Singapore’s food scene is a paradise for lovers of vegetarian food and vegan food alike. What began as a tapestry of simple mock meats at humble hawker stalls has now flourished into a vibrant, island-wide culinary movement. Today, spotting a Singapore vegetarian restaurant or creative vegan restaurant is as common as finding delicious chicken rice or fried rice on every corner. From Chinatown’s bustling streets to the leafy lanes of Bukit Timah, vegetarian restaurants in Singapore reflect the city’s multicultural roots and its growing community of plant-based eaters.
Recent surveys show that nearly 20% of restaurants in Singapore now serve vegetarian food or offer dedicated vegan dishes, mirroring the sharp rise in vegan friendly and plant-based food trends worldwide. The plant-based menu at many modern eateries features not just mock meats, but innovations like rice bowls with fresh vegetables, vegan burgers with teriyaki sauce, avocado beetroot burger creations, vegan chicken rice, and even dairy free vegan ice cream and gluten free options. This guide will walk you through the best spots for vegetarian food Singapore neighborhoods can offer, from local street food legends to contemporary vegan friendly restaurants and dessert bars.
Vegetarian & Vegan Hotspots Map
Chinatown/CBD: Renowned for traditional Chinese vegetarian food, heritage eateries, and vegan friendly restaurants with diverse vegan menu options.
Little India: A treasure trove for South Indian, North Indian, and local vegetarian dishes, including some of the best vegan food and thunder tea rice.
East Coast/Joo Chiat: Famous for plant based food, fusion Western dishes, vegan desserts, and nourishing rice bowls.
Tiong Bahru: Center of sustainable dining with farm-to-table vegetarian restaurants and zero-waste vegan spot options.
Heartlands (Tampines, Ang Mo Kio, Jurong): The place to find affordable fully vegetarian hawker food, vegan mutton, and local specialties.
Instead of focusing on rankings or trends, Neighbourhood Life looks at how vegetarian food shows up in daily neighbourhood life—regulars returning for the same thunder tea rice, small eateries refining plant-based recipes, and new vegan spots slowly finding their crowd. These stories reveal how vegetarian and vegan dining grows through routine, familiarity, and community ties across Singapore.
Singapore Vegetarian Restaurant Trends & Innovations
Singapore vegetarian restaurants are redefining good food through innovation, making the city a magnet for locals and tourists seeking vegan food or satisfying vegetarian dishes. You can now visit cafés serving katsu curry made with plant based or gluten free options, vegan pho with sour soya nuggets, and delightful vegan and vegetarian street food at food courts and hawker centers—many now boasting multiple locations for extra convenience.
No matter your taste, from pasta dishes with coconut milk and king oyster mushrooms to local dishes featuring spring rolls or vegetarian chicken rice, Singapore’s plant based food scene is set to satisfy both meat eaters and plant-forward diners with vegan items that make every meal a satisfying one.
Chinatown & CBD: Singapore Vegetarian Restaurant Heritage Meets Modern Vegan Food
The Chinatown and CBD districts offer an extraordinary blend of heritage and trendsetting when it comes to vegetarian restaurants in Singapore. Hunt for longstanding favorites like Eight Treasures Vegetarian Restaurant (28/30 South Bridge Rd), where you’ll find mock meats, fried rice, and innovative dim sum dishes. ($) The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple area is a hotspot for vegetarian eateries: many serve iconic vegetarian bee hoon, thunder tea rice, and economic rice brimming with fresh vegetables and mock meats. Enjoy vegan items like vegan chicken rice or accidentally vegan street snacks at Chinatown Complex Food Centre.
The CBD’s modern streak includes plant based restaurant stars like Whole Earth (76 Peck Seah St), known for vegan dishes like olive rice and creative Peranakan-Thai fare. ($$) Their vegan and vegetarian menu covers everything from vegan mutton rendang to signature crab noodles. Looking for gluten free options in your vegan menu? Many outlets in this area are happy to oblige.
Local’s Pick: “For vegan desserts after a plant based meal, our family loves the coconut sago pudding at LingZhi Vegetarian at Liat Towers. So smooth, so satisfying!” – Amanda C.
Little India: Indian Cuisine, Vegan Restaurant Gems & Street Food in Singapore
Little India is the heart of Singapore’s vegetarian food culture, with restaurants that welcome vegans and vegetarians alongside traditional South Indian and North Indian cuisine. Visit Komala Vilas Restaurant (76-78 Serangoon Rd) for a thali meal featuring dishes like dal, sabzi, and steamed rice with grated coconut. Try their crispy dosai and spiced fried rice for a taste of classic South Indian favorites. Head to MTR 1924 (440 Serangoon Rd) for legendary Karnataka specialties that are vegan friendly.
Don’t overlook hidden vegan restaurant options off Serangoon Road, or food courts in Tekka and Fortune Centre—find dishes like vegan pho, plant based noodle dishes, and North Indian vegetarian food. The area also excels at vegan friendly street food and mock meats; vegan versions of Indian classics are common, and many venues feature rice bowls, vegan menu labeling, and gluten free choices.
Testimonial: “For the best vegan food in Little India, don’t miss thunder tea rice at Fortune Centre’s vegetarian hawker. The fresh vegetables, peanuts, and herbal coconut milk broth always hit the spot!” – Revathi P.
Heartland Hawker Heroes: Vegetarian Food at Food Courts & More
Across the heartlands—Tampines, Ang Mo Kio, and Jurong—vegetarian food means affordable, comforting favorites at the best food courts and hawker centres. These places often feature fully vegetarian stalls with innovative vegan versions of local delights.
In Ang Mo Kio, Blk 724 Market and Food Centre has long-serving vegetarian hawker heroes who make vegan fried rice with king oyster mushrooms and vegan chicken rice so convincing even meat eaters go back for seconds. In Jurong, you’ll find vegan mutton curry, seaweed fries, and mock meats in rice bowls or as sides. Tampines’ hawker centers stir up vegan noodles and hearty soups—great for those seeking a quick, satisfying meal with many vegan options.
These stalls often have a loyal following, proving you don’t need to head to a formal Singapore vegetarian restaurant for good plant based food—and you’ll find multiple locations in the city for convenience.
Iconic Dish, Plant-Based Twist:
Vegetarian Chicken Rice: Made with soy-based vegan chicken or tofu, vegan friendly teriyaki sauce, ginger rice, and fiery chili sauce.
Spring Rolls & Nasi Lemak: Try them vegan at several heartland stalls—just ask for dairy free and no egg.
East Coast & Joo Chiat: Plant Based Food, Vegan Spot Innovation & Peranakan Fusion
The east’s cafe culture shines for those craving trendy vegan and vegetarian restaurants. Start at The Vegan Bowl (43 E Coast Rd) for creative vegan burger bowls, avocado beetroot burger stacks, and nourishing, gluten free rice bowls. ($)
Fusion eateries craft vegan versions of Peranakan and Southeast Asian classics, like buah keluak pasta dishes or jackfruit rendang. Many places here are known for vegan desserts too—coconut milk ice cream, dairy free kaya toast, and gluten free cakes dot the vegan menu boards. The district’s sustainable spirit means vegan friendly restaurants also highlight fresh, locally grown produce.
Peranakan vegetable curries, plant based rendang made with king oyster mushrooms, and vegan pho are all signature items in East Coast and Joo Chiat’s thriving food scene. Many hawker stalls also serve vegetarian dishes and mock meats during special festival periods.
Holland Village & Bukit Timah: International Singapore Vegetarian Restaurant Favorites
In Holland Village and Bukit Timah, international cuisine meets plant based sophistication. Widely regarded as a haven for vegan friendly restaurants, this area is perfect for sampling vegan options across world cuisines.
Start at Original Sin Restaurant (Blk 43 #01-62 Jln Merah Saga) for vegan moussaka, mezze platters, and other plant based Mediterranean dishes. ($$) Vegan desserts like coconut milk panna cotta and dairy free chocolate cake complete your meal. In Bukit Timah, check out vegan spot brunch favorites with vegan burger and katsu curry as weekend specials.
Many cafes here offer gluten free and vegan friendly options across plant based and western dishes—vegan pasta dishes, rice bowls, and even vegan ice cream for a sweet finish.
Tiong Bahru: Sustainable Dining, Farm-to-Table Vegan Restaurant Picks
Tiong Bahru’s food scene is rich with sustainable, farm-to-table plant based restaurant concepts. Here, restaurants source fresh vegetables and herbs from local community gardens, offering a true field-to-fork experience. Menus often change seasonally and boast vegan and vegetarian versions of local dishes, including mock meats and creative vegan items.
Try Merci Marcel for avocado beetroot burger and other vegan friendly, gluten free bites, or Afterglow for rice bowls with teriyaki sauce and plant based desserts. Tiong Bahru’s eateries are leaders in zero-waste dining, eco-packaging, and supporting local produce markets.
Sidebar: Vegetarian & Vegan Food Delivery Options
GrabFood & Foodpanda: Filter for vegan friendly or vegetarian restaurants in Singapore, with quick access to vegan burger, fried rice, and more.
Green Common: Delivers plant based food, vegan dim sum, and gluten free vegan options.
Oddle Eats: Check for vegan and vegetarian restaurants with curated vegan menu and dessert choices.
Vegetarian Traditions & Vegan Dishes in Singapore’s Faith Communities
Religious sites across Singapore are bastions of vegetarian food. Try Buddhist vegetarian canteens like those at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple (Chinatown) or the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (Bright Hill Rd), both serving fully vegetarian and vegan friendly items. Indian temples in Little India offer festival-time free vegetarian dishes, with coconut rice, chapati, and chickpea stews.
Look for dishes marked “Buddhist vegetarian”—these are always onion- and garlic-free. During Hindu festivals, vegan sweets made with grated coconut, spring rolls, and plant based curries are often distributed as sacred offerings.
Vegan Guide: Practical Tips for Vegetarian & Vegan Food in Singapore
Finding vegan and vegetarian dishes in Singapore is easier than ever. Many stalls (especially in food courts) serve vegetarian food—look for signage (often green, or showing the Chinese word 斋). If in doubt, say “wo chi zhai” or ask for a vegetarian or vegan menu. Apps like HappyCow and abillion are great for scouting vegan spots, plant based restaurants, or finding dairy free, gluten free, and accidentally vegan food in Singapore.
Note: “Vegan” means no dairy, eggs, honey; “Buddhist vegetarian” omits pungent spices; and “Jain” excludes root vegetables. Increasingly, vegan restaurants clearly label vegan dishes and items that are gluten free.
The Future of Plant-Based and Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants in Singapore
The energy in the Singapore vegetarian restaurant and vegan food world is unmistakable. From hawker centers to the finest plant based restaurants, vegan friendly and fully vegetarian menus are winning over both locals and visitors. As plant based dining in Singapore grows, expect even better vegan options—vegan mutton satay, vegan chicken rice, and gluten free, coconut milk-based vegan desserts are only the beginning.
So whether you’re seeking the best vegan food for a satisfying meal or keen to find dishes that redefine classic food in Singapore, you’ll discover something delicious, healthy, and sustainable at every turn. Explore, sample, and enjoy the city’s plant based bounty!
If you’re curious how breakfast shapes daily life in Singapore’s neighbourhoods, Singapore Breakfast Champions: The Best Morning Eats in Singapore’s Neighbourhoods shows where locals line up for soft-boiled eggs, kaya toast, and steaming bowls of mee siam. It highlights the spots, rituals, and hidden gems that make mornings memorable, offering a flavorful glimpse into the city’s everyday routines.
