When it comes to local comfort food, the good old nasi lemak certainly ranks among the top of the list. Fluffy coconut rice, spicy yet sweet sambal chilli with crunchy peanuts and anchovies as well as an egg — the kind of simple dish which you can eat regardless of day or night. And if you happen to be on the hunt for one, here are the Top 10 Nasi Lemak Restaurants in Singapore!
1) Changi Nasi Lemak
The history of Changi Nasi Lemak has stretched for 50 years since the 70s, with their famous nasi lemak remaining an all-time favourite among many Singaporeans, even until today. The secret? It all lies within Changi Nasi Lemak’s Legendary Changi Chilli! The sambal, or in this case, chilli, is crucial in making or breaking a nasi lemak dish, and Changi Nasi Lemak knows this well enough. Their Legendary Changi Chilli is gentle on the tongue yet packs in just enough flavour, made with only the freshest fried anchovies and other exotic ingredients handpicked by the founders. What’s more, it is freshly made every morning to ensure that customers get only the best Nasi Lemak experience. In addition to their classic nasi lemak varieties, you can also try unique add-ons like braised pork belly and McSpicy-inspired chicken thigh cutlet.
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2) Fong Seng Nasi Lemak
Fong Seng Nasi Lemak has come a long way since its humble beginnings at PSA hawker centre in 1988. Today, it has become a mainstay in Clementi, which also happens to be frequented by many NUS students. The sambal chilli offers a nice spicy kick without overpowering the taste of the aromatic coconut rice. You’ll get all the usual suspects here including a sunny-side-up-egg, fried anchovies and peanuts. Selections are aplenty too, namely deep-fried chicken drumstick, Taiwan sausage and grilled teriyaki saba fish. Best of all, you can enjoy Fong Seng Nasi Lemak dishes at any time of the day since it opens daily from 6 am till 4 am in the morning.
fongsengnasilemak.com | FB: Fong-Seng-Fast-Food-Nasi-Lemak | IG: @fongsengnasilemak
3) Tree Coconut Nasi Lemak
There are a few noteworthy stalls you can try at Berseh Food Centre. And one of them happens to be the famous Tree Coconut Nasi Lemak. Using their generations-old family recipes, the classic nasi lemak set alone is enough to leave you wanting more. Beginning with the rice itself, it has a nice and fluffy texture with the right balance of coconut milk fragrance infused in every grain. Then comes the sambal chilli, easily the star ingredient that makes their nasi lemak such a crowd favourite. It is both sweet and spicy while flavourful enough that pairs well with the rice together. For a more fulfilling meal, try some of their side dishes like chicken wing, luncheon meat or fish fillet.
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4) Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak
Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak has been around since the early 70s and was even featured in Time Out Singapore back in 2019. Often praised as one of the very best nasi lemak in Singapore, do try their hugely-popular Chicken Wing Set. The chicken wing is deep-fried to crispy perfection with juicy, yet tender meat on the inside. This makes pairing their already-scrumptious nasi lemak even a better meal, complete with fragrant coconut rice and spicy-sweet sambal chilli that’s just hit the right spot. They have other set meal available as well, namely ayam berempah, otah and fish fillet.
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5) Mizzy Corner Nasi Lemak
Amidst the Changi Village Hawker Centre lies the long-standing Mizzy Corner Nasi Lemak, which is known for its robust coconut rice. In fact, it tastes good enough on its own since Mizzy Corner uses basmati rice for the base of the nasi lemak. Known for its distinctly nutty aroma, it proves a worthy complement to the infusion of coconut milk. Making their nasi lemak even more appetising is the spicy-sweet sambal chilli, which marries well with the rest of the ingredients. Some of their set meals you can choose from include deep-fried chicken wing and otah.
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6) Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak
Located in Adam Road Food Centre, many regular patrons frequent the sought-after Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak stall. Their nasi lemak is as good as it gets — fluffy, yet fragrant and rich long-grain coconut rice and spicy-sweet sambal chilli that goes well together. They are generous with the portion too, but keep in mind that the stall tends to be crowded during peak hours. But it’s all well worth the wait! You can choose from one of their seven set meals ranging from their basic Flash Meal to the likes of Chicken Wing Meal, Otak Meal and Royal Rumble. For the latter, it’s more like an assorted food galore consisting of fried chicken wing & ikan kuning (yellowstripe scad), otah and fried potato patty.
7) Chong Pang Nasi Lemak
If you happen to pass by Sembawang Road, don’t forget to make a stop at Chong Pang Nasi Lemak. In fact, it has been a mainstay since 1973 and a huge favourite among many residents. The combination of their coconut rice and spicy-sweet sambal chilli says it all, with the rest such as the sunny-side-up egg and crunchy peanuts rounding up the meal just nice. If that’s not enough, you can choose more add-ons like otah, hashbrown, tempura and ngoh hiang (Chinese five-spice pork rolls).
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8) The Coconut Club
Combining a contemporary bistro with a kopitiam-like twist, The Coconut Club serves alcoholic beverages including beer and wine. But those who want to fill in their tummy should give their nasi lemak a try. It consists of ayam goreng berempah (crispy spiced fried chicken), which has the right amount of crispiness and juicy fork-tender meat on the inside. Their nasi lemak itself has a subtle hint of coconut milk aroma with flavourful sambal chilli, as well as crunchy peanuts and anchovies. Alternatively, you can try some of their other nasi lemak sets with different add-ons like otah or fish. Their nasi lemak set comes with a deep-fried chicken leg, or you can opt for others such as otah or fried fish.
thecoconutclub.sg | FB: thecoconutclubsg | IG: @thecoconutclubsg
9) Simple.簡
Bored with the same old nasi lemak with coconut milk-infused white rice? Here’s something different for a change, with the base of the rice infused with butterfly pea flower. It may be an unusual addition to the otherwise traditional nasi lemak. But the distinctly bright blue appearance makes it Instagram-worthy. But it isn’t all mere aesthetic as the combination of butterfly pea flower and coconut milk does add some sweetness to the already-fragrant rice. Pair it with their rich sambal chilli and it’s a spoonful of a heavenly combo worth dying for. It goes well enough with the rest of the nasi lemak ingredients. They have different sets available here with delectable side dishes like chicken rendang, fried har cheong (shrimp paste) chicken chop and breaded fried fish.
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10) International Muslim Food Stall Nasi Lemak
Somewhere within the Changi Village Hawker Centre is a famous nasi lemak stall, which has gained a lot of loyal followings. Most regular patrons praise them for their appetising sambal chilli that leans more on the sweet side. The rice, in the meantime, has a nice balance of coconut milk infusion that doesn’t taste jelak (surfeiting).
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.
