Are you a bona fide Singapore foodie?
Forget about the fusion food; if you have yet to try all or any of the local
dishes on this list, you probably have not visited any hawker centres. Whether
a local or a tourist, you must try these 20 most popular local dishes in
Singapore.
1 Hainanese Chicken Rice
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| Hainanese Chicken Rice |
A steamed or roasted chicken dish served with rice cooked in chicken
broth and a chilli sauce.
Where to find them
- Hawker or Food Courts.
- Specialised restaurants like Wee Nam Kee or Hawker Chan.
- Chatterbox @ Hilton for an upmarket experience.
2 Laksa
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| Laksa |
A spicy noodle soup made with a coconut milk-based broth served with
vermicelli noodles and various ingredients such as shrimp, tofu, and bean
sprouts.
Where to find them
Head to Katong for Laksa for an authentic taste
- 328 Katong Laksa
- Janggut Laksa @ Roxy Square
3 Nasi Lemak
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| Nasi Lemak |
A popular breakfast dish of fragrant coconut rice served with various
accompaniments such as fried anchovies, peanuts, boiled eggs, and a spicy
chilli sauce.
Where to find them
Ponggol Nasi Lemak Centre at Tanjong Katong Road has one of the best review in town.
Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak @ Boon Lay Place Market and Food Village
4 Char Kway Teow
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| Char Kway Teow |
A stir-fried noodle dish with flat rice noodles, bean sprouts, eggs,
prawns, and Chinese sausage.
Where to find them
Hawkers are your best bet for a good place for Char Kway Teow
- Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee @ Hong Lim Market #02-17
- Hill Street Fried Kway Teow @ Bedok South Road Market #01-41
- Dong Ju Fried Kway Teow @ Old Airport Road Food Center #01-138
5 Bak Kut Teh
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| Bak Kuh Teh |
A meaty pork rib soup cooked with herbs and spices.
Where to find them
Specialised Bak Kut Teh stores are the places to go to in town
- Sin Heng Claypot Bak Koot Teh @ Joo Chiat
- Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh @ Havelock Road
- Legendary Bak Kut Teh @ Rangoon
6 Chilli Crab
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| Chilli Crab |
A dish of stir-fried crab in a spicy chilli tomato sauce.
Where to find them
Seafood restaurants are the places to go for a good plate of Chilli Crabs
- Jumbo Seafood @ East Coast
- Roland Restaurant @ Marine Parade
- Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant @ East Coast Park
7 Wanton Mee
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| Wanton Noodle |
A dish of egg noodles served with various accompaniments such as
barbecued pork, dumplings, and leafy greens.
Where to find them
Hawker Centre and Kopitiam
Standalone Stalls
- Fei Fei Wanton Mee @ Joo Chiat
- Eng ‘s Char Siew Wantan Mee @ Tanjong Katong
8 Rojak
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| Rojak |
A fruit and vegetable salad dish with a sweet and sour sauce made from a
combination of tamarind, palm sugar, and chilli paste.
Where to find them
Hawker Centre and Kopitiam
- 684 Black and White Rojak @ 684 Hougang Ave #01-983 S530684
- Lau Hong Ser @ 281 Onan Road #02-14 S424661
9 Mee Goreng
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| Mee Goreng |
A stir-fried noodle dish made with egg noodles, vegetables, and a
variety of protein options such as beef, chicken, or prawns.
Where to find them
Usually found in hawker stalls and standalone supper places
- Al Jasra @ 459 Changi Rd, S419882
- Shah Alam Restaurant @ 20 Circular Road, S 049376
- Ajimer Sharif @ Tekka Market Food Centre #01-285 S 210665
10 Satay
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| Satay |
Skewered and grilled meat, typically chicken or beef, served with a
peanut sauce.
Where to find them
While you can find satay in hawker stores, the best place to have satay will be in places well-known for multiple satay sellers.
- Lau Pa Sat
- Chomp Chomp Food Center
- East Coast Lagoon Food Village
11 Fish Head Curry
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| Fish Head Curry |
A spicy fish head stew made with spices and coconut milk.
Where to find them
Fish head curry is only a dish found in some places. However, these are the top recommended places for a good bowl of Fish head curry to enjoy with the family.
12 Fried Carrot Cake
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| Fried Carrot Cake |
A savoury dish made from a mixture of rice flour and grated white radish,
stir-fried with eggs, chives, and sometimes shrimp.
Where to find them
A good place for Fried Carrot Cake can be found in hawkers or food centres.
Here are some of the recommended ones in town
- Fried Carrot Cake @ Clementi Food Centre #01-45 S 120448
- Carrot Cake @ Chomp Chomp #01-36 S 557269
- Hock Soon Carrot Cake @ Ghim Moh Road Market and Food Centre #01-29 S270020
13 Mee Siam
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| Mee Siam |
A dish of thin rice noodles served with a sweet and sour gravy made from
tamarind juice, dried shrimp, and chili paste. This dish was one of the
founding father, Lee Kuan Yew’s favourite!
Where to find them
Mee Siam is a simple dish that can be found around Singapore. Here are some places to look for Mee Siam
- Killiney Koptitam (Locations)
- The Royals Cafe @ 19 Upper East Coast Rd, S 455209
- Lao Chai Zhou @ Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre #01-18 S 270020
14 Roti Prata
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| Roti Prata |
A type of Indian flatbread, often served with a variety of dips such as dhal
or curry.
Where to find them
The popular places to head for Roti Patra are as follows
- Mr and Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Roti Prata @ 300 Joo Chiat Road S427551
- Springleaf Prata Place (Locations)
- Casuarina Curry ( Locations)
15 Curry Puffs
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| Curry Puff |
Deep-fried pastries are filled with spiced potatoes, chicken,
and sometimes eggs. Great for a quick bite.
Where to find them
The popular places to head for Roti Patra are as follows
- Old Chang Kee (Locations)
- J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff @ Amoy Street Food Centre #01-21
- Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff @ Hong Lim Food Center #02-36 S069184
16 Kaya Toast
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| Kaya Toast |
Toast with a spread of Kaya, a sweet coconut milk-based jam, served with
soft-boiled eggs and coffee or tea. Another favourite breakfast meal.
Where to find them
For the complete old-school Singapore breakfast experience, head to these places
- Ya Jun Kaya Toast (Locations)
- Heap Seng Leong @ 10 North Bridge Road S190010
- Chin Mee Chin @ 204 East Coast Road S428903
17 Prawn Noodle Soup
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| Prawn Noodle Soup |
A hearty noodle soup made with a broth of prawn heads, pork bones, and dried
shrimp, served with prawns, noodles, and leafy greens.
Where to find them
Head to these stalls for the delicious bowl of Prawn Noodles
- Beach Road Prawn Noodle House @370 East Coast Road S428981
- River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodles @ 31 Tai Thong Cresc, S 347859
- Blanco Court Prawn Mee @ 243 Beach Road #01-01 S189754
18 Popiah
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| Popiah |
A fresh spring roll filled with stewed turnips, shredded carrots, bean
sprouts, and sometimes boiled eggs.
Where to find them
Popiah can be found in hawkers, coffeeshop and standalone stores.
- Kway Guan Huat Joo ChiaT Popiah @ 95 Joo Chiat Rd S 427389
- Ann Chin Popiah @ 335 Smith St #02-112, S 050335
- Good Chance Popiah Eating House @ Silat Ave #01-58 B 149, S 160149
19 Beehoon
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| Bee Hoon |
Rice vermicelli noodles are often served with various accompaniments, such as
stir-fried vegetables, meat, and a savoury sauce. Singaporean favourite
breakfast meal.
Where to find them
Usually found in hawker centres during morning hours
- Holland V Fried Bee Hoon @ 1 Lor Manbong, S 277700
- Ah Du Economy Rice @ 17 Old Airport Road, S 397972
- Good Morning Fried Bee Hoon @58 New Upper Changi Rd
20 Ayam Buah Keluak
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| Ayam Buah Keluak |
A traditional Peranakan dish consisting of chicken (ayam), tamarind gravy
and buah keluak nuts. Eat it with rice. One of the favourite dishes of Lee
Kwan Yew and his son, Lee Hsien Loong.
Where to find them
- Old Bibik’s Peranakan Kitchen @ 328 Joo Chiat Road #01-02
- Peranakan Inn & Lounge @ 210 East Coast Road
- Godmama-Peranakan Restaurant @ Funan Digital Mall #04-07
These are just a few of the many local dishes popular in Singapore. The city
is known for its diverse culinary scene, and there is a wide range of cuisine
to try, from traditional dishes to fusion creations.
Have you tried them yet?
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