Local Singapore dishes using plant based protein
Singapore’s favourites with a twist, from “Chicken” Rice to meatless Rendang
Text: Shannon T
Credit: Green Dot Singapore
Singapore loves its food, as seen from our dutifully preserved traditional flavours and well-embraced creative explorations in the culinary realm. Though food trends tend to come and go, a general shift towards prioritising our health and the environment’s has established a strong playing field for plant-based proteins, increasing their appearance in various forms and cuisines in restaurants and supermarkets.
While we love our burgers, tapas and ramen, it’s our local fare that truly owns our foodie hearts and unites us as a food-loving nation. Many of our beloved Singaporean dishes feature meat proteins, but the following food heroes on our list below have taken on the challenge to give these homely favourites a plant-based twist. Read on to see where you can get the best local flavours that feature healthy and hearty plant-based proteins.
Credit: CP Lim
Touted to be the best vegetarian chicken rice in Singapore, this particular hawker stall has been featured by media outlets like Mothership, Miss Tam Chiak and Food King with positive reviews all around. While this vegetarian take on Singapore’s representative meat and rice dish does look the part, the mock chicken does give itself away in texture. The “steam chicken” is made of seitan (wheat gluten) while the "roasted chicken" is made of bean curd skin. The real touch of genius is in the rice, which is said to be so fragrant that you might not believe that it is made without chicken stock and fat according to Time Out.
Available for dine-in or takeaways at Teck Ghee Market & Food Centre.
Besides soft-boiled eggs and kaya toast, a truly Singaporean breakfast would involve noodles, whether soup, dry or stir-fried. Open on Tuesdays to Sundays from 8:00am - 2:00pm only, Shang De Vegetarian is the place to be for a good, honest bowl of vegan wonton mee in the mornings or for lunch. The al dente noodles offer a springly bite, paired with greens, vegan char siew and pickled chillies — just like the real deal. If you're looking for heavier flavours, consider going for the vegetarian laksa or lor mee.
Rice lovers may opt for vegan Chicken or Char Siew Rice. One reviewer on Happy Cow raved about the super fragrant Chicken Rice cooked with “ultra-thin ginger slices”, which came with a flavourful chilli that “didn’t feel like it was vegetarian at all”.
Available for dine-in and takeaways at 566 Serangoon Road.
Credit: Kwan Tzi Zhai Vegetarian Cuisine
3. Kwan Tzi Zhai Vegetarian Cuisine
Despite living in the sweltering heat all year round, Singaporeans love their spice. Laska is a local delicacy that packs a punch, and you are free to amp up the heat further with sambal chilli. While the regular dish comes with fresh cockles, it is also a common find at vegetarian hawker stalls and restaurants.
Kwan Tzi Zhai Vegetarian is one of our favourites. Think rich and creamy coconut broth with a spicy kick, crunchy bean sprouts add texture to every bite and pieces of fried tau pok that soaks up the intense flavours. Definitely gets the sinuses flowing!
Available for dine-in and takeaways at 134 Geylang East Ave 1, #01-229.
A vegetarian concept created by the well-established Tung Lok Group, Ling Zhi Vegetarian seeks to provide diners with plant-based dishes that are filled with wholesome goodness. Within its expansive menu are vegetarian renditions of familiar local fare, such as Vegetarian Satay, Sweet and Sour Button Mushroom and crispy ‘Ma Po’ Bean Curd.
Available for dine-in at 2 locations including Liat Towers and Velocity@Novena Square. Also available for takeaway or delivery via Oddle.
5. Ah Lock & Co
Making up roughly 5 percent of Chinese people in Singapore, the Hakka community’s classic dish is none other than the popular lei cha, or thunder tea rice, where ingredients are grounded to make a thick green soup that is served alongside rice and vegetables.
Ah Lock specialises in Hakka rice bowls, adding modern twists and variety to cater to a range of palates and different dietary requirements. Their creations include a Hakka Impossible Rice Bowl and Hakka Vege Rice Bowl, a modern take on traditional Hakka Yong Tau Foo and Thunder Tea rice. It is one of the first meatless versions of a very traditional dish.
Available for dine-in at Guoco Tower B2, or order online here.
Credit: Kipos
6. Kipos
Somewhat like a lovechild between a salad bowl and the humble cai fan, or economic rice, Kipos allows you to build your own bowl from their interesting selection of bases, greens, meat and plant-based proteins, dressing and luxurious add-ons like onsen egg and Golden Pillow Tamago.
To help diners cut their meat consumption without going cold turkey, Kipos has homemade mushroom balls assembled with 7 completely meat-free, wholesome ingredients and handcrafted with natural binding ingredients, without preservatives or any nasty chemicals. These amazing balls promise the same experience as a regular meatball minus the meat! Not only a staple favourite amongst herbivorous friends, but it is said to be well-loved by their meat-loving pals too!
Available for dine-in and takeaway at multiple locations. Order online here for islandwide delivery.
7. Green Dot
Peppered across Singapore with 11 locations, Green Dot is a one-stop spot to get a healthy and delicious vegan fix. While they do offer trendy menu items such as mushroom soup bowls and vegan burgers, their mainstay would be their cai fan bento, where you’ll get to choose your own side dishes and a free bowl of soup. Specialty mains includes the Sweet & Sour Soya Nuggets, Potato Nyona Curry with fresh tau pok, Gong Bao Mixed Mushroom and Lion Mane Mushroom Rendang. They also offer familiar local noodle options like laksa and mee pok.
Besides offering student and senior citizen discounts, Green Dot also offers 20 cents off every individual bento, noodles and set order when you bring your own containers for takeaway. See their handy guide here to know how many containers you’ll need to bring.
Available for dine-in and take-away at multiple locations. Order for pick-up or delivery here.
8. Violet Oon Singapore Satay Bar & Grill
Established by Violet Oon, the grande dame of Singaporean cooking and widely-considered authority on Asian cuisine with a specialization in Nyonya food, Violet Oon Singapore Satay Bar & Grill is the place to be if you’re seeking a true-blue Singaporean taste.
Featured previously in our round-up of local restaurants with plant-based meat options, Violet Oon Singapore continues to awe us with their plant-based ala-carte menu which includes the Impossible Satay and Meatless Meatball Rendang. The latter dish is also available at Violet Oon Singapore at Jewel and Ion Orchard as well as the National Kitchen.
Available for dine-in at 3B River Valley Road. Takeaway and delivery details here.
Credit: Gokul Vegetarian
Like a meal packed with a punch of spice and flavour? Gokul Vegetarian will not let you down with its mouth-watering range of North, South and Asian Fusion (Nonya) Vegetarian cuisine. All-time favourites include Vegetarian Chicken Rice, Dum Briyani, Butter Chicken, Murtabak, Chinese Rojak and many more – all vegetarian! According to Happy Cow, the restaurant offers a large ala carte menu featuring an array of mock meats. They also do not use any onion or garlic.
For the full experience of traditional Indian culture and heritage in Singapore, make time to explore the vicinity as Gokul Vegetarian is located in the heart of Little India, just a stone’s throw away from the Indian Heritage Centre and Tekka Market.
Available for dine-in at 19, Upper Dickson Road. Order for takeaway and delivery at +65 86178782.
10. Annalakshmi
If you’re in the mood for a feast, head over to Annalakshmi for a unique Indian vegetarian all-you-can-eat buffet with no price tag — you pay what you think is right! Established in 1986 with the principle of “Eat What You Want, Give As You Feel”, the restaurant believes that acts of love and selfless service cannot be price tagged. It is run largely by volunteers who handle restaurant tasks including cooking, serving, setting and clearing tables, dishwashing, taking orders and transporting.
The regular vegetarian buffet spread features biriyani, poori, appam, vegetable curry in addition to other North and South Indian homestyle cooked dishes. Follow their page to stay updated on limited-time menus for special occasions such as Deepavali, Ponggal and Valentine’s Day.
Available for dine-in at 104 Amoy Street. Order online for islandwide delivery here.
11. Vege Pot
Fancy some guilt-free claypot in the central region of Singapore? Check out Vege Pot at Fortune Centre, located in between Bugis, Bencoolen and Rochor MRT station. This highly-rated spot has a vast claypot menu with local flavours like red yeast mee sua and nyonya mala and regional favourites like Penang Bak Kut Teh and Penang laksa.
Although their expertise lies in claypot, they also offer a range of rice dishes like Thunder tea rice, nasi lemak and sambal tempeh with rice. Vege Pot also offers an impressive range of side dishes to go with your pot, including rojak, handmade dumplings and ngoh hiang, as well as a vegan oyster omelette!
Available for dine-in and takeaway at Fortune Centre #02-31, 190 Middle Road. Order online for islandwide delivery here.
Credit: Miao Yi Vegetarian
12. Miao Yi Vegetarian Restaurant
Offered at Chinese restaurants and tze char stalls, the curry fish head is a local crowd favourite that can’t go wrong with its creamy, spicy aroma. Miao Yi Vegetarian Restaurant is a traditional Chinese vegetarian restaurant established in 1991 with more than 20 years of culinary experience in Singapore.
Not a common find amongst vegetarian restaurants, Miao Yi offers an impressive Mock Curry Fish Head that is thick, creamy and laced with a mild spice, suitable for all ages to enjoy. They are also famous for their signature crispy "suckling pig" — a stack of thin bean curd sheets on a mushroom base, fried to a crisp on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside. Other specialties include a Hot Plate Veg. Venison, and Creamy Shark’s Fin Soup With Crab Slice! If you’re thinking about coming as a group once 5-pax dining opens up, make sure to reserve ahead of time as they are known to draw huge crowds.
Available for dine-in at 101 Upper Cross St, #03-32 People’s Park Centre, reservations recommended. Order for delivery at 64671331 / 64671511, minimum $60 spending required.
