Praised as one of Singapore's most colourful historical districts, strolling around Little India makes for an absolutely unique experience with its myriad of shops selling all types of trinkets, spices, and food. There is the famous Haji Lane, popular with the hip and artsy crowd. There is also Tekka Market, which will spoil one silly with its plethora of unique offerings and diverse delicacies. Wherever you end up in Little India, it's sure to be a memorable adventure.
Food is definitely one of the vicinity's highlights, so wear your most comfortable attire and eat your way around Little India like a local with the help of the MICHELIN Guide inspectors. Check out their favourite stops below!
Bib Gourmand • Inspectors’ favourites for good value
Pork cuts and offal like belly, trotter, intestines, and skin are cooked in a soy-based marinade with spices. The depth and rich flavours of the meat are the perfect accompaniment to the kway chap ribbon noodles.
Bib Gourmand • Inspectors’ favourites for good value
After the success of two previous ventures, Sri Lankan owner Rishi Naleendra opened Kotuwa in 2020, which serves food from his home country. The menu focuses on seafood recipes from the capital city of Colombo, such as crab cutlet and crab curry. Don’t miss the hoppers — crispy pancakes with spongy centres — as they are a perfect companion to the rich and flavourfully layered dishes. Kottu rotti, chopped flatbread with spiced meat and veggies, is great for sharing.
The chef has years of experience in Cantonese cooking and his velvety Hong Kong-style rice noodle rolls are made to order. Come early for the century egg and pork congee or glutinous rice, as they tend to run out early.
The kway teow mee fried with greens is good.
The biryani is very famous you may choose mutton, chicken, or fish as a topping.
Typical local food: chilli mee, prawn mee, and laksa.
There is an array of Cantonese soups to choose from here. The eponymous soft-shelled turtle soup emits rich herbal aromas, served with plain steamed rice or taro rice.
The soya sauce duck here is very popular.
Diners come for their homemade braising sauce. The Cantonese roasted meat done in Hong Kong-style. Also try their wonton noodles and tonic soups.
Run by the second generation of the family. Local-style salad with a special homemade sauce.
Where to Stay:
MICHELIN-recommended Wanderlust located at Dickson Road at Little India seems to be more an art project than hotel. Apart from being home to Bib Gourmand Sri Lankan restaurant Kotuwa, Wanderlust in its earlier incarnation was an Art Deco building in the vibrant vicinity, transformed into a showcase for a handful of designers operating at the cutting edge of boutique-hotel fashion.
In its mature phase, however, Wanderlust has, ironically, settled down; as a member of Oakwood’s portfolio of urban apartments and long-stay lodgings, it’s decked out in a modernist style that’s sharp but not edgy, eye-catching but not attention-seeking.
The majority of its 29 units are equipped with full kitchens, and there’s a laundrette on site for guests’ use. The lofts, as the name implies, spread out across two levels, and even the most compact rooms come with clever storage solutions that make the most of their limited square footage — and modern niceties like rain showers, smart TVs, and bluetooth sound systems are standard.
Book a stay at Wanderlust here.
What to Do:
Home to colourful walls decked with so much character, Haji Lane in Kampong Glam caters to the younger crowd, making it one of Singapore's hottest attractions. Its narrow alleys are studded with specialty art stores, jazz bars, hip cafés, and watering holes; and towards the end, its skirting streets open up the the sacred Sultan Mosque.
History has it that the Sultan Mosque was initially built in 1824, and then was demolished and rebuilt in 1932. A sacred focal point for Muslims in Singapore with its massive golden domes and incredible prayer hall, the Sultan Mosque is one of the Lion City's most impressive religious structures, making it a must-visit for both tourists and locals alike.
