bowl considering the price point!

We also think the ramen toppings deserve a quick shout because despite such affordable price points, they were still super delicious. The egg was nicely seasoned and perfectly gooey on the inside, while the chashu was fatty and tender.

Though the seating area may get a bit cramped, we definitely wouldn’t mind coming back for such affordable and delectable ramen bowls.

1 North Point Drive
Northpoint City, #B2-152
Singapore 768019
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Yishun