Indian, Vegetarian and Jain Food in Singapore: Where to Eat

One of the questions our guests ask most is: will we get Indian food in Singapore? The answer is a very happy yes. About one in ten Singaporeans is of Indian origin, Tamil is an official language, and Indian food is part of everyday life, from Little India's banana-leaf restaurants to the food courts of every mall.

Vegetarians are well looked after, and Jain food is available if you know where to look. This guide covers where to eat, what to order, and how to manage meals on theme-park and sightseeing days.

Little India, around Serangoon Road, is the best place for Indian meals. You will find South Indian vegetarian restaurants serving dosas, idlis, vadas and banana-leaf thalis, North Indian restaurants with tandoori breads, paneer dishes and dal, and sweet shops selling jalebi, gulab jamun and barfi. The Tekka Centre hawker centre has many Indian stalls at low prices, and is a good place to try local Indian-Muslim favourites. Mustafa Centre is open 24 hours and sells Indian groceries, snacks and ready-to-eat items, which is handy for families.

Beyond Little India, vegetarian options are easy to find. Most food courts and hawker centres have at least one Indian stall and often a Chinese vegetarian stall. Mall food courts in Orchard Road, Marina Bay Sands and VivoCity have Indian outlets, and many international chains offer vegetarian dishes. Restaurants are used to the question 'Is this vegetarian?', but check whether dishes contain egg, fish sauce or shrimp paste, which are common in Southeast Asian cooking.

Jain meals (no onion, garlic, root vegetables or eggs) are available at several Indian vegetarian restaurants in Little India and some in the city, especially those run by Gujarati and Marwari families. Ask clearly for Jain food when ordering; most Indian restaurants understand the term. For theme-park days, some families carry ready-to-eat Jain meals or snacks from India or Mustafa Centre. If you need Jain meals on our packages, tell us in advance and we will suggest restaurants near your hotel.

• Universal Studios and Sentosa: vegetarian options inside the park, and more choice, including Indian food, at Resorts World Sentosa. Outside food is generally not allowed in Universal Studios, except baby food and special dietary items.
• Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands: the Satay by the Bay hawker centre and the food court at the Shoppes have vegetarian options.
• Mandai (Zoo and Night Safari): restaurants and kiosks at each park and the entrance plaza, with vegetarian choices.
• Jewel Changi: many food outlets, including Indian, for your last meal before the flight.

• Roti prata: crispy flatbread with curry, Singapore's version of the paratha.
• Vegetarian bee hoon: stir-fried rice noodles at Chinese vegetarian stalls.
• Kaya toast: toast with coconut jam and butter, a classic breakfast (ask about egg).
• Ice kachang and chendol: shaved-ice desserts, perfect in the heat.
• Tropical fruit: mangosteen, rambutan and, if you dare, durian.

Hawker centres are open-air food courts with dozens of stalls, and some stalls have even earned Michelin recognition. They are clean, inexpensive and a big part of Singapore's culture, recognised by UNESCO. Popular ones include Lau Pa Sat in the city, Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown, Tekka Centre in Little India, Newton Food Centre and Satay by the Bay. Look for the stall's hygiene grade, carry some cash, and note that 'chope-ing' (reserving) a table with a tissue packet is a local custom.

Daily breakfast is included at the hotel on all our Singapore packages. If you book a hotel on your own, check, because many Singapore room rates are room-only. For an early start or a change, local cafés and food courts open early: South Indian breakfasts such as idli and dosa in Little India, kaya toast with tea or coffee at a traditional kopitiam, and bakery chains with sandwiches and pastries. Convenience stores sell fruit, yoghurt and snacks, useful for early pickups on sightseeing days.

• Say 'vegetarian, no egg, no fish sauce' at non-Indian stalls if you need strictly vegetarian food.
• For Jain food, ask for 'no onion, no garlic, no root vegetables' and confirm with the staff.
• Spice levels are often milder than in India; ask for extra chilli if you like it hot.
• Water is not always served automatically; ask for plain water, which is usually free at restaurants.
• Hawker centres are self-service: order and pay at the stall, then return trays to the tray-return points.

A guided food walk through Little India or Chinatown is a fun way to taste many dishes in one evening, and vegetarian versions are available. Couples may enjoy a dinner cruise or a rooftop restaurant overlooking Marina Bay, and families often like the theatre of a satay evening at Lau Pa Sat or Satay by the Bay. Ask us to add any of these to your trip.

If Indian food matters most to your group, a hotel in or near Little India puts dozens of restaurants on your doorstep, along with Mustafa Centre for snacks and groceries. Orchard Road and the city centre are also good, with Indian restaurants in most malls. On Sentosa, choices are more limited, so plan dinners at Resorts World. See our Singapore travel tips for more on areas to stay.

All our Singapore packages include daily breakfast at the hotel. Lunches and dinners are not included, apart from the dinner on the Night Safari evening in our honeymoon package and the Genting dinner on the private Singapore Malaysia tour. This keeps you free to eat where you like. We share a list of Indian and vegetarian restaurants near your hotel, and can add meal coupons or Indian dinners on request.