Best zi char in Singapore: 12 restaurants and stalls serving up hearty homemade grub

There’s a special place for zi char in every Singaporean’s heart. Even as we flit from meal to meal indulging in various cuisines all over food haven Singapore, we can’t help but return to our favorite home-cooked Chinese dishes.

Today we turn back to our traditional roots with 12 tasty zi char restaurants not to be missed.

1. 8 Crabs

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Want authentic home-cooked zi char dishes and the freshest crabs you can find? Look no further.

8 Crabs is Singapore’s only award-winning delivery service that offers both local zi char dishes – think Cereal Prawn, Coffee Pork Ribs, and Sambal Kangkong – as well as grade AAA premium Sri Lankan wild-caught crabs flown in daily.

Bigger, meatier, and way more nutritious, their trio of Black Pepper Crab, Chili Crab, and Salted Egg Crab trio have wowed over 30,000 customers!

Click here to place your 8 Crabs delivery orders. Open all-day. Delivery is free for orders above $120 (except for extended delivery to Sentosa, Tuas, Jurong Island/Port, and restricted zones)

2. Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen

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This zi char stall needs no introduction. Located in Chinatown Complex Food Centre , Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen has been serving the most outstanding Cantonese cuisine to diehard regulars for years on end.

Dishes like their Claypot Pork Liver and Braised Sea Cucumber are tantalizingly tender and exceptionally executed with skill honed from years of practice. They sell out fast so get down there quick!

Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen is located at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, 335 Smith Street #02-83, Singapore 050335. Open 11am – 6:30pm daily. Closed Wed and Thu.

3. Keng Eng Kee Seafood

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Keng Eng Kee Seafood is one of Bukit Merah’s beloved zi char stalls for a reason. Topped with a single fresh raw egg yolk, their signature Moonlight Hor Fun asserts astronomical flavor with just simple ingredients like kway teow, lup cheong (Chinese sausage), and squid. Covered in a sweet sticky sauce, their tender Coffee Ribs is another must-try when you hit up this restaurant.

Keng Eng Kee Seafood is located at 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-136, Singapore 150124. Open daily from 11am – 2pm and 5pm – 10pm. Available for islandwide delivery, order online here .

4. Sin Hoi Sai Eating House

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Hawker haven Sin Hoi Sai Eating House is a seafood zi char stall with over 30 years of history. Garnering praise from over the years, its Tiong Bahru outlet is listed in the 2019 Singapore Michelin Guide.

From crabs to prawns, they specialize in dishes made from a range of live seafood fresh for the picking. Favourites loved by regular customers include their famous Sri Lankan Butter Garlic Crab and Pig Trotters Bee Hoon .

Sin Hoi Sai Eating House can be found at 55 Tiong Bahru Rd #01-59, Singapore 160055 and 187 East Coast Rd, Singapore 428893. Open from 3pm – 3am daily. Order online here .

ALSO READ: Gastrobar review: Jekyll & Hyde returns with elevated zi char and a pet-friendly courtyard

5. New Ubin Seafood

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New Ubin Seafood takes zi char to another level. This restaurant ups their menu with fresh takes on everyday zi char dishes with unprecedented creations like Foie Gras Egg Special , soft-boiled eggs topped with pan-seared foie gras and truffle salt.

Even their Kaya Toast is served in an avant-garde manner; Deconstructed slices of toasted baguettes with dishes of butter and kaya on the side. If you’re looking for a more local taste, you can’t miss out on their take on Hokkien Mee and Ubin Fried Mee Sua .

New Ubin Seafood’s CHIJMES outlet is located at 30 Victoria Street, #02-01B/C, Singapore 187996. Open Tues–Sun from 11am – 10pm. Closed Mon. New Ubin Seafood is also located at 18 Tampines Industrial Crescent, #01-16, Singapore 528605 and 16 Ah Hood Road, Singapore 329982. Both open 10am – 10pm daily. Order online here .

6. JB Ah Meng

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Frequented by celebrities and influencers, JB Ah Meng brings their JB-style zi char across the border straight to Singapore’s Geylang neighborhood.

Their signature sambal-infused JB San Lou Meehoon will leave you and your friends sweating from the spice but immensely satisfied. Another spicy hit-dish is their Garlic Chili Clams .

JB Ah Meng is located at 534 Geylang Rd, Singapore 389490. Open 5pm – 2.15am daily.

7. Long Ji Zi Char

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Crab fanatics have to give Long Ji Zi Char a shot. With great garlicky flavor and wok hei-infused soup, their meaty Crab Beehoon offers a smokey taste bursting with umami goodness with every spoonful of gravy.

Other fan-favorite menu items are their Salted Egg Corn and zi char must-order Har Cheong Kai (prawn paste chicken).

Long Ji Zi Char is located at 253 Outram Rd, Singapore 169049. Open 5pm – 10.30pm daily. Order online here .

8. Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan)

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Hidden away in the HDBs, Yang Ming Seafood is a beloved Bishan zi char fave located in the heartlands. With extreme value-for-money, you’ll get to try a variety of dishes without breaking the bank.

The star of the show here is their Lobster Chee Cheong Fan – the silky bed of rice noodle sheets under seriously succulent lobster will leave you floored. Don’t miss the signature Steamed Baby Sotong and belly-warming White Pepper Pig’s Trotter either.

Yang Ming Seafood is located at 150 Bishan Street 11 #01-149, Singapore 570150. Open daily from 11.30am – 2pm and 4.30pm – 10pm. Delivery available, call 8028 9940 to order.

ALSO READ: Affordable zi char restaurants for under $20 per dish

9. Kok Sen Restaurant

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One of Singapore’s most well-known zi char restaurants is located in the food haven of Keong Saik Road. Listed in the Singapore Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand, Kok Sen Restaurant is remarkably popular with locals and tourists alike with its consistently flavorful dishes.

A crowd-pleasing course is their Cantonese-style Big Prawns Hor Fun with its fresh juicy prawns and spicy broth. The Claypot Yong Tau Foo made with homemade fishpaste will surpass all your expectations of what Yong Tau Foo should taste like in all the best ways.

Kok Sen Restaurant is located at 30 Keong Saik Rd, Singapore 08913. Open Tue-Sun 12pm – 2.15pm and 5pm – 10pm. Closed Mon. Order online here .

10. White Restaurant

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If you’re looking for fancier zi char, White Restaurant got you covered. From their signature Original White Bee Hoon to their Stir-Fried Prawns with Dried Scallop Hae Bee Hiam , their dishes are drool-worthy always.

Overwhelmed by all the choices? The crispy Meat and Seafood Roll paired with a saucer of sweet chili is a great place to start.

White Restaurant has 6 outlets island-wide. All outlets are open 10.30am – 8.30pm daily. Islandwide delivery available, order online here .

11. Sum Kee Food

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Hidden gem Sum Kee Food boasts an extensive zi char menu covering all your local cravings which will leave you spoilt for choice.

With old-school dishes like Yam Ring to more interesting appetizers like Chicken Bikini Skin, Sum Kee Food has fragrant menu items fit for any foodie. If you’re a sucker for sensational salted egg creations, their Ultraman Chicken is a hands-down must-try.

Sum Kee Food is located at 2 Telok Blangah Street 31, Singapore 108942 and 19 Yung Ho Road, Singapore 618592. Open daily 11am – 2.30pm and 5pm – 9pm. Islandwide delivery available, order online here .

12. Jiak Modern Tzechar

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Who says you can’t get great halal zi char? Jiak Modern Tzechar serves up your local favorites in air-conditioned comfort.

True to its name, their peppery La La in Superior Broth is the superior soup great for cutting through the usually greasy taste of zi char dishes. Their signature Curry Fish Head is chockfull of spicy flavor and glorious aroma to boot.

Jiak Modern Tzechar is located at 8 Raffles Ave, Esplanade Mall #02-14, Singapore 039802 and 4 Hillview Rise, HillV2 #02-04, Singapore 667979. Both outlets open 11.30am – 9.30pm daily.

This article was first published in City Nomads.