The elevator creaks as it carries you up through Fortune Centre, past floors lined with Buddhist supplies and prayer beads. But something unexpected waits beyond the incense shops and meditation cushions. The air shifts — from sandalwood to sizzling garlic, from quiet reverence to the gentle clatter of chopsticks.
Fortune Centre at 190 Middle Road has been Singapore’s quiet keeper of vegetarian tradition since the 1970s. Nestled between Bugis MRT and the golden rooftops of Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, this unassuming mall began as a sanctuary for Buddhist devotees seeking meat-free meals. But time has a way of weaving new stories into old spaces. Today, fortune centre food places showcase a vibrant and diverse food scene, transforming the mall into a culinary destination with a wide range of affordable and international cuisines. Among other restaurants in the area, Fortune Centre stands out for its unique blend of traditional and modern dining options.
Fortune Centre Food Places
Today, Fortune Centre food tells a different tale — one where Korean comfort food sits beside decades-old vegetarian recipes, where Japanese sake flows a few floors above Buddhist vegetarian soups, where hidden speakeasies lurk behind vending machines. The mall has become something rarer than pure tradition: a place where cultures meet without losing themselves. The range of eateries here—from cozy cafes and bakeries to themed restaurants—offers something for every taste and experience. The legacy of the station snack bar is also present, reflecting the mall’s evolving food scene and its roots in providing quick, accessible meals for both travelers and locals.
Three restaurants here capture this quiet evolution, while a constellation of newer establishments proves Fortune Centre’s continued reinvention. Each offers something authentic. Each serves food that matters — not because it’s trendy, but because it’s true. For food lovers, Fortune Centre remains a hidden gem, offering unique dining experiences away from the crowds.
Pine Tree Cafe: Where Memory Lives in Every Bowl
#02-09/13
Walk into Pine Tree Cafe and you step into 1970. The same recipes. The same gentle chaos of ordering at one counter and eating at another. The same quiet satisfaction that comes from food made with patience, not profit.
The uncle behind the counter moves with the ease of someone who has done this for fifty-four years. He doesn’t need to check the menu — it lives in his hands. Vegetarian duck rice, golden and glistening. Yong tau foo swimming in clear broth. Lei cha that arrives jade-green and earthy, each spoonful a reminder that some flavors can’t be rushed. Popular vegetarian options like fried beancurd skin and mock meat are also available, adding variety and texture to the menu.
The vegetarian nasi lemak arrives wrapped in banana leaf, the rice fragrant with coconut milk and pandan. At $6, it costs less than most coffee drinks in the CBD, but carries more history than most Michelin-starred meals. The sambal is sweet rather than fiery — a gentle heat that builds slowly, like good conversation. Wholesome options like brown rice and other rice dishes are also part of the menu, catering to those seeking nutritious and hearty meals.
Yong tau foo and Lei cha
What strikes you isn’t just the price — though $5 to $10 dishes feel almost defiant in today’s Singapore. It’s the consistency. The same hands making the same yong tau foo for decades. The same care in every bowl of lei cha, ground fresh each morning with sesame seeds, tea leaves, and herbs. Classic offerings such as chive pork dumplings are also available, beloved for their traditional flavors and comforting familiarity.
The queue forms early on weekends, snaking between the narrow aisles of Fortune Centre. Buddhist devotees mix with curious food bloggers, office workers with tourists clutching guidebooks. Everyone waits with the same patient hope — for food that connects you to something larger than hunger.
Pine Tree Cafe opens Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 7pm, Mondays and Sundays until 3pm. The timing feels intentional — long enough for the faithful, brief enough to preserve mystery.
Hangawi Korean Food: Seoul Comfort at Singapore Prices
#02-18
The lunch rush at Hangawi Korean Food moves like a well-rehearsed dance. Korean aunties work behind the counter with brisk efficiency, ladling bibimbap into stone bowls, sliding banchan across stainless steel surfaces. The queue stretches past the neighboring stalls, but nobody complains. You wait because you know what’s coming.
Seolleongtang arrives milky-white and steaming, the ox bone broth carrying the kind of depth that only comes from hours of patient simmering. At $7.50, it costs less than most local zi char, but delivers the comfort of Seoul winters. The beef melts between your chopsticks. The rice disappears into the broth, creating something between soup and memory.
This is what authentic Korean food tastes like when it’s not performed for tourists or priced for expats. When Korean staff cook Korean recipes for anyone willing to queue. When the miso soup flows freely because hospitality matters more than margins.
The bibimbap at $6.90 arrives in a stone bowl, still crackling from the heat. Each component — seasoned vegetables, marinated beef, perfectly fried egg — maintains its distinct character until the moment you mix everything together. Then it becomes something new, something that makes the thirty-minute wait feel reasonable. Popular menu options include chicken and fried chicken, which are favorites among diners for their crispy texture and savory flavor.
Hangawi’s success isn’t mysterious. Five-star ratings across 2,000+ Foodpanda reviews don’t lie. The Korean community in Singapore doesn’t either — they come here because it tastes like home, not like someone’s interpretation of home.
The afternoon crowd tells the story. Office workers from nearby buildings queue patiently for bibim noodles. Korean students huddle over steaming bowls of kimchi stew, where the spice and secret blend of spices create a bold, satisfying flavor profile. The diaspora finds what it’s looking for — familiar flavors at prices that remember where they came from.
You can’t book a table at Hangawi. You can’t skip the queue. You show up, you wait, you eat. The process feels almost meditative, like everything worthwhile in Fortune Centre.
Peak lunch hours mean longer waits but fresher food. The turnover ensures nothing sits too long, nothing loses its edge. By 2pm, the crowd thins, but the quality doesn’t. This is Korean food Singapore that doesn’t compromise — not on flavor, not on authenticity, not on the belief that good food should be accessible. Generous portion sizes ensure every meal is both satisfying and great value.
Izakaya Hikari: Sake and Stillness on Level Three
#03-01
Take the elevator to the third floor, away from the bustling food courts and Buddhist supply shops. Here, Izakaya Hikari creates something different — not just a meal, but a pause. This cosy diner and eatery offers an intimate setting with a thoughtfully designed seating area that enhances the experience. Twenty seats, proper lighting, the kind of quiet that lets you hear your dining companion’s stories.
The salmon mentaiko donburi arrives like a small masterpiece — pink salmon nestled over perfectly seasoned rice, mentaiko glistening under warm light. At $16.90, it reflects Hikari’s positioning: not cheap, but fair, with affordable prices for the decent amount of food served. Not fast food, but careful food. Not for the rush, but for the moment. Dishes like this are noteworthy in their own right.
The sake selection surprises — bottles from regions most Singapore diners have never heard of, poured by staff who understand the difference between junmai and junmai ginjo. The Sapporo flows from a dedicated machine, cold and precise. The curated drink line up also includes natural wines, offering something unique for beverage enthusiasts. This is Japanese dining that trusts you to appreciate subtlety. As is common in izakaya culture, guests are encouraged to order at least two drinks per person to fully enjoy the experience. Nobu-ya is another well-known spot in Fortune Centre that exemplifies authentic Japanese izakaya culture, and Izakaya Hikari contributes to this vibrant scene with its own unique atmosphere and menu offerings.
The yakimono set at $20.90 showcases technique over flash. Grilled fish arrives simply plated, accompanied by rice, miso soup, pickles. Each element supports the others. Nothing competes for attention. The fish tastes like the ocean, not the kitchen. Full portions are available, ensuring a satisfying meal. For a more complete experience, consider ordering two dishes from the la carte menu, which offers flexibility and variety.
Reservations matter here — not because they’re pretentious, but because the space is intimate. Twenty seats fill quickly when people discover what Hikari offers: authentic Japanese flavors without the theater, sake expertise without the intimidation, service that cares without hovering. The chef can often be seen dishing out carefully prepared plates, adding a personal touch to each meal.
The Hikari Cracker at $3.90 might sound mundane, but it captures the izakaya spirit — small plates that enhance conversation, flavors that build slowly throughout the evening. It’s the kind of dish that makes sense at 7pm with friends, less sense at noon with deadlines. The menu line up also features standout items like mega chicken nanban don, squid ink tagliatelle, cacio e pepe, fresh pasta, beetroot fusilli, and other pasta dishes.
Monday through Friday, Hikari serves lunch from noon to 2:30pm, dinner from 5:30pm to 10:30pm. Saturday evening only. Sunday closed. The schedule reflects intention — this isn’t fast casual dining trying to capture every possible customer. This is careful dining, available when it makes sense, with dinner time being a particularly special period for the restaurant.
The atmosphere shifts throughout service. Lunch feels businesslike — colleagues sharing donburi and conversation. Dinner grows more intimate — couples over sake, friends celebrating small victories. The lighting adapts. The pace slows. The space becomes what you need it to be.
Nobu-ya: Where Tokyo Meets Fortune Centre
#01-05
Tucked away on Fortune Centre’s ground floor, Nobu-ya transforms into authentic Tokyo the moment you step inside. Run by chef-owner Nobukawa Yoshiyuki and manager Nobuhiko Sano, both veterans from Fairmont Singapore’s fine dining restaurant Mikuni, this is the real thing — intimate and honest.
By sundown, Nobu-ya spills beyond its original confines into neighboring units and corridor space. Japanese salarymen and Singapore locals crowd shared tables in the familiar chaos of a proper Tokyo izakaya — conversations over clinking glasses, sizzling yakitori, laughter building as evening deepens.
Chef Nobukawa’s menu reads like a love letter to Japan’s drinking culture. Yakitori arrives smoky and precise, gyoza golden and crispy with filling that bursts with umami. Japanese expats speak rapid Nihongo over familiar comfort while local office workers discover authentic izakaya culture.
The unspoken rule: this isn’t fast dining. This is where you unwind, let the evening unfold naturally. Service operates on izakaya principles — friendly but unfussy, understanding that good drinking requires good pacing.
Opens Monday to Friday 11:30am to 1:30pm for lunch, Saturday 6pm to 10:30pm and Sunday 5:30pm to 10pm for the full experience. Hidden in a mall known for Buddhist vegetarian food, Nobu-ya proves that authenticity transcends location — great izakaya dining depends on understanding what makes people want to linger, order one more beer, extend the evening just a little longer.
The New Guard: Innovation in Familiar Spaces
New Station Rice Bar: Legacy Reimagined
#03-04
Just down the corridor from Izakaya Hikari, New Station Rice Bar represents Fortune Centre’s newest success story. Opened in March 2024 by Chloe Tan, daughter of New Station Snack Bar’s owners from Far East Plaza, this isn’t just expansion — it’s evolution.
The Salted Egg Pork Rice ($8.50) arrives with ceremony deserved by its reputation. The pork chop, tender and encased in a crispy batter, drowns in liquid gold — salted egg sauce that’s more velvet than condiment. A sunny-side egg crowns white rice, its runny yolk waiting to merge with the richness below. This is the dish that built New Station’s legend, now served in Fortune Centre’s quieter halls.
But Chloe brings her own vision too. The Curry Chicken Cutlet Rice with Onsen Egg ($9.50) showcases her innovation — aromatic curry that she crafted with an Indian spice master, thick enough to coat but complex enough to surprise. The onsen egg cuts through the intensity, creating balance where others might pile on heat.
The space occupies two units, much like Pine Tree Cafe — kitchen and counter in one, dining in another. But here, cushioned chairs and thoughtful lighting signal intent: this is zi char for a new generation, respectful of tradition but unafraid of comfort.
Weekday lunches see queues of office workers who’ve discovered what happens when proven recipes meet fresh ambition. The menu changes regularly — Chloe’s restless creativity refuses to settle. Version 2.0, she calls her upcoming revamp, promising more personal dishes to replace traditional zi char classics.
Ume San 100: Hidden Japan Behind Vending Machines
#02-07
Walk past the row of Japanese vending machines on the second floor. Notice the one marked “Ume San 100.” Push it. Step into Singapore’s most unusual speakeasy — a Japanese izakaya that houses one of the largest umeshu collections in the island.
This isn’t performance dining. The bottles line simple shelves, the atmosphere warm rather than dramatic. What matters here is what’s in the glass — umeshu from Wakayama, sake from regions whose names food bloggers can’t pronounce. The menu changes seasonally, showcasing different producers, different stories.
The Angry Asari Soup Ramen ($16) anchors the food menu — white miso and tonkotsu broth that justifies the wait, the price, the hunt to find this place. But come for the umeshu. Stay for the realization that some of Singapore’s best kept secrets hide behind the most ordinary facades.
Herbivore: Vegetarian Japan Reconsidered
#01-13/14
In a corner of Fortune Centre’s ground floor, Herbivore attempts something remarkable — Japanese cuisine that doesn’t compromise vegetarian principles but doesn’t announce them either. Dark wood furnishings, warm lighting, the quiet confidence of a restaurant that knows exactly what it is.
The Unag Stir-Fry Bento ($28++) arrives looking deceptively familiar — teriyaki “unagi” that convinces before you remember it’s tofu, vegetarian sides that satisfy without apology. The Miso Ramen ($13+) offers QQ noodles in savory broth, topped with vegetarian cha shu that doesn’t try to be meat — it succeeds at being something else entirely.
Open daily 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5pm to 9pm, Herbivore serves the intersection where innovation meets tradition. Among the diverse vegetarian offerings at Fortune Centre, you can also find local favorites like vegetarian char kway teow, highlighting the authentic flavors of Singaporean street food. It’s the most expensive vegetarian option in Fortune Centre, but also the most ambitious.
Three Stories, One Evolution
Pine Tree Cafe serves history at $5 per bowl. Hangawi serves authenticity at $7 per dish. Hikari serves experience at $20 per plate. New Station Rice Bar bridges generations at $9 per innovation. Ume San 100 pours discovery by the glass. Herbivore reimagines possibility at premium prices.
Together, they map Fortune Centre’s journey from Buddhist vegetarian hub to multicultural dining destination. The expanding food scene at Fortune Centre is also marked by new and notable eateries such as these establishments, each offering modern takes on traditional flavors and elevated dining options alongside classic vegetarian fare.
Some, like New Station Rice Bar and other restaurants with origins in Orchard Plaza, have contributed to the mall’s evolving reputation by bringing their established followings and culinary credibility.
Each restaurant attracts different crowds, serves different needs. Pine Tree draws devotees and deal-seekers. Hangawi feeds homesick Koreans and curious locals. Hikari hosts date nights and business dinners. New Station Rice Bar welcomes the next generation of zi char lovers. Ume San 100 serves sake education with every pour. Herbivore proves vegetarian can be visionary.
Together, these establishments prove Fortune Centre’s evolution isn’t about abandoning its past — it’s about expanding its present. The mall still serves Singapore vegetarian food at its most authentic. But now it also serves Korean comfort, Japanese precision, zi char innovation, and sake expertise, each cuisine maintaining its integrity while contributing to something larger.
Other Notable Restaurants in Fortune Centre
Traditional Desserts and Sweet Endings
Duke Dessert (#02-06) specializes in traditional Chinese desserts made using family recipes. Their Durian Chendol combines durian puree with chendol jelly and red beans, while the Sesame Walnut Paste arrives in a striking yin-yang pattern and boasts a silky smooth texture. Using high-quality ingredients and house-made components like black sesame paste and coconut milk, Duke Dessert bridges old-world technique with contemporary presentation.
Ya Kat Yan represents the OG traditional dessert experience at Fortune Centre. Their Yammy Chendol ($5.50) levels up regular chendol with rich yam paste, while the Durian Chendol ($6.20) swaps orh nee for creamy durian puree. This is where Singapore’s sweet tooth memories live — grass jelly, traditional preparations, flavors that haven’t changed because they don’t need to.
The Newest Arrivals (2024-2025)
Brings affordable Japanese donburi to Fortune Centre, including a mega chicken karaage don and mega unagi don that redefine portion sizes. Japanese Curry Miyabi, run by a Japanese chef, serves authentic Wagyu curry and pork katsu that transport you directly to Tokyo’s backstreets.
A hidden Japanese bakery run by a Japanese baker, offers legitimate shokupan and sourdough that rivals what you’d find in Shibuya. Little Nonya’s Cookies provides $1 kueh and authentic Peranakan food — proof that Fortune Centre’s multicultural evolution includes Southeast Asian heritage.
Ss a new health-focused cafe offering customizable salads, bowls, and baked goods made with quality ingredients, perfect for those seeking nutritious and personalized meal options.
Vegetarian Specialists Worth Knowing
Tracy Juice Culture (#01-34)
Proves that health-conscious eating doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor. Their wide selection of fruit juices and Fruit Juice Curry Udon Noodles ($9.90) might sound unusual, but the curry gravy made purely from fruits and vegetables delivers surprising depth. The thick mushroom udon features chewy noodles in a thick mushroom soup with a rich, hearty texture, earthy broth, and cherry tomatoes for added freshness and visual appeal.
Living Wholesome – Lei Cha (#01-23)
Specializes in thunder tea rice with various healthy options — low carb, brown rice, bee hoon. Their Thunder Tea Kosong Set starts at $5.90, offering clean eating at hawker center prices.
Red Apple Veggie Café (#04-10)
On the fourth floor serves vegetarian satay made with golden mushrooms and vegetarian rendang crafted from lion’s mane mushrooms. For breakfast, their prata and porridge paired with soya milk provide hearty starts to temple visits.
Practical Matters
Fortune Centre sits at 190 Middle Road, Singapore 188979, walking distance from three MRT stations. Bugis remains closest, but Bencoolen and Rochor work too. Street parking exists but fills quickly. The mall’s own parking handles overflow.
Most stalls accept cash and local cards. International cards vary by vendor. Mobile payments grow more common but aren’t universal. Bringing cash ensures options.
Avoid weekend peak hours (12pm-2pm) for shorter queues. Weekday afternoons offer the most relaxed experience. Evening visits work best for Hikari and Ume San 100, less so for the traditional vegetarian establishments.
The mall operates on Buddhist rhythms — quieter on religious holidays, busier before festivals. But the food flows consistently, maintained by people who understand that hunger doesn’t follow calendars.
Why This Matters
Fortune Centre food represents something rare in modern Singapore — authenticity without pretense, tradition without stagnation, diversity without dilution. In an era of viral restaurants and Instagram dining, these establishments serve something more valuable: consistency, innovation that respects heritage, and the quiet satisfaction of meals that matter.
They prove that the best dining experiences often happen in unexpected places. That genuine flavors matter more than trending hashtags. That a mall known for Buddhist supplies can house Korean comfort food, Japanese precision and zi char innovation without losing its soul. Signature dishes such as authentic clam noodles, chicken katsu, mapo tofu, and pork belly showcase the range of offerings, while the use of fresh cockles in certain dishes highlights the commitment to quality ingredients and traditional preparation.
Visit Fortune Centre not for the photos, but for the food. Not for the story you’ll tell, but for the meal you’ll remember. These restaurants serve more than cuisine — they serve culture, memory, innovation, and the quiet satisfaction of food that matters.
Beyond Fortune Centre: Flavours That Shape Singapore’s Tables
The quiet ritual of savoring Fortune Centre’s vegetarian bowls or a steaming bibimbap invites curiosity for other stories of taste and tradition. If the subtlety of plant-based cuisine resonates, you may also explore the foods at Cuppage Plaza, where recipes carry generations of memory and meaning (discover Cuppage food experiences here).
If you’re looking for something more elevated, step beyond the mall and discover the artistry of omakase, where each piece reflects precision, care, and a dialogue between Tokyo’s markets and the chef’s hands (explore our top omakase picks in Singapore here).
Every encounter, whether with a fragrant lei cha or a meticulously plated donburi, is part of a greater journey through Singapore’s dining landscape—rooted in tradition, elevated by craft, and always worth lingering over.
