Singapore’s love for Teochew cuisine runs deep. Known for its light, refined flavours and emphasis on ingredient quality, this culinary tradition has earned a loyal following. From luxurious banquet-style settings to hole-in-the-wall eateries, Teochew food remains a fixture in the city’s food landscape. Even under-the-radar spots like Di Wei Teochew Restaurant quietly maintain the core of this tradition—offering dependable dishes that highlight technique and restraint over flair. Whether you’re after silky yam paste or perfectly steamed pomfret, Singapore’s Teochew restaurants present a compelling range of choices worth exploring.
Fine Teochew Dining in Singapore
These restaurants cater to discerning palates looking for refinement without compromising authenticity.
1. Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine
Location: ION Orchard
Website: imperialtreasure.com
Awarded a Michelin star, this restaurant is known for its mastery of Teochew classics. Dishes like Steamed Pomfret and Chilled Flower Crab are executed with restraint, allowing the natural sweetness of the ingredients to shine. The marinated meats section is equally praised, and the minimalist elegance of the dining space adds to the overall experience.
2. Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine
Location: Chui Huay Lim Club
Website: chuihuaylim.zui-teochewcuisine.com
Located within the historic Chui Huay Lim Club—established in 1845—this restaurant connects heritage with dining. A consultant from Swatow ensures adherence to tradition, particularly evident in their Teochew Muay (porridge) accompanied by salted vegetables, minced pork, and preserved radish. Their Orh Nee, a yam paste dessert, draws loyal patrons seeking nostalgia in a bowl.
3. Paradise Teochew
Location: Various outlets
Website: paradisegp.com/paradise-teochew
Spanning over 100 dishes, Paradise Teochew brings a modern dining rhythm to traditional fare. Signature items include Teochew-style Steamed Flounder and Hei Zho (crispy prawn rolls). The restaurant succeeds in maintaining the natural character of its ingredients, staying true to Teochew philosophy.
Family Recipes and Heritage Kitchens
These restaurants continue family legacies, relying on old recipes and trusted methods.
4. Teochew Restaurant Huat Kee
Location: RELC International Hotel
Website: teochewrestaurant.com
Established in 1969, this restaurant stands as a testament to generational dedication. Acclaimed by food critic Chua Lam, it is widely recognized for its faithful interpretation of Teochew classics. Steamed and braised dishes are prepared meticulously, with high-quality produce at the core of every plate.
5. Chin Lee Restaurant
Location: 115 Bedok North Rd
Website: chinlee.com.sg
Operating since 1973 in Bedok, Chin Lee offers honest, flavour-packed meals that bring Teochew traditions to life. Their Kway Teow with preserved radish and wok hei is a fan favourite. More unusually, they remain one of the few to prepare Orh Nee with pork lard and shallot oil, preserving an old-school touch rarely seen today.
6. Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant
Location: 115 Jalan Bukit Merah
Facebook: AhOrhSeafoodRestaurant
With roots tracing back to the 1950s, Ah Orh delivers a stripped-back experience that allows the food to speak. Its seafood-forward menu includes Teochew Cold Crab and braised offerings that remain consistent in taste and quality. Dining here feels like stepping into the past—with dishes that have changed very little over the decades.
7. Di Wei Teochew Restaurant (Permanently Closed)
Located away from Singapore’s busy culinary clusters, Di Wei Teochew Restaurant brings a quiet confidence to its offerings. Their Braised Sliced Goose Meat, served with a side of homemade chilli dip, is a standout—flavourful, tender, and served with care. The restaurant stays committed to traditional cooking methods, drawing loyal regulars who appreciate honest, comforting food without unnecessary embellishment.
Casual Eateries with Strong Flavours
For Teochew food without ceremony, these eateries offer approachable price points and robust flavours.
8. Swatow Seafood Restaurant
Location: Toa Payoh Mall
Website: swatow.com.sg
Dim sum meets heritage cuisine at Swatow, where a Swatow-born head chef directs the kitchen. The restaurant excels in both daytime dim sum and classic Teochew items like Crispy Pork Liver Roll and Cold Crab. It offers a strong value proposition for diners looking for variety.
9. Da Niu Teochew Seafood Restaurant
Location: 61 Kampong Bahru Rd
Instagram: daniuteochewseafood
One of the few places in Singapore serving raw marinated crab—a Teochew delicacy—Da Niu attracts the curious and the brave. The Signature Marinated Roe Crab offers a creamy, briny experience reminiscent of sashimi. With bold flavours and a no-frills setting, this is a place for diners seeking something different.
10. The Teochew Kitchenette
Location: 7 Tanjong Pagar Plz
Website: teochewkitchenette.com
Hiding above a hawker centre, this eatery rewards those who make the climb. Their Mixed Fish Soup and Red Grouper Steamboat are rich, clean, and full of flavour. Known for fast service and fair prices, it delivers on quality without the overhead of fine dining.
Dishes That Define Teochew Cuisine
A meal at any Teochew restaurant will likely include at least one of these signature items:
- Steamed Pomfret – Typically paired with salted vegetables, tomatoes, and plums, this dish highlights the Teochew reliance on freshness and precision in timing.
- Braised Duck (Lor Ark) – Cooked slowly in soy sauce and spices, the meat is tender and aromatic, perfect with porridge or rice.
- Cold Crab – Served chilled to concentrate the sweetness of the crab meat and roe. Clean, decadent, and utterly Teochew.
- Oyster Omelette (Orh Luak) – A crisp-edged omelette with a gooey centre filled with oysters. Best eaten hot and often with vinegar-based chilli.
- Orh Nee (Yam Paste) – Mashed yam, smoothened with oil and sometimes pork lard, served with pumpkin and ginkgo nuts. Rich, but not overwhelming.
- Chye Poh Kway Teow – Flat rice noodles stir-fried with preserved radish for that savoury-sweet profile, often infused with wok hei.
Teochew restaurants in Singapore continue to offer a full spectrum of culinary experiences. From banquet halls to upper-floor hawker stalls, their chefs uphold a tradition built on light touches, seasonal awareness, and ingredient-led cooking. Whether you’re new to this style of cuisine or have grown up with its flavours, there’s always a dish worth returning to.
