Iconic Singaporean Food I Got To Try In Singapore

I’m back to Singapore seven years after my graduation trip with Dom, and I’m so glad to be back! This time around, I was invited by Love, Bonito (my dream brand!) and the Singapore Tourism Board, and I’m not going to miss out on trying all the iconic Singaporean food this beautiful country has to offer. I’ve learned so much about Singapore just from eating all the iconic foods: Bak Kut Teh, Chicken Rice, Laksa, and more! Come taste test Singaporean food with me!

Here’s all the iconic Singaporean foods we got to try this time. Click to read more about your favorite foods, or click the button below to save the map on your phone!

Bak Kut Teh – Song Fa Bak Kut Teh 

I decided to grab a quick soup break before dinner, so it’s time for the famous Bah Kut Teh (肉骨茶), Singapore’s iconic herbal pork rib soup at Song Fa Bak Kut Teh.

Song Fa, which is one of Singapore’s many Michelin recommended restaurants, has served Bah Kut Teh around Singapore since 1969 as a pushcart. Their consistent quality over the decades has kept them recommended by the Michelin guide year after year for 8 years, and they have multiple branches around Singapore and internationally!

Bak Kut Teh (肉骨茶) is basically a comforting soup made with pork ribs cooked for hours in a flavorful broth of garlic, herbs, and spices. It’s hearty and aromatic, yet is incredibly light. The meat is so tender it literally falls off the bone. I especially love the slight kick from the white pepper. I had this 10 years ago, and it’s still just as good as I remembered it.

As a side dish, I ordered braised pig intestine. To combat the hot weather, i added an iced lemon tea too. The braised pork intestine was deliciously fatty and savory. It’s great paired with the soup! If it was up to me I would have a bowl of this pork soup every single day. Song Fa Bak Kut Teh‘s soups range about S$10-15, and also offer a variety of side dishes at around S$1-10. They’re quite popular, so there will be a bit of a wait at some of their bigger branches!

Hainanese Chicken Rice – 天天海南雞飯

Arriving at Maxwell Food Center, I went straight to Tiantian Hainanese Chicken Rice 天天海南雞飯. There’s so many delicious chicken and rice spots in Singapore, but I am finally reunited with the one and only Tiantian Chicken and Rice! Started in 1987, this hawker stand is also a Michelin-recommended location. It’s THE DEFINITION of “simple is best”.

Their chicken is poached to tender perfection and served over flavor-packed rice cooked in chicken broth and ginger. It comes with slices of cucumber and a braised egg, and covered with their signature sauce. I can easily eat this every single day, especially since it’s only S$5-9 depending on size. Be sure to come by after lunch time around 2 pm, because the lines can get long! Tiantian is CASH ONLY, so remember to stop by the ATM!

Chili Crab – Keng Eng Kee Seafood

Of course, we’re in Singapore, and we can’t miss the famous Chili Crab. After a day of learning about Love, Bonito at their head office, we got to try the one and only Keng Eng Kee Seafood and their famous chili crab. Guess what – Keng Eng Kee is a Michelin recommended restaurant too! It’s good we’ve got a large group, because we ordered so much food. There’s simply no other way to enjoy Family Style Dining than ordering too many dishes!

Chili crab is Singapore’s go-to dish for a reason – the juicy crab is bathed in spicy, sweet, and tangy sambal. It is messy, it’s bold, it’s flavorful – AND it’s totally satisfying. I especially love dipping the fried buns 饅頭 into the sauce to soak up every bit of flavor. We also ordered tons of other classic family-style dishes – beef rice noodles, stir fried water spinach, sweet and sour pork, and more!

Out of all the meals we had in Singapore, this Chili Crab meal might be one of my most memorable ones. There’s just nothing that can beat a group of friends and family bonding over cracking crab claws. I’m looking forward to bringing my family here again in the future because I know my dad would love this place so much!

Kaya Toast – Tong Ah Eating House

I’m so excited for our first stop of foodie day – Tong Ah Eating House. It’s my first time trying traditional Singapore breakfast: Kaya toast. I got so many recommendations from you all to give it a try, so I was super excited! Kaya toast is toast with Kaya spread, a sweet coconut jam made from coconut milk, egg, sugar, and panda leaves. It’s served with a flat slab of cold butter and barely-cooked soft boiled eggs, which can sound a little odd, but it’s TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Kaya toast is definitely all my must eat list next time I visit. the toast is crispy, the kayas spread is sweet and coconuty, and the cold butter melts between the warm bread making it creamy and slightly salty. when dipped into the perfectly soft boiled egg, it’s honestly the perfect mix of sweet and savory. it was so good that all of us got seconds. and this time I drizzled in a little bit of soy sauce and white pepper into the egg eggs and wow

I can totally understand why people in Singapore eat it so much and why everyone recommended it. My first Kaya Toast experience at Tong Ah Eating House was unreal, and I’m definitely coming back again. For only S$6-8, you can have a Kaya Toast combo anytime. I’m honestly so jealous of you, Singapore!

Roti Prata – Ar Rahman Cafe & Royal Prata

We dropped by Tekka Centre and our first stop was Ar Rahman Cafe. This busy stall had a few different stations, with one for prata and one for drinks. They have a wide variety of different refreshing drinks made right in front of you. Near by, the prata station is bustling, as the staff churn out fresh golden-brown prata one after another on the hot griddle. They offer so many different kinds of fillings!

My favorite was hands-down the freshly made prata. It’s crispy and flaky on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. When you take a bite you get a slight taste of the rich and buttery flavor from the ghee. Even just the plain prata was so satisfying! At S$1-3 per prata, I would have 10 of these at once if it was up to me!

Laksa – Crimson at Mandai Bird Paradise

After walking around and taking everything in the Bird Paradise, we had lunch at one of the most beautiful views of the park at Crimson. Located inside Hong Leong Foundation Crimson Wetlands, this restaurant is decorated with tons of flamingo motif. Outside, you can see macaws fly in freely their natural wetland habitat while you’re enjoying some classic Singaporean food.

For my main dish, I of course had to choose Laksa, something I haven’t gotten to try in Singapore quite yet. These bowls of thick vermicelli noodles in coconut curry topped with king prawns and tofu are spectacular! So flavorful, and super satisfying.

The three-course meal here at Crimson costs S$58 per person, and includes a choice of appetizer, main course, and dessert. I chose seared scallops as my appetizer, and a strawberries mille feuille as dessert.

It’s not often you get a chance to share a meal with someone new and just chat, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company in the moment over our giant bowls of Laksa at Crimson. Laksa obviously isn’t typically a 3-course meal food item, but I’m glad I got to try a version of it before I left Singapore. Next time, we’ll find a Laksa specific restaurant to taste test!

Nonya Kueh – Kim Choo Kueh Chang

For our foodie day, we got the special experience of making handmade Nonya Kueh at Kim Choo Kueh Chang from scratch. Kim Choo Kueh Chang is a store specializing in Peranakan sticky rice treats like Nonya kueh (similar to mochi) and chang (zong zi). They’ve been operational since 1945, and also offer workshops for traditional crafts like cooking and beading.

Today, we made Ondeh-ondeh, a chewy ball of Gula Melaka-filled pandan sticky rice ball covered in shredded coconut. Starting from sticky rice dough, we rolled the kueh into little balls and dropped them into boiling water to cook. After letting the boiled kueh cool, we rolled them in shredded coconut. The fresh ones we made were SO GOOD! Slightly warm, sticky, and soft, these sweet mochi balls have a gentle grassy flavor of pandan, and ends with a strong flavor of the shredded coconut.

If you have the chance to pick up some delicious Nonya treats from Kim Choo Kueh Chang, or even some time during your trip to take one of their workshops, I’d highly recommend it! It’s a super fun way to learn more about the local community and it’s history.

Singapore’s Got More To Offer…Don’t Miss These Eats!