15 Must-Try Street Food of Singapore - What & Where to Eat

Food in Singapore is taken very seriously. The famous city of hawker centres is the true island of feasting from Michelin starred fine dining to cheap hawker food. You will always find Singaporeans lining up at coffeeshops and local hawker centres and gorging on some of the island's best meals. Simply follow the crowd or stop by any of the food centres you find because whatever morsel lie at the end, it is sure to be scrumptious.

Here are 15 must-try street food in Singapore:

1. Hainanese Chicken Rice - Unofficial National Dish of Singapore

Found at almost every dining spot in Singapore, whether a fine dining restaurant or a humble hawker centre, Hainanese Chicken Rice can be considered the unofficial national dish of Singapore. Adapted from the early Chinese immigrants from Hainan Island, it is bite-sized slices Chicken or even whole chicken served with fragrant rice, ginger paste and spicy chilli. What makes it special is the spices and sauces used, which give the dish a unique, lingering and lip-smacking taste. 

Best Chicken Rice in Singapore

Boon Tong Kee, Balestier Road (11:00 AM - 4:45 PM, 5:30 PM - 3:00 AM)
Hawker Chan, multiple locationslike Chinatown and Tai Seng
Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice, multiple locations
Loy Kee, Balestier Road (9:30 AM - 10:30 PM)
Tian Tian, Maxwell Food Centre (11:00 AM - 8:00 PM)

Approximate Cost for Two: SGD 15

2. Chilli Crab - King of Crab Dishes

Listed as the 35th most delicious food in the world by CNN Go, the Singaporean chilli crab is a stir-fried crustacean dish, doused in sweet, spicy and savoury tomato sauces. Served with deep-fried buns called mantou, this street food is a Singapore staple which is a must-try for seafood enthusiasts. There are two styles of cooking crabs in Singapore with a sweet, spicy tomato-ish chilli sauce or with black pepper sauce. Many new famous styles have also been discovered like crab bee Hoon and salted egg crabs.

Chilli Crab in Singapore

Jumbo Seafood Restaurant, Upper Circular Road (open 12:00 noon - 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM - 12:00)
Momma Kong's, Mosque Street
Red House Seafood, multiple locations
No Signboard Seafood, Geylang
Long Beach King Seafood, 220 Stadium Boulevard (open 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 1:30 AM)
No Signboard Seafood Restaurant, Geylang (open 12:00 noon - 1:00 AM)
Approximate Cost for Two: SGD 25-90 (depending upon the size)

3. Fish Head Curry - Oceany and Spicy Fish Head

You heard that right - this dish consists of the head of a fish, marinated and cooked in curry sauce, with a mixture of vegetables like eggplants and okras. Having origins in Kerala and Malaysia, this street food of Singapore is best eaten with rice or roti. Curry Fish Head is an enigmatic dish which has a South Indian origin but is inspired by the culture of Singapore. Either the whole head or half a head of red snapper is cooked in curry with boiled vegetables. It has a variety of heavy spices. Variations include Assam style Fish Head curry which has a flavour of the tamarind fruit. Tangy, ocean-y and spicy, this dish wins on all fronts!

Fish Head Curry in Singapore
The Banana Leaf Apolo, 54 Race Course Road
Sakunthala’s Food Palace, 66 Race Course Road
Muthu Curry, Race Course Road (open 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM)
Samy's Curry Restaurant, Dempsey Road (open 11:00 - 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM)
Ocean Curry Fish Head, Toa Payoh Lorong (open 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM)

Approximate Cost for two: SGD 20-50

4. Fried Carrot Cake - Not the Dessert Carrot Cake!

The popular street food if Singapore, Fried Carrot Cake is ironically a black and white dish, rather than the bright orangy dessert carrot cake. It is made with eggs, chai ooh and white radish flour cake, which is basically a white carrot (radish), giving rise to carrot cake. Commonly referred to as 'chai tow kway' in the Teochew dialect, the fried carrot cake is served with a sweet sauce on top of a beaten egg to create a crust and chunks of cake.

Fried Carrot Cake in Singapore
Bee Bee Carrot Cake, 50A Marine Terrace
Good Luck BBQ, Toa Payoh Lorong 8, Block 210
Bee Kee Fried Carrot Cake, Geylang Bahru Food Centre, Block 69
Fu Ming Carrot Cake, Redhill Food Centre, Redhill Lane Block 85
Ghim Moh Carrot Cake, ABC Brickworks Food Centre Stall
Approximate Cost for Two: SGD 5 

5. Char Kway Teow - Wok Fried Noodles

Literally translating to 'stir-fried rice noodles', this Singaporean street food is a staple at hawker centres, getting sold out instantly. Your taste buds will call out this mixture of noodles, flat rice and egg noodles stirred proteins like egg, Lap Cheong which are Chinese sausages. It is also mixed with Chinese chives and bean sprouts. The heart of this dish is lard which makes it super delicious but sometimes for a healthier variation, it is replaced by oil and served with more vegetables instead of proteins. It is often served on a banana leaf to enhance the fragrance with a wedge of lime squeezed on the top.

Char Kway Teow in Singapore
No. 18 Fried Kway Teow-  Zion Riverside Food Centre on Zion Road. Singapore
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow- Hong Lim Market and Food Centre, Singapore
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee, Upper Cross Street (open 6:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Hill Street Fried Kway Teow, Bedok South Market and Food Centre (open 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
Chomp Chomp Fried Kway Teow Mee, Chomp Chomp Food Centre (open 4:00 PM - 12:00 AM)
Approximate Cost for two: SGD 8

6. Kaya Toast - Breakfast Staple of Singapore

Kaya Toast and Soft Boiled Eggs are the ones and only conventional Singaporean breakfast. It is basically a white bread loaf, slathered with egg kaya or coconut, toasted on a bread grill and butter. There are many variations of this Singapore street food favourite including round buns or brown bread. The dish is also sometimes fused with pepper and dark soya sauce, dipping the Kaya Toast into the egg mixture for extra deliciousness. Both green and brown variations of Kaya Toast are available - the green ones are made of the pandan leaves while the brown ones are the result of caramelised brown sugar.

Kaya Toast in Singapore

Killiney Kopitiam: 67 Killiney Road, Singapore 
Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, East Coast Road (8:00 AM - 4:30 PM)

Heap Seng Leong, North Bridge Road (open 4:00 AM - 8:00 PM)
Ah Seng Coffee, Maxwell Road (open 5:30 AM - 4:00 PM) 

Approximate Cost for two: SGD 1-3

7. Laksa - Favourite Street Food of Singapore

This traditional Peranakan dish is favourite street food in Singapore, and for a good reason! Made of flat noodles, coconut soup, fish cakes, prawns and cockles, Laksa tastes best paired with Otah, which is fish cake served in banana leaves. It is a fusion of Chinese and Malay cuisine and is of two types - Asam Laksa and Curry Laksa. Curry laksa is more popular street food in Singapore while Asam laksa is commonly available in Malaysian regions like Penang. There are many variations of laksa regarding fish and noodles. Taste the many flavours of the ocean with this bowl!

Laksa in Singapore

328 Katong Laksa, East Coast Road (open 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM)
Sungei Road laksa: Blk 27 Jalan Berseha, Singapore 
Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa, Bukit Merah Lane (open 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM)
Janggut Laksa, Queensway Shopping Centre (open 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM)

Approximate Cost for two: SGD 8

8. Roti Prata - The Indian Singaporean Dish

This Indian delicacy is a must-eat street food of Singapore for every traveller! Crisp, crunchy, doughy and soft Pratas dunked in delicious and tangy curry ought to get your mouth watering, and hungry for more. Made of wheat flour and served with beef, chicken, fish or vegetable curry, this Indian flatbread/pancake will linger long after you've savoured it.

Roti Prata in Singapore

Casuarina Curry, Casuarina Road (open 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
The Roti Prata House: 246M Upper Thomson Road, Singapore
Mr and Mrs Mohgan's Super Crispy Roti Prata, Crane Road (open 6:30 AM - 12:30 PM)
Sin Ming Roti Prata, Sin Ming Road (open 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM)

Approximate Cost for Two: SGD 14

9. Satay - Meat on Skewers

This street food of Singapore is a local delicacy made of pork, chicken, beef or mutton, which is candied and skewered. Satay has its inception from Indonesia but has become very popular in Singapore, found in both fancy restaurants and hawker centres. The meat is marinated with turmeric which is barbecued in the open air. Served with peanut sauce, onions and rice dumplings, this snack can be eaten all day long, but get yours soon as they sell out quick!

Satay in Singapore

Fang Yuan Satay, Toa Payoh Food Centre (open 6:00 PM - 12:00 AM)
Shi Xiang Stat, Chinatown Complex (open 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM)
Chong Pang Huat, Gourmet Street (open 12:00 PM - 10:30 PM)

Approximate Cost for Two:  SGD 20

10. Bak Chor Mee - Minced Meat Noodles

Literally translating to 'minced meat and noodles', this delicious dish is soupy, meaty and noodle-y all at once! This street food on Singapore comprises of fish cake slices, liver, minced pork and a signature sauce that makes it steamy. This dish is normally ordered dry to enjoy the full ingredients of the sauce though one can choose between chilli or ketchup and the different types of noodles! Varieties include the soup version with homemade noodles. 

Bak Chor Mee in Singapore

Tai Hwa Pork Noodle: Blk 466 Crawford Lane, Singapore
Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Mee, Lorong Toa Payoh (open 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM)
Poh Minced Meat Noodle, Bedok North Street (open 6:00 PM - 3:00 AM)
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, Crawford Lane (open 9:30 AM - 8:00 PM)

Approximate Cost for two: SGD 17

11. Wanton Mee - Dumplings and Noodles

Wanton Mee is a perpetually popular Singapore street food. Some like the dumpling part while others are a fan of the texture of the noodles. The vendor offers Wanton chilly and soup. Many customizations have been added in the recent years and variations include Malaysian, Thai and Hongkong take on the dish.

Wanton Mee in Singapore:
Lau Phua Chay Authentic Roasted Delicacies, Blk 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1
Foong Kee Coffee Shop, 6 Keong Saik Road

Approximate Cost for two: SGD 14

12. BBQ Sambal Stingray - Barbecued, Spicy and Tangy Fish

Sambal is a special sauce made from chilli peppers, shrimp, fish sauce, shallot, sugar, vinegar and ginger. Combined with the soft, delicate and distinctive stingray meat, the palate is exquisite. This dish tastes best barbequed. This popular street food of Singapore is inspired by the Malay culture as they were the ones who discovered that Sambal on top of Stingray is delicious. It is also known as Ikan Bakar and is traditionally wrapped in banana leaf and barbecued with Sambal on the top. In the end, lime is squeezed on the fish for better taste. 

Sambal Stingray in Singapore

Chomp Hai Wei Yuan Seafood Barbecue: 20 Kensington Park Road, Chomp Chomp, Singapore
B.B.Q. Seafood: Yung Sheng Road, Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre, Singapore
Chan BBQ, Fengshan Market and Food Centre (open 5:00 PM - 1:00 AM)
Ming-Yen BBQ, Lau Pa Sat Festival Market (open 5:00 PM - 3:00 AM)
Chomp Chomp BBQ, Fengshan Market and Food Centre (open 5:00 PM - 1:00 AM)

Approximate Cost for Two: SGD 10

13. Bak Kut Teh - Pork Rib Soup

Literally meaning 'Meat bone tea', Bak Kut Teh is one of the most popular street food in Singapore. This local dish is a pork rib soup, in a broth of herbs and spices. Comprising of pork, offal, mushroom, choy sum, tofu and puffs, the soup is spiced up with cinnamon, cloves, garlic, fennel and star anise. This dish is relished with tea in the belief that tea will help saturate a large amount of fat in the soup. People have Ban Kut Teh for breakfast majorly, but it can be taken for any meals of the day.

Bak Kut Teh in Singapore
First Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup: 208 Rangoon Road, Hong Building Singapore
Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh: 7 Keppel Road, PSA Tanjong Pagar Complex, Singapore 
Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh, Connexis (open 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM)
Legendary Bak Kut Teh, Rangoon Road (open 9:00 AM - 22:30 PM)
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, Chinatown Point (open 10:30 AM - 9:30 PM)

Approximate Cost for two: SGD 20

14. Ice Kachang - Ice Dessert

This delicious Malaysian dessert translates to 'iced beans'. A favourite of children and adults alike, this cold dish consists of shaved ice, red beans, grass jelly or agar-agar, sweet flavoured syrups and toppings like sweet corn and other goodies. Condensed milk is also poured on top, along with red rose syrup to produce the multicoloured effect. Ice Kachang has many variations including chocolate syrup, durian etc. and is the perfect way to end your tour of the street food in Singapore. What more do we need to tell you, to make you eat this?! Yum!

Ice Kachang in Singapore

Annie's Peanut Ice Kacang: 20 Ghim Moh Road, Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, Singapore
Mei Heong Yuen: 65-67 Temple Street, Singapore
Peanut Ice Kachang, Maxwell Centre
Quig Tiang Cold and Hot Desserts, Redhill Lane (open 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM)
Lye Huat Ice Kachang, Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre (open 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM)

Approximate Cost for Two: SGD 8 

Drinks of Singapore

15. Singapore Sling - The Singaporean Discovery

Singapore Sling in Singapore
Adrift by David Myers, Bayfront Avenue (open 7:00 AM - 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM - 2:30 PM, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM) 
Post Bar, Fullerton Square (open 12:00 PM - 2:00 AM)
Halia, Raffles Hotel (open 12:00 PM - 2:30 PM, 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM)

Approximate Cost for two: Upwards of SGD 20 

Things to Keep in Mind While Eating in Singapore

• Be mindful of the different cutlery used in the cuisine - from chopsticks, spoons and forks. Some dishes even require you to use hands
• Be careful about nut and soy allergies, and lactose intolerance - most dishes use nuts, soy and dairy
• If you do not have a high tolerance for spice, ask your chef beforehand to go easy on the spice
• Street-food joints in Singapore sell out fast or have long lines, so reach the joints quickly and avoid the long waiting period
• Don't forget to Instagram your food! #FoodPorn much? 

From sweet to sour, this list covers all the popular street food in Singapore, favoured by the visitors as well as the locals. It is not an exhaustive list and just covers the delicious meals inspired by all ethnicities of Singapore, be it Malaysian, Indian, Chinese or Singaporean itself. Many of the dishes were invented during times of war and poverty, created with whatever ingredient was available at that time. Thus, the cuisine and street food in Singapore forms a part of its history, culture and tradition. Some people would probably think that these aren't Singaporean but Singapore adopts the best flavours from all cultures. 

Which food did you enjoy the most? Which dish are you most eager to try? Comment below, and let us know! #FoodLove all the way!