If you're going to Singapore, here's the one tip that matters: eat at the hawker centres. Most of the food in Singapore happens there. They're open-air halls packed with stalls, and each cook makes just one or two dishes, over and over, until they're really good at it. That's why the best food in Singapore isn't in fancy restaurants. It's here.
You'll end up with silky chicken rice, a thick, spicy bowl of laksa, and chilli crab so messy you'll probably ruin your shirt (worth it, though). And because the food comes from Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan kitchens, you can have something totally different at every stall.
Below are nine dishes to start with. No long list, no big plan. Just go hungry and work your way through them.
What Are the Best Foods to Eat in Singapore?
Not sure what to order first? Start with these nine dishes. You’ll find familiar flavours, local favourites and a few dishes worth stepping out of your comfort zone for.
1. Hainanese Chicken Rice
The closest thing Singapore has to a national dish. Poached chicken, tender and silky, served over rice cooked in chicken stock. It comes with chilli sauce and ginger paste on the side. The dish sounds plain and tastes anything but. It is the first thing most food-focused visitors order, and for good reason.
Cost: SGD 4 to 9
Where to Eat: You can eat it at Tian Tian at Maxwell Food Centre (Stall 10/11) or Ah Tai next door
2. Laksa
Katong laksa is a coconut-milk noodle soup with prawns, fishcake and bean sprouts in a thick, spicy broth. You get short, thick noodles, so you can eat it with just a spoon. A half bowl works well as a snack, while a full bowl can easily make your lunch.
Cost: SGD 5 to 10
Where to Eat: You can eat this at 328 Katong Laksa on East Coast Road or Sungei Road Laksa at Jin Shui Kopitiam.
3. Chilli Crab
Whole crab in a thick, sweet, tangy, slightly spicy tomato-egg sauce. It is messy, it is shared, and it is the dish most people remember longest. Dip fried mantou (buns) into the sauce once the crab is done. Chilli crab is one of Singapore's most famous food items that costs more than hawker prices, but the experience earns it.
Cost: Around SGD 80 to 120 per kg, so a crab for two or three people usually comes to SGD 100 or more
Where to Eat: Reach out to Jumbo Seafood at East Coast or Long Beach Seafood at Dempsey Hill
4. Satay
You get grilled chicken, mutton or beef skewers with peanut sauce, rice cakes and a cucumber-onion salad. The charcoal grill gives the meat a smoky flavour. You can order a few sticks as a snack or more for a full meal.
Cost: SGD 0.80 to 1.00 per stick (order 10 to 15 sticks for a proper serving)
Where to Eat: Get to the Lau Pa Sat Satay Street (Boon Tat Street, evenings from 7 pm)
5. Char Kway Teow
Flat rice noodles stir-fried at high heat with prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage, beansprouts, egg and dark soy sauce. The best versions have "wok hei," the smoky flavour that comes from cooking over a very hot flame. It is greasy, savoury and one of those dishes that tastes better from a hawker stall than it ever would in a restaurant.
Cost: SGD 4 to 7
Where to Eat: Chinatown Complex Food Centre or Old Airport Road Food Centre
6. Roti Prata
A South Indian-influenced flatbread, crispy on the outside, soft and flaky inside, served with fish or mutton curry for dipping. Plain prata is the classic. Egg prata adds richness. It works for breakfast, supper or any time in between. Most prata stalls operate late, which makes it the natural end to a long evening.
Cost: SGD 1.50 to 4
Where to Eat: At Mr and Mrs Mohgan's Super Crispy Roti Prata (Joo Chiat Road) or any Little India prata stall
7. Nasi Lemak
You get coconut rice with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg, with fried chicken or rendang if you want a fuller meal. The sambal makes a big difference, so pick a stall that does it well. You can get it for around SGD 3 to 7 at Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak at Adam Road Food Centre or Ponggol Nasi Lemak.
Cost: SGD 3 to 7
Where to Eat: Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak (Adam Road Food Centre) or Ponggol Nasi Lemak
8. Kaya Toast and Kopi
Kaya is a coconut and egg jam, spread on toast and served with soft-boiled eggs and thick, strong coffee (kopi). It is how a lot of Singaporeans start their morning and how most visitors should too. The eggs are cracked into a saucer, seasoned with dark soy and white pepper, and dipped into with the toast. Simple and good.
Cost: SGD 4 to 6 for a set (toast, eggs, kopi)
Where to Eat: Ya Kun Kaya Toast (multiple locations) or Chin Mee Chin Confectionery (East Coast Road)
9. Fish Head Curry
A large fish head simmered in a spicy, tangy curry with okra, tomatoes and eggplant. It looks intimidating on the table and tastes better than anyone expects. The cheek and collar meat are the best parts. The dish originated in Singapore's Indian community and became popular across all communities. It is not Singapore street food in the hawker-stall sense, but it is unmistakably Singaporean.
Cost: SGD 20 to 35 (serves 2 to 3)
Where to Eat: Muthu's Curry at Race Course Road or Samy's Curry at Dempsey Hill
Conclusion
If you want to understand food in Singapore, start with these nine dishes. Try them at a couple of hawker centres and see which ones you like most. You get a mix of rice, noodles, seafood, grilled meat, flatbread and simple breakfast dishes.
At Holiday Tribe, we can help you fit food stops into your Singapore holiday along with sightseeing and stays. That way, you can visit good hawker centres and restaurants without going out of your way.
