Best of Singapore
Where locals eat in Singapore
Start with 328 Katong Laksa in Katong for laksa with a slice of otah, Chin Mee Chin Confectionery in Katong for kaya bun and coffee and Hjh Maimunah (Jalan Pisang) in Kampong Glam / Arab Street for sambal telur and bergedil are the standouts. Here are all 12, with what to get at each.
- 328 Katong LaksaKatong · Laksa
Get: Laksa with a slice of otah
The Katong benchmark: thick, coconutty broth with everything scoopable in one spoon.
- Chin Mee Chin ConfectioneryKatong
Get: Kaya bun and coffee
A 1925 coffee shop, reopened and still busy.
- Hjh Maimunah (Jalan Pisang)Kampong Glam / Arab Street · family-run
Get: Sambal telur and bergedil are the standouts; add beef rendang, ayam goreng, sayur lodeh
- Sin Hoi Sai Eating HouseEast Coast · zi char
Get: the chilli crab and san lou bee hoon. Open till late, so it fills for supper
East Coast zi char spot known for wok hei dishes like butter crab and sambal kang kong.
- Song Fa Bak Kut TehClarke Quay · bak kut teh
Get: Peppery bak kut teh with free soup refills
The peppery pork rib soup Singaporeans line up for. Famous Singapore chain known for peppery pork rib soup, simple tables, and long lunchtime queues.
- Swee Choon Tim SumJalan Besar
Get: Mee sua kueh and the salted egg yolk buns
Late-night dim sum where the night shift and night owls meet.
- Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway TeowDakota (Old Airport Road Food Centre) · char kway teow
Get: the char kway teow, dry style with cockles. Each plate is fried to order
Famous hawker stall at Old Airport Road; known for smoky, wok-charred char kway teow with a devoted following.
- Nam Sing Hokkien Fried MeeOld Airport Road · Hokkien mee
Get: the dry-style Hokkien mee. It sells out fast, so come early
Hawker stall known for wet, smoky Hokkien fried mee with a generous amount of pork lard and sambal.
- Spring CourtChinatown · Cantonese
Get: the homemade popiah and crispy chicken. A family Cantonese room since 1929
Historic Chinatown restaurant since 1929, known for classic Cantonese banquet dishes and old school hospitality.
- Zam ZamKampong Glam · Indian Muslim
Get: the mutton murtabak and chicken biryani. Serving the neighbourhood since 1908
Kampong Glam veteran known for murtabak and biryani, a Singapore institution since the early 1900s.
- Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn MeeTiong Bahru Food Centre
Get: the Hokkien prawn mee with thick bee hoon. Regulars have come for decades
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Save the whole listAsk Chef for morePlan my Singapore food tripWhere locals eat in Singapore: questions people ask
What are the local restaurants in Singapore?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with 328 Katong Laksa (Katong), Chin Mee Chin Confectionery (Katong) and Hjh Maimunah (Jalan Pisang) (Kampong Glam / Arab Street). All 12 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At 328 Katong Laksa, get laksa with a slice of otah. At Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, get kaya bun and coffee. At Hjh Maimunah (Jalan Pisang), get sambal telur and bergedil are the standouts; add beef rendang, ayam goreng, sayur lodeh. At Sin Hoi Sai Eating House, get the chilli crab and san lou bee hoon. Open till late, so it fills for supper.
Which neighborhood is best for local restaurants in Singapore?
Most of these are in Katong. The map on this page shows every one, numbered like the list.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for Singapore: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in Singapore
Local restaurants in other cities
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated October 25, 2026.