Best Indian & Malay in Singapore (2026)

Singapore's Indian and Malay kitchens are not a side note — they are half the national flavour, and this category gathers them the way the hawker centres do. The Peranakan rooms lead the fine-dining end: Candlenut and Pangium cook the Straits Chinese canon, the laborious rempah pastes, buah keluak, and slow-braised dishes that define Nyonya cooking. The Indian side spans Muthu's Curry, Lagnaa, and Delhi Lahori for North Indian and tandoor cooking; Anglo Indian and Na Na Curry for the curry-house end; and Rajarani Thosai for paper-crisp dosai done right. Iqbal Soup Kambing does the gut-warming mutton soup the supper crowd swears by, and Otak-Otak Kampung keeps the grilled fish custard in banana leaf — pure Malay hawker soul. What unites them is spice used with confidence: coconut, turmeric, lemongrass, tamarind, and chilli in combinations the city's Chinese kitchens never attempt. Expect generous portions built for sharing, rice or bread as the vehicle, and some of the best value in the guide at the casual end. Order the fish-head curry if it is on the menu, ask for the sambal on the side, and save room — where desserts exist, they are worth it.