14/05/2026
A very rough guide to food in Singapore
Tell someone you are going to Singapore and more often than not they will mention all the wonderful food that is available. But for an outsider the sheer number of dishes and multi-cultural fusion options that are available can be overwhelming.
You often see the confusion/hesitation in some visitors’ eyes as they navigate hawker centres and food courts looking for something to order that is vaguely familiar. It can be a bit daunting in some of these bustling centres as you try and figure out what to eat and how to order.
Even ordering kopi (coffee) and teh (tea) requires you to know special terminology.
There are too many dishes available to try and explain each one but here is a very basic guide that may help you understand just a little bit better. This is by no means a definitive guide, just my own observations.
The multicultural fusion of dishes is born from a blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan (Straights Chinese) origins. There are also European influences in some dishes which stem from the country’s colonial history.
Flavours are intense with coconut milk, chilli and seafood often featuring. Profiles can be broken down into spicy, creamy, herbal, tangy, earthy and sweet depending on the type of cuisine.
Rice and noodles are usually the main carbs accompanying meals, as well as flat breads such as roti prata.
All clear so far?
Ok, here are a couple of popular dishes to get you started:
Carrot cake (chai tow kway) – pan-fried radish with egg and garlic
Bak k*t teh – Pork rib soup simmered with garlic and herbs.
Roti prata – an Indian flatbread, usually served with curry
Char kway teow – Stir-fried noodles with soy sauce, lard, eggs and shellfish.
Hokkien mee – a fried noodle dish which included both yellow egg noodles and white rice noodles along with egg, seafood and bean sprouts.
Fish bee hoon – basically fish broth, fish and noodles
Fish head curry – the clue is in the name
Are you hungry yet? I could keep going and going with this list of wonderful dishes but this was just to give you a taste (if you will) of a few popular ones.
The more I try and explain the food the more I realise that it is not an easy task.
Let’s try it another way. If you are heading out to eat maybe make some decisions to narrow down the choices. Do you want to eat noodles, rice, flatbread, or bread? Do you want to eat soup? Do you want spicy food? Do you want to eat chicken, pork (overwhelmingly the two most popular meats consumed in Singapore), seafood or vegetarian?
You get the idea – narrowing it down will at least point you in the right direction. The rest is then up to you. I think the most important thing is to ask if you are not sure as eateries are always more than happy to help you order and are always happy to recommend popular dishes. They will also warn you (usually) if a dish is spicy. It is also worth noting that hawker stalls usually specialise in one dish or type of food.
There are also many western food options, including the usual fast food suspects, but step outside your comfort zone and try something different. It doesn’t have to be too far outside, just far enough to allow you to have an unforgettable meal.
I think the take away (see what I did there?) from all this is to explore, ask, and try..you won’t be disappointed.
*Martin Tiffany is an Australian-based journalist. Unless otherwise stated he pays for his own travel and related expenses. All recommendations are his personal preferences.
