TL;DR – Nothing like chye tao kueh, prata and chwee kueh washed down with a good cup of teh tarik.
As much as I enjoy my Eggs Benedict and artisan coffee, sometimes the best breakfasts are our local Singaporean ones… and they only cost a fraction of ’em fancy brunches!
Here’s our go-to list:
1. Carrot Cake
Not the ang moh kind but the stir-fried cubes of radish cake goodness, where it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white 😉
WHITE: If you like it white, then Chey Sua Carrot Cake is THE place to go to. Each plate is perfectly fried to a crisp and then lathered with their sweet chilli. Warning: Be prepared to queue up to 30 minutes.
Chey sua carrot cake(青山菜头粿)
127 Lor 1 Toa Payoh #02-30 Singapore 310127
BLACK: Drowned in sweet sauce and filled with egg and chai po (preserved radish/turnip) bits, this sinful concoction is totally worth cheating on your diet for.
Song Zhou Luo Bo Gao (松洲萝卜糕)
Blk 207 Upper Changi Road #01-18 Bedok Interchange Food Centre, Singapore 460207
2. Chwee Kueh
Still loving my chai po, this dish features umami-laden radish bits on steamed rice cakes.
Jian Bo Shui Kueh
#02-05, Tiong Bahru Market, 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898
3. Prata
Practically deep-fried in ghee, these pratas from R.K. Eating House are sooooo crispy and totally worth the 10 hours you will need to spend in the gym after to burn them off. Best washed down with their famous Iced Milo Tower.
R.K. Eating House
1 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557253
4. Appam
This South Indian pancake is made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk. At Heaven’s Indian Curry, this traditional dish is given a modern take with their Princess Appam which is made with egg, butter and cheese added.
Heavens Indian Curry
20 Ghim Moh Rd, Singapore 270020
5. Kaya Toast
Comfort food at its finest, Tong Ah serves up what is probably the crispiest kaya toast in Singapore. Their teh – made with Sri Lankan tea – is also very good with a strong, smooth, deep and milky flavour.
Tong Ah Eating House
35 Keong Saik Rd, Singapore 089142
6. You tiao
The Singaporean churro equivalent, these dough fritters are the BEST to have with your coffee. And at Xin Xin You Tiao, they come freshly fried with accompanying kaya – what a perfect match!
Xin Xin You Tiao
Hainanese Village Food Centre, Blk 105 Hougang Ave 1 #02-19, Singapore 530105
7. Mee rebus
Not your usual mee rebus, Rahim’s “Power” Mee Rebus comes with satay sauce and generous portions of tender chicken that go very well with their flavourful broth and sliced green chilli!
Rahim Muslim Food
721 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8 Singapore 560721
8. Vegetarian beehoon
For days that I want to feel a little healthier (it’s a very oily dish actually), vegetarian bee hoon is my go-to for a fuss-free breakfast. Their crispy mock goose sheets are the best!
Ruyi Yuan Vegetarian (Redhill)
Stall 4, 80 Redhill Lane, Singapore 150080
9. Nasi lemak
From the famous Adam Road food centre, Selera Rasa is synonymous with nasi lemak and these guys will also soon be opening a branch at ION Orchard!
Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak
2 Adam Rd, #01-02, Adam Road Food Centre, Singapore 289876
10. Lor mee
No one does lor mee better than the famous Bukit Purmei Lor Mee – each bowl of noodles comes in their thick braised sauce and topped with sliced fish cakes, braised pork belly and their signature flour nuggets. Expect to queue for at least an hour but I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it!
Bukit Purmei Lor Mee
Blk 501 West Coast Drive, Singapore 120501