Nasi lemak is the perfect dish for any meal — breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper or any time in between really. At its core, the deceptively simple combination of fluffy coconut and pandan infused rice, crunchy fried peanuts and ikan bilis (anchovies), a deliciously fragrant chicken wing, and invitingly spicy sambal represent a fine balance that’s hard for most dishes to pull off. As the great Thanos once said when speaking of the dish, “it’s perfectly balanced, as all things should be”. Drooling already? Check out some of the best nasi lemak in Singapore and head down right away. 😋

01 • Ponggol Nasi Lemak

(Photo: PinkyPiggu)

If you’ve been making nasi lemak for more than 40 years and have since expanded to multiple locations, you’re doing something right. Indeed, the long queues at Ponggol Nasi Lemak’s outlets are a testament to this.

The highlights of their nasi lemak are the chicken wings and the coconut rice. The wings are battered and fried to golden perfection, and are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The rice is fluffy with just the right hint of coconut essence.

The dish also comes with a slightly runny egg, which adds even more richness. The sambal is a bit on the sweet and mild side, so if you’re not a fan of heat, you’ll be happy you won’t need to keep it on the sidelines. 😊

📍 Address: 371 Jalan Besar, #01-01, Singapore 208998. More locations available
📞 Contact: 6293 0020
⏰ Hours: Mon to Wed, 12pm – 9pm | Fri to Sun, 12pm – 9pm
💲 Pricing: From $6.90
🌐 Website: ponggolnasilemak.com.sg
🍴 Halal status: Not halal-certified

02 • Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak

(Photo: Uncover Asia)

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak has been satisfying nasi lemak lovers for over 50 years, and has expanded to several locations across the island.

Hands down the highlight of this spot is the deliciously fragrant coconut rice, which has a superb consistency — not too moist or firm, but just right. The runny egg and the fried peanuts with ikan bilis give them a rich and salty flavour enough to hit all the right spots on their own.

The chicken wing is nicely fried and the sambal is satisfyingly sweet and mild, but they’re more like supporting players for the show’s big stars. Almost as famous as its nasi lemak is its flagship location’s 3.30am closing time  — making it a great supper spot for hanging with friends. 🚗

📍 Address: Blk 221A/B, Boon Lay Place, Singapore 641221. More locations available
📞 Contact: 6266 4466
⏰ Hours: Mon to Fri, 6.30am – 3.30am
💲 Pricing: From $4.95
🌐 Website: facebook.com/BLPNL
🍴 Halal status: Halal-certified

03 • The Coconut Club

(Photo: The Coconut Club)

A relatively new player to the nasi lemak scene, Coconut Club takes a more gourmet approach to making the classic dish, earning Michelin Bib Gourmand status for its efforts. 

What sets this spot apart from some of the others on this list is its rice, which is made using an exclusive technique that involves pressing its own coconut milk concoction that’s made from a variety of different coconuts. Then the rice is cooked with rempah (spice paste) and the coconut milk blend is added. This gives the dish an unparalleled richness and aroma.

Then there’s the chicken which is well-marinated in spices for 12 to 24 hours. It doesn’t matter whether you choose a thigh or breast piece, you’re sure to experience nothing but tender goodness in every bite. The sambal is also a standout as it strikes a great balance between sweet and spicy that may have you asking for more. 👌

Don’t get turned off by the $18.80 price tag because for a Michelin-quality dish, it’s actually quite a deal. 

📍 Address: 269 Beach Road, Singapore 199546
📞 Contact: 8725 3315
⏰ Hours: Sat to Sun (Breakfast) 8:30am – 11:00am | Tues to Sun (Lunch) 11:00am – 3:00pm | Tues to Weds, Fri to Sun (Tea) 3:00pm – 6:00pm | Tues to Sun (Dinner) 6:00pm – 9:30pm
💲 Pricing: S$18.80+
🌐 Website: thecoconutclub.sg
🍴 Halal status: Not halal-certified, although meat is from halal-certified sources

04 • Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak

(Photo: The Travel Mentor)

Over the last 20-plus years, Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak has been making its signature dish in Adam Road, which is home to some of the best hawker stalls around. Needless to say, it has flourished to be one of the best nasi lemak in Singapore, even amongst tough competition.

Like many of the other spots on this list, the secret is in the rice. Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak uses basmati rice for its famously fragrant version of the dish, which is a bit lighter and fluffier than the regular jasmine rice. This pairs nicely with its signature sambal that has a touch of sweetness combined with a lingering heat that can easily satisfy even the most critical sambal connoisseurs.

The fried chicken wing is exactly what you would expect from a famous nasi lemak stall — crispy, yet tender. However, the egg is not runny and the ikan bilis doesn’t come with fried peanuts, which may come as a surprise, but they’re perfectly fine flavour-wise. 👍

📍 Address: Adam Road Food Centre, 2 Adam Road, #01-02, Singapore 289876
📞 Contact: 9843 4509
⏰ Hours: Mon to Thurs, Sat, and Sun, 7am – 5pm
💲 Pricing: From $4.50
🍴 Halal status: Halal-certified

05 • Bali Nasi Lemak

(Photo: Uncover Asia)

Another long-time player in the nasi lemak scene, Bali Nasi Lemak has spent the last 35+ years putting an Indonesian spin on the dish by adding kicap manis (sweet soy sauce) fried chicken to its offerings.

As if the chicken wing which is fried and coated in a generous amount of kicap manis isn’t lip-smacking enough, there’s also the delicious texture and aroma of the coconut rice. It perfectly complements the sweetness of the kicap manis fried chicken and the sambal. 

Speaking of the sambal, as you can probably guess, there’s a slightly “sweet” theme to it. In fact, there’s a hint of sweetness to some of the elements in Bali Nasi Lemak’s version of the dish — it’s not overpowering, but it’s a nice change from the classic that’s worth trying. 😋 

📍 Address: 2 Lorong 15 Geylang, Singapore 388596
📞 Contact:
⏰ Hours: Mon to Sat, 5:30pm – 3:00am
💲 Pricing: S$5.00+
🌐 Website: ilovebali.sg
🍴 Halal status: Not halal-certified

(Featured photo: The Coconut Club)

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To a blissful food coma!
Quint 🍛