Slow-simmered pork ribs in a fragrant broth, paired with rice, crispy you tiao (fried dough fritters), and a side of chilli-soy for dipping. Whether you grew up eating it for breakfast or came to it late in life (no judgment here), bak kut teh has a way of feeling like home.
In Singapore, you'll mainly encounter two styles. The Teochew version is clear and peppery, built on white pepper and garlic, with a sharp warmth that creeps up on you. The Hokkien style, often called Klang style after its Malaysian roots, runs darker and richer, brewed with Chinese medicinal herbs like dang gui for a bittersweet, earthy depth. And then there's dry bak kut teh, where ribs are tossed in a thick, dark, savoury sauce instead of soup. Newer to the localscene, but just as addictive.
I've eaten a lot of bak kut teh in my life; these are the spots that I swear by.
01. Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
The queue snaking out the door at lunchtime tells you everything you need to know here. Song Fa started as a pushcart along Johor Road in the late 1960s. Today, the second generation of the family runs the show from over 10 outlets, hawking their signature Prime Spare Ribs Soup ($13.20) across Singapore. Served as a peppery broth, the dish is redolent with white pepper, garlic, and spices, and ribs cooked until fork-tender.
The flagship on New Bridge Road is where I always land. Something about eating there feels more lived-in than the mall outposts. Free-flow soup refills arrive before you even have to ask, and the broth gets better with every top-up. Order the braised large intestines on the side. Trust me on that one.
If you're bringing someone who's never tried bak kut teh before, this is a solid first stop. The broth isn't aggressively peppery, which makes it a comfortable entry point without feeling watered down.
📍 Address: 11 New Bridge Road, #01-01, Singapore 059383
⏰ Opening hours: 10am – 9.15pm daily
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
🌐 Website: songfa.com.sg
02. Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh
Some places earn their reputation through sheer decades of stubbornness. Ng Ah Sio is one of them. Founded in 1955, Ng Ah Sio has been known for its distinct aromatic Teochew-style bak kut teh since its earliest days near Clarke Quay. The brand was later brought under the JUMBO Group to continue its legacy after the original Mr Ng retired.
The broth in the Premium Loin Ribs Soup ($12.80) here leans hard on garlic and white pepper. Unsubtle, unapologetic, and exactly how it should be. I once drove to Rangoon Road on a Tuesday morning specifically for this. Not a single regret. The mee sua ($4.80++) makes for a surprisingly good pairing if you want some carbs to go with your broth.
📍 Address: 208 Rangoon Road, Hong Building, Singapore 218453
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 9am – 9pm
📞 Contact: 6291 4537
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
🌐 Website: ngahsio.com
03. Founder Bak Kut Teh
Founder Bak Kut Teh has been around since 1978, and has become a household name and a must-visit destination for locals and tourists alike. The Balestier Road outlet is the one with real character, and a kind of old-school coffee shop energy that feels increasingly rare in Singapore.
The Signature Bak Kut Teh ($8++) comes with a hefty prime rib alongside smaller, meaty chunks of pork. The broth is hearty with every sip, but the braised pig trotter is the real reason why you’re making the trip. Gelatinous, tender, and deeply savoury in a way that makes every other version feel like a first attempt.
📍 Address: 347 Balestier Road, #01-347, Singapore 329777
⏰ Opening hours: 11.30am – 12am daily
📞 Contact: 6352 6192
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
04. Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha
Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha’s name is a mouthful, and thankfully, so is its bak ku teh. Founded in 1973 by Ms Gwee Peck Hua, Ya Hua's roots trace back to a stall near River Valley where she first worked before striking out on her own. The Keppel Road flagship is where most devotees make their pilgrimage, and their Spare Ribs Soup ($11.50+) is a consistent crowd favourite.
The broth here is clear and tea-coloured, with a peppery sharpness that hits first before giving way to a clean, natural sweetness from the pork. The crispy you tiao for dunking is non-negotiable. Ya Hua also does a great Fresh Fish Sliced Soup if you're dining as a group and want a secondary order.
📍 Address: 7 Keppel Road, #01-05/07, PSA Tanjong Pagar Complex, Singapore 089053
⏰ Opening hours: Tue to Sat, 7am – 11pm | Sun, 7am – 10pm | Closed on Mondays
📞 Contact: 6222 9610
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
🌐 Website: yahua.com.sg
05. Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh
Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh’s pepper-forward Teochew broth and soft, well-cooked pork ribs won it a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2025, and it’s not hard to see why. Second-generation hawker Ryan Chua runs the stall, carrying on a family recipe that spans more than 30 years.
The Prime Ribs Bak Kut Teh ($8.50) comes with two generous ribs steeped in a garlicky, peppery broth, and the Pig Trotters ($5.50) are braised in an aromatic sauce until almost completely tender. Yum.
📍 Address: Blk 349 Jurong East Avenue 1, #01-1215, Kai Xiang Food Centre, Singapore 600349
⏰ Opening hours: Tue to Sat, 8am – 7.45pm | Sun, 8am – 3.30pm | Closed on Mondays
📞 Contact: 8879 8505
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
🌐 Website: joosiahbkt.com.sg
06. Leong Kee Bak Kut Teh
Leong Kee in Geylang trades in conventional peppery flavours for a soup profile that leans herbal and rich. Since 1979, it has earned a reputation for serving up robust, Malaysian-style bak kut teh with a broth that's equal parts sweet and savoury. The herbal bak kut teh ($7) comes with pork ribs, lettuce, and beancurd skin in a dark brownish broth; whiffs of dang gui, well-balanced, falling just between sweet and bitter without tipping either way.
The first time I tried the Dry Bak Kut Teh ($12) here, ribs coated in a sticky, dark soya sauce, I genuinely questioned why I'd spent years eating soup-only BKT. If you’re sick of slurping your ribs, Leong Kee also makes for a bold break from the ordinary.
📍 Address: 251 Geylang Road, Singapore 389309
⏰ Opening hours: 11am – 2am daily
📞 Contact: 8022 8888
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
07. Sin Heng Claypot Bak Koot Teh
Joo Chiat is full of restaurants competing for your attention. Of these, Sin Heng has been quietly plying its trade here since 1981, outlasting trends and simply doing what it does well.
Sin Heng stands out for serving both Teochew-style peppery Bak Koot Teh and the less commonly found Hokkien-style bak kut teh, all prepared in claypot boslz. Their Special Bak Koot Teh (from $10) arrives loaded with tender pork ribs, lettuce, corn, button mushrooms, and fried beancurd skin in a dark Hokkien-style broth. The Teochew option gives you the familiar peppery hit if you'd rather stick to what you know.
My family are regulars here. The claypot format keeps everything piping hot right through to the last sip of broth, which makes a real difference on a drawn-out dinner, especially one interspersed with side dishes like the cereal chicken.
📍 Address: 439 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427652
⏰ Opening hours: Tue to Sun, 10am – 12am | Closed on Mondays
📞 Contact: 6345 8754
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
See you on the road,
Amanda 💙
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