Best Indian Restaurants in Singapore

A guide to Indian restaurants in Singapore

Indian food has been part of Singapore life for generations, and Indian restaurants in Singapore cover a wide range. You can eat a simple banana leaf meal with your hands or book a modern tasting menu. Many local favourites come from South Indian cooking. North Indian kitchens are known for tandoori grills, breads and rich gravies.

Dishes to know

• Banana leaf rice: rice served on a banana leaf with vegetables, curries and papadum, a thin crisp cracker. Staff often top up the rice and vegetables as you eat. Read Banana Leaf Rice in Little India: How the Meal Works.
• Fish head curry: a whole fish head cooked in a spicy, tangy curry with vegetables such as okra. It is a dish closely linked to Singapore. Try Muthu's Curry (Race Course Road), or see Fish Head Curry.
• Biryani: rice cooked with spices and meat, often served with curry and pickles. Bismillah Biryani is in Little India. Islamic Restaurant is in Kampong Glam. See Biryani for more.
• Prata: a flaky flatbread fried on a hot griddle and dipped in curry. Order it plain, with egg or with onion. Mr and Mrs Mohgan's Super Crispy Roti Prata is in Katong. Springleaf Prata Place is in Upper Thomson. More are on the Prata page.
• Dosa: a thin, crisp pancake made from a fermented rice and lentil batter. It comes with chutneys and sambar, a lentil and vegetable stew. Locals often spell it thosai.
• Tandoori and naan: meat or paneer, a mild Indian cheese, cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor. Naan bread is baked in the same oven.

South Indian, North Indian and modern

South Indian and vegetarian meals

Little India is the place for South Indian meals. Komala Vilas, Ananda Bhavan and Saravanaa Bhavan are popular for dosa and vegetarian meals. Banana Leaf Apolo serves South Indian food on banana leaves. See South Indian for more.

North Indian

North Indian food uses more wheat bread, cream and tandoor cooking. Khansama Tandoori is in Little India. Tiffin Room, Rang Mahal and Kinara also cook North Indian dishes. Punjab Grill serves Indian food in Marina Bay. See North Indian for more.

Modern Indian and Sri Lankan

Thevar serves modern Indian tasting menus. Revolver cooks Indian food on the grill in the Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar area. Firangi Superstar is in the same area. Kotuwa serves Sri Lankan food, which shares many spices with South Indian cooking.

Eating in Little India

Little India & Jalan Besar has the biggest group of restaurants on this list. Walk along Serangoon Road and its side streets between meals. Visit Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, a Hindu temple, or the Indian Heritage Centre. Cover your shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes before you enter a temple. Read Little India Temple Etiquette: What Visitors Should Know first. During Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights, the streets of Little India are lit up with decorations.

Tips for eating Indian food

• Use your right hand. If you eat with your hands, use the right hand only. Asking for a spoon and fork is always fine.
• Fold the leaf. At a banana leaf meal, many diners fold the leaf towards themselves when they finish. It shows they enjoyed the meal.
• Ask about heat. Curries range from mild to very spicy. Staff can suggest milder dishes.
• Halal food. If you need halal food, look for the MUIS halal certificate on display. MUIS is the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.
• Know rough costs. A prata breakfast is cheap, often under S$10 with a drink. A banana leaf meal costs a little more, depending on what you add. Modern Indian tasting menus cost far more. Prices change, so check menus first.
• Try teh tarik. This is sweet milk tea, poured back and forth between two jugs to make it frothy.

FAQs about Indian restaurants in Singapore

Where is the best area for Indian food in Singapore?

Little India has the most choice, from vegetarian meals to biryani and fish head curry. Prata shops are found all over the island.

Is there vegetarian Indian food in Singapore?

Yes, plenty. Many South Indian restaurants in Little India serve vegetarian meals. Try dosa or a thali, a set meal of small dishes with rice and bread.

What is roti prata?

Roti prata is a flaky flatbread fried on a hot griddle and served with curry for dipping. Locals often eat it for breakfast or as a late-night snack.

Do I have to eat with my hands?

No. Eating with the right hand is traditional at banana leaf meals, but cutlery is always available. Just ask.

What is fish head curry?

It is a large fish head cooked in a spicy, tangy curry with vegetables. It is meant for sharing, so it suits a group.