A trip to Singapore is a true culinary journey. The best way to experience the city’s rich, multicultural heritage is through its incredible food. From bustling hawker centres to world-class restaurants, Singapore stands as a paradise for food lovers.
You will find many of these amazing dishes in the city’s famous community dining rooms, and we have a full guide on how to master ordering like a local in these hawker centres. This culinary checklist is an essential part of planning your overall Singapore adventure, offering a delicious taste of what makes the city so special.
The List of Popular Singaporean Dishes
This is your checklist for the ultimate Singaporean food adventure. Each dish tells a story about the city’s history and its unique blend of cultures.
1. Hainanese Chicken Rice
If Singapore had a national dish, this would be it. Hainanese Chicken Rice appears simple but delivers incredible flavor. The dish features perfectly poached, silky chicken that chefs serve at room temperature. The real star, however, is the rice. Cooks prepare it in a rich chicken broth with ginger and pandan leaves. This process makes the rice aromatic and delicious on its own. People enjoy this dish with a trio of dipping sauces: a tangy chili sauce, dark soy sauce, and a ginger-garlic paste.
2. Chilli Crab
This is a celebratory dish that you should share with friends or family. Cooks stir-fry large mud crabs in a thick, sweet, savoury, and slightly spicy tomato-based sauce. While the name is “Chilli Crab,” the dish is not overwhelmingly hot. The sauce is the main event. You can enjoy every last drop by mopping it up with fried buns called mantou. Eating Chilli Crab is a gloriously messy and unforgettable experience.
3. Laksa
Laksa is a rich and fragrant noodle soup that perfectly exemplifies Singapore’s culinary fusion. The most common version, Katong Laksa, features a spicy coconut milk-based curry broth. Cooks fill the bowl with thick rice noodles, shrimp, fish cakes, and bean curd puffs that soak up the delicious gravy. They often cut the noodles into shorter lengths, so you can eat the entire dish with just a spoon.
4. Char Kway Teow
You will probably smell this dish before you see it. Char Kway Teow is a stir-fry of flat rice noodles and yellow wheat noodles in a dark, sweet soy sauce. Hawkers cook it over extremely high heat with bean sprouts, prawns, Chinese sausage, and egg. The high heat of the wok imparts a smoky aroma known as ‘wok hei’, which signals a great version of this dish.
5. Kaya Toast and Soft-Boiled Eggs
This is the quintessential Singaporean breakfast. It consists of slices of toasted bread with a generous spread of kaya, a sweet jam made from coconut and eggs. A slice of cold butter often melts into the warm toast. People eat it with two soft-boiled eggs, seasoned with dark soy sauce and white pepper. This classic breakfast provides the perfect fuel before a day of sightseeing. For more morning ideas, you can check out our guide to the best breakfast spots in Sentosa.
6. Bak Kut Teh
The name of this dish translates to “meat bone tea,” but you will find no tea in the soup itself. Bak Kut Teh is a comforting and peppery pork rib broth. Cooks simmer the pork ribs for hours with garlic and white pepper until they are fall-off-the-bone tender. It is a simple, nourishing soup that many people eat for breakfast or on a rainy day.
7. Hokkien Mee
This is another beloved stir-fried noodle dish, but it is very different from Char Kway Teow. Hokkien Mee features a mix of yellow wheat noodles and thick rice vermicelli. Hawkers fry them with prawns, squid, and egg in a rich and savory stock made from prawn heads. They serve the dish with a side of sambal chili and a squeeze of fresh lime to cut through the richness.
8. Satay
Satay is a dish of grilled meat skewers that cooks marinate in a blend of spices, including turmeric. You can find chicken, beef, and mutton satay. Hawkers grill the skewers over a charcoal fire, which gives them a wonderful smoky flavour. They serve the satay with a thick, sweet, and slightly spicy peanut sauce, along with chunks of raw onion, cucumber, and pressed rice cakes called ketupat.
9. Roti Prata and Murtabak
This popular South Indian dish is a favourite for breakfast and supper. A cook stretches and pan-fries the Roti Prata, a flaky flatbread, until it is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. People eat it with a side of savoury fish or mutton curry for dipping. Murtabak is a larger version that the cook stuffs with minced meat, onions, and egg.
10. Nasi Lemak
Nasi Lemak is a classic Malay dish that is a staple for breakfast. The heart of the dish is the rice. Cooks steam it with coconut milk and pandan leaves to make it incredibly fragrant and rich. They traditionally serve it with a side of spicy sambal chili, fried anchovies, peanuts, a fried egg, and a slice of cucumber. Many stalls also offer a variety of add-ons, like fried chicken or fish.
Where to Find These Dishes
You can find most of these local delights at a hawker centre. These bustling food courts are where you will find the most authentic and affordable versions of dishes like Chicken Rice, Laksa, and Hokkien Mee.
However, some dishes like Chilli Crab are best enjoyed at dedicated seafood restaurants. You can find these along the East Coast or at Clarke Quay. Many of Singapore’s best food stalls, from hawker legends to fine dining establishments, receive recognition globally. The Michelin Guide even has a dedicated Singapore selection to help you find the very best.
Your Culinary Adventure Begins
This list is just the beginning of your journey into Singapore’s incredible food scene. The city’s culinary landscape is vast and diverse. Delicious discoveries await you around every corner. Be adventurous, try something new, and you will enjoy some of the most memorable meals of your life.
