Malay hawker dishes are some of the most comforting food in Singapore. Think noodles in thick, sweet gravy, coconut rice with sambal, and smoky satay with peanut sauce. Most cost only a few dollars.
This list explains the dishes you will see most often, so you know what to point at. If you need halal food, look for the MUIS halal certificate shown at the stall. MUIS is the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, and our Halal Food guides explain more.
Malay noodle dishes
Malay noodle dishes usually use yellow noodles or thin rice noodles called bee hoon. The gravy or soup is the star.
Mee rebus
Mee rebus means “boiled noodles”. It is yellow noodles in a thick, sweet and savoury gravy made with sweet potato, spices and dried shrimp. On top go a hard-boiled egg, fried tofu, bean sprouts, green chilli, fried shallots and a small lime to squeeze over.
Mee soto
Mee soto is yellow noodles in a light, spiced chicken soup with shredded chicken. It comes with bean sprouts, fried shallots and a small dish of sambal kicap. That is chopped chilli in sweet soy sauce. Some stalls also serve the soup with rice cakes instead of noodles.
Mee siam
Mee siam is thin rice noodles in a sweet, sour and spicy gravy flavoured with tamarind. Toppings include egg, fried tofu, chives and lime. It tastes lighter and sharper than mee rebus.
Malay rice dishes
Rice dishes are filling and good at any time of day. Many people eat them for breakfast.
Nasi lemak
Nasi lemak is rice cooked in coconut milk, often with pandan leaf for a gentle smell. It comes with sambal chilli, crispy anchovies called ikan bilis, peanuts, cucumber and an egg. You can add fried chicken, fried fish or otah, a spicy fish cake grilled in a leaf.
Find stalls on our nasi lemak list, including The Coconut Club in Kampong Glam.
Lontong
Lontong is cubes of compressed rice cake in sayur lodeh, a mild vegetable curry made with coconut milk. It usually has cabbage and long beans, with egg and sambal on the side. Some stalls add serunding, which is toasted, spiced coconut.
Nasi padang
Nasi padang is plain rice with your choice of dishes from a long counter. Popular picks are beef rendang, a slow-cooked dry curry, plus fried chicken and vegetables. You pay for what you choose. Try Warong Nasi Pariaman in Kampong Glam, or browse our nasi padang list.
Malay grilled and snack dishes
These dishes are good for sharing, especially in the evening.
Satay
Satay is small skewers of marinated chicken, mutton or beef, grilled over charcoal. You eat it with a thick peanut sauce, raw onion, cucumber and ketupat. Ketupat are rice cakes cooked in woven palm-leaf cases. Stalls sell satay by the stick, and many ask for a minimum order of about ten.
Try Haron 30 Satay in the East Coast area, or see our satay list for more.
Roti john
Roti john is a long bread roll fried with beaten egg, minced meat and onion, then cut into pieces. It is served with chilli sauce and sometimes mayonnaise. It is filling, so share one.
Where to find Malay hawker dishes
Most hawker centres have at least one Malay stall. Look for words like nasi, which means rice, mee, which means noodles, and ayam, which means chicken. For the widest choice, go to an area with a long Malay history.
- Geylang Serai Market, a market and food centre at the heart of Singapore's Malay community.
- Kampong Glam, the historic Malay and Muslim quarter around Sultan Mosque, with many Malay and Indian Muslim eateries.
If you visit the mosque, dress modestly and follow the rules at the entrance. Browse our Malay restaurants page for more places. Next, read our list of dishes to try in Little India, or learn how to order at hawker stalls. More dishes are in Hawker Dishes Explained.
FAQs about Malay hawker dishes
Are Malay hawker dishes spicy?
Some are. Sambal and green chilli add heat, but you can ask for less sambal or have it on the side.
What is the difference between mee rebus and mee siam?
Mee rebus uses yellow noodles in a thick, sweet gravy. Mee siam uses thin rice noodles in a thinner, sour and spicy gravy.
Is Malay food in Singapore halal?
Many Malay stalls are halal-certified, but not all. Look for the MUIS halal certificate at the stall if you need it.
How much does a Malay hawker meal cost?
Most dishes cost a few dollars, often around S$3 to S$7, but prices change. Nasi padang depends on how many dishes you choose.
