If you’re visiting Singapore, you’re going to want to make time to eat. This island is a country of food lovers. Some of the best Singapore street food can be found in local hawker centres and small, family run eateries. Here are our MUST EAT Top 5 local dishes to eat in Singapore…
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First, watch our Singapore street food video…
1. A classic Singaporean breakfast
Make sure you hunt down a traditional kopitiam and while away an hour or two over breakfast. Sitting in these traditional coffee shops you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Order the classic Singaporean breakfast of soft-boiled eggs, and kaya (coconut jam) toast and wash it down with a strong kopi- black filter coffee with a dollop of condensed milk added to it for sweetness. If you want to take it up a notch try the butter kopi at Heap Seng Leong where a slice of butter is added to the coffee for extra decadence.
Try it at: Heap Seng Leong, 10 N Bridge Rd, #01-5109, Singapore 190010. Open daily 4:00am to 8:00pm
Kopi, soft boiled eggs and kaya toast
2. Katong laksa
Unique to Singapore, Katong laksa is a noodle soup featuring a spicy, coconut based broth which can be eaten just with a spoon. Short rice noodles, blood cockles, fishcake, a dollop of sambal (chilli sauce) and finely sliced laksa leaf wallow in a creamy soup. It’s a tasty, satisfying dish and definitely one to hunt down when you’re in Singapore.
Try it at: Sungei Road Laksa, Blk 27 Jalan Berseh #01-100, Singapore 200027. Open 9:30am to 5:00pm. Closed Wednesday.
3. Char Kway Teow
Char Kway Teow is a local’s favourite. This fried noodle dish is made up of kway teow (rice noodles), blood cockles, chives, egg and lap cheong (preserved Chinese pork sausage). It’s cooked in a hot wok with a dollop of sambal (chilli sauce), pork lard and a mixture of soy sauce and sweet soy. A great char kway teow is characterised by the wok hei or the ‘breath of the wok’- if you can taste the smoky, charred essence of the wok in the dish, you know you’re onto a winner! It may not be the healthiest dish but it sure satisfies in the taste stakes!
Try it at: Hillstreet Char Koay Teow, 16 Bedok South Rd, #01-41, Singapore 460016. Open 11:30am to 4:45pm. Closed Monday.
Old Airport Road Food Centre: char koay teow from Dong Ji Kway Teow
4. Hainanese Chicken Rice
You can’t visit Singapore and not eat the national dish of Hainanese chicken rice! Chicken is gently poached and served with an oily rice which is cooked using the poaching liquid together with aromatics like garlic and ginger. Served with slices of fresh cucumber, a sauce of minced chilli and garlic and a simple chicken stock soup- this meal is simple yet packed with flavour. You will find excellent versions of this dish in hawker centres all around Singapore we love Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice and the restaurant we ate at in the video above, Yet Con.
Try it at: Yet Con, 25 Purvis Street, Singapore 188602. Open daily 12:00pm to 7:00pm and Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice, Maxwell Food Centre or Ghim Mo Food Centre.
5. Roti prata
You can’t beat fresh crispy roti dipped in creamy dal or a spicy curry sauce for breakfast. This Indian flatbread made from wheat flour, ghee and water is a simple yet decadent breakfast. Watching the cooks prepare the roti is half the pleasure. The dough is slapped on a well oiled stainless steel bench until it’s almost transparent before being cooked on a hot plate. Flaky, buttery and oh so delicious.
Try it at: Mr and Mrs Moghan’s Super Crispy Roti Prata, 7 Crane Road, Singapore 429356. Open daily 6:30am to 1:00pm.
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We hope this Singapore food guide has helped you eat and explore like a traveller, not a tourist!
Spending more time in Singapore? Check out our Singapore Travel Guide
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