Save this list: 11 cafes and restaurants in Singapore with no extra GST charge in 2024

Singapore’s Goods & Services Tax (GST) rate has been raised from 8 per cent to 9 per cent. What this means for everyone is that prices for goods and services here will increase in 2024, including dining out.

Fortunately, not every eatery is charging their customers GST, either by not being a GST-registered company (which means they do not have to implement the tax), or by absorbing the additional cost and not raising prices.

For those who are looking for a meal without shelling out extra for the 9 per cent GST on their bill, 8days.sg has a handy list of popular restaurants and cafes that will comfort your wallet a little in 2024.

However, do note that this list also includes businesses that have already factored in GST for their menu prices, so what you see is what you get – no whipping out a calculator after a meal to count how much more you have to pay.

1. BEAUTY IN THE POT

Paradise Group, the parent company running collagen hotpot chain Beauty in the Pot, is absorbing the GST from Jan 2 to 26 for the restaurant’s outlets, plus four other brands in its stable: Seafood Paradise (excluding Clarke Quay outlet), Canton Paradise (excluding MBS outlet), Paradise Dynasty and Paradise Classic (excluding One Holland Village outlet).

Some pretty complex T&Cs to note: This GST-free promotion is only for Citi credit and debit cardholders and Paradise Gourmet Rewards members, and not valid with other discounts and voucher usage.

Also, your bill is only GST-free at Canton Paradise’s ARC mall outlet and Paradise Classic’s Marina Bay Link outlet for dinner service on weekdays (but no GST all-day on weekends). 

Other participating restaurants are only GST-free from Mondays to Fridays. Private room dining and reservations will be charged GST. Service charge applies for all restaurants.

For outlet info, go to www.paradisegp.com.

2. TAMJAI SAMGOR

Hong Kong mixian chain Tamjai Samgor is absorbing the GST by lowering their menu prices, which was previously GST-inclusive. Prices for a bowl of mixian start from S$8 with add-on topping options, while ‘snacks for one’, basically mini appetisers, start from S$2.90 and include dishes like black fungus with Chongqing hot sauce.

Starting from Jan 1, 2024, the restaurant chain will also offer Daily Value Meal (S$9.90) from Mondays to Fridays, where you can get a bowl of mixian with two toppings and a snack-for-one of your choice.

For outlet info, go to www.tjsamgor.com/sg/.

3. LA PETITE CUISINE

This tiny French restaurant operated as a private diner out of Serene Centre for 13 years before moving to the Little India neighbourhood. Despite its bougie vibes, prices at this cosy spot are nett: No GST or service charge.

Here you can indulge in a S$74 three-course French meal, which comes with a starter (choose from wild mushroom soup with truffles, spinach ravioli or, for an extra S$4, escargots), a main and a creme brulee dessert. For mains, you can choose from options like French duck leg with potato gratin, pan-fried salmon fillet or grass-fed Angus striploin (top up S$12). A la carte options like French onion soup (S$24) and spaghetti with crab meat (S$36) are also available.

Address: #04-05 Trio Building, 11 Sam Leong Road, Singapore 207903

Opening hours: Open daily except Mon & Tues. Wed, Thu & Sun 6pm-10pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-2pm; 6pm-10pm

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lapetite_cuisine.sg

4. SELETAR HILL RESTAURANT

Banquet-style Sichuan restaurant Seletar Hill has been around for 32 years. It is run by a Singaporean couple who used to cook at an upscale Chinese restaurant in New York, where they were trained by a Chinese chef to whip up Sichuan dishes. Their signature dish is the Camphor tea smoked duck (from S$32 for half), which is marinated with red tea leaves and air-dried for up to eight hours before being smoked.

In a nod to the couple’s New York stint, you can also find Americanised takes on Chinese dishes here, like General Tso’s chicken (from S$18), chicken thigh chunks sauteed in chilli, ginger and garlic. Other menu offerings include classic fare like thick soups, fish, beef and chicken done in different styles, and seven types of claypot beancurd.

Address: 16 Jalan Selaseh, Singapore 808440

Opening hours: Open daily except Tues. Sun-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm; 5.30pm-9.30pm (last order at 9pm). Sat 5.30pm-10pm (last order at 9pm).

Website: www.seletarhill.com.sg

5. BAR BAR BLACK SHEEP

A few rounds of after-work drinks in Singapore can get expensive real quick. 'Coffeeshop’ bar Bar Bar Black Sheep’s menu has nett prices, which may help make your bar tab more wallet-friendly. Other than tipples, its two outlets at Bukit Timah and Kent Ridge also have food stall partners serving nosh like burgers, loaded fries and Thai food.

For outlet info, go to https://bbbs.com.sg.

6. SAIZERIYA

The budget-friendly “Italian casual dining” restaurant chain is a familiar name on our island by now. In 2024, it is still offering reasonably-priced food with no service charge or GST. Prices for a main like pizza, pasta or baked rice range from S$5.90 to S$7.90, while grilled hotplate dishes start from S$5.90 for hamburger steak to S$11.90 for a sirloin steak with black pepper sauce. 

For outlet info, go to www.saizeriya.com.sg.

7. YAKINIKU LIKE

Grill-it-yourself Japanese yakiniku chain Yakiniku Like sparked long queues when it first opened here in 2020. Its popularity was attributed to its affordable set meals and individual grills that could accommodate lone diners. No GST or service charge here: You can get a karubi (beef short plate) set with rice and pickles for S$15.80, and top up for a la carte meat (from S$4.90 for 100g of chicken). 

For outlet info, go to www.facebook.com/yakinikulikesg. 

8. MARCHE MOVENPICK

Rosti wonderland Marche Movenpick has several market-style outlets that allow customers to buy food from different themed stalls (like rosti, pasta or salad) and bring it to their table. Prices are already GST-inclusive and there is no service charge for your final bill, except for Marche’s Jem outlet, which is a separate bar-bistro concept that has table service.

For outlet info, go to www.marche-movenpick.sg. 

9. IKEA

Furniture giant Ikea has announced that it will “absorb the 1 per cent GST rate increase and maintain prices on offerings online and in-store”.

This also means you can look forward to grabbing a bite at its Swedish bistro, particularly well-loved for meatballs and fried chicken wings, without a price hike.

For outlet info, go to www.ikea.com/sg. 

10. HABITAT COFFEE

If you’re worried about your cafe-hopping addiction making a dent on your bank account in 2024, well, there are still popular cafes that are not passing the GST to customers. Like Habitat Coffee at Jalan Besar, which serves photogenic Western-style brunch platters (from S$16 for Oats & Nuts) as well as rice bowls and pastas (from S$17 for shiitake mushroom pasta and S$21 for a beef yakiniku donburi). There are also beverages like cold matcha coffee (S$7.50) and espresso (S$3). 

Address: #01-242/24, 803 King George’s Ave, Singapore 200803

Opening hours: Open daily except Mon. Tues-Thur 9am-6pm, Fri & Sat 9am-9pm

Website: https://habitatcoffee.com.sg

11. DAWN

Despite having very limited seating, people have been flocking to minimalist cafe Dawn for its cosy vibes and hip, raw look. Helmed by a barista who used to work at Japanese cafe Kurasu, the cafe offers a small but focused selection of coffee, tea and house-made sodas (from S$3.50 for an espresso). The baked goods here are also worth a try. We like the plum cake (S$6) here, a dense, square with a crumbly crust studded with juicy plums.

Address: #01-01, 78 South Bridge Rd, Singapore 058708

Opening hours: Open daily except Sun. Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat 9am-5pm. 

Website: www.dawnkissa.com 

This story was originally published in 8Days.