Food · Singapore
What to eat in Singapore
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Singapore, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Shiny Things ., CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Start with Hainanese chicken rice, Laksa and Chilli crab. Share several plates at one centre — Maxwell or Chinatown Complex for Chinese classics, Tekka for Indian and Malay, Lau Pa Sat for satay in the evening — ordering from multiple stalls to the same table. Locals reserve hawker tables by leaving a packet of tissues on them ('chope'); do not move one.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Hainanese chicken rice
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Tipping is not customary.
- Food experiences
- 4
12 foods to try
Dish
1.Hainanese chicken rice
Poached chicken served at room temperature with rice cooked in chicken fat and stock, chilli-ginger sauce and dark soy. Many stalls also offer a roasted version.
Where: Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown is the classic stop; most hawker centres have a chicken-rice stall.
Dish
2.Laksa
Rice noodles in a spicy coconut-curry broth with prawns, fish cake and cockles. The Katong style cuts the noodles short so the whole bowl is eaten with a spoon.
Where: East Coast Road in Katong is the home of Katong laksa; hawker versions are everywhere.
Dish
3.Chilli crab
Mud crab wok-fried in a sweet, mildly spicy tomato-and-egg gravy, mopped up with fried or steamed mantou buns. Black pepper crab is the drier, peppery alternative.
Where: Seafood restaurants at East Coast Seafood Centre and along the river at Clarke Quay; it is priced by weight.
Street food
4.Char kway teow
Flat rice noodles and yellow noodles fried at high heat with dark soy, lard, Chinese sausage, cockles and bean sprouts — smoky, sweet and rich.
Where: Hawker centres such as Hong Lim Market and Chinatown Complex.
Street food
5.Satay
Skewers of chicken, mutton or beef grilled over charcoal and served with peanut sauce, rice cakes (ketupat), cucumber and onion.
Where: Boon Tat Street beside Lau Pa Sat closes to traffic each evening for satay grills; also at most hawker centres.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
6.Kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs
Charcoal-toasted bread spread with kaya (coconut-egg jam) and slabs of cold butter, served with runny soft-boiled eggs seasoned with soy and white pepper, plus a cup of local kopi.
Where: Traditional kopitiams and chains such as Ya Kun and Killiney, plus breakfast stalls in every hawker centre.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
7.Roti prata
Flaky, griddled flatbread served with fish or chicken curry for dipping; variations include egg, onion and cheese.
Where: 24-hour Indian-Muslim eateries in Little India and Kampong Glam, and hawker centres island-wide.
Street food
8.Hokkien mee
Thick yellow noodles and rice vermicelli braised in a rich prawn-and-pork stock with prawns, squid and pork belly, finished with lime and sambal.
Where: Hawker centres across the island; queues are a reliable sign of a good stall.
Dish
9.Bak kut teh
Pork ribs simmered in a peppery, garlicky broth (the Teochew style common in Singapore) served with rice, braised peanuts and dough fritters to dip.
Where: Specialist shops in Chinatown and along New Bridge Road near Clarke Quay.
Dish
10.Nasi lemak
Rice cooked in coconut milk with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, egg and cucumber, often with a fried chicken wing or fish.
Where: Malay stalls in hawker centres and around Kampong Glam; Adam Road Food Centre near the Botanic Gardens is a popular stop.
Dessert · Vegetarian
11.Ice kacang and chendol
Shaved ice piled with syrup, red beans, jelly and sweetcorn (ice kacang), or coconut milk, palm sugar and green rice-flour jelly (chendol) — welcome after a hot afternoon.
Where: Dessert stalls in most hawker centres and in Chinatown.
Drink · Vegetarian
12.Kopi
Local coffee roasted with sugar and margarine, brewed through a cloth sock and served with condensed milk by default. 'Kopi-o' is black with sugar, 'kopi-c' has evaporated milk and 'kosong' means no sugar.
Where: Any kopitiam or hawker drinks stall.
Food experiences
Hawker centre crawl
Share several plates at one centre — Maxwell or Chinatown Complex for Chinese classics, Tekka for Indian and Malay, Lau Pa Sat for satay in the evening — ordering from multiple stalls to the same table.
Seafood night on the East Coast
East Coast Seafood Centre faces the sea along East Coast Park; order chilli and black pepper crab with mantou and cereal prawns, and go with a group to share.
Banana-leaf curry in Little India
South Indian restaurants on Race Course Road and around Serangoon Road serve rice, vegetables and curries on a banana leaf, eaten with the right hand if you like.
Peranakan cooking
Nyonya cuisine blends Chinese and Malay techniques in dishes such as ayam buah keluak and kueh pie tee; Katong and Joo Chiat have long-running Peranakan restaurants and kueh shops.
Quick bites and street food
- Char kway teow — Hawker centres such as Hong Lim Market and Chinatown Complex.
- Satay — Boon Tat Street beside Lau Pa Sat closes to traffic each evening for satay grills; also at most hawker centres.
- Kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs — Traditional kopitiams and chains such as Ya Kun and Killiney, plus breakfast stalls in every hawker centre.
- Roti prata — 24-hour Indian-Muslim eateries in Little India and Kampong Glam, and hawker centres island-wide.
- Hokkien mee — Hawker centres across the island; queues are a reliable sign of a good stall.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs, Roti prata, Ice kacang and chendol and Kopi. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Locals reserve hawker tables by leaving a packet of tissues on them ('chope'); do not move one.
- Return your tray and crockery to the marked return points at hawker centres; it is expected and enforced.
- Most hawker stalls now accept cards or QR payment, but carry some cash for smaller stalls and bumboats.
- Many popular stalls sell out by early afternoon and close one day a week; go early for famous names.
- Restaurants add a 10% service charge plus GST to the bill; menus marked '++' show prices before both.
Tipping
Tipping is not customary. Restaurants and hotels add a 10% service charge to bills, and hawker stalls and taxis do not expect tips.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Makan | To eat (Malay, used by everyone) |
| Tapau / da bao | Takeaway, please |
| Kopi-o kosong | Black coffee, no sugar |
| Shiok | Delicious or very satisfying |
| Chope | To reserve (a seat or table) |
| Terima kasih | Thank you (Malay) |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Singapore famous for?
Hainanese chicken rice, Laksa, Chilli crab and Char kway teow. Poached chicken served at room temperature with rice cooked in chicken fat and stock, chilli-ginger sauce and dark soy.
+Is Singapore good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs, Roti prata and Ice kacang and chendol.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Singapore?
Tipping is not customary. Restaurants and hotels add a 10% service charge to bills, and hawker stalls and taxis do not expect tips.