Chicken rice is sometimes referred to as Singapore’s national dish so, as the locals say, “you must try”!

Maxwell Food Centre is home to Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-10/11) made famous by Anthony Bourdain, so unfortunately, the line is long at any hour. As an alternative to Tian Tian, we recommend Ah Tai which is a couple doors away (#01-07). Here’s a 5-minute documentary (shot on iPhone!) that covers the relationship and drama between Tian Tian and Ah Tai.

We tend to like Ah Tai a smidge better because their chili sauce is spicier and tangier and the rice has a good texture to it. Also, Ah Tai will serve you up a complimentary bowl of soup (a traditional gesture by chicken rice vendors) and Tian Tian scandalously does not.

Address: 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01-07, Singapore 069184.

Hua Bee Restaurant is a classic “kopitiam” (Singaporean coffee shop) which serves your standard Singaporean breakfasts – “kaya” (coconut jam) toast, soft boiled eggs, and strong coffee to put hair on your working class chest.

Hua Bee’s claim to fame is being the location for the Singaporean film “Mee Pok Man”. “Mee Pok” is a style of flat, wide egg noodle, and it’s served here “Bak Chor Mee” style with pork, mushrooms, fish balls and fish cake. You can get it with or without soup. It’s unclear to us if Hua Bee was known for its Bak Chor Mee before the film was shot, or if they serve it now because of their association with the film. Either way, their version of Bak Chor Mee is classic.

Address: 78 Moh Guan Terrace, #01-19 Singapore 162078. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Most people who visit Singapore know about Hainanese Chicken Rice, but most people haven’t tried Hainanese Curry Rice, which is a uniquely Singaporean dish. Walk up to the stall and marvel at the different trays of prepared dishes waiting for you.

The fun lies in picking out what you want to have over a plate of rice. The most typical combination is a crispy fried pork chop (cooked Hainanese style, like a flatter, crispier version of Japanese pork katsu), stewed cabbage, a fried egg, and a large heaping of curry sauce on the top. Beo Crescent Hainanese Curry Rice is also sometimes called “No Name” because the stall doesn’t actually have a name.

Address: 40 Beo Crescent, #01-10, Ho Ping Hng Coffeeshop, Singapore 160040. Closed on Wednesdays.

Another longstanding Hainanese Curry Rice hawker, Loo’s serves up plates of comfort food in Tiong Bahru since 1946. Originally housed behind a bright turquoise gate in a coffeeshop, Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice eventually moved to the second floor of Tiong Bahru Market across the street. They’re only open till 2:45pm each day (closed on Thursdays) so plan your mealtimes accordingly.

Loo’s fried pork chop is made in a traditional Hainanese style with biscuit crumbs as a coating. Don’t forget to add sambal seafood and braised cabbage to your order. An affordable and delicious meal, this will fuel you for an afternoon of wandering around Tiong Bahru.

Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-67/68, Singapore 168898. Closed on Thursdays.

“Nasi lemak” ( ˈnɑsiː ləˈmɑk̚/ n.) is Malay for “rice” and “grease”, a very literal way of describing rice cooked with coconut milk. Start with coconut milk, and pile on a fried egg, some fried ikan bilis (ˈɪkɑn ˈbɪlɪs/ n., Malay for anchovies), sambal chili, fried chicken or fish, or even a piece of otak-otak (əʊˈtɑk əʊˈtɑk/ n., Malay for spicy fish paste flattened and roasted in banana leaf) and you have yourself a delicious platter of fragrant nasi lemak.

The consensus is that Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak (also known as Adam Road Nasi Lemak), located at Adam Road Food Centre, is hands down some of the best nasi lemak in Singapore. On most days, the line is literally out the door, so be prepared to wait.

Adam Road Food Centre is conveniently within walking distance from the Botanic Gardens.

Address: 2 Adam Rd, Stall #2 Singapore 289876.

Roasted meats are a Cantonese specialty, and New Rong Liang Ge does an exceptional job at churning out roast duck, roast pork char siu (ˌtʃɑr ˈʃu/, 叉烧), crispy pork belly siu yok (ʃuˈjoʊk/, 烧肉), and more. We’d recommend the crispy pork belly siu yok over noodles, with their special braised soy sauce.

While the line can get long, it moves pretty quickly, but expect to compete for a place to sit at peak mealtimes. And if you lose heart while standing in line, Albert Centre Market & Food Centre is close by so you won’t be far from more options for lunch.

Address: 3838 Eating Place, 269B Queen Street, #01-235, Singapore 182269

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Boba tea, also known as bubble tea, or pearl milk tea, is originally from Taiwan. Cold cups of tea (with or without milk) are served with various toppings like chewy tapioca balls, fresh fruit, coconut jelly, or pudding. Any boba tea place worth its syrup will let you customize the sweetness level and the ice level of your beverage, by percentages – don’t be shy about asking for less ice or sugar. Very refreshing on a hot day, we highly recommend hitting up a boba tea kiosk or two while you’re in Singapore.

Our favorite chains in Singapore are Gong Cha and KOI Thé. We’re not fond of LiHo, but they do a cheesy tea that might be worth trying for the novelty of it.

You could start your day with a boring ol’ bowl of cereal, or you could kick it up a notch with a hearty, traditional, and very working class Singaporean breakfast which you can procure at any hawker center or food court coffee stall.

What is a traditional Singaporean breakfast, you ask? It’s usually two soft boiled eggs cracked into a shallow saucer, two slices of toast optionally with butter and kaya, and a very very strong cup of kopi. Kaya (ˈkʌɪjɑ/ n., Malay), sometimes translated as coconut jam, is made out of coconut milk, eggs, sugar, and pandan (also known as screwpine leaf). It’s sweet and fragrant, and when spread on toast with butter makes a mouthwatering treat.

Back in the day, you’d season the eggs with white pepper and a drizzle of soy sauce, then hold up the saucer to your mouth to slurp down the eggs but today, if you’re a little shy about doing that, just use a spoon.

Both Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Killiney Kopitiam, which are local chain coffee shops, have all day breakfast sets.

Sometimes if you’re really lucky you’ll come across an ice cream sandwich cart manned by a wizened Singaporean “uncle”. In Singapore, we do ice cream sandwiches a little differently. For one, they’re made to order so check out the menu on the side and pick out a flavor. You’ll find your usual chocolate and vanilla, but the real treasures are the tropical flavors like durian, sweet corn, yam/ube, or mango. After picking out a flavor, let the uncle know if you want your ice cream wrapped in regular thin wafers or rainbow bread. Watch him slice out a thick slab of ice cream and put your sandwich together on the spot!

There’s usually an ice cream uncle along Orchard Road – best way to spot these vendors is to look out for a bright red or yellow sun umbrella.

If ice cream sandwiches aren’t your thing, but you still want to try some local flavors, check out Creamier (three locations). Pulut hitam is a local dessert made out of black glutinous rice and Creamier has distilled all the goodness of pulut hitam into a seasonal ice cream flavor that is divine. If you’re avoiding dairy, Creamier also offers fruity sorbets.

Bengawan Solo was established in 1979 and is my family’s go-to for kueh. With many locations islandwide, chances are you’ll stumble across a Bengawan Solo during your time in Singapore. As for what to get, I say this without exaggeration: Everything. But if you had to narrow it down, try the Pandan Chiffon Cake, Pandan Kaya Cake, Kueh Lapis, Kueh Dardar, Kueh Talam, Rainbow Kueh, and Lemper Udang.

They also sell cookies and tarts in tins with traditional Peranakan designs on them. These make great souvenirs (you can get them at the airport). Bonus: Make like an Asian grandmother and store your sewing supplies in the tins when you’re done with the treats!