The ultimate guide to heritage hawker food in Singapore and where to find them
Singapore is a food paradise. Many fawn over our rich culinary heritage, which has been defined by the humble hawker centres scattered all across the island.
Step into any hawker centre and you’ll come across a dizzying array of dishes and food traditions — anything from regional Chinese cuisine, traditional dishes from the Malay Archipelago and South Asia, and uniquely Singaporean plates that you won’t be able to get your hands anywhere else.
Here’s our guide to some of the dishes you simply can’t miss when you’re in Singapore.
Here are the best nasi lemak stalls in Singapore
Nasi lemak is arguably one of country’s most iconic dishes. Typically consisting of coconut rice, fried chicken, eggs, peanuts, and a generous side of sambal, it’s the perfect dish for any time of the day.
Where to find heritage kueh in Singapore
Kueh are well-loved traditional snacks that are the amalgamation of the many food cultures present in Singapore. Check out these old-school bakeries that still produce these labour-intensive treats.
Where to find the best chicken rice
Available in variations of steamed, roast, and soy sauce chicken, this dish might be one of the Singapore’s most beloved culinary treasures.
Kaya today can be found in traditional Nyonya and Hainanese variants, with the former boasting a rich pandan flavour and deeper green hue, and the latter being sweeter and brown in colour.
Where to get the best roti prata
The beloved dish has its roots in South India, with ‘roti’ meaning bread and ‘prata’ or ‘paratha’ meaning flat in Hindi. The recipe is simple but in no way does that undermine how satisfying it is: dough is flavoured with ghee, before being stretched and fried to golden brown perfection.
Where to find the best Hokkien Mee
Think a stir-fried plate of umami goodness, comprised of yellow and thick vermicelli noodles married with a lip-smacking broth of pork bones and prawn heads, which is then elevated with prawns, squid, pork belly strips, egg and crispy fried pork lard.
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