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[SINGAPORE] FOOD GUIDE – WHAT TO EAT IN SINGAPORE

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Singapore may be small, but it is big in wonder, especially for great food. As we know, Singapore is not a melting pot, but a society where each race is encouraged to preserve its unique culture and traditions, and one of them is their culinary scene.

Singapore cuisine is as ethnically diverse as its people, blending Malay, Chinese, Indonesian, Indian influences. The love of food is deeply entrenched in Singaporean culture, and rightly so considering it is one of the best food cities in the world. So if you love to eat, it would be almost impossible not to love Singapore.

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For complete guide and list of 25 foods to eat in Singapore, please read [SINGAPORE] FOOD GUIDE – What to Eat in Singapore

I am very grateful to have #FoodInLoveSINGAPORE trip in the past few years, taste lots of good food there, and the result is this Singapore food guide. This list covers what I believe the finest examples of Singaporean food (and where to eat them) that you should try in Singapore.

1. HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

Singapore is pretty well-known for amazing and affordable hawker fare, and Chicken Rice is one of the dishes which tops the list. Hainanese chicken rice is Singapore’s national dish, and it is a must-eat food when you are here. Usually there are steamed chicken and roasted chicken that you can choose. Soft, juicy, and tender chicken meat is perfectly combined with fragrant and flavorful rice with the aromas of chicken broth. It is definitely a dish that you don’t miss in Singapore.

Where to try Hainanese Chicken Rice:
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice (Makansutra)
Zhen Zhu Fang Roasted Delights

Hainanese Chicken Rice
Roasted Chicken

2. LAKSA

Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in Peranakan cuisine and one of Singaporean’s favorite local hawker dish. It is the combination of Chinese and Malay flavors and ingredients all in a single bowl. The rich and aromatic taste of laksa makes it very palatable, even to tourists. Slurping up the slippery rice noodles makes it loads of fun to eat too.

Where to try Laksa:
Sungei Road Laksa 結霜橋叻沙

Laksa

3. CHARSIEW & ROASTED PORK RICE

This is one of my favorite food in Singapore, especially because I’m a pork lover. Char siew meats make a popular Singaporean dish of Chinese origin, made up of barbequed red pork and roasted pork belly in a thick sauce. The meat is chopped in front of you and laid out on either rice or noodles. Both charsiew and roasted pork here is commonly juicy, tender, and very well seasoned so it’s pretty hard for me not to love this food.

Where to try Charsiew & Roasted Pork Rice:
Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle
Zhen Zhu Fang Roasted Delights
Ming Kee Cantonese Roasted Delights

Char Siew Rice

4. WANTON MEE

One of the popular Chinese Cantonese dishes that’s available at just about all hawker centre food courts throughout Singapore is wantan mee, the familiar combination of yellow egg noodles, wanton dumplings, some small boiled vegetables, and often some slices of char siu.

Where to try Wanton Mee:
Nam Seng Noodle House

5. CHARSIEW & ROASTED PORK NOODLE

Just like charsiew and roasted pork rice, but it is the noodle version. The noodle itself is same like the noodle used for wanton noodle. The egg noodles are soft and springy, tossed with lard, sambal, black sauce, and a generous portion of meat.

Where to try Charsiew & Roasted Pork Noodle:
Zhen Zhu Fang Roasted Delights
Ming Kee Cantonese Roasted Delights

6. BAK CHOR MEE

Served dry with a light broth on the side, Bak chor mee, meaning minced pork and noodles, usually consists of egg noodles, topped with minced pork, pork slices, pork liver, fish balls, and a sauce made with vinegar, chili, and soy sauce. All the toppings were wonderful and added much texture and flavor to the dish, but what makes this bowl of noodles really sing is the vinegar. It gives it a uniquely tangy and spicy flavor.

Where to try Bak Chor Mee:
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle 吊桥头大华猪肉粿条面

Bak Chor Mee

7. BAK KUT TEH

Literally translated to pork bone tea, bak kut teh is a dish that’s popular throughout Malaysia and Singapore with Chinese origins. Even though the name ‘teh’ refers to tea, you won’t find any in this dish. Instead, expect a bowl of pork rib soup infused with Chinese herbs and spices. Bak Kut Teh is famous for its flavorful and peppery soup since the soup was boiled with white pepper, lots of garlic, and salt to create a comfortingly flavorful soup.

Where to try Bak Kut Teh:
Ah Seng Bak Kut Teh
Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh / Pork Ribs Soup

8. CHAR KWAY TEOW

When it comes to stir fried noodles in Singapore, one of the ultimate local favorites is char kway teow. It is flat white rice noodles stir fried with egg, black soya sauce, bean sprouts, fish cake, clams and chinese sausage. You will find this dish in hawker centres and restaurants. Stir frying batches of char kway teow takes some serious skill and skilled chefs will add a smoky taste to the dish by cooking the noodles at a high temperature.

Where to try Char Kway Teow:
Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee (Makansutra)

Char Kawy Teow

9. CHILI CRAB

It is another Singapore national dish. In general, it is a hard-shell crabs cooked in semi-thick gravy with a tomato chilli base. The steamed crabs are partially cracked, then lightly stir-fried in a paste comprising of chilli sauce, ketchup, and eggs. Despite its name, chilli crab is not all that spicy, it is cooked in a thick goopy sauce that’s sweet and salty with a hint of sourness.

Where to try Chili Crab:
Makansutra
No Signboard Seafood

Chili Crab

10. SATAY (GRILLED SKEWER)

Despite satay originating in Indonesia, in Singapore, you’ll find Malay, Chinese and Indian variations, all with their own unique recipes. Typical meats are mutton, beef, and chicken while pork is available at the Chinese stalls. The sweet and savory satay is usually served with a bowl of peanut sauce, ketupat (rice cake), and pickles.

Where to try Satay:
168 CMY Satay
Satay by the Bay
Lau Pa Sat

11. YONG TAU FOO

Yong tau foo, which literally translates to stuffed bean curd, is a traditional Chinese dish, that’s especially common among Hakka Chinese, who are very well represented throughout Singapore. Yong tau foo is what I would consider a lighter meal or snack to eat in Singapore, and it’s a food that’s very soothing and comforting.

Where to try Yong Tau Foo:
Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu

Yong Tau Foo
Yong Tau Foo

12. NASI LEMAK

This is the most popular Malay-influence food in Singapore. It’s a dish of Malaysian origin that’s typically eaten for breakfast but often enjoyed throughout the day. The most important part of any plate of nasi lemak is the rice, which is not just plain steamed rice, but it’s fragrant rice cooked with coconut milk, salt, and sometimes pandan leaves to give it a wonderful fragrance. In addition to the rice, nasi lemak is often served with chicken, some type of sambal (chili sauce), and fried anchovies. When paired with all the sides, the combination of flavors and textures is incredible

Where to try Nasi Lemak:
Link Stall (In front of Heap Seng Leong)

Nasi Lemak

13. HAINANESE CURRY RICE

You maybe hear a lot about Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore, but not so often about Hainanese curry rice The traditional Hainanese curry rice consists of braised/fried pork, braised cabbage, and of course, loads of curry. These style of curries are not the usual types with strong coconut creaminess and curry powder flavor. Instead, they are usually light, sweeter, and only a tiny bit spicy despite its very similar appearance to other strong curries.

Where to try Hainanese Curry Rice:
Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice

Hainanese Curry Rice
Hainanese Curry Rice

14. BBQ CHICKEN WINGS

It is a simple hawker food every Singaporean is familiar with. The skin on these bbq chicken wings are crisp but delicately thin. Paper thin in fact. It feels like it was stretched taut over the wing and crisped! There’s no heavy batter or thick sauce, just flavorful marinated chicken wings cooked over charcoal and served with lime juice and a spicy chili sauce. They’re really, really good and highly addictive.

Where to try BBQ Chicken Wings:
Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wing & Carrot Cake (Makansutra)
Chomp Chomp Food Center

15. NASI BIRYANI / INDIAN FOOD

Indian food is very common in Singapore, and my favorite is Nasi Biryani. I usually eat it with Chicken Curry, Butter Chicken, or Chicken Masala. Other Indian food I recommend you try is Palak Paneer, Chicken Tandoori, and Garlic or Butter Naan (Indian bread).

Where to try Nasi Biryani / Indian Food:
Bismillah Biryani Restaurant
Sakunthala’s Restaurant
Allaudin’s Biryani
Al Amaan Restaurant

Chicken Dum Briyani
Chicken Biryani
Butter Chicken

16. ECONOMICAL FRIED BEEHON

This dish is more popular amongst the local breakfast goers, as they get to have a carb-filled meal to start their day. A plate of economical fried beehon or vermicelli priced as low as S$0.60 to S$1.00 but the price can be more expensive depending on the type of side items you ordered. The side items are rather standard and are mostly deep fried items such as: chicken wings (S$1.00), sausages (S$0.50), medium sized fish cake (S$1.00), Chicken drumsticks (S$1.50), eggs (S$0.50), vegetables (S$0.50), luncheon meat (S$1.00), and many more.

Where to try Economical Fried Beehon:
Maxwell Food Center
Chinatown Point Hawker Center

17. CURRY CHICKEN NOODLE

Unlike typical curry chicken, the curry in this dish also serves as a soup, and has to be toned down somewhat. Additional ingredients in the broth include taupok and fishcake, turning it into what some might call a laksa-esque dish.

Where to try Curry Chicken Noodle:
Heng Kee Chicken Curry Noodle
Sheng Kee Chicken Curry Noodle

18. BARBECUED STINGRAY

Known for being served at open air bbq restaurants and food stalls in Singapore , barbecued stingray has become a popular seafood dish served at hawker stalls. The classic version features stingray meat slated in thick sambal sauce – a spicy condiment with diced tomatoes, chilies and shrimp paste as base ingredients – then wrapped in banana leaf to be cooked slowly on a grill. Stingray is very firm in texture, yet at the same time it has an almost crab like stringiness to it, without being quite so silky. And along with the sambal, I love how you can taste the essence of the banana leaf embedded in the stingray from the grilling process.

Where to try Economical Fried Beehon:
Chomp Chomp Food Center

19. FRIED CARROT CAKE

As opposed to the Western style sweet carrot cake (made with orange carrots), carrot cake in Singapore doesn’t actually contain any carrots at all, but it got its name because it’s made with daikon radish, which in a Chinese dialect can refer to both daikon radish and carrots. It is made with rice flour and shreds of daikon that are formed into rice cakes, fried in lots of pork lard, and eggs. The result is a greasy salty snack food that’s gooey and crispy all at the same time.

Where to try Fried Carrot Cake:
Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wing & Carrot Cake (Makansutra)
Maxwell Food Center

20. TEOCHEW PORRIDGE

Teochew porridge is quite simply cooked rice grains swimming in a soupy broth (might be flavoured or plain) and consumed with a selection of Chinese side dishes. It is one of my ultimate comfort foods and I am sure it is for many Singaporeans too.

Where to try Teochew Porridge:
Jia Ji Mei Shi (Chinatown Complex Market)
Soon Soon Teochew Porridge

21. SINGAPOREAN BREAKFAST

Kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and a cup of hot coffee – that’s a typical old-fashioned breakfast in Singapore. Kaya toast is toasted bread filled with butter and kaya, a jam made from eggs, sugar, coconut milk and pandan leaves. The best way to enjoy kaya toast is to have it with a cup of rich, aromatic local coffee. Additionally, and my personal favorite thing to eat for breakfast at Singapore kopitiams are soft boiled eggs, that are smooth, creamy, and rich, and go so well together with a sprinkle of soy sauce and white pepper for extra taste. You can enjoy it all at Kopitiam, a traditional open-air coffee shop to have Singaporean Breafast, a cup of coffee or tea, a few snacks, and just sit and chat or spend time with friends.

Where to try Singaporean Breakfast:
Heap Seng Leong Coffee Shop
Nanyang Old Coffee

Kaya Toast
Butter Coffee with Milk
Soft Boiled Egg

22. CRISPY PUFF

Enjoyed throughout Southeast Asia, they’re basically small, half-circle shaped pies stuffed with a variety of ingredients like chicken curry and potatoes, beef rendang, and chili crab in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell.

Where to try Crispy Puff:
Link Stall (In front of Heap Seng Leong)

Crispy Puff

23. DURIAN

Despite most durians in Singapore come from Malaysia and Thailand, trying this King of Fruit will be a great experience when you give a visit to Singapore. There are many kinds of Durian sold by vendor such as D24, Mao Shan Wang, Golden Phoenix, Red Prawn, Black Pearl, etc. but D24 and Mao Shan Wang are probably the most favorite. FYI, durian season that typically occurs between the months of June to September.

Where to try Durian:
Ah Seng Durian
Combat Durian
Chinatown Market

24. ICE CREAM SANDWICH

The iconic Singaporean Ice Cream Sandwich is something different that you may not find in your own country, it’s a brick of ice cream and wrapped up in a slice of bread. There are many different flavours of ice cream to choose such as. strawberry, peppermints, chocolate chips, vanilla, mocha, sweet corn, and durian. Some vendors will wrap it up with a slice of white bread or rainbow coloured bread (lightly sweetened with pandan flavour) and some may offer wafers. The ice cream sandwich can be easily found along the Orchard Road, from Ion Orchard towards Takashimaya.

Where to try Ice Cream Sandwich:
Orchard Road

25. ICE KACHANG

The tropical heat in Singapore will have you craving ice-cold treats all day long. The good news is, ice dessert shops can be found in every hawker centre and one of the most famous dessert is the colourful ice kachang. It is a mound of shaved ice, smothered with different sweet syrups with a base made of jelly, red beans, corn, and atap seeds.

Where to try Ice Kachang:
The Sweet Spot (Makansutra)
Mei Heong Yuen Dessert

Ice Kachang

Okay, now you know where and what to eat in Singapore, or at least I hope this guide gives you a better and more authentic picture of what local Singapore food is. The ‘best’ listed here is my personal bests, but don’t limit yourself to just the foods or restaurants I’ve mentioned above. Do some research in the area you’re staying in and you’ll likely find similar restaurants. If you see a good looking restaurants/eateries, check it out. It probably will be really good. Last but not least, I hope this food guide will be helpful when you’re in Singapore and looking for some of the most delicious food in the city!

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