South-Eastern Asia
Food of Singapore
The 7 most iconic national dishes of Singapore — real photos, key ingredients and tasty facts behind every plate.
Asia
Hainanese chicken rice
Singapore’s signature hawker dish pairs poached chicken with fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock, usually served with chili sauce and ginger paste. It is delicate, savory and comforting rather than heavily spiced.
Did you know?
Hainanese chicken rice is so closely associated with the nation that it is often described as one of Singapore’s unofficial national dishes.
Chilli crab
Mud crab is stir-fried in a thick, sweet-savory tomato-and-chili gravy often enriched with egg. The sauce is famous for being mopped up with fried mantou buns.
Did you know?
The dish was popularized in Singapore in the mid-20th century and later became internationally famous through the city-state’s seafood restaurants.
Laksa
Singapore laksa, especially the Katong style, is a rich coconut curry noodle soup with seafood and a spicy aromatic broth. It tastes creamy, mildly sweet and warmly spiced.
Did you know?
Katong laksa is known for noodles cut short enough to be eaten with just a spoon, without chopsticks.
Char kway teow
This beloved hawker noodle dish stir-fries flat rice noodles over high heat with soy sauce, egg and lard for smoky wok hei flavor. It is rich, savory and slightly sweet.
Did you know?
Char kway teow began as a cheap, filling food for laborers before becoming one of Singapore’s most celebrated hawker staples.
Satay
Skewers of marinated meat are grilled over charcoal and served with peanut sauce, rice cakes and condiments. The meat is smoky, slightly sweet and deeply aromatic.
Did you know?
Singapore’s satay culture was once strongly associated with open-air street districts such as the old Satay Club by the Esplanade.
Fish head curry
A large fish head is simmered in a spicy, tangy curry with vegetables, creating a dramatic communal dish. The flesh is tender and gelatinous, while the gravy is robust and aromatic.
Did you know?
Fish head curry is widely regarded as a uniquely Singaporean dish that blends South Indian curry traditions with local Chinese taste for fish head.
Turtle soup
This old-fashioned specialty is a rich herbal soup made with soft-shelled turtle, often double-boiled for depth. It has a dark, savory broth and a reputation as a fortifying food.
Did you know?
Although much less common today, turtle soup was historically sold in Singapore as a restorative delicacy in traditional eateries.