The best way to experience the culture of Singapore? Be adventurous. With a dynamic blend of cultures and heritage backgrounds, travelers are always delighted when exploring local Singapore food. You do not know where to start? Check out our guide to the best traditional dishes you should try on your next visit.

Wanton Mee

This free Singapore noodle dish has probably been influenced by Hong Kong cuisine but has been ingrained in our culture over the years. The Singaporean version is usually eaten “dry”, dipped in light sweet sauce, slices of pork and free meatballs filled with pork, with a small bowl of soup on the side.

Aunt will also ask you if you want it spicy or not. The spicy type sees the chili mixed in the noodles, while the non-spicy children’s version will have the mixed tomato sauce. The free dumplings can be fried or come in the form of soup dumplings.

The Malaysian variant uses a darker colored sauce and a sweeter tasting mee (noodles).

Fei Fei Wanton Mee (the original)

• Address: 62 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427785 Singapore
• Phone Number: +65 6345 7515
• Hours of operation: Noon to 11.59 p.m. (today), noon to 11.59 p.m. (daily)

Crabs (chili or pepper)

The two most famous styles of crab cooking in Singapore are with sweet and spicy tomato chili sauce or black pepper sauce. Chili crabs are usually eaten with fried mantou (brioches), which are dipped in the succulent chili sauce.

To get a delicious texture, crabs go through a two-step cooking process; they are first boiled and then fried so that the meat does not stick to the shell. Recently, many popular new cooking styles have also emerged, such as salted egg crabs or crab bee hoon.

Red House Seafood Restaurant

• Address: 60 Robertson Quay The Quayside # 01-14 The Quayside, Singapore 238252 Singapore
• Phone Number: +65 6735 7666
• Opening hours: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. (today), 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. (daily)

Laksa

Laksa is a dish created from the fusion of Chinese and Malaysian cuisine, otherwise known as the Peranakan culture. There are two main types of Laksa – Curry Laksa and Asam Laksa.

Curry Laksa is more predominant in Singapore, while Asam Laksa is more commonly found in Malaysian regions like Penang. In fact, there are many variations of Laksa, which differ in the type of fish used, the broth and even the noodles.

The traditional Singapore food Curry Laksa uses vermicelli, coconut milk, tau pok (puffs of beancurd), slices of fish, shrimp and hum (cockles). Due to cost reduction or taste preferences, some stalls may refuse shrimp and cockles.

A unique Singaporean variant known as Katong Laksa includes vermicelli cut into small pieces and eaten only with a spoon. There is a lot of debate over which establishment is the original Katong Laksa, but most of the bowls are delicious in their own way.

328 Katong Laksa

• Address: 51 East Coast Road Roxy Square, Singapore 428707 Singapore
• Phone Number: +65 9732 8163
• Opening hours: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. (today), 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. (daily)

Oyster omelette (Orh Lua)

Popular in the hawking centers of Singapore as well as in the night markets of Taiwan, it is a dish that many foreigners and locals love. The stalls selling carrot cake usually sell oyster omelets because it is a similar baking process that also uses a common ingredient: eggs.

Potato starch is usually mixed when frying the egg and gives a thicker, fuller taste. Variants include a starch-free version, the price of which is slightly higher due to the need for additional eggs instead. A special pickled pepper is also paired exclusively with oyster omelets in Singapore.

Bedok North 85 Fried Oysters

• Address: 85 Bedok North Street 4 # 01-49 Fengshan Market and Food Center, Singapore 461085 Singapore
• Phone Number: +65 8180 7751
• Hours of Operation: Open daily

Satay

Satay is a skewered meat dish marinated in turmeric which is grilled over a wood fire. He is from Indonesia but has become a common hawker dish in Singapore. The stalls are not limited to any race and can be run by Chinese, Malaysians or Indians.

Typical meats include chicken, beef, mutton and even pork which is sold by Chinese stand owners. The ketupat (rice cake), onions and cucumbers generally accompany Satay. A spicy peanut dip is also provided for Satay and sides.

Kwong satay

• Address: Sing Lian Eating House 549 Lorong 29 Geylang, Singapore Singapore
• Phone Number: +65 6565 0002
• Hours of Operation: Open daily

Tau Huay

Tau Huay is a Chinese dessert made from bean tofu sweetened with sugar syrup. The traditional type is very sweet, slightly grainy and soaked in syrup to consume together. This Tau Huay can be eaten hot or cold, sometimes with Tang Yuan (sticky rice balls), grass jelly or soy milk.

In recent times, a popular and more gelatinous version of Tau Huay jelly has surfaced and, for a while, has led Singaporeans to line up like sugar ants. This version is sweeter and can incorporate just about any flavor like mango, melon or sesame. The texture is distinct from traditional types and some camps oppose it because of the artificial stabilizers used. This version is only consumed cold because the heat would break the structure.

Rochor Original Beancurd

• Address: 2 Short Street, Singapore 188211 Singapore
• Hours of Operation: 12:00 PM – 01:00 AM (Today), 11:00 AM – 01:00 AM (Mon-Thu), 11:00 AM – 03:00 AM (Fri), 12: 00 PM – 03: 00 AM (Sat)

See also: Singapore Street Foods