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The Best Soup Dishes in Singapore to Slurp Your Cold Away
Soup dishes are undeniably comforting, especially when you have a sore throat or are in need of some warmth during a cold, rainy day.
In hot and humid Singapore, though, we enjoy local soup dishes come rain or shine. Plus, we have a few unique soup creations that may not be for the faint of heart (but might still catch your eye-ppetite).
Whether you’ve got a throat that needs soothing or are simply craving comfort food, we’ve curated a list of the top local soup dishes to try when you need a pick-me-up!
Pig’s Organ Soup
– From kohbrotherpigsorgansoup
Pig’s organ soup doesn’t sound very appetising, but it’s a beloved and uniquely Singaporean soup dish that every tourist with a gut of steel must try at least once during their visit to the Lion City.
By the name itself, you can already tell that it’s made of cut-up pieces of different pig organs like the heart, liver, gizzard, and stomach. Essentially, all these parts are boiled in a large broth seasoned with pepper, onion leaves, and salted vegetables.
It’s plain and simple, but locals rave about its heartiness and arguably nutritious qualities. Pig’s organ soup may not be for everyone, but if you truly want to eat like a local, this soup dish is a good start.
| Where to Try: Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup, 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-29, Singapore 168898 Ri Tao Fu Teochew Pig Organ Soup, 1 Jln Kukoh, #01-11, Singapore 161001 Soon Lee Pig’s Organ Soup, 70 Zion Rd, Singapore 247792 Price: $4.50 to $6 per bowl |
Mutton Soup
– From ivysmuttonsoup
Mutton soup is served two ways in Singapore. There’s the Chinese style that is clear and slightly sweet to taste, and the Indian style (sup kambing) that’s thicker and spicier.
Regardless of what type of mutton soup you get, the dish is popular among locals during Singapore’s rainiest or coolest months. Both styles are packed with lots of meat and tendon and are best paired with bread or rice.
One of the best ways to eat mutton soup is to top off your bowl with ginger and spring onions. Order a glass of hot or cold teh tarik (pulled milk tea) to wash down all that flavour afterwards!
| Where to Try: Ivy’s Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup, 121 Pasir Panjang Rd, #01-14, Singapore 118543 Chai Chuan Tou Yang You Tang, 115 Bukit Merah View, #01-51, Singapore 151115 Haji M. Abdul Rajak Stall, 17 Upper Boon Keng Rd, #01-03, Singapore 380017 Price: $4.50 to $6 per bowl |
Bak Kut Teh
– From tuanyuan.sg
Another soup dish worth trying on a rainy day is bak kut teh, which translates to “pork bone tea.” There’s no tea involved in the cooking process, though, but it’s in the name because the meaty soup is often paired with oolong tea.
Bak kut teh, like most soup dishes in Singapore, is made with simple ingredients: a clear broth seasoned with herbs, spices, and salt, and cut-up meat parts. The main highlight of the soup is the pork and bone, which contribute to the flavour.
In Singapore, bak kut teh is prepared in three ways: Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese. Out of the three, the Teowchew style is the most popular, owing to its distinctly peppery flavour that many locals love.
| Where to Try: Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup, 127 Kim Tian Rd, #01-01, Singapore 160127 Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh, 593 Havelock Rd, #04-01, Singapore 169641 Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, 176 Orchard Rd, #02-29/30, Singapore 238843 Price: $4.50 to $6 per bowl |
Laksa
– From janggut_laksa
Singapore’s Katong laksa, a variation crafted by the Peranakans living in the East Coast Region, stands out as a delightful local twist on the beloved Southeast Asian dish.
The Katong laksa mainly uses dried shrimp and cockles as the main flavour agent, and the broth is thick, fragrant, and spicy. The coconut-based broth sticks very well to the rice noodles, giving as much flavour as possible in every bite.
If you’re not a fan of spicy food, many stalls in the East Coast Region’s hawker centres can adjust the spiciness levels. Usually, locals would set aside chilli sauce and add it to the laksa gradually.
| Where to Try: 328 Katong Laksa, 51 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428770 Janggut Laksa, 133 New Bridge Rd, B1-49A Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413 Khoon’s Katong Laksa and Seafood Soup, 590 Upper Thomson Rd, #01-26, Singapore 574419 Price: $3.50 to $5 per bowl |
Sliced Fish Soup
– From qingyuanfishsoup
Sliced fish soup is a lighter yet delicious version of the bak kut teh, owing to its very simple ingredients. Teochew-style fish soup has a clear and fragrant broth, seasoned with ginger, salt and pepper, and a fried grouper as the main protein.
Some variations include cockles, prawns, and cuttlefish, on top of the sliced fish as proteins. They’re best eaten with a side of rice and chilli sauce, as the soup itself isn’t spicy and lightly seasoned with aromatics.
One of the most popular ways locals enjoy this soup dish is to add evaporated milk to the broth. The result is a semi-creamy and slightly sweet broth––it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s worth a shot!
| Where to Try: Qing Yuan Fish Soup, 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-49, Singapore 168898 Hua ji Sliced Fish Soup, 304 Orchard Road Lucky Plaza B1-99, #105, Singapore 238863 Chai’s Original Sliced Fish Soup, 350 Orchard Rd, #B1 – 02, Singapore 238868 Price: $6.50 to $9 per bowl |
Chinese Herbal Soup or Sibut
– From henghengherbalsoup
If you’re feeling a little down and fighting a nasty runny nose, get yourself a bowl of Chinese herbal soup to shoo away the colds! Also known as sibut, Chinese herbal soup is a mixture of four Chinese herbs often used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like cough medicine at all! In fact, sibut resembles vegetable soup but with a slight sweetness thanks to the carrots, corn, and winter melon.
The four main herbs used to make the broth are dried fox nut barley, Chinese yam, lotus seeds, and poria cocos mushrooms. It’s a really healthy soup dish, but people who want a little protein in it can request shredded chicken on the side!
| Where to Try: Heng Heng Herbal Soup, 133 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, Singapore 560133 Ah Er Herbal Soup, 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-141, Singapore 150006 Seng Kee Black Chicken Herbal Soup, 475 Changi Rd, Singapore 419892 Price: $6.50 to $9 per bowl |
Crab Bee Hoon Soup
– From sgfoodonfoot
Crab bee hoon soup literally translates to “crab noodle soup” and is a tasty soup dish that’s packed with carbs and to keep you going for the day. It’s one of the heavier soup dishes on this list, but it’s not overwhelmingly cloying.
The soup dish consists of vermicelli noodles cooked in a milky and savoury stock made with fish sauce, shellfish, Chinese white wine, and crab meat. The main highlight of the dish is the whole ud crab sitting on top of the noodles.
The soup dish is slightly rich in texture but sticks very well to the bee hoon, giving you lots of flavour in every bite. It’s traditionally served in a clay pot with steamed bok choy on the side or in the soup.
| Where to Try: Kelly Jie Seafood, 211 Lor 8 Toa Payoh, #01-11/15 Block 211, Singapore 310211 Mellben Seafood, 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, St 22, #01-1222, Singapore 560232 Ban Leong Wah Hoe, 122 Casuarina Rd, Singapore 579510 Price: Starting from $35 (rates depend on crab market prices) |
Mee Sua Noodle Soup
– From seng_kee_black_chicken
What sets mee sua apart from other noodles is that it’s very thin and has a salty flavour. When paired with soup, the mee sua becomes very soft without being starchy over time.
It’s often served at hawker stalls or cooked at home for family gatherings during Chinese New Year. That’s because the name mee sua translates to “long life noodles,” signifying that the people who eat it will live a long, prosperous life.
In Chinese cuisine, mee sua can be prepared in many ways, but the most popular is with a clear chicken or beef broth, topped with bok choy, meatballs, meat slices, and hard-boiled eggs.
| Where to Try: Chye Lye Ah Ma Mee Sua, Jalan Besar, 100 Tyrwhitt Rd, #01-05 Sports Centre, Singapore 207542 Seng Kee Black Chicken Herbal Soup, 475 Changi Rd, Singapore 419892 Ming Fa Mee Sua, Stall #01-61, Upper Boon Keng Food Centre, 17 Upper Boon Keng Rd, Singapore 380017 Price: $3.50 to $5 per bowl |
Hot and Sour Soup
– From jinghuaxiaochi
As the name suggests, hot and sour soup is a soup dish that is served piping hot and has a tangy and peppery taste. It’s considered a prime example of traditional Sichuan cuisine, and Singaporeans love eating it when dining at Chinese restaurants.
Often eaten as an appetiser, hot and sour soup is savoury, spicy, and surprisingly light on the stomach. It’s distinctly starchier than other soups on this list, but comes packed with lots of tofu, mushrooms, broccoli, bamboo shoots, and more.
The highlight of the dish is definitely the Sichuan peppers that give the soup a spicy and slightly tangy taste.Unlike tamarind-based soups such as tom yam, it strikes a perfect balance with the right level of acidity that makes it irresistibly addictive!
| Where to Try: Jing Hua Xiao Chi Singapore, 21/23 Neil Rd, Singapore 088814 Din Tai Fung, 290 Orchard Rd, #B1 – 03, Singapore 238859 Min Jiang at Dempsey, 7A &, 7B Dempsey Rd, Singapore 249684 Price: $5.50 to $10 per bowl |
Turtle Soup
– From kent.thong_turtle.soup
Turtle soup is considered a delicacy in Singapore, but locals won’t get offended if tourists shy away from this particular soup dish. Just like pig’s organ soup, the soup dish mainly consists of unconventional meat, boiled in a seasoned broth.
As the name suggests, the main meat there is turtle meat. There are many versions of this soup dish across Asia and Creole cuisine in the Americas, but Singaporeans like it plain and simple.
That said, you get a bowl of slightly thick and collagen-rich herbal soup, packed with turtle liver, meat, eggs, and skin. In some restaurants, they even serve the turtle whole (shell and all!).
| Where to Try: Kent Thong Turtle Soup, 335 Smith St, #02-188, Singapore 050335 Havelock Turtle Soup, 22A Havelock Rd, #01-04, Singapore 162022 Tai Seng Turtle Soup, 2 Jln Lokam, #01-56 Kensington Square S, Singapore 537846 Price: $17 to $58 per bowl |
Sup Tulang
– From haji_kadir_foods
Experience the culinary innovation of Singapore’s Indian Muslim community with sup tulang, a popular bone soup in restaurants around Little India and Arab Street. Even Anthony Bourdain savoured it during his visit!
The soup dish consists of meat bones, usually beef and mutton (halal-friendly, by the way), cooked in a slightly sweet and spicy broth with tomatoes, chillies, ginger, and spices.
The star ingredient is the bone marrow that locals scoop out of the beef and mutton bones. The marrow soaks up all the flavour and gives the sup tulang its distinctly collagen-rich consistency.
| Where to Try: Haji Kadir Food Chains, 505 Beach Rd, #B1-13/14 Golden Mile Food Centre, Singapore 199583 Deen Tiga Rasa, Beach Rd, B1-16 505, Singapore 199583 Deen Tulang Specialist, 505 Beach Rd, #B1-17, Golden Mile Food Centre, Singapore 199583 Price: $10 to $30 per serving |
Crocodile Soup
– From easttreasuresg
Another unique soup dish in Singapore is crocodile or crocodile tail soup. This soup dish is heavily associated with Chinese folklore, as it’s known to have healing properties, especially for asthma and cough.
Try The Dragon Chamber’s Dragon’s Claw, a unique variant featuring crocodile soup with a braised crocodile foot in herbal stock. Despite its eerie appearance resembling a Halloween decoration, restaurants serve it with the paw delicately hanging off the bowl.
Other versions use crocodile tail, skin, and meat that’s decently chopped up and mixed in the herbal stock (phew!). Anyway, if you’re tired of using regular syrup to soothe your sore throat or cough, maybe help yourself with a bowl of crocodile soup instead!
| Where to Try: Imperial Herbal Restaurant, 382 Havelock Rd, Singapore 169629 The Dragon Chamber, 2 Circular Rd, Singapore 049358 East Treasure Chinese Restaurant, 470 Lor 6 Toa Payoh, #01-72, Singapore 310470 Price: $16 to $32 per serving |
Tang Yuan
– From yatkayan
Tang yuan is such a beloved dessert soup in Singapore that we think it’s worth adding to our list of best soup dishes. The sweet soup is made with glutinous rice balls, stuffed with sweet fillings, and simmered in a sweetened ginger or peanut broth.
Tang yuan comes in sweet flavours like peanut, black sesame, and red bean paste. It can also be enjoyed as a savoury snack, with fillings such as ground meat, daikon radish, and fish cake.
It’s noteworthy that this dessert soup is deeply intertwined with Chinese celebrations and family reunions. If you’re invited to a Chinese wedding or a family gathering in Singapore, you can expect to find tang yuan on the table!
| Where to Try: Yat Ka Yan Dessert, 190 Middle Rd, #02-08 Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979 Gong He Guan, 28 Upper Cross St, Singapore 058337 Ah Chew Desserts, 1 Liang Seah St, #01-10/11 Liang Seah Place, Singapore 189032 Price: $3.50 to $7.50 |
Green Bean Soup
– From thegreenbeanshop
Another sweet soup dish on this list is green bean soup, a popular warm dessert soup that’s praised for its nutritional and detoxifying properties. It’s often associated with Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, but locals like to eat it on regular rainy days too.
The main ingredients in this dish are green mung beans, coconut milk, pandan leaves, and sugar. The texture is a little watery, but the soft mung beans give texture and a slight heartiness to it.
Although usually served warm, green bean soup is enjoyed chilled, especially when the hottest summer days in Singapore come around. You’ll find this in many hawker stalls across the island, but locals say that their moms (or grandmothers) cook it best!
| Where to Try: The Green Bean Shop, 22 Sin Ming Rd, #01-252, Singapore 570022 Tian Wang, 145 Jln Besar, Singapore 208863 Tian Yi, 10 North Bridge Rd, #01-112, Singapore 190010 Price: $2.50 to $4.50 |
Bird’s Nest Soup
– From imperialnests
Bird’s nest soup is a famous Chinese delicacy that you’ll often find in more upscale Chinese restaurants in Singapore. The soup is made out of edible bird’s nests, which is basically solidified saliva from swiftlets that slowly melts when steamed or boiled.
When boiled, the bird’s nest turns watery, resulting in a jelly-like soup. It’s lightly seasoned with a little salt and sugar, highlighting the natural sweetness of the bird saliva.
The soup’s higher cost is due to the challenging farming process, as traditional nest farmers had to climb thousands of feet to harvest swiftlet nests from mountain caves. Nowadays, most edible bird’s nests are sourced from swiftlet farms.
| Where to Try: Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant, 317 Outram Rd, Singapore 169075 The Ritz-Carlton Millenia’s Summer Pavilion, 7 Raffles Ave., The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore 039799 Imperial Nests, 35 Kallang Pudding Rd, Singapore 349314 Price: $40 to $130 per bowl |
Buddha Jumps Over The Wall
– From manfuyuansg
While the name may be a mouthful, take a leap and try Buddha Jumps Over The Wall. We’re confident you’ll find your mouth happily full of this healthy and hearty herbal soup that’s served in some of Singapore’s best and most authentic Chinese eateries.
The Buddha Jumps Over The Wall soup, or Buddha’s Temptation, is a type of Fujian-style shark fin soup that consists of chicken feet, abalone, sea cucumber, deer meat, and fish maw, boiled together in a pot of chicken broth.
Legend has it that the soup’s roots trace back to the Qing Dynasty when a monk, unable to resist the alluring aroma of the soup, jumped over the monastery wall just to savour a bowl for himself!
| Where to Try: Man Fu Yuan Restaurant, 80 Middle Road Level 2 InterContinental Singapore, Singapore 188966 Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro, 333 Orchard Rd, Level 35 Hilton Singapore Orchard, Singapore 238867 Fu Lin Men Cantonese Dining, 21 Amber Road, Level 3 Chinese Swimming Club, Singapore 439870 Price: $90 to $180 per bowl |
Cheng Tng
– From yatkayan
If you’re looking for a soup dish that’s also enjoyed chilled, consider getting a bowl of cheng tng for a change. It’s a dessert soup that consists of dried dates, longan, seeds, and white fungus, boiled in a cane sugar broth.
Chilled cheng tng provides a refreshing alternative to the warm soup dishes on this list. It’s widely available at local dessert hawker stalls, and some even offer it in cups for easier consumption.
When warm, cheng tng makes for a great and sweet pick-me-up on a rainy day. It may not be the best choice for soothing sore throats, but it may satisfy your sweet tooth (and that’s probably all that matters)!
| Where to Try: Four Seasons Ching Teng, 210 Lor 8 Toa Payoh, #01-34 Hawker Centre, Singapore 310210 Yat Ka Yan Dessert, 190 Middle Rd, #02-08 Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979 Mohamed Sultan Road Hot and Cold Cheng Tng, 70 Zion Rd, #01-32, Singapore 247792 Price: $3 to $4.50 |
Ban Mian
– From madamleongbanmee
For many locals, ban mian (or ban mee) is the quintessential noodle soup dish that easily reminds them of family. It’s a commonly prepared dish at home, owing to its relatively easy preparation.
But, if you’re not kitchen savvy, ban mian can be bought from hawker stalls anywhere on the island. The noodle dish is fairly simple: egg noodles, pork broth, meatballs, and egg, with fried anchovies as garnish.
If you ask any local about where to get the best ban mian, they will likely tell you to find hawker stalls that make the egg noodles by hand. Plus points if the hawker uncle or auntie hand pulls the noodles right in front of you as you order!
| Where to Try: Yanan Ban Mian Noodles, 79 Telok Blangah Dr, #01-29, Singapore 100079 Madam Leong Traditional Ban Mian, 7 Maxwell Rd, #02-109, Singapore 069111 Xin Ban Mian, 232 Sims Ave, Singapore 387509 Price: $3.20 to $4.50 |
