There’s something about bak kut teh that makes it such a satisfying meal experience. It has to do with the piping-hot flavourful broth with all the meaty goodness and it goes well with rice. Here, in Singapore, there are generally two types of bak kut teh: the clear and peppery Teochew style and the other one would be the Malaysian (Klang) style, which is darker and has a more herbal taste by comparison. Everyone has their own preferences and we cover them both with the Top 10 Bak Kut Teh in Singapore here!
1) Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh
Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh, which has two outlets, serves fusion-style bak kut teh in both soup and dry versions. And by fusion style, they combine the best of both worlds: Singapore and Malaysia, all claypot goodness packed with herbs and spices. Interestingly enough, founder and head chef Jabez Tan used to be an ex-offender who subsequently turned over a new leaf after mastering his culinary skills while serving his time in Changi Prison. Since establishing his restaurant in 2013, Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh is also doubled as a social enterprise, offering employment opportunities for other ex-offenders to start afresh.
soonhuat.sg | FB: soonhuatbakkutteh | IG: @soonhuatbkt
2) Founder Bak Kut Teh
If you prefer Teochew-style bak kut teh, here’s one for you at Founder Bak Kut Teh, which has been around for over 40 years. Their secret lies in the age-old recipe, where they insist on using the freshest meaty pork ribs possible. Then, there’s the broth itself, all formulated with the right combination of herbs and spices. Besides Singapore, they also have overseas branches in China, Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
founderbkt.com.sg/en | FB: founderbakkutteh | IG: @Founderbkt
3) NG AH SIO Bak Kut Teh
Here’s another recommended Teochew-style bak kut teh at NG AH SIO, where the founder’s father first started selling them back in the 1950s. By 1988, Ng Ah Sio runs the restaurant in Rangoon Road and has since expanded to two more branches including Chui Huay Lim Club and The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands. They even branched out beyond Singapore, which includes Shanghai and Taiwan.
ngahsio.com/en/rangoon-road | FB: NGAHSIOBakkutteh | IG: @ngahsio_bkt
4) Balestier Bak Kut Teh
55 years and still counting, where three generations have operated Balestier Bak Kut Teh since 1966. What’s unique about them lies in the unlikely inclusion of teck jia (bamboo sugar cane) to help balance the robust taste of its peppery pork ribs soup. Balestier Bak Kut Teh runs 24 hours daily, perfect for those who want to savour the tummy-warming goodness of bak kut teh even during supper time.
balestierbakkutteh.com | FB: 365bkt | IG: @365bkt
5) Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup 团缘肉骨茶
Family-owned Tuan Yuan preserves the authenticity of their famous bak kut teh by preparing them the old-fashioned way. In other words, they use the age-old recipe that has been perfected for generations. For soup choices, you can request to have it served either with No Pepper, Original Pepper or More Pepper. Some of their must-try signature dishes include Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup, Premium Spare Ribs Soup and Dry Claypot Bak Kut Teh.
tuanyuan.sg | FB: tuanyuan.sg | IG: @tuanyuan.sg
6) Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
Serving great-tasting bak kut teh since 1969, Song Fa is no stranger to many locals and tourists. They serve Teochew-style bak kut teh, where their broth is clear and not overly peppery. And best of all, they insist on using only high-quality pork and simmer them for long hours with a mix of fresh garlic and white pepper. Here, you can have different types of pork meat to pair with the peppery bak kut teh soup, namely pork ribs, prime spare ribs or premium loin ribs. Song Fa has several outlets islandwide, where you can locate right here.
songfa.com.sg | FB: songfabkt | IG: @songfabkt
7) Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh
Those who fancy the Malaysian-style bak kut teh or more specifically, Klang-style bak kut teh can find it here at Leong Kee. Their soup is darker, thicker and contains a more herbal taste. While it’s definitely not for everybody, particularly for those who are not used to Klang-style bak kut teh, Leong Kee has its own loyal following and you can find them at Geylang Road.
FB: Leong-Kee-Bak-Kut-Teh-SG-geylang
8) Legendary Bak Kut Teh At Rangoon 發传人肉骨茶
Here’s an interesting fact about Legendary Bak Kut Teh: It turns out that the shop is operated by Founder Bak Kut Teh’s owner’s daughter. Like the former, Legendary Bak Kut Teh happens to serve Teochew style as well and they only use fresh ingredients to prepare the bak kut teh. They have different choices of meats available, which include Normal, Normal + Ribs, Short Ribs, All Ribs or Sliced Lean Meat.
legendarybkt.com | FB: legendarybakkuttehrangoon | IG: @legendarybkt
9) Kota Zheng Zong Bak Kut Teh
Kota Zheng Zong Bak Kut Teh serves Malaysian-style bak kut teh, where they use 18 different herbs and various pork parts. For the latter, that includes everything from belly to ribs, tail and leg. The result is rich bak kut teh, all full of flavour with assorted ingredients like spare pork ribs, button mushrooms and fried beancurd skin. Do try their Signature Herbal Claypot or one of their many specialities such as Pork Belly Bak Kut Teh and Triple Mix Organ Soup.
kotazzbkt.oddle.me/en_SG | FB: ZhengZongBKTsg | IG: @kotazzbktsg
10) Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh
Operating three outlets in Keppel Road, Havelock Road and Hougang Street, Ya Hua specialises in Teochew-style bak kut teh. They only use premium ribs for the bak kut teh while their soup has enough peppery taste without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. Depending on your preference, they offer different types of meat such as spare ribs, pork ribs, sliced pork loin and pig’s liver/kidney.
yahua.com.sg | FB: YaHuaBakKutTeh | IG: @yahuabkt
That’s not all! More Top 10s in Singapore are waiting to be discovered!
The compilation of this list was made from accumulation of Public Votes at TallyPress.com.
