Where to eat in Singapore now
21.07.2023 - 08:36
/ roughguides.com
Singapore is the culinary crossroads of Southeast Asia, where Malayan sambal hot sauces meet Chinese noodle dishes and curries from Kerala. Dining out here is a way of life – the local greeting is «Have you eaten yet?» – so make sure you pick the best places to eat in Singapore with the help of our guide to its far-reaching food scene.
Laksa, the fiery coconut soup of prawns, beansprouts and thick rice noodles, is proper Singapore comfort food, introduced by Peranakans (Straits-Chinese) and now pretty much beloved across the city-state. Debate rages around where to find the best version – everyone has their favourite – but for an authentic introduction to this deliciously addictive dish, head to East Coast Road in the Peranakan stronghold of Katong, where the creamy broth served at 328 Katong Laksa comes loaded with cockles and a side of fishcake grilled in banana leaves. The cut noodles here, shorter than at most other laksa joints, make it easier for first-timers too.
Laksa, a Singaporean favourite © lydiarei / Shutterstock
Hawker centres — large open-air complexes, typically found in busy urban areas, that house a myriad of stalls selling inexpensive cooked food — and Singapore go together like pubs and London. Without exaggeration, they really are some of the best places to eat in Singapore and the mounting fear that they may soon be a thing of the past has got Singaporeans in a sweat. Step forward the «hawkerpreneurs», a new generation of young hawker-centre chefs who remain dedicated to a single specific dish but are intent on giving a modern twist to their culinary classics. To get a taste of this growing trend, head to Prawnaholic, in the new Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, where the 24-year-old chef uniquely serves his Special Prawn Noodle with rich chunks of charred pork belly, a radical revision for prawn mee enthusiasts. Or try One Kueh at a Time, where the owner's innovative teochew kuehs (savoury dumplings) attracted some of the world's best chefs to his stall in the Berseh Food Centre. They're moving to new premises in November – check their Facebook page for updates.
Special Prawn Noodles at Prawnaholic © Prawnaholic
Michelin stars are rarely synonymous with budget dining, especially in a place like Singapore, but Chinatown's Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle certainly bucks the trend. This unassuming but brilliantly titled hawker stall dishes up the cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world: crispy-skinned slices of tender chicken in a secret soya sauce. The signature dish still only costs a few Singapore dollars, but buoyed by the extra custom that comes with winning such awards, they have now opened several other branches across town – brave the likely queues at