Best Teochew food places in Singapore
Hokkien mee, Cantonese dim sum, Hakka yong tau foo; these foods are commonly eaten and easily accessible in Singapore, but Teochew cuisine is a little harder to find. Whether you’re of Teochew heritage and want to get more in touch with your roots, or just want to broaden your cuisine horizons, here are the best Teochew food places in Singapore to check out. You’ll be able to check off all the must-try traditional Teochew dishes at these spots.
1. Da Niu Teochew Seafood Restaurant
We hear about raw marinated crab a lot in Korean cuisine, but did you know that it’s a thing in Teochew cuisine as well? Da Niu Teochew Seafood Restaurant is one of the rare eateries in Singapore that serves this delicacy in true authentic fashion. Their Signature Marinated Roe Crab ($90) is soaked in a punchy marinade comprising soy sauce, minced garlic, chopped red chillies, and coriander.
The flesh is soft, slippery, and almost salmon sashimi-esque, albeit slightly flakier. You won’t have to fuss around with digging the crabmeat out either, as the shells come pre-cracked. And as we found out: raw crab meat is easier to retrieve than cooked!
Read our Da Niu Teochew Seafood review.
Address: 61 Kampong Bahru Road, Singapore 169368
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm
Tel: 6677 6725
Website
Da Niu Teochew Seafood is not a halal-certified eatery.
Da Niu Teochew Seafood Restaurant Review: Marinated Raw Crabs, Steamed Clams And More In CBD
2. Lao Liang
Image credit: @jt6263
Located in Berseh Food Centre, Lao Liang is a hawker stall where you can find rare Teochew delicacies for cheap. Their Pig’s Trotter Jelly (from $5) is served chilled, and has a one-of-a-kind texture. Collagen-rich pig skin and pork trotter meat, both lean and fatty, are encased in aspic, which is a savoury gelatin made out of meat broth. Expect intense pork flavours with plenty of umami from the soya sauce-based broth that composes the jelly.
Another exotic dish found here is sliced Shark Meat (from $8). If you’ve never eaten shark meat before, it’s said to taste rather similar to other types of white fish, just with a firmer bite and a slight ammonia flavour—folks who have eaten bamboo shoots before know what I’m talking about! Each dish comes with a heap of fresh coriander to provide a punch of herbaceousness. Of course, coriander haters can opt to have theirs without.
Address: 166 Jalan Besar, #02-37, Berseh Food Centre, Singapore 208877
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 10am to 2pm
Lao Liang is not a halal-certified eatery.
3. Chin Lee Restaurant
Image credit: @loveoeat
For a foolproof dinner destination to bring your elders, Chin Lee Restaurant will be your best bet. This Bedok zi char spot has been in business since 1973, and is lauded for their skilfully prepared Teochew staples that keep the cuisine’s heritage alive. They’re one of the few eateries which still stir-fry their Orh Nee (from $7) with pork lard and shallot oil.
Another must-order is their Teochew Kway Teow (from $14), which looks a lot different from the char kway teow we’re familiar with. The rice noodles are white instead of being fried in dark soy sauce, and the dish resembles san lou bee hoon in the sense that it’s flattened into a sheet and charred to serve. Besides the charred edges which lend plenty of wok hei, the kway teow is also fried with kai lan for diversity in texture, and chopped garlic and chye poh for bursts of flavour.
Read our Chin Lee Restaurant feature.
Address: 115 Bedok North Road, #01-285, Singapore 460115
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10:30pm, Sat-Sun 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 10:30pm
Tel: 6449 5454
Website
Chin Lee Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.
Chin Lee Restaurant: 50-Year-Old Teochew Restaurant In Bedok With Famous Orh Nee
4. Chao Ting
Those who are familiar with Teochew porridge know that it’s usually eaten with an assortment of side dishes, with a plain white rice porridge as the base. The wateriness and blandness of Teochew muay isn’t quite for me, so if the mood calls for soupy rice, I’d pick Teochew pao fan any day. Take for example Chao Ting’s offerings, which are bowls of rice steeped in hearty and flavourful broths.
Choose to have your warm and comforting bowl of pao fan topped with fresh Sliced Fish ($9), crispy Fried Fish ($9), or juicy King Prawn ($11). Whichever you go with, prepare for an umami flavour bomb. The broth is boiled for hours on end using prawn shells, along with chicken, pork, and fish bones, fully drawing out all that essence.
Read our Chao Ting review.
Address: 132 Amoy Street, Far East Square, Singapore 049961
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 3pm
Website
Chao Ting is not a halal-certified eatery.
Chao Ting Review: Traditional Teochew Pao Fan Featuring King Prawn And Fried Fish In The CBD
5. Teochew Traditional Seafood Steamboat
Image credit: @theroguewanderluster
Us Singaporeans love hotpot restaurants. The Teochew-centric rendition still features the joy of communal cooking, but with more focus on fresh seafood ingredients. And what better place to try it out than the aptly named Teochew Traditional Seafood Steamboat restaurant?
There are a variety of rich soup bases (from $12), including crab, prawn, and fish head. In it, toss the likes of Drunken Prawn ($9 per 100g), Live Flower Crab ($6 per 100g), and sliced Red Garoupa (from $32) to make the broth even more umami and slurp-worthy. The best part is, at the end of your steamboat meal, you’ll have a sweet, savoury, and super gao soup base in which you can dump a serving of rice and create your own Teochew-style pao fan. Bliss.
Address: 176 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427447
Opening hours: Mon 5pm to 10pm, Tue-Sun 12pm to 2:30pm, 5pm to 10pm
Tel: 6732 3637
Teochew Traditional Seafood Steamboat is not a halal-certified eatery.
6. Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine
Image credit: @imperialtreasuresg
If you’re celebrating a special occasion or seeking to impress your dinner guests, head to Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine for authentic Teochew fare with an atas spin.
Case in point: chai poh neng AKA preserved radish omelette is a staple in Teochew cuisine, most commonly eaten as a Teochew porridge accompaniment.Imperial Treasure’s Pan-Fried Omelette With Crab Meat & Preserved Radish ($50) elevates it with a crepe-like execution, studded with fragrant chai poh bits and flaky morsels of crab meat. They also have a range of Braised Meats, where you can mix and match varieties like pig’s ears, pig’s tongue, pork knuckle, and goose web for platters of two ($36) or three ($44) types.
Website | Full list of outlets
Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine is not a halal-certified eatery.
7. The Teochew Kitchenette
Image credit: The Teochew Kitchenette
Tanjong Pagar has a high concentration of trendy cafes and Korean restaurants, so the fact that it also houses a quaint Teochew eatery is quite a well-kept secret. The Teochew Kitchenette provides wallet-friendly meals for CBD-dwellers, with hearty mains like Teochew Seafood Soup (from $6.50) and Fried Fish Pao Fan ($7.30). They also have an outlet in Bugis.
If you’re ordering something to share, the Fried Prawn Rolls (from $5.50) AKA Teochew hei zho are a must-try. A mixture of prawn paste, chopped prawn chunks, and minced pork are rolled up and deep-fried in beancurd skin. Bits of water chestnut are also added to give it that crisp bite.
Website | Full list of outlets
The Teochew Kitchenette is not a halal-certified eatery.
8. Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh
To truly immerse yourself in Teochew cuisine, you need to taste their kueh as well. Soon kueh is a steamed dumpling made with rice and tapioca flour, wrapping jicama AKA bang kuang, bamboo shoots, and dried shrimp within. Meanwhile, png kueh is filled with seasoned glutinous rice filling that’s similar to that of Hokkien bak zhang. Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh offers both, so expertly executed that the hawker stall has earned itself a spot on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list.
Located in Jurong East, the stall even provides the option of pan-frying their kueh. That means you can either enjoy your Soon Kueh (from $1.10) and Png Kueh ($1.40) steamed in their traditional steamed form, or lightly fried just so they can get a nice crisp exterior. The png kueh in particular is studded with peanuts for even more crunchy goodness.
Read our Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh review.
Address: 347 Jurong East Avenue 1, #01-218, Yuhua Market & Hawker Centre, Singapore 600347
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 6:30am to 2:30pm
Tel: 9455 6341
Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh is not a halal-certified eatery.
Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh: Michelin-Approved Traditional Kueh In Jurong East
9. Yong’s Teochew Kueh
If journeying to the West proves too tedious for you, swing by Yong’s Teochew Kueh instead. They have outlets in East Coast and Upper Serangoon, with the latter being walking distance from Kovan MRT Station. Besides Soon Kueh ($1.70) and Png Kueh ($1.70), they also have other rare kueh varieties so you can sample more at one shot.
These include Ku Chye Kueh ($1.70)—which is stuffed with chives, Cabbage Kueh ($1.60)—comprising of shredded cabbage and hae bee, and Yam Kueh ($1.90)—which is packed with chopped yam, mushrooms, and spring onions.
Read our Yong’s Teochew Kueh review.
Website | Full list of outlets
Yong’s Teochew Kueh is not a halal-certified eatery.
10. Swatow Seafood Restaurant
Image credit: Swatow Seafood Restaurant
Swatow Seafood Restaurant’s dim sum buffet is a hit, but their specialty actually lies in traditional Teochew fare. They’re big on showcasing the quality and freshness of seafood in preparation methods that don’t overpower their natural flavour profile. Examples include Teochew Cold Crab ($10.80 per 100g), Steamed Prawn And Egg White With Hua Diao ($28), and Teochew-Style Steamed Pomfret ($10.80 per 100g).
The dishes are all very clean and light on the palate so you can truly appreciate their original flavours, amplified by seasoning that’s far from heavy-handed. For dessert, enjoy taro in two different ways: as a paste in their Orh Nee With Pumpkin And Gingko Nuts ($5.50), and in the form of Sugar-Coated Crispy Fried Taro Sticks ($18 for eight pieces).
Address: Block 181 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, #02-602, Singapore 310181
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm, Sat-Sun 10am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm
Tel: 6363 1717
Website
Swatow Seafood Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.
11. Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine
Image credit: @semprenoisg
Located near Newton MRT Station, Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine is a popular wedding banquet destination. Judging from the food, this is one wedding restaurant I would be thrilled to be invited to. They also have an extensive a la carte menu, making it a top pick to celebrate over a hearty feast.
Kick things off with the Teochew Classic Platter (from $68, serves six pax) which comprises Teochew staples: Pork Trotter Jelly, Ngoh Hiang, Braised Duck Slices, and Chilled Marinated Jellyfish. For those going all out in the festivities, splurge on the Whole Roasted Suckling Pig ($338). It’s marinated with a five-spice blend and roasted till succulent, with a glorious crackling skin.
Address: 190 Keng Lee Road, #01-02, Chui Huay Lim Club, Singapore 308409
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 11pm
Tel: 6732 3637
Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine is not a halal-certified eatery.
12. Lee Kwang Kee Teochew Cuisine
Image credit: Lee Kwang Kee Teochew Cuisine
With outlets tucked amidst HDB estates in Bukit Batok and Toa Payoh, Lee Kwang Kee Teochew Cuisine operates daily till 4am and 24 hours respectively. Supper lovers swear by this no-frills eatery for their selection of Dim Sum, priced from $3.60 per basket. Don’t sleep on their traditional Teochew nosh though, which includes Pig Feet Jelly (from $18), Braised Meat Platters (from $22 for two varieties), and Yam Paste (from $3.50).
They also serve Garoupa and Pomfret Slices (market price) prepared the way you like it. Choices include steamed, fried, or served in soup, and you can choose between sauces and broth bases like orange or ginger and spring onion gravy, and pumpkin, taro, or cabbage soup. With so many customisation options, you can try something new every visit.
Website
Full list of outlets
Lee Kwang Kee Teochew Cuisine is not a halal-certified eatery.
Best Teochew restaurants in Singapore for authentic cuisine
Singapore’s food scene is known to be as diverse as the melting pot of cultures residing on this little island. These eateries, ranging from humble hawker stalls to fancy restaurants, show that Teochew heritage is very much alive and thriving in the form of its cuisine.
Whatever your budget or the occasion, go forth and sample some chewy kueh, succulent braised meats, and unique concoctions like pork trotter jelly. To explore cuisines from other dialect groups, check out our guide to the best Chinese restaurants in Singapore. For affordable Hong Kong food in town, give So Good Char Chan Tang a visit.
25 Best Chinese Restaurants In Singapore, Including Private Rooms And Michelin-Starred Options
Feature image adapted from Lee Kwang Kee Teochew Cuisine, @loveoeat, @jt6263.
The post 12 Best Teochew Food Places In Singapore, From Hawker Stalls To Fine Dining Restaurants appeared first on EatBook.sg – Local Singapore Food Guide And Review Site.
