Best Singaporean Foods
Char kway teow is one of the most popular street dishes in Malaysia and Singapore. Despite numerous regional varieties, it is usually made with flat rice noodles, shrimps, eggs, cockles, bean sprouts, chives, and Chinese sausage. All the ingredients are usually fried and coated in soy sauce, while some versions also incorporate shrimp paste, garlic, fried pork lard, and sometimes even yellow wheat noodles.
Among the numerous theories about the origin of the dish, the most popular claims that it was invented in the Singaporean Teochew community by Chinese immigrants, while the name stems from Hokkien, char meaning fried and kway teow denoting flat rice noodles.
MOST ICONIC Char kway teow
View moreRoti prata is a Singaporean specialty consisting of a ghee-flavored flatbread that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It is typically served with mutton curry or various fish dishes. There are many prata stalls throughout Singapore, so the texture of roti prata ranges from chewy and flaky to super crispy.
The flatbread can also be turned into a dessert by adding ingredients such as chocolate, ice cream, or cheese.
MOST ICONIC Roti prata
View moreAs the name implies, this laksa variety hails from the Katong neighborhood of Singapore's Central Region. It is based on a spicy, shrimp-infused broth that's flavored with coconut milk and a special laksa paste consisting of dried shrimps, herbs, and spices.
Other elements include thick rice noodles and a variety of condiments and toppings such as shrimps, fishcakes, cockles, tofu puffs, fish balls, spicy sambal sauce, or coriander. The noodles in Katong laksa are always cut into smaller pieces, and when served, each bowl comes with a spoon.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Laksa
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Beef kway teow is a Singaporean and Malaysian noodle dish that can be served either as a quick meal or as a side dish to bigger meals. In order to prepare it, broad and flat rice noodles are stir-fried with vegetables and herbs, and topped with slices of beef.
There is also a version of this dish in a form of a soup similar to Thai beef soup, but it is usually prepared as a "dry" dish, in a thick gravy flavored with chili, soy sauce, and sesame oil. A variety of the dish is popular in Indonesia, where it’s commonly enriched with garlic, meatballs, cabbage, soy sauce, and black pepper.
MOST ICONIC Beef kway teow
View moreThis sweet turnover pancake comes under various names throughout Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore. Regardless of the location, it can be prepared either in a thin and crispy variety or as a thick and soft pancake. Traditional fillings typically include a combination of ground or roughly chopped peanuts, sugar, and butter, but the modern varieties may include anything from corn, chocolate chips, and raisins to grated cheese or condensed milk.
Though not much is known about its origin, it is believed that is was first introduced in Penang by the Chinese who migrated from the province of Fujian.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Black pepper crab is the unofficial national dish of Singapore, made by stir-frying crab pieces with black pepper, garlic, shallots, and oyster sauce over high heat. The dish is seldom prepared at home, but people can easily find it at numerous street stalls and seafood restaurants.
Once the crab is cooked, it is often garnished with coriander leaves and paired with rice on the side.
MOST ICONIC Black Pepper Crab
View moreOriginally invented on Hainan, a tropical island located south of China, the humble Hainanese chicken rice has evolved into one of the most popular dishes in Singapore. It consists of steamed chicken that is cut into bite-sized pieces, then served with fragrant white rice.
When plated, the dish is drizzled with soy sauce and sesame oil, and it is served with sliced cucumbers and a spicy chili sauce. Frequently, the steaming liquid is subsequently spiced and served as a soup. The recipe was brought to Singapore by Hainanese migrants in the 19th century, and the first vendor selling this unique dish in Singapore opened his stall in the 1940s.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Wenchang ji
MOST ICONIC Hainanese Chicken Rice
View moreMAIN INGREDIENTS
Like many other dishes in Asia, chilli crab started as a street food item, but it has eventually become so popular that today it is considered to be the national dish of Singapore. It consists of a stir-fried crab covered in a succulent, spicy sauce.
The story of chilli crab's origin is a well-known anecdote - it was invented in the 1950s by Cher Yam Tian, who wanted to modify her stir-fried crab recipe by adding bottled chili sauce into the dish. The result was so delicious that her family persuaded her to start selling the dish, so chilli crab began its way to become the signature dish of Singapore.
MOST ICONIC Chilli crab
View moreClaypot rice is a traditional dish that’s especially popular in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Although there are numerous variations on the dish, it’s often made with a combination of long-grain rice, mushrooms, chicken, sausage, ginger, shallots, oil, soy sauce, scallions, coriander, and sambal chili sauce.
The rice is soaked and finished in a claypot with the rest of the ingredients. If properly prepared, the rice should form a crust on the bottom. The dish is typically cooked over a charcoal stove, which imparts a unique flavor to claypot rice. Before serving, claypot rice is usually garnished with scallions and coriander, and the dish is accompanied by dark soy sauce and sambal on the side.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Nasi goreng kampung is a traditional nasi goreng (fried rice) variety originating from Malaysia, but it's also popular in Singapore and Indonesia. Although there are many recipes, it's usually made with a combination of rice, onions, shallots, garlic, chili peppers, anchovies, oil, water spinach, eggs, and salt.
The onions, shallots, garlic, and hot peppers are puréed and fried with the anchovies in oil. The rice, eggs, and water spinach are added to the pan and the dish is stir-fried for a few minutes before it's served hot. Nasi goreng kampung (countryside-style fried rice) is usually garnished with tomato or cucumber slices and a few dried anchovies on top.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Nasi goreng
Best Singaporean Food Producers
AWARDS

ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Double Gold
2023

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding
2024, 2023

ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Gold
2024
BEST East Asia Whisky Company Spirits
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024

ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Gold
2021

ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Gold trophy
2020
BEST 53 degrees enterprise Spirits
AWARDS

SWSC - Singapore World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023
BEST Compendium Spirits Spirits
AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold
2020

World Gin Awards - Country Winner
2021
BEST Brass Lion Distillery Spirits
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023

SWSC - Singapore World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023

The Asian Spirits Masters - Gold
2022
BEST Botani Spirits
TWG Tea is a luxurious tea brand based in Singapore, offering a wide range of high-quality, expertly curated teas. Known for its opulent offerings, TWG Tea brings together the finest leaves from around the globe, creating sophisticated blends with a focus on flavor, aroma, and refinement.
Since its establishment, TWG Tea has become synonymous with luxury, offering an extensive collection of rare and premium teas, including blends, single-origin teas, and exclusive collections. In addition to their exceptional range of teas, TWG Tea also provides artisanal accessories and gifts.
BEST TWG Tea Teas and Herbal Infusions
AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold
2020
BEST Guizhou Donghuang Rongtaihe Spirits
AWARDS

Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024, 2022

Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2023, 2022, 2021
BEST Pryce Tea Teas and Herbal Infusions
Gryphon Tea Company was founded in 2006. The company specializes in producing premium artisan teas. Gryphon Tea offers a variety of tea blends, including black, green, white, and herbal teas. The company focuses on using high-quality, natural ingredients in its products.
Gryphon Tea is known for its innovative and contemporary approach to traditional tea.
AWARDS

Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2024, 2023
BEST Gryphon Tea Company Teas and Herbal Infusions
AWARDS

Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2021
BEST Cheung Wo Food Supply Sg Pte Confectioneries
Best Singaporean Food Products
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023

SWSC - Singapore World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023

The Gin Masters - Gold
2022
AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding
2024

ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Gold
2024
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
AWARDS

ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Double Gold
2023
AWARDS

World Liqueur Awards - Country Winner
2024
AWARDS

SWSC - Singapore World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023
AWARDS

World Gin Awards - Country Winner
2021
AWARDS

The Asian Spirits Masters - Gold
2022

World Gin Awards - Country Winner
2022
AWARDS

The Gin Masters - Gold
2022

World Gin Awards - Country Winner
2022
AWARDS

ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Gold
2021

ISC-International Spirits Challenge - Gold trophy
2020


TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 50 Singaporean Foods” list until March 27, 2025, 1,996 ratings were recorded, of which 1,527 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.