The food in Singapore is a treat! While visiting Singapore – and there are plenty of things to see and do in Singapore – you should try these Singaporean dishes.
Wondering what to eat in Singapore? Read along and find out the best food of Singapore! As you’ll see, the Singapore national dish is included, as well as other tasty Singaporean dishes that will make your mouth water!
The food in Singapore is a treat! Beyond the city’s clean-and-green reputation and striking skyline, hawker culture – recently inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list (2020) – is where locals truly connect over food. Below you’ll find eight classic Singapore dishes, plus tried-and-true spots to eat them.
You’ll find the best Singapore dishes to try and you’ll find out where to eat in Singapore (the best Singaporean restaurants for each dish are recommended).
These tasty Singaporean dishes are recommended by Shang from Zip Up and Go. You’ll find delicious Singaporean desserts, interesting breakfast dishes in Singapore, and great ideas for lunch in Singapore or for when going out for dinner in Singapore.
As Singapore is one of the safest cities worldwide, you can come here as many times as you like. In this way, if you don’t have time to try all the savory Singaporean dishes mentioned below, you can add them to your Singapore bucket list for your next visit!
If you’re planning your trip and wondering what to eat in Singapore, this guide highlights the best Singaporean dishes you can’t miss. From iconic hawker favourites like Hainanese chicken rice and char kway teow, to street food legends such as satay and carrot cake (chai tow kway), you’ll find authentic Singapore food recommendations along with where to eat in Singapore on a budget. Consider this your ultimate Singapore food guide.
Food in Singapore: 8 tasty Singaporean dishes to try
While Singapore is well known for being a clean and green city, mixed in with modern architecture and soaring skyscrapers, the thing that connects its citizens the most is food.
Yes, we are a foodie city, and very often you will find us scouring the island for the best food that it can offer. Be sure to make this part of your Singapore itinerary when you visit!
The food scene in Singapore is highly sophisticated, as you will find cuisines from all over the world here. This is thanks to Singapore being an international hub for travellers and migrants, plus the multicultural society adds to its unique flavors.
Today, we will focus on some of the best local eats and where you can find them! This is the quintessential Singapore food to try on your trip!
1. Hainanese Chicken Rice
Not sure what to eat for lunch in Singapore?
To most Singaporeans, chicken rice will likely be the go-to answer.
Chicken rice is considered the national dish of Singapore, and we take it seriously. Go to any food centre or hawker centre and you are guaranteed to find one.
It was adapted from a recipe in Hainan, China, where throngs of migrant workers came from back in the early days.
Aromatics are stuffed into a chicken and poached before covering it in salt and sesame oil. The star of the show, depending on who you ask, is the rice.
Everyone has a secret recipe, but the end result is the same: fluffy steamed rice that smells heavenly. Pair it with homemade chili sauce and you have a winner!
Where to eat: Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, Maxwell Food Centre.
Many travellers ask, ‘Is Hainanese chicken rice the national dish of Singapore?’ The answer is yes – it’s widely recognised as the country’s most iconic food. For anyone searching for where to eat authentic chicken rice in Singapore, hawker centres like Maxwell or famous spots such as Tian Tian are the top choices.
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2. Chili Crab
While we don’t eat this every day, the chili crab is the king of seafood here in Singapore.
You will mostly find them in Chinese-style restaurants or food centres, sold by the kilogram. At some places, you get to view them in aquariums and pick them out on your own.
They are then prepared in the kitchens, and although there are many flavors to choose from, such as black or white pepper, steamed, or with salted egg yolk, the chili crab is the one that reigns supreme.
It is cooked in a mix of chili and tomato sauce, a bunch of aromatics, and thickened with a starch solution.
Pro tip: 1kg of crab can typically serve 2-3 persons. Prices are by weight and vary by species/restaurant, so check the board/menu rather than relying on a fixed per-kg number. Sri Lankan crabs are, in my opinion, the best type.
Always order a side of “man tou”, deep-fried buns that are the perfect way to dip and savour the sauce. Chili Crab is one of the best dishes of Singapore.
Where to eat: Jumbo Seafood Restaurant, various locations.
Chilli crab often tops the list of Singapore’s most famous dishes. If you’re looking for where to eat chilli crab in Singapore at night or prefer a more local seafood restaurant experience, spots like JUMBO, Long Beach, or No Signboard Seafood are trusted names. Don’t forget to order mantou buns – arguably the best way to enjoy this must-try Singapore food.
3. Lor Mee
Most commonly enjoyed for breakfast, Lor Mee (braised noodles) is a favourite among locals for a hearty, savoury, and filling meal.
The origins of this dish came from Hokkiens, and you can count on it to be flavor-packed! It is one of the best things to eat in Singapore.
Although it looks like a simple dish to prepare, it is incredibly difficult to get it right. Lots of ingredients go into the preparation of the dish, and you will find it mostly in hawker centres only.
The stall owners usually start work in the wee hours so that we can enjoy it when we awake. In a bowl of Lor Mee, you will find ngoh hiang (pork rolls), fried meatballs, and braised meat, slathered with a generous amount of thick sauce.
Pro tip: if you are not visiting our recommendation, be sure to research first. There are lots of stalls selling Lor Mee with pre-made sauce. Obviously, they won’t be as good.
Where to eat: Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee, Amoy Street Food Centre.
4. Kaya Toast, Soft Boiled Eggs, and Hainanese Kopi (coffee)
Another favourite Singaporean dish for breakfast. It is simple yet fulfilling.
Adapted from the Hainanese as well, it has a long history in Singapore. Back in the days of the early 20th century, workers from the region came to Singapore to find work in the hopes of a better life for themselves and their families back home.
The enterprising ones set up roadside stalls to serve the coolies who were working along the river. As this was over a hundred years ago, people made use of charcoal fire rather than gas-powered stoves.
The bread was toasted over it, and the result is stunning. The smells were intoxicating too, drawing workers to the stalls.
Together with soft-boiled eggs and coffee, they were the perfect energy boost. This humble dish has lived on till today and is an essential part of local lives now.
In conclusion: a classic Singapore breakfast: kaya (coconut-egg jam) on toast with soft-boiled eggs and kopi. It’s been a kopitiam staple since the early 20th century and is still beloved today.
Where to eat: Ya Kun Kaya Toast, various locations.
For breakfast lovers, kaya toast is part of a traditional Singapore breakfast set along with kopi and soft-boiled eggs. If you’re googling ‘what to eat for breakfast in Singapore’, this is the first dish you should try. It’s light, affordable, and found in almost every Singapore coffee shop (kopitiam).
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5. Char Kway Teow
Noodles are a staple here in Asia, and Char Kway Teow is one such variation that is extremely popular in Singapore.
The word “Char” means fry, while “Kway Teow” refers to the white flat rice noodle used in the dish. It is a really uncomplicated dish but so full of umami, as it is stir-fried over a strong fire, giving it “wok hei”, literally meaning breath of fire.
The ingredients are simple: kway teow, yellow noodles, bean sprouts, cockles, and a generous splash of lard, mixed together beautifully with dark soya sauce.
These days, fanciful ingredients such as prawns or squid can be found added into it, but the traditional way is still the best.
Where to eat: Hai Kee Teochew Char Kway Teow, Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre
6. Carrot Cake
To most Westerners, carrot cake is a dessert topped with cream cheese or maybe ice cream. However, in Singapore, carrot cake is a beloved dish that curiously does not contain any carrots at all!
Originating from South China, the carrot cake is made of radish (which is termed white carrot, hence the name), and flour. The preparation is backbreaking work, as it takes hours.
The mixture of flour and radish is steamed, which then becomes the “cake” that is stir-fried over high heat. There are 2 types available: black or white.
The black version is simply made with dark soya sauce, and tastes sweeter compared to the white version. Some stalls will offer a mixture in one plate, but why not order 2 plates to try when you are here!
Where to eat: Fu Ming Cooked Food, Redhill Food Centre
Carrot cake is one of the top Singapore street food dishes that surprises first-time visitors. Despite the name, it’s made with radish and fried with eggs. If you’re searching for authentic Singapore hawker food, carrot cake is a must-order at Redhill, Bedok, or East Coast hawker centres.
7. Satay
This humble dish has made it into CNNGo’s best food in the world before, so you know this is no lightweight. Satay is a Malay word, which was derived from a Tamil word “flesh”, and that’s what Satay is, skewered meat grilled over charcoal fire to perfection.
It is then served with cucumber and onions, and most importantly, peanut sauce. This dish had a huge impact on Singapore, and back then there was even a Satay Club.
These days, you can still visit Satay Street, where an entire road is closed solely for Satay vendors to serve up these delicious slivers of meat to their customers.
Where to eat: Lau Pa Sat
Wondering where to eat in Singapore at night? Satay Street at Lau Pa Sat is one of the best night food experiences in the city. With the road closed off and dozens of satay stalls grilling over charcoal, it’s the ultimate way to experience Singapore night food culture.
8. Indian Rojak
And to sum up this list of the best dishes to try in Singapore, we take a closer look at Indian Rojak. The word rojak is possibly one of the best ways to describe our cuisine, as it means mixture.
There are several styles to it, but whether it is Chinese, Malay or Indian style, each possesses a unique taste and method of preparing. The Indian Rojak is significantly different from the others, from the way it’s made to the ingredients.
When you visit an Indian Rojak stall, you will need to pick out your food from the display counter, with ingredients such as cuttlefish, eggs, vegetable balls and potatoes.
They are then deep fried and served with a sweet peanut sauce. Each ingredient provides a different texture and taste, and the variety is huge, making this the perfect sharing dish.
Where to eat: Siraj Indian Rojak, Albert Center
These are the best Singaporean dishes to try on your visit here! Enjoy them!
If you want to go deeper into Singapore’s food culture, plan time for hawker centres like Maxwell, Tekka, Newton, and Hong Lim – they’re the beating heart of everyday eating here, and a big reason hawker culture earned UNESCO status.
Singapore is a paradise for foodies, and this list covers only a slice of the incredible Singaporean food culture. Whether you’re craving the best hawker food in Singapore, looking for where to eat cheap in Singapore, or planning a self-guided Singapore food tour, you’ll never run out of options. Save this list of must try Singapore dishes for your itinerary and tick them off one meal at a time.
FAQ: Food in Singapore
Q1. What food is Singapore most famous for?
Singapore is most famous for Hainanese chicken rice and chilli crab, often described as the country’s national dishes. Other must-try local favourites include laksa, satay, char kway teow, kaya toast, and Singapore carrot cake (chai tow kway). These dishes reflect the blend of Chinese, Malay, and Indian flavours that make up authentic Singapore cuisine.
Q2. Where can I eat authentic Singapore hawker food?
The best place to try authentic hawker food in Singapore is at hawker centres, where dozens of stalls serve affordable, high-quality meals. Famous centres include Maxwell Food Centre, Lau Pa Sat, Tekka Centre, Amoy Street Food Centre, and Newton Food Centre. Exploring them is like joining a self-guided Singapore food tour.
Q3. What is the best breakfast in Singapore?
A traditional Singapore breakfast is kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs and kopi (coffee). You can find it at Ya Kun Kaya Toast outlets or local kopitiams across the city. For something more filling, locals often enjoy lor mee, fried bee hoon, or roti prata in the mornings.
Q4. Is food in Singapore expensive?
Food in Singapore can be both cheap and luxurious. Hawker centres offer street food meals for SGD 3–6 per plate, making it budget-friendly for travellers. On the other end, you’ll also find Michelin-starred restaurants and fine dining options, so Singapore caters to all budgets.
Q5. What food should I try in Singapore in one day?
If you only have a day, focus on the must-eat food in Singapore:
Breakfast: Kaya toast & kopi
Lunch: Hainanese chicken rice
Snack: Char kway teow or carrot cake at a hawker centre
Dinner: Chilli crab with mantou buns
Late-night: Satay at Lau Pa Sat
This one-day food plan lets you taste the most iconic Singapore dishes in 24 hours.
Q6. Is it safe to eat street food in Singapore?
Yes – Singapore street food is very safe to eat, thanks to strict food safety standards and hawker centre regulations. In fact, hawker culture was recognised by UNESCO in 2020 for its cultural importance. Always eat at busy stalls with long queues, since high turnover means fresher food.
Q7. What dessert should I try in Singapore?
For dessert, try chendol (shaved ice with coconut milk, gula melaka, and green jelly), ice kachang (colorful shaved ice with red beans and syrup), or kueh (bite-sized Peranakan sweets). These treats are refreshing and showcase the sweeter side of Singaporean food culture.
About the author
Shang is one half of the couple behind Zip Up and Go, a travel blog that takes you to explore the best nature spots, food places, and watering holes. She’s a travel addict and refuses to admit she’s addicted to wine too. You can find us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram too.
photo sources (except those from Dreamstime): 2, 5, 6
