Singapore’s diverse culinary landscape has no shortage of comfort foods that would have anyone spoilt for choice. Among these crowd favorites is nasi lemak, a tantalizing dish that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and brimming with the unique flavors of various aromatic plants like bay leaves, pandan, and lemongrass, accompanied by a variety of complementary toppings. In a traditional plate, these typically include fried fish or chicken, sambal chili, egg, sliced cucumbers, and fried anchovies. With the dish now part and parcel of Singapore’s national identity, those looking to satisfy their nasi lemak cravings can find one just about anywhere that serves food. But, if you’re looking to settle for nothing less than extraordinary, head on over to these spots for the best nasi lemak in Singapore that’ll have you coming back for more.
Note: This list is strictly not in order.
1. The Coconut Club
The Coconut Club made waves during its initial opening for challenging the general consensus that hawker food shouldn’t cost more than a single digit. However, The Coconut Club’s nasi lemak in Singapore, which was priced upwards of $20, is certainly worth every penny seeing as it won a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Award and has since become a fast favorite in all of Singapore. Their version features a lush coconut rice made from fresh ingredients prepared in-house coupled with super crispy fried chicken marinated in a special rub of spaces and a delectable side of sambal. Also, those who aren’t fond of oily foods will be glad to know that the restaurant’s dish isn’t cloying with the stuff, so feel free to indulge as much as you want.
Customer Reviews:
Simon Lee
I had wanted to try out Coconut Club months ago, but the chance didn’t happen till today.. Brought wifey to have lunch at the most “Atas (elegant) Nasi Lemak” in SG… Ordered – 2 x Signature Ayam Goreng, Berempah Nasi Lemak, 1 x, Gado Gado. Drinks – 1 Coconut Shake & 1 Coconut Club Mai Tai (Cocktail). The Rice is amazingly good, smooth coconut flavoured. The Sambal Chilli is scaled-down drastically as opposed to our local flavour. (Probably to appease the tourist tastebud). Both the anchovy and roasted ground nuts are mildly salted. (Just nice). Nice setting, nice ambience with retro music to compliment. Service by staff was good and fast with friendly disposition. Overall it is a good experience. Will revisit again. (But in the evening for a cooler environment).
Andrei Jach
The Coconut Club is amazing, in fact so good we went twice and both times ordered the terang asam manis (fried eggplant). They do the best beef rendang I have ever had. Fragrant, juicy and just falls apart, I miss it already. High mentions are also the homemade otah, gado gado, roasted brussell sprouts in coconut milk, and signature chicken nasi lemak. Wash them down with the coconut shake and cold brew coffee with coconut milk, both so refreshing. The staff are very friendly and helpful and it has a nice relaxed decor. The best Malay/ Indonesian I have ever had.
Ali Farshadfar
I recently dined at the Coconut Club on Beach Road in Singapore, and it was an interesting experience. The service and staff were fantastic, creating a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere. The restaurant’s mix of mid-century and modern design adds to he overall ambiance. I tried the gado gado and tchicken satay. Unfortunately, the gado gado didn’t quite meet my expectations; I found it to be lacking in flavor. However, the chicken satay, while a bit greasy with an overpowering turmeric taste, was still alright. The highlight of the meal was the Nasi Lemak with coconut rice. It was exceptionally flavorful and well-balanced, truly a must-try. The Terung Asam was also quite good. In summary, the Coconut Club offers a great vibe and wonderful staff, but the food quality varied. If you visit, be sure to try their Nasi Lemak for a delightful culinary experience.
Website: https://www.thecoconutclub.sg/
Contact: 8725 3315
Location: 269 Beach Rd, Singapore 199546
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Friday 11 AM–2:30 PM, 5 PM–9:30 PM | Saturday-Sunday 11 AM–9:30 PM | Closed on Mondays
2. Bali Nasi Lemak
Bali Nasi Lemak has been in the business of bringing culinary goodness since 1985, with each dish in their menu with authentic heritage that immerses the palate and delights the taste buds. Among its diverse array of delectable dishes, the star of the show is undoubtedly their nasi lemak in Singapore, which is characterized by its fluffy and rich coconut milk-flavored Thai basmati rice and the choice between two types of chicken: Indonesian black sweet sauce chicken or traditional crispy fried chicken. Alternatively, those mindful of their weight can also choose to switch their fried fare for other dishes like their signature spicy sambal petai.
Customer Reviews:
Clemence Chee
Have a craving for Nasi Lemak today so decided to try Bali Nasi Lemak at 142 Sims Avenue 😋. The place is newly renovated and clean. Foods are well displayed and decided to choose our dishes as per photos attached. The chilli sauce is quite spicy, and the hay bi hiam goes well with the fragrance Coconut rice. Chicken wing is well marinated and the fried fish fillet is really fresh and nice. Love the freshness in all the dishes and looking forward to visit again 😁😁.
K Wong
Super yummy nasi lemak!!! Delicious chicken wings .. we had both the fried version and the kicap manis one. Rice is fragrant and everything that should be crispy is so crispy and yet the chicken is juicy on the inside. Petai is super delicious too!
Colin Chan
A regular customer at previous location since many years ago. Food is as tasty as ever. Self-serve. Cash payment is easy via self-pay machine. New premises and clean. Could be crowded depending on timing. Easily visible and accessible as along main road. Free street parking after 5pm and open carparks round the corner.
Website: https://ilovebali.sg/
Contact: –
Location: 142 Sims Ave, Singapore 387464
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 5 PM–2 AM
3. Dickson Nasi Lemak
Dickson Nasi Lemak boasts a cult following among nasi lemak enjoyers who like to take their comfort on the go. Indeed, this restaurant’s prized coconut-infused dish is only available for takeaways and offered in various options such as classic ayam goreng berempah or fried chicken, sambal sotong, beef rendang, and chicken rendang. The traditional fried chicken undoubtedly remains the crowd favorite for its simple yet tantalizing spices of lemongrass, ginger, and turmeric powder combined with an elaborate sambal chili made from a whopping 18 ingredients. With their deep-seated commitment to quality and authenticity, Dickson Nasi Lemak continues to serve the renowned nasi lemak from Kuala Lumpur’s most famous restaurant which they are the first to masterfully recreate in the Lion City.
Customer Reviews:
Utari
The nasi lemak has a good portion, texture and taste. the coconut rice is so good, and they have special menus by days, we got rendang one, is da bomb! also, it’s for takeaway only.
TheKidfoodie
They were NOT kidding when they said “best nasi lemak in SG”. Ordered in cus I’m lazy, but the chicken was still crispy and tender and flavourful. Everything was still crispy despite the 15 min wait to come home. ( I was out b4 lunch) Coconut rice-off the charts 📈. The egg was perfectly runny. I’ve heard that the jam around the place is bad, but hopefully it’s worth the wait. If your lazy like me and live near just get delivery it’s really good trust me.😉 Kid-friendliness: I think they have a junior set or something.
Sasa Swift
It’s a take-out concept place. I had the fried chicken thigh nasi lemak. Sambal is very good, steam coconut rice is perfect, not greasy. Love the authentic nasi lemak that I usually found in Malaysia only.
Website: http://dicksonnasilemak.com/
Contact: –
Location: 320 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427571
Opening Hours: Thursday-Tuesday 8:30–10:30 AM, 11:45 AM–3:30 PM
4. Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang
Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang, known throughout the island for its status as a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant, earned its reputation for offering one of the best nasi lemak in Singapore. Unlike other offerings, their version does away with the usual grilled or fried chicken but instead features a tantalizing slab of chicken blanketed with mouthwatering sambal chili that may be eye-wateringly spicy for some. Nonetheless, a spoonful paired with the aromatic rice makes for one toothsome bite where the flavors don’t compete with each other but rather blend in harmony, an impressive feat considering its use of rich and bold ingredients.
Customer Reviews:
Joshua Loh
I’m quite sure this place just got renovated and price went up but I got no complains for that since that was an absolute BANGER of a Nasi Lemak. Rice was fragrant with the hint of coconut and egg was cooked well even though I ordered for take out. The chicken and chilli THOUGH!!!🔥🔥. Mmm I would say that my spice tolerance is not very high but I enjoyed this chilli since the sweetness it had gave a nice touch to a very tender chicken(literally crumbles at the touch of it). I would definitely recommend you guys to try out their signature Taliwang ($7.30) or the chicken wing set as I heard the chicken is marinated with 16 different herbs! Good recommendation from Zermatt Neo and this will definitely be my go to meal from now on.
muhamad najmi shabuddin
For a michellin guide recipient back to back, Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang Yishun outlet is not as outstanding as I thought it would be, hence a 4 stars. I have to be universal when it comes to rating Nasi Lemak. You would get better version elsewhere esp in Malaysia, and they’re not even on big red book list. However, the overall taste is just perfect. The chicken is well marinated and the crews are well trained esp the lady who command the whole kitchen. The facility is excellent too given it’s just a hawker center with good sanitary washing facility.
Dusty Spex
Friendly and pleasant staff that served us. We had a good conversation with the staff there. In my personal opinion, this is the best tasting nasi lemak I’ve ever tasted. The rice, and sambal is well balanced! That’s what makes nasi lemak great. Menurut saya…
Website: –
Contact: 8750 5240
Location: 51 Yishun Ave 11, #01-33 Yishun Park Hawker Centre, Singapore 768867
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 6:30 AM–7 PM | Monday 8 AM–7 PM
5. Ponggol Nasi Lemak Centre
Ponggol Nasi Lemak, a long-established restaurant, is renowned for being a Heritage Brand serving one of the most iconic dishes in Singapore. They pride themselves for their nasi lemak featuring their very own signature taste distinguishable from other offerings and remains the favorite of many ever since 1979. The dish itself features coconut rice made from only top-grade jasmine rice and freshly-squeezed coconut juice, which customers can pair with an extensive selection of side dishes beyond crispy drumsticks and wings, such as fried yellowstripe scad, premium cuttlefish balls, spicy mackerel otah, curry vegetable, sauteed French beans, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
derek neo
One of the best nasi lemak in Singapore! Chicken is extremely crispy, rice is very fragrant, Ikan billis are crispy and aromatic. Everything good about a nasi lemak is in this nasi lemak. Definitely would recommend. Queue moves fast as well so do not be scared by the long queue.
APO Lakay
As expected, long queue. Their Chicken Wings is a MUST TRY. And there are varieties of dishes to choose to. Overall, the foods are good. They give chili generously. 👍🏼
L A
I’ve eaten here a number of times and I usually take-away to eat at home. Note the new price list for 2024 (attached photo). Most of the food items saw increased prices. #inflationtoday 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♀️ Food taste is consistent, but I noticed that the most recent meal has lesser rice than usual (I could not finish the rice usually). Nevertheless, I think this is the best Punggol Nasi Lemak branch for the taste and wait times. My go-to order is chicken wing (very crispy!) long beans or curry veg (quite spicy) and ikan bilis. Rice is consistently good and quite fragrant. Comes with cucumber slices and chilli (quite spicy and more than enough).
Website: http://www.ponggolnasilemak.com.sg/
Contact: 6287 0020
Location: 238 Tanjong Katong Rd, Singapore 437026
Opening Hours: Friday-Wednesday 4:30–11:30 PM | Closed on Thursdays
6. Uptown Nasi Lemak
Uptown Nasi Lemak is a popular stall situated in the Telok Ayer neighborhood that is dedicated to bringing the authentic taste of Malaysian cuisine to Singapore. Their nasi lemak is actually inspired by some of Malaysia’s best nasi lemak found at Damansara Uptown, the hometown of its two founders, and features ayam goreng berempah or crispy spiced chicken paired with fragrant coconut milk-infused rice. If the chicken is too greasy for you, you can also switch it out for their other dishes like sambal sotong, beef rendang, sambal-stuffed fried mackerel, and more, complete with half-portion hard-boiled egg, spicy sambal, fried peanuts, Nyonya acar, and anchovies.
Customer Reviews:
Evelyn Chye
Selling point is Malaysia style Nasi Lemak. The queue can get very long during lunch time. I love the cuttlefish nasi lemak as it is a dish you seldom get in Singapore. The sauce is flavourful and balance. Quite a good representation of Malaysia Nasi Lemak. The fried chicken is also tender. Very nice. Definitely recommend anyone to try.
Rennie Lee
Not bad nasi lemak. Rice is fragrant and chicken is tender. Only downside is that the price is kinda high for a plate of nasi lemak.
Jane
Very fragrant rice! The best part of this meal would be the sambal and fried chicken! Fried chicken is tender and crispy! Sometimes they give you some crispy bits too! Went abit late for lunch and there’s no crispy bits in this meal.. Queue is especially long during lunch hour though..
Website: http://uptownnasilemak.com/
Contact: 8345 9547
Location: 121 Telok Ayer St, #01-01, Singapore 068590
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 AM–2:30 PM | Closed on Sundays
7. Lawa Bintang
Lawa Bintang is a family-owned restaurant that grew in popularity for its unique fusion of modern and traditional dishes, with a particular focus on nasi lemak in Singapore. The brand has chosen to take the dish to a new level by incorporating unique ingredients such as smoked duck, soft-shell crab, salmon, and, most notably lobster, which made waves in social media when it was added to the menu. Their signature Lobster Nasi Lemak features a whole lobster coated with a creamy layer of three kinds of cheese and herbs paired with a generous portion of aromatic basmati rice, sunny-side up egg, crispy anchovies with peanuts, and sambal sauce. Many who were curious about its taste praise the lobster meat’s sweet and succulent texture topped off by a herbaceous dimension that adds to the depth of flavors, while the cheese is rich and fragrant yet not to the point of overpowering the lobster.
Customer Reviews:
Ng Shu Kai
The rice is very fragrant but I wish the sambal wasn’t as sweet as it was. The lobster meat is nice and firm, and the portions are decent. Pretty good place to try for the novelty of lobster nasi lemak itself but the location is pretty hard to access unless you drive in my opinion.
Kai
Chanced upon this place after sent my car to FOO brothers garage nearby and I am damn surprised by its quality! Had their drumstick nasi lemak and first of all, the rice is fragrant, fluffy and flavourful. Next, The highlight which is the drumstick, it is well seasoned, crispy skin and most importantly juicy and tender! Totally love how not salty the batter is. The ikan billis is special for me as it mixed with some crisp and not nuts and it goes well with the rice 👍🏻 Lastly, the chili is well seasoned, not too sweet and spiciness. Totally amazed by their nasi lemak and they are well known for their lobster nasi lemak too. Will definitely come back and try some day!
Brompton World Travellers
One of the best Nasi lemak ! Definitely a must to try in town.
Website: https://m.facebook.com/lawabintang/
Contact: 9681 1073
Location: 9008 Tampines Street 93, Singapore 528843
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 9 AM–2 PM | Closed on Mondays
Conclusion:
Nasi lemak, what was once one of the hallmark offerings of hawker stalls, has gained much prominence that it’s now served just about everywhere with a greater array of heartier side dishes like achar or pickled vegetables, fish otah, meat rendang, and more. But just like everything else, not all nasi lemak in Singapore are made equal, and some are clearly a cut above the rest. Thus, if you’re looking to sate your cravings with nothing but the best, consider dropping by the places we listed above to get your nasi lemak fix.