How to be Vegan in Singapore – a Perfect Food Guide

This guest post on how to be vegan in Singapore is written by Ciara Turner-Ewert, wellness travel blogger and coach from Wellness Travel Diaries. She loves to travel the globe and has explored 29+ countries both solo and with her husband, finding ways to heal her body through transformative travel experiences.

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking.)

Singaporean cuisine is a beautiful combination of diverse dishes and pungent spices. Historically, Singapore contained a trading post known as the East India Trading Company, due to this city-state’s prime location.

Once a British colony, the city became a crossroads of trade and culture, with four main cultural influences — Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Eurasian — all of which combine to create one of the most distinctive, diverse and amazing food scenes in the world.

The food and culture within this country make traveling to Singapore such an exciting experience that’s unlike any other country.

It is home to city travelers, sustainable travels and outdoor enthusiasts alike, as Singapore is a rather green city.

Meander through the streets to find vibrantly decorated temples that are full of history and culture. For nature lovers, explore the botanical gardens or watch the light show at the famed Gardens By the Bay.

How is it to be Vegan in Singapore?

Being vegan in Singapore is very easy, there are tons of plant-based options everywhere.

As a traveler with food allergies, I didn’t find it difficult to find something I could eat. This is because Singapore is extremely accommodating due to its diverse population and the various customs its citizens have.

Whether it’s religious beliefs, preferences, allergies, morals, culture — your tummy and mind will be happily satisfied in this beautiful country.

This vegan food guide to Singapore aims to show you exactly how to make the most of your trip to Singapore and the best foods to try in the city.

From sweet desserts to mouth-watering noodle dishes, Singapore is a haven for foodies!

How to Get Around as a Vegan

The first thing you need to know is Singapore is a walkable country and it’s relatively easy to navigate. You can either walk to your destination, get a Grab (taxi), or hop on the MRT (the public transit system).

The second thing to keep in mind while exploring this foodie haven is that most people speak English, but not everyone does.

This is extremely important to know because if you’re visiting Chinatown wanting to dine at the delicious hawker stalls, the owner may not understand you.

Here are a couple of phrases you can use to let the owner know about your diet:

Wǒ chī quán sù – I eat vegan.

Wǒ bù chī nǎi lèi shí pǐn – I don’t eat dairy products.

Some famous streets and areas you’ll want to explore include Chinatown, Arab Street, Little India, Hawker stalls, and centers like Maxwell Food Centre and Amoy Street Food Centres.

Best Vegan Dishes in to Eat in Singapore

Laksa

Laksa is a mouthwatering spicy noodle soup that is very popular throughout Singapore and Asia. The base typically consists of a spicy and flavorful coconut soup, then it’s topped with a type of noodle.

Afterward, it’s decorated with fresh garnish, sometimes chili, lima bean sprouts, meat and boiled eggs. Just make sure to ask for no meat and eggs!

Mala Xiang Guo

Famed for its “numbing spice”, Mala Xiang Guo is a spicy stir-fry dish that is very popular in Singapore.

This so-called “numbing spice” is a combination of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorn that’s cooked into a concoction of vegetables and noodles.

It’s a comforting meal to indulge in after exploring the beautiful city of Singapore.

Bee hoon

Influenced by the Chinese, Bee Hoon is a Singaporean dish that consists of rice vermicelli noodles and veggies.

The noodles are stir-fried, along with the veggies, and then topped with different ingredients such as tofu skin, spring rolls, and meat.

In vegan restaurants in Singapore, the meat is typically a gluten-based type of meat like seitan.

This dish is extremely vegan-friendly and can be gluten-friendly as well since the noodles are made from rice. To make it completely gluten-free, double-check to see if soy sauce was used and skip the seitan.

Chendol

This sweet treat was my go-to as a vegan in Singapore, the refreshing and satisfying taste was perfect on hot days.

The dish — Chendol — is vegan by nature and is a layered treat with the bottom layer made up of a mixture of coconut milk and brown sugar.

It’s piled high in a bowl, then loaded with sweet red beans and green strips. For those wanting to try the signature fruit in Singapore, add a generous helping of the creamy fruit durian.

Hokkien Mee

Hokkien Mee is a noodle dish typically prepared with flat noodles (depending on where you eat) that is stir-fried with various types of meat.

Ask for no meat to make this a vegan-friendly meal as it’s generously seasoned with chili, vinegar and soy sauce, and the special sambal sauce.

Acar

Found throughout Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Acar is a pickled vegetable that’s both sour and sweet.

Typically the dish includes cabbage, carrots, peanuts, cucumbers, spicy chilis, and various spices (turmeric, garlic, ginger, candlenuts, and more) — but there are variations of Acar.

In particular, Acar is a complementary dish to more oily dishes to bring a sense of lightness to the meal.

It also has great health benefits, as the dish is pickled with rice vinegar and incorporates turmeric, ginger and garlic, and chilies.

Fried Rice

Fried rice is a vegan-friendly and delicious staple you can find anywhere in Singapore.

When ordering, many restaurants have an option for vegans to opt for no eggs in their fried rice.

If you’re visiting a vegan restaurant, they may even have more alternatives to add to your rice such as vegan chicken, tofu and more.

Char Kway Teow

Char Kway Teow, which translates to “stir-fried flat rice noodles” is one of the best vegan dishes in Singapore.

These flat rice noodles are often fried at high temperatures and cooked in a generous portion of soy sauce, loaded with vegetables, then topped with bean sprouts and fresh greens.

This dish can be found at both Hawker stalls and restaurants.

Kueh Ubi Kayu

Another sweet vegan dessert to enjoy in Singapore is Kueh ubi kayu. It’s both vegan and gluten-free!

Similar to Chandol, this desert’s base is coconut milk. However, it’s also made from grated tapioca, sugar, water and pandan leaves.

It can be steamed or baked, then topped with additional shaved coconut depending on the restaurant.

Best Vegan Restaurants in Singapore

Since the culture in Singapore is extremely diverse, it really does make it easy to travel as a vegan in Singapore or with dairy allergies, just always double-check at the restaurant you’re dining at!

Here are a couple of vegan restaurants in Singapore that I highly recommend checking out:

VivoCity: A vegan and halal food stall serving dishes like bee hoon.

Genesis: A delicious restaurant serving vegan Asian and International cuisine.

Green Common: This restaurant has vegan and gluten-free options and serves Asian, International, and American food.

Hao Xiang Ju Cooked Food: This vegan food stall can be found in Chinatown and specializes in noodles, vegan plates and rolls.

Kampung Senang Eco Harmony Cafe: An eco-friendly establishment that’s both a restaurant and a health food store.

This list is just a start to the delicious vegan plates you’ll witness in the beautiful city of Singapore. Use this list to guide your trip through Singapore, or as inspiration to follow the enticing smells of the city.

Try them all wandering through the Hawkers or explore a dish or two one day at a time.

You’ll quickly realize how easy it is to be vegan in Singapore!

Check out:
– 8 Best Vegan Restaurants in Bali
– 13 Best Vegan Restaurants in Rotterdam
– Best Vegan Restaurants in Budapest
– 10 Best Vegan Restaurants in London
– 10 Best Vegan Restaurants in Cairo

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Do you want to travel like me?
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Flights: I prefer using CheapOair or Skyscanner to book flights. The destination everywhere feature is perfect for finding some cheap deals!

Accommodation: Booking.com is my favorite site to find some great hotel deals. I do love staying at a local place as well, thus I book an Airbnb every now and then.

Travel Insurance: There are many reasons why travel insurance is important and I never travel without having one. I use the simple and flexible one from World Nomads to be protected against unforeseen events.

Tours: I love taking tours to explore destinations like a local. My favorite website to book them in advance is GetYourGuide.

Camera Gear: I use a Nikon D5300 camera with an 18-105 mm and a 10-20 mm wide-angle lens to take my photos.