Malaysian food in Singapore
When Malaysia announced that it was opening up its borders for land travel from Singapore, I jumped for joy like most Singaporeans. I texted my makan kakis hurriedly to make plans for a long-awaited day trip. Then I saw the hours-long queues and scrapped my itinerary almost just as quickly. If you don’t fancy yourself standing for hours on end trying to clear Immigration, check out these 17 Malaysian food places within Singapore that are guaranteed to transport your taste buds across the Causeway!
1. Dickson Nasi Lemak
$8.60+ for a packet of nasi lemak might sound outrageously expensive, but when you try Dickson Nasi Lemak’s Ayam Goreng Berempah, you’ll understand its appeal. Made following the recipe of Village Park Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, the sole dish here is as close as you can get to KL-style nasi lemak without actually flying to the capital city. Not only is the nasi light yet lemak, but the chicken leg it comes with is also deep-fried-on-order and well-marinated with lemongrass, turmeric powder, and ginger. The star of the show though, is their 18-ingredient sambal, which is less sweet than Singaporean-style sambal but still undeniably fragrant.
Check out our review of Dickson Nasi Lemak.
Address: 320 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427571
Opening hours: Thurs-Tue 8am to 10am, 11:30am to 2:30pm
Website
Dickson Nasi Lemak is not a halal-certified eatery.
Dickson Nasi Lemak Review: Malaysian-style Ayam Goreng Nasi Lemak With 18-Ingredient Sambal
2. Meng Meng Roasted Duck
Meng Meng Roasted Duck is known by many as that famous dang gui duck in JB. Now you no longer have to make the journey across the border to taste their Dang Gui Roasted Duck Rice ($4.50), as you can find them at a coffeeshop in Ang Mo Kio. The roasted duck is not in the least bit gamey, and carries a faint hint of the flavour of angelica root.
Aside from their roasted duck, you should also try the Signature Char Siew Rie ($4.50). The char siew is glazed in a sweet honey marinade, which is best paired with the tangy and spicy chilli sauce.
Check out our review of Meng Meng Roasted Duck.
Address: 721 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, #01-2823, Food Loft, Singapore 560721
Opening hours: Thurs-Tue 11:30am to 8pm
Tel: 8908 7000
Website
Meng Meng Roasted Duck is not a halal-certified eatery.
Meng Meng Roasted Duck Review: Famous JB Roast Meat Stall Opens In Ang Mo Kio
3. Lim Bo Rojak
Penang-style rojak is what you’d find here at Lim Bo Rojak, which was started after a chance discovery by owner Leong Gwo Wei on a vacation to Kuala Lumpur. The fruit rojak comes in small, medium, and big, or as the store terms it: SHIOK ($5), ji SHIOK yi xia ($8), and xi bei SHIOK ($10). All three sizes come with slices of green mango, guava, cucumber, pineapple, and turnip, as well as crispy you tiao. The largest portion—xi bei SHIOK—is topped with an additional Hokkien-style prawn cracker. Fried to order, the lattice-like prawn cracker is hard and slightly savoury, which provides a contrasting texture to the rest of the rojak.
Check out our review of Lim Bo Fruit Rojak.
Address: 64 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427786
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10am to 8pm
Tel: 9711 1342
Website
Lim Bo Rojak is not a halal-certified eatery.
Lim Bo Fruit Rojak Review: Malaysian-Style Fruit Rojak With 40 Years Of History
4. Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Hor Fun
With more than 40 years of legacy, Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Hor Fun is one of the most well-known Ipoh hor fun peddlers in Singapore. Serving Crayfish Prawn Hor Fun for only $10, you get four halves of fresh prawns, and a whole crayfish. The silky-smooth flat rice noodles are doused in brown viscous gravy, before they’re topped with choy sum and fried shallots. Although the gravy does not include egg like Singaporean-style hor fun does, it is still rich in umami, due to the chicken bones, prawns, and prawn heads that it’s been stewed with. You’ll also get fresh seafood here, to further elevate your Ipoh hor fun experience.
Check out our review of Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Hor Fun.
Address: 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-40, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 051531
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11am to 2:45pm
Tel: 9826 2083
Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Hor Fun is not a halal eatery.
Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Hor Fun Review: Crayfish And Pacific Clam Prawn Hor Fun At Chinatown
5. Fei Zhu Lok Lok
Started by two millennial women, Fei Zhu Lok Lok has been charming the hearts of the Tai Seng crowd with their looks and their affordable lok lok. Each skewer costs $1, and you have more than 20 items to choose from. Our favourites were the Mushroom, Broccoli, and Smoked Duck skewers, which you can dip into their four sauces—a citrus mayonnaise, a house-made chilli, belachan, and Thai sweet chilli. Fei Zhu Lok Lok has also opened a second outlet in Jurong West, that remains open on public holidays for you to feast to your heart’s content.
Check out our review of Fei Zhu Lok Lok.
Tai Seng
Address: 1010 Tai Seng Avenue, Singapore 534417
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 5pm to 10:30pm
Jurong West
Address: 557 Jurong West Street 42, Singapore 6440557
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 6pm to 2am, Fri-Sat 5pm to 2pm, Sun 5pm to 11pm
Tel: 9822 7755
Website
Fei Zhu Lok Lok is not a halal-certified eatery.
Fei Zhu Lok Lok Review: $1 Lok Lok And Popular “Shiok Rice” In Tai Seng
6. JB Ah Meng
Image credit: @diningcompanion
JB Ah Meng is known to Eastsiders as one of the best zi char stalls Singapore has to offer. Situated in the red-light district of Geylang, the eatery has seen the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay as patrons, despite having a history that only harkens back some 10 years ago. You’d be remiss not to order the JB San Lou Mee Hoon ($7/$11/$14), which presents a delightful contrast of crispiness and chewiness. Each mouthful of bee hoon is guaranteed to be full of wok hei as you enjoy it with shrimp, egg, and vegetables.
Address: 534 Geylang Road, Singapore 389490
Opening hours: Daily 5pm to 2:15am
Tel: 6741 2418
JB Ah Meng is not a halal-certified eatery.
7. PappaRich
With five locations islandwide, PappaRich is the go-to place if you want to enjoy a wide range of Malaysian food in comfort. This international brand boasts a menu that comprises roti canai, nasi lemak, prawn mee, and char kway teow, amongst others. Try the Penang Assam Laksa ($10.90++), which is a pleasant concoction of sweet, sour, and spicy notes. The broth carries the fragrance of ginger flower and mint, and even contains thick chunks of fresh mackerel, AKA batang fish.
Check out our review of PappaRich.
Website | Full list of locations
PappaRich is a halal-certified restaurant.
PappaRich Review: Malaysian Dishes From Penang To Johor All Under One Roof
8. JJ Sarawak Noodles
If you miss the commute to Johor Bahru City Square, you can replicate the experience by travelling to this Jurong West Coffeeshop. Here, you’ll find one of the best kolo mee and Sarawak laksa outside of Sarawak in JJ Sarawak Noodles. Though owner Madam Wong is not Sarawakian, both her Sarawak Noodle ($3.50) and Sarawak Laksa ($4/$5) are true enough renditions of the original.
Using ingredients from Sarawak, the Sarawak Noodle comes with thickly-sliced char siew, fattier-than-usual minced meat, and fried wonton. The Sarawak Laksa is also quite tasty, and boasts an intense coconutty fragrance. The prawns are plump and add a natural sweetness to the dish.
Address: 3 Yung Sheng Road, #03-127, Taman Jurong Food Centre, Singapore 618499
Opening hours: Daily 7am to 6pm
Tel: 8245 1991
Website
JJ Sarawak Noodles is not a halal-certified eatery.
9. Ipoh Curry Chee Cheong Fun
Although Singapore seems to be saturated with Hong Kong-style chee cheong fun stalls nowadays, its Malaysian counterpart does not seem to have caught on to the hype. If you haven’t already, you should definitely visit Ipoh Curry Chee Cheong Fun for their Ipoh Curry Char Siew Chee Choeng Fun ($4.50). The rice rolls here are so remarkably thin that they resemble kway teow. Leaning sweet, the curry here only has a mild spiciness to it, though that is not to say that it is in any way less fragrant. You also get big chunks of char siew accompanying the chee cheong fun, plus some long beans, tau pok, and pig skin.
Check out our review of Ipoh Curry Chee Cheong Fun.
Address: 1 Yishun Industrial Street 1, Staff Canteen Stall 10, Singapore 768160
Opening hours: Daily 8am to 8.30pm
Ipoh Curry Chee Cheong Fun is not a halal-certified eatery.
Ipoh Curry Chee Cheong Fun Review: Curry Mee And Chee Cheong Fun With Roast Meats In Yishun
10. Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh
Klang-style bak kut teh comes in two versions—in a bright herbaceous broth and in a dry, sweet-savoury soya sauce. Opt for the Dry Bak Kut Teh ($7.90 for small, $13.90 for large) when you visit Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh. Served in a claypot with ladies’ fingers and garlic, the pork ribs are drenched in a treacly dark soya sauce. The sauce packs a punch, as it’s cooked with dry chilli, but it also has a hint of umami, due in part to the addition of dried cuttlefish.
Another Malaysian classic—fried porridge—can also be found here. The Pork Cutlet Fried Porridge ($6.90) sees the thick gruel fried till it emanates wok hei, before it is topped with thinly-sliced pork cutlet.
Check out our review of Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh.
Website
Full list of locations
Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh is not a halal-certified eatery.
Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh Review: Klang-style Bak Kut Teh And Fried Porridge From $5.90
11. Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant
Image credit: @thatgluttonn
Although banana leaf rice originated from South India, the dish has also been widely popularised in Malaysia. Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant serves up its dishes on banana leaves, and you can have your pick from the Masala Chicken (from $11.70) to Curry Mutton (from $14) or even their signature Fish Head (from $28). If you don’t eat meat, there’s also a vegetarian option in the Vegetarian Meal (from $7.60).
Address: 808/810 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 678144
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:15am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6762 7284
Website
Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.
12. The Noodle Memories
Dry chilli ban mian has quickly risen up the ranks as one of Singapore’s favourite dishes. A good bowl of pan mee, has got to be chewy, spicy, savoury, and umami. Owned by two KL-born hawkers, The Noodle Memories in Hong Lim Market and Food Centre serves up a mean bowl of ban mian. For only $5, the Specialty Dry Chilli Noodle ($5) is a must-try if you’re ever in the vicinity. Not only do you get a generous amount of minced meat, black fungus, fried shallots, chilli, vegetables and a poached egg, you also get a piece of the Handmade Fried Beancurd Skin ($3.50 for five pieces). The you mian here is handmade daily, giving it its wonderful springy texture.
Check out our review of The Noodle Memories.
Address: 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-27, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 051531
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7am to 3:30pm
Website
The Noodle Memories is not a halal-certified eatery.
The Noodle Memories Review: Legit KL-Style Chilli Pan Mee By Young Hawkers In Chinatown
12. Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice
Chicken rice balls might be a familiar sight if you visit Malacca often, but here in Singapore, the dish is a rare find. At Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice, the staff starts work as early as 4:30am, steaming rice with ginger and chicken stock, poaching and roasting the numerous whole chickens the team would get through in a day’s work. We recommend getting the Soya Sauce Chicken Rice ($3.50), along with a couple more of their irresistible Chicken Rice Balls ($0.40 for one). Drizzle some dark soya sauce and chilli over the rice balls to complement the richness of the rice.
Check out our review of Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice.
Address: Block 442 Jurong West Avenue 1, #01-758, Singapore 640442
Opening hours: Daily 6am to 4pm
Website
Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice is not a halal-certified eatery.
Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice Review: $0.40 Chicken Rice Balls In Jurong West
13. Daruma Tavern
Image credit: @looklookeateat
Grab 10 Singaporeans on the streets and ask them what their favourite Singaporean dish is, and I guarantee at least one person would say “hokkien mee”. If you can’t decide between dry or wet, you should try Malaysian-style hokkien mee. $7.90 at Daruma Tavern gets you a plate of their signature KL Dai Lok Mee, which is a darker, sweeter and stickier version of its Singaporean counterpart. Also fried with prawns and lard and served with a generous amount of sambal, the KL Dai Lok Mee ticks all the boxes for a sinful meal.
Address: 25 Springside Green, #01-14, The Brooks II, Singapore 786015
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am to 12am, Sat-Sun 9am to 12am
Tel: 9734 3484
Website
14. Makan Melaka Cendol
Image credit: @gerald.tlc
If there’s a dish that Singaporeans will concede that Malaysia does better, it would probably be chendol. In spite of our best efforts, Malacca’s cendol always seems to have a more refined sweetness and more pronounced fragrance. That said, Makan Melaka offers a pretty good alternative for when your chendol cravings hit. The traditional Cendol Melaka ($1.70) is made with gula melaka sourced from Malacca, and coconut milk that’s freshly squeezed every single day. The chendol strips are also light and carry the aroma of pandan. If you’d like to, top your bowl of chendol with red bean ($0.30), corn ($0.30), durian ($1), and even glutinous rice ($0.30)!
Changi Village
Address: 1901 Changi Village Road, #01-2046, Singapore 507721
Opening hours: Daily 8:30am to 10pm
Jurong West
Address: 492 Jurong West Avenue 1, #01-70, Singapore 640492
Opening hours: Daily 8:30am to 9pm
Tel: 9363 1379
Website
Makan Melaka is a Muslim-owned eatery.
15. Fu Shi Traditional Roasted
Despite having been in Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre for only four years, Fu Shi Traditional Roasted has garnered a loyal following. The Char Siew ($6) here has a much darker hue, true to its being done according to the Kuala Lumpur style. The beautifully caramelised meat is not too fatty, and just about melts in your mouth without being too cloying. Fu Shi Traditional Roasted’s Roast Pork is also superior. The skin-to-meat ratio is just right, and the skin has an audible crunch.
Check out our review of Fu Shi Traditional Roasted.
Address: 4 Woodlands Street 12, #01-01/02, Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre, Singapore 738623
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 11am to 7pm
Tel: 9237 8157
Website
Fu Shi Traditional Roasted is not a halal-certified eatery.
16. Kueh Pulau Pinang
Kueh Pulau Pinang sells Penang-style min chiang kueh, or more specifically, ban chang kueh in Hokkien or apam balik in Malay. According to owner Teo Ah Bee, these crispy individual pancakes however, were once known as kueh pulau pinang back when he was selling them in pasar malams as a child.
There are many combinations in which you can have your pancake, as you can choose from a base of peanut, coconut, and red bean, alongside secret-menu ingredients of ham, corn, cheese, and egg. The best-selling item here is the Peanut ($1), which is roasted and ground after the stall closes for the day.
Check out our Kueh Pulau Pinang review.
Address: 982 Buangkok Crescent, Level 2, Singapore 530982
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 6:30am to 1pm
Kueh Pulau Pinang is not a halal-certified eatery.
17. Princess Terrace Authentic Penang Food
Image credit: @ilostmyfarts
Malaysian food is great, but all-you-can-eat Malaysian food is even better. At Princess Terrace Authentic Penang Food, enjoy a free flow of your favourite Penang dishes for only $50++ per person. Customise a bowl of Rojak and watch as your Popiah is rolled in front of you at the live stations. Sink your teeth into chopstick-tender Braised Pork Trotter with Black Vinegar, and have your fill of Pork Satay and Otah Otah. If you have a sweet tooth, you need to try the Apom Bokwa with Banana Sauce, which are pretty pieces of mini pancakes served with a thick caramel-like banana sauce.
Address: 403 Havelock Road, Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore on Havelock, Singapore 169632
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 12pm to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10pm
Tel: 6733 0011
Website
Princess Terrace Authentic Penang Food is not a halal-certified eatery.
Malaysian food to feel like you’ve crossed the causeway
Although these eateries might not be as cheap as their Malaysian counterparts, their authentic flavours will satiate your desires until you finally cross over to Johor Bahru again.
If you’re also not travelling to Japan yet, check out these 15 affordable Japanese restaurants for sushi, okonomiyaki and kushiyaki! Our recommendations for Italian restaurants in Singapore also cater to all budgets from $5 to $50!
15 Best Japanese Restaurants In Singapore That Won’t Burn A Hole In Your Wallet
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