Must-Try Food in Singapore: What to Eat on Your Visit

If there’s one thing I look forward to every time I visit Singapore, it’s the food.

I’ve been to Singapore more than ten times now, and eating is always a big part of my plans. I’ve done food tours through Joo Chiat, eaten my way around hawker centres and jumped on the MRT more than once simply because there was a particular dish I wanted to try.

And there’s still plenty I haven’t eaten!

So what food should you try in Singapore? For a first visit, I’d start with some of the classics – Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, chilli crab, char kway teow, satay and kaya toast.

But don’t stop there. Singapore’s mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan influences means there are dozens of dishes worth seeking out.

These are 19 of the Singapore foods I’ve tried and think are worth adding to your list.

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Eating in Singapore

Header for "Must try food in Singapore" showing five different foods - carrot cake, oyster omelette, char kway teow, satay and nasi lemak

One of the things I love about eating in Singapore is the variety. Singaporean food has been shaped by the different cultures that have made the country home, particularly Chinese, Malay and Indian communities, along with the distinctive Peranakan cuisine that developed from a blend of cultures and traditions.

You’ll see those influences everywhere. One meal might be Hainanese chicken rice or char kway teow, the next could be roti prata or nasi lemak, followed by a bowl of chendol for dessert. There’s always something else to try.

And you don’t need to spend a fortune to eat well. Some of the best places to try local Singapore food are the hawker centres, where dozens of small stalls specialise in particular dishes.

Singapore’s hawker culture is such an important part of everyday life that it was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020.

If you’re visiting Singapore for the first time, don’t feel like you need to work your way through this entire list. Pick a few dishes that appeal to you, head to a hawker centre and start there.

Although, if you’re anything like me, your list of foods to try will probably get longer rather than shorter!

My Singapore Food Experiences

Food has been part of my Singapore travels right from my first visit, when I joined a food tour through the Katong and Joo Chiat area.

Over a few hours, we tried somewhere like 30 different foods – many of them things I probably wouldn’t have known to order on my own.

Years later, I went looking for that same tour only to discover it was no longer running. On a more recent visit, I returned to Joo Chiat for another food tour, this time with my husband and a friend.

That tour introduced me to another nine foods and drinks, including curry puffs, laksa, otah, different types of kueh, putu piring and kopi.

There were familiar favourites as well as things I’d never tried before – and I even went back later in the trip for another one of the curry puffs.

Those tours have been a great introduction to Singapore’s food, but a lot of my food discoveries have happened on my own.

On every visit I make a point of trying something new. Sometimes I’ll spot something interesting at a hawker centre; other times I’ll read about a particular dish and jump on the MRT specifically to track it down.

I’ve now eaten at hawker centres and food stalls all over Singapore, but I’m still discovering new things to try. The list below isn’t meant to include every Singaporean dish – these are foods I’ve actually tried and think are worth looking out for during your own visit.

Must-Try Foods in Singapore

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice from Maxwell Hawker Centre Singapore

If you only try one local dish in Singapore, Hainanese chicken rice is probably the place to start. It looks deceptively simple – poached or roasted chicken served with rice – but it’s the rice that makes it so good.

The rice is cooked in chicken stock with ingredients such as garlic, ginger and pandan, giving it much more flavour than plain steamed rice. It’s usually served with slices of tender chicken, cucumber and a selection of sauces, including chilli and ginger.

Chicken rice is one of those dishes you’ll see everywhere in Singapore, from hawker centres to restaurants, and everyone seems to have an opinion about where to find the best one. I’ve eaten it in various places over the years, and it’s an easy, inexpensive meal I keep coming back to.

If you’re nervous about diving into Singapore’s food scene, this is a good dish to start with. The flavours aren’t particularly challenging or spicy, but it’s still something that feels distinctly Singaporean.

Chilli Crab

Chilli crab is probably one of Singapore’s most famous dishes, and despite the name, it isn’t necessarily as spicy as you might expect.

The crab is cooked in a thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli-based sauce, usually with egg stirred through it. There’s some heat, but the sauce is generally more rich, tangy and slightly sweet than fiery. It’s messy to eat, but that’s all part of the experience.

Make sure you order some mantou with it too. These small buns are usually fried until golden and are perfect for mopping up all that sauce – arguably one of the best parts of the meal.

Chilli crab tends to be more expensive than the hawker dishes on this list, particularly when you’re ordering a whole crab, so it’s one of the Singapore foods I’d consider a bit of a splurge. Check the price or price per weight before ordering so you know what you’re going to pay.

I’ve only had chilli crab once, quite a few years ago, so it’s definitely due for another try on a future Singapore visit.

But if it’s your first trip to Singapore and you enjoy seafood, it’s one of those iconic local dishes that’s worth experiencing at least once.

Laksa

A black bowl filled with spicy orange soup containing noodles, prawns, pieces of meat, and greens, with a black spoon resting inside. The soup appears creamy and is flecked with herbs and seasonings.

Laksa was one of the first Singapore dishes I tried, and it’s one I’ve gone back to many times since. It’s a rich, spicy noodle soup with a coconut milk-based broth, usually served with ingredients such as prawns, fish cake, cockles and bean sprouts.

There are many different versions of laksa across Southeast Asia, but in Singapore you’ll often come across Katong laksa.

This version is closely associated with the Katong and Joo Chiat area and traditionally uses noodles cut into shorter pieces so the whole dish can be eaten with a spoon rather than chopsticks.

The combination of creamy coconut milk, seafood and chilli makes it full of flavour, but the level of heat can vary considerably. If you’re not great with spicy food, it’s worth asking before ordering rather than assuming every bowl will be the same.

I’ve eaten laksa on both of my food tours through Katong and Joo Chiat as well as on other Singapore visits.

If you enjoy spicy, coconut-based flavours, this is definitely one I’d put near the top of your Singapore food list.

Char Kway Teow

A red plate filled with char kway teow on a blue surface

Char kway teow is one of my favourite dishes to order at a Singapore hawker centre. It’s a plate of flat rice noodles stir-fried over high heat with dark soy sauce, egg, bean sprouts and other ingredients that can include Chinese sausage, prawns, cockles and fish cake.

One of the things that makes a really good char kway teow stand out is the slightly smoky, charred flavour that comes from cooking the noodles quickly in a very hot wok – often referred to as wok hei.

It’s a rich, savoury dish with a little sweetness from the sauce, and different stalls have their own versions and combinations of ingredients. Don’t expect it to be a light meal, but it’s packed with flavour.

I’ve tried char kway teow at several places in Singapore over the years and it’s one of the hawker dishes I continue to order.

If you’re wandering around a hawker centre wondering what to choose, this is always high on my list.

Satay

A tray of grilled meat skewers, bright green packets of rice, and grilled prawns on skewers. Two sauces in small bowls are visible on a table with a clear plastic cover.

Satay is one of the easiest Singapore foods to try, especially if you’re new to Southeast Asian food. Small pieces of marinated meat are threaded onto skewers and grilled over charcoal, giving them a slightly smoky flavour with those delicious charred bits around the edges.

You’ll commonly find chicken, beef and mutton satay in Singapore, usually served with a rich peanut sauce along with cucumber and onion. You may also get ketupat – compressed rice cakes cut into cubes – which are great for soaking up the sauce.

Satay is particularly good when you’re eating with other people because you can order a pile of skewers for the table alongside a few other dishes. It’s also one of those foods that just seems to suit a warm Singapore evening and an outdoor hawker centre.

I’ve eaten satay many times in Singapore, and it’s something I’d happily order again. For the full experience, Satay Street beside Lau Pa Sat is a fun place to try it in the evening, when part of the street closes to traffic and fills with satay stalls and outdoor tables.

Nasi Lemak

A plate with white rice, fried chicken, a round fried patty, red chilli sauce, and yellow crumbs, served on a leaf-patterned plate with a fork, spoon, and a yellow cup in the background.

Nasi lemak isn’t unique to Singapore – it’s particularly associated with neighbouring Malaysia – but it’s such a common part of the local food scene that it’s well worth trying while you’re here.

At the heart of the dish is rice cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaves, giving it a subtle coconut flavour and wonderful aroma. It’s traditionally served with sambal, crispy anchovies (ikan bilis), peanuts, cucumber and egg, although you’ll find plenty of variations with extras such as fried chicken or fish.

Don’t be fooled by how simple it looks. The combination of creamy coconut rice, salty anchovies, crunchy peanuts and spicy-sweet sambal gives you a little bit of everything in each mouthful.

I’ve eaten nasi lemak a few times in Singapore and it’s popular as a breakfast – although there’s absolutely nothing stopping you eating it later in the day.

If you’re used to a fairly traditional Australian breakfast, rice and sambal first thing in the morning might seem unusual, but that’s all part of the fun of travelling!

Kaya Toast

Two pieces of kaya toast sit on a red plate next to a small red bowl with two soft-boiled eggs. At the edge of the shot is a cup of teh tarik

Kaya toast is another Singapore breakfast favourite and one I think every visitor should try at least once. It’s simple – toasted bread spread with butter and kaya, a sweet coconut and egg jam usually flavoured with pandan – but it’s delicious.

It’s traditionally served with soft-boiled eggs seasoned with dark soy sauce and white pepper, with a cup of kopi on the side.

Dunking the toast into the runny eggs might seem a little strange the first time you see it, but give it a go!

I’ve tried kaya toast at quite a few places around Singapore, from the big-name chains to small local coffee shops. It’s inexpensive, easy to find and a great introduction to a traditional Singapore breakfast.

If you want to know where I’ve tried it and which places I recommend, take a look at my Where to Eat Kaya Toast in Singapore guide.

Roti Prata

Roti prata is a crispy, flaky flatbread with Indian origins that’s become a firm favourite in Singapore. It’s cooked on a hot griddle until golden on the outside while staying soft and chewy inside, and is usually served with a small bowl of curry for dipping.

You can order it plain or filled with all sorts of things. Egg and cheese are common options, but depending on where you go, you’ll find menus with everything from onion and mushroom to sweet versions with banana or chocolate.

I prefer to keep it simple. A freshly cooked plain or egg prata with curry is inexpensive, filling and absolutely delicious.

Roti prata works at almost any time of the day, but it’s particularly popular for breakfast or supper. You’ll find it at Indian and Indian-Muslim eateries across Singapore, so you don’t need to go far out of your way to add this one to your food list.

Carrot Cake (Chai Tow Kway)

A white plate with stir-fried radish cake pieces garnished with chopped spring onions, next to a yellow plate holding skewered grilled meat. Both dishes are on a light-coloured table.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first – Singapore carrot cake is nothing like the carrot cake you might order with your coffee back home. There’s no sweet cake, no cream cheese icing and, confusingly, usually no orange carrot either!

Known as chai tow kway, it’s made from steamed radish cake that’s cut into pieces and fried with eggs, preserved radish and seasonings.

The “carrot” in the English name comes from the fact that the Chinese words for radish and carrot are closely related.

You’ll generally come across two versions in Singapore – white carrot cake and black carrot cake.

The white version is fried with egg until you get delicious crispy edges, while black carrot cake has sweet dark soy sauce added, making it darker, sweeter and a little stickier.

I’ve tried both, and they’re different enough that it’s worth ordering each at least once. If you’re travelling with someone, get one of each and share – all in the name of research, of course!

Bak Kut Teh

A metal pot filled with stir-fried vegetables, meat, and sauce sits on a brown tray. The dish is garnished with sesame seeds, and chopsticks are placed nearby. The background shows a wooden surface.

Bak kut teh literally means “meat bone tea”, but don’t expect a bowl of tea! It’s a pork rib soup that’s particularly popular in Singapore and Malaysia, with different versions found throughout the region.

The Singapore-style version is usually a clear, peppery broth flavoured with garlic and spices, with pork ribs cooked until tender. The pepper can give it quite a kick, although it’s a very different sort of heat from chilli.

I first tried bak kut teh at Lau Pa Sat and have eaten it at a couple of other places since. It’s one of those dishes that doesn’t necessarily look particularly exciting when it arrives – a bowl of clear broth and pork ribs – but there’s a surprising amount of flavour packed into it.

You’ll often see Chinese tea served alongside bak kut teh. Add some rice and perhaps you tiao – fried dough sticks that are perfect for dipping into the broth – and you’ve got a filling meal.

If you’re a fan of peppery flavours and comforting soups, bak kut teh is definitely worth adding to your Singapore food list.

Popiah

A food stall sign shows a dish called “Popiah” priced at £2.40 per piece. The image features sliced popiah rolls filled with vegetables, garlic, and lettuce, along with decorative ingredients in the background.

I first tried popiah at Old Airport Road Food Centre when my cousin, who lives in Singapore, took me there and introduced me to a few local foods she thought I should try. Popiah and rojak were two of her choices that day.

At first glance, popiah looks a little like a fresh spring roll, but there’s much more going on inside.

A thin, soft wrapper is filled with cooked turnip along with a mixture of other ingredients that can include carrot, bean sprouts, lettuce, egg, peanuts and crispy bits for some extra crunch. Sweet sauce and chilli can also be added before the whole thing is tightly rolled and sliced into pieces.

Unlike the deep-fried spring rolls you might be more familiar with, popiah is fresh and relatively light. There’s a great combination of soft, crunchy, sweet and savoury in each bite, with every stall having its own variation.

I’ve had popiah again since that first visit, and it’s a great option when you want to try another local dish without committing to a huge meal.

It’s also perfect for sharing – which means there’s room to try something else as well!

Rojak

A plate of chicken pieces coated in a dark sauce, topped with crushed peanuts and crispy flatbread pieces, served on a white, irregular-shaped dish labelled “1B.”.

Rojak was the other dish my cousin introduced me to at Old Airport Road Food Centre. And if you look at a plate of it and wonder exactly what you’re looking at, you’re probably not alone!

Rojak means “mixture” in Malay, which is a pretty good description.

The Chinese-style rojak commonly found in Singapore combines fresh ingredients such as cucumber and pineapple with things like you tiao (fried dough fritters) and tau pok (fried beancurd puffs).

Some stalls grill or toast the fried ingredients before everything is chopped up and tossed together.

Then comes the sauce. It’s thick, dark, sweet and savoury, traditionally made with ingredients including prawn paste, tamarind, lime, sugar and chilli, with crushed peanuts scattered over the top.

The result is a real mixture of flavours and textures – sweet, salty, tangy, crunchy, chewy and just a little funky.

It’s probably not a dish I would have thought to order if my cousin hadn’t put it in front of me, which is exactly why I love having locals introduce me to food.

Rojak might sound like an unusual combination on paper, but it’s one of those dishes that’s worth trying rather than trying to imagine what all those flavours will taste like together.

Claypot Chicken Rice

A clay pot filled with rice, pieces of chicken, and green vegetables, garnished with herbs. A red and black container and a yellow drink are in the background on a light blue table.

Don’t confuse claypot chicken rice with Hainanese chicken rice – they’re two very different dishes.

As the name suggests, claypot chicken rice is traditionally cooked in a clay pot, with the rice and chicken cooking together along with ingredients such as Chinese sausage, mushrooms and a savoury soy-based sauce. Cooking everything in the same pot allows the rice to soak up all those flavours.

But one of the best bits is at the bottom. The rice touching the hot clay pot develops a crispy, slightly charred crust, and scraping those crunchy pieces from the bottom is all part of the experience.

I tried claypot chicken rice at Chinatown Complex Food Centre, where it was cooked to order. It’s not necessarily a quick hawker meal – traditional claypot rice can take a while to cook – but I think it’s worth waiting for.

If you already love chicken rice and want to try something completely different, don’t overlook this one. Just make sure you get some of those crispy bits from the bottom of the pot!

Oyster Omelette

A serving of fried oyster omelette topped with fresh coriander, accompanied by two portions of red dipping sauce in pink plastic pots, served on a disposable plate with a white plastic fork.

If you like oysters, an oyster omelette is another Singapore hawker dish worth looking out for. But don’t expect it to be quite like the omelette you might make at home.

Also known as orh luak, the dish combines eggs with a starch-based batter, which gives parts of the omelette a slightly chewy texture while other bits become crispy around the edges. Small oysters are added during cooking, bringing their salty, briny flavour to the dish.

It’s usually served with a chilli sauce on the side, which helps cut through the richness of the eggs and oysters.

The texture is probably the most surprising part of an oyster omelette – you get crispy, soft and slightly gooey or chewy bits all on the same plate.

If you’re expecting a fluffy Western-style omelette, it can take you by surprise, but that’s also what makes it interesting to try.

This is another dish that’s great for sharing. Order one for the table at a hawker centre, give it a try and see what you think.

Curry Puff

A single golden-brown curry puff with flaky, layered pastry sits on a dark blue plate placed on a wooden table.

A curry puff might not look like one of the most exciting foods on this list, but don’t underestimate it. Think of it as Singapore’s answer to a small savoury pastry – a crisp, flaky shell wrapped around a curried filling.

The fillings vary, but a classic curry puff usually contains curried potato and chicken, sometimes with a piece of hard-boiled egg tucked inside. You’ll also find plenty of other versions, including sardine and vegetarian fillings.

I tried one from Soon Soon Huat Curry Puff in Joo Chiat during my most recent food tour, and it was one of my favourite things we ate that day.

In fact, I liked it enough that when I was staying nearby later in the trip, I went back and bought another one.

Curry puffs are inexpensive, portable and perfect when you want a quick snack rather than a full meal. If you’re exploring Joo Chiat, Soon Soon Huat is definitely one I’d happily return to.

Putu Piring

A takeaway box containing several white steamed rice cakes topped with grated coconut, with green pandan leaves placed on top. The box has a green exterior with Netflix and other branding.

Putu piring is a traditional steamed rice cake filled with gula melaka – palm sugar – and served with freshly grated coconut. It doesn’t look particularly elaborate, but bite into one while it’s still warm and you’ll find melted palm sugar hidden inside.

The little cakes are made from rice flour and steamed in round moulds, which gives them their distinctive flat, disc-like shape. They’re soft and slightly crumbly, with the rich caramel-like sweetness of the gula melaka balanced by the coconut.

I tried putu piring at Haig Road Putu Piring during my food tour through Joo Chiat, where we watched them being made fresh.

‘ve since spotted another Haig Road Putu Piring outlet around Kampong Glam, so you don’t necessarily have to head to Joo Chiat to try them.

If you see them being made, get one while it’s still warm. The melted gula melaka in the middle is definitely the best bit.

Kueh

Stacks of clear plastic containers hold green and red layered puddings, neatly arranged on metal shelves in what appears to be a refrigerated display cabinet at a shop or market.

Kueh isn’t one particular Singapore food. It’s a broad name for a huge variety of traditional cakes, dumplings, pastries and bite-sized snacks found throughout Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Many are made with ingredients such as rice flour, glutinous rice, coconut and pandan, and they come in all sorts of colours, shapes and textures.

Some are sweet, some are savoury, and many are steamed rather than baked, so don’t necessarily expect the texture of a Western-style cake.

I tried several different types of kueh on my most recent Joo Chiat food tour. Some were soft and chewy, others had layers of different colours and flavours, and trying a selection was half the fun.

You’ll see kueh in traditional bakeries, markets and food stalls around Singapore. If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, I’d suggest doing exactly what I did – choose a few that look interesting and give them a try.

You might not know exactly what you’ve bought until you bite into it, but that’s part of the adventure!

Chendol

A black square bowl on a wooden surface contains shaved ice topped with red beans, kidney beans, and green pandan jelly strips.

Singapore’s heat gives you a very good excuse to try chendol. This colourful shaved-ice dessert is cold, sweet and particularly welcome after you’ve spent a few hours walking around in the humidity.

Chendol usually combines shaved ice with coconut milk, gula melaka (palm sugar) and those distinctive green jelly-like strands made with rice flour and pandan. You’ll often find other ingredients added too, including red beans.

The gula melaka is what really makes it for me. It has a rich, almost caramel-like flavour that works beautifully with the coconut milk, while the shaved ice keeps everything refreshing.

You’ll find variations of chendol elsewhere in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia, so it isn’t uniquely Singaporean.

But it’s widely available here and definitely worth trying – preferably when you’re hot, tired and in need of something cold!

Otah

Three tamales wrapped in green banana leaves, secured with cocktail sticks, rest on a black plate next to a brown paper serviette and a white paper towel on a metallic surface.

I’m going to finish this list with a confession – otah wasn’t really for me. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think you should try it.

Otah, sometimes called otak-otak, is a popular Southeast Asian snack made from fish mixed with coconut milk, chilli and spices. The mixture is traditionally wrapped in banana or coconut leaves and grilled, giving it a fragrant, slightly smoky flavour.

I tried otah on my most recent food tour through Joo Chiat, where we were exploring Peranakan food and culture. It has a soft texture and quite a distinctive fish and spice flavour – and while I was glad I tried it, it’s probably not something I’ll be rushing back to order again.

But that’s part of trying local food when you travel. Not everything has to become your new favourite. Otah is a popular local snack and an important part of the Malay and Peranakan food traditions you’ll encounter in Singapore, so give it a try and make up your own mind.

You might completely disagree with me!

Where to Eat Local Food in Singapore

The iconic Lau Pa Sat food market in Singapore at night, featuring ornate colonial architecture with an iron framework and vibrant outdoor seating. Diners enjoy local cuisine under large umbrellas, surrounded by the modern cityscape of towering skyscrapers. The best place to eat on your 1 day Singapore itinerary

One of the best things about eating in Singapore is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat really well. Some of my favourite meals have come from hawker centres, where dozens of stalls serve everything from chicken rice and laksa to satay, rojak and carrot cake.

Hawker centres can be a little overwhelming the first time you visit, particularly when you don’t recognise half the dishes, but that’s also part of the fun. Look for stalls specialising in one or two dishes, see where the locals are queuing and don’t be afraid to point at something if you’re not quite sure what it’s called.

I’ve eaten at hawker centres all over Singapore, including Chinatown Complex, Old Airport Road Food Centre, Lau Pa Sat and plenty of others. If you want to know which ones I recommend, take a look at my Singapore Hawker Centres You Should Try guide.

You’ll also find local food in kopitiams – traditional coffee shops – as well as food courts in shopping centres. Food courts don’t have quite the same atmosphere as a hawker centre, but the air conditioning can be very welcome after a few hours walking around Singapore!

Some dishes are also worth seeking out at restaurants. Chilli crab is the obvious example, particularly if you want to sit down with a group and make a meal of it.

Is a Singapore Food Tour Worth It?

I’ve done two food tours through the Katong and Joo Chiat area, years apart, and I think a food tour can be one of the best ways to get started with Singaporean food.

On my first tour, I tried somewhere around 30 different foods. Many were things I wouldn’t have recognised or thought to order by myself, and it completely changed the way I approached eating in Singapore on later visits.

More recently, I joined the Katong Local Food and City Highlights Tour with my husband and a friend. The three-hour tour starts near Marine Parade MRT station and combines food with a look around the Katong and Joo Chiat neighbourhood.

We tried nine different foods and drinks, including curry puffs, laksa, otah, several types of kueh, putu piring and kopi. We also explored some of the area’s colourful Peranakan architecture, street art and small shops along the way.

The tour starts at 9am, which initially seemed a little early to me for a food tour, but it worked really well. Don’t bother eating breakfast beforehand! Starting early also meant we avoided some of the worst of Singapore’s afternoon heat.

Would I recommend doing a Singapore food tour? If it’s your first visit and you’re interested in food, yes. Having a local explain what you’re eating and introduce you to things you might otherwise walk straight past makes it much easier to become a little more adventurous afterwards.

Tips for Eating at Singapore Hawker Centres

People sitting and eating at Maxwell Food Centre

If you’ve never eaten at a hawker centre before, don’t overthink it. They’re casual places designed for everyday eating, and once you’ve visited one or two you’ll quickly get the hang of it.

Here are a few things I’ve learnt over my many visits to Singapore:

  • Don’t be put off by a queue. A line of locals at a particular stall can be a very good sign. Some of the best hawker stalls specialise in just one dish and have been making it for years.
  • Share when you can. If you’re travelling with someone else, ordering several dishes and sharing them means you can try far more food. This has become one of my favourite Singapore eating strategies.
  • Know about “chope”. You may see packets of tissues, umbrellas or other small belongings sitting on otherwise empty tables. They’re often being used to reserve – or “chope” – the seats, so find somewhere else rather than assuming the table is free.
  • Carry some cash. Singapore is increasingly cashless, but payment options at hawker stalls vary and some of the local digital payment methods aren’t particularly useful for overseas visitors. Having a few Singapore dollars with you makes things easier.
  • You don’t need to order everything from the same stall. That’s the beauty of a hawker centre. One person can grab chicken rice, another can order char kway teow and someone else can go hunting for dessert.
  • Think about the heat. Many traditional hawker centres are open-air and can get very hot during the middle of the day. If you’ve had enough of the humidity, an air-conditioned food court is a perfectly good alternative.
  • Try something you don’t recognise. Some of my favourite Singapore food discoveries have happened because someone suggested a dish I’d never heard of. And occasionally you won’t like it – hello, otah! – but at least you’ll know.

Singapore Food FAQs

What food is Singapore most famous for?

Some of Singapore’s best-known foods include Hainanese chicken rice, chilli crab, laksa, char kway teow, satay and kaya toast. Singapore’s food reflects its Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan influences, so there isn’t one single style of Singaporean cuisine.

What is Singapore’s national dish?

Singapore doesn’t have one officially designated national dish. Hainanese chicken rice is often described as one of Singapore’s national dishes and is certainly one of the foods most closely associated with the country. Chilli crab is another contender you’ll often see mentioned.

Is food expensive in Singapore?

It certainly can be, but local food doesn’t have to be expensive. Hawker centres are one of the best options if you’re travelling on a budget, with plenty of filling local meals costing much less than you’d pay at a sit-down restaurant.

At the other end of the scale, dishes such as chilli crab can become surprisingly expensive, so Singapore is a great example of somewhere you can spend as little or as much as you like on food.

Where is the best place to try local food in Singapore?

For your first taste of local Singapore food, I’d head to a hawker centre. Chinatown Complex, Old Airport Road Food Centre and Lau Pa Sat are just a few options, but there are hawker centres scattered across Singapore.

I have a separate guide to the Singapore Hawker Centres You Should Try if you want help deciding where to go.

What Singapore food should I try on my first visit?

If you only have a few days, I’d prioritise Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow, satay, kaya toast and either chilli crab or another seafood dish. Then add a couple of things you’ve never heard of before – that’s half the fun.

Still Hungry?

Even after more than ten visits to Singapore, I still haven’t tried everything – and I’m not sure I ever will. Every trip seems to add another dish to my list rather than ticking them all off.

That’s one of the reasons I love eating in Singapore. I can return to favourites like char kway teow and laksa while still finding something I’ve never tried before at the next hawker centre.

So use this list as a starting point rather than a checklist. Try the famous dishes, but leave room for something you spot at a hawker stall or something a local tells you that you absolutely have to eat.

And if you try otah and love it, you can tell me I’m wrong!

More Singapore Food and Travel Tips

Planning a trip to Singapore? You might also find these guides useful:

If you’re planning a Singapore stopover or short stay and would like even more tips, you can also join my Singapore Stopovers Facebook group, where we talk about where to stay, what to do, transport, food and making the most of your time in Singapore.

TRAVEL PLANNING ESSENTIALS

Flights – Book direct with the airline, always.

Book accommodationMy go to is Booking.com

Hire a rental carDiscoverCars.com is where I search many car rental companies in one place

Get travel insuranceI use CoverMore for my insurance.

Pick up an eSIMMy eSIM of choice is Airalo

Book activities, tours & attractions – I use a few different websites for this. Viator, Get Your Guide and Klook are my first options.

Stay safe with a VPN – I use NordVPN to keep me safe online

Manage your money – I use Wise and ING (Australia) for my travel accounts.

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A pin image for Must Try Food in Singapore showing a plate of satay and oyster omelette
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Josie Kelsh

Josie will help you to plan your next trip filled with bucket list experiences balanced with budget travel. She discovered travel in her late thirties, but since then has travelled extensively, visiting more than 60 countries and taking an adult gap year. She is now based in Australia and loves sharing all she has learned about travelling on a budget but with the added comforts a Gen Xer requires.