14 best nasi padang in Singapore that are so sedap you can’t stop at one
I’m prepared to fight when I say that nasi padang might be one of the best dishes out there. This humble yet hearty staple gives you the option to choose from a diverse amount of fragrant ingredients, most of which have gone through a tremendous amount of preparation.
It’s more than just cai fan though— this Indonesian staple covers a much wider range of ingredients, including many parts of the cow like its lung, and pairs each delectable ingredient with plenty of spices, curries and chillies to create a simply wonderful combination of spicy and savoury flavours.
We’ve scoured the island to present to you the 14 best nasi padang spots in Singapore that are so good it’ll simply leave you addicted for more.
1. Hjh Maimunah
When some think of nasi padang, the first restaurant that comes to mind is Hjh Maimunah.
Ever since this authentic eatery opened in 1992, it’s been selling one of the best nasi padang on the island. It was even awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand!
You can find its original restaurant along Jalan Pisang, though it has since expanded to a total of six outlets, some of which are stalls within coffee shops.
Whenever you’re at Hjh Maimunah, you can expect nothing short of a feast. In fact, you might even need to resist piling ingredients onto your plate like a mountain— because that’s exactly what I might do.
Though Hjh Maimunah’s ingredients aren’t exactly the most affordable, you can bet they’re down right delicious. Try its signature Beef Rendang (S$13.50 for three pieces), Paru Belado (S$12) which are beef lungs, and its Ayam Kalio (S$12 for three pieces).
It also has more affordable set meals such as the Beef Set (S$8), Nasi Sambal Goreng Set (S$8.50) and Fish Set (S$8) for single pax diners.
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, refer here.
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2. Rumah Makan Minang
Rumah Makan Minang is a multi-generational restaurant founded in 1954 that specialises in Indonesian cuisine— more specifically, Minangkabau food which comes from West Sumatra, Indonesia.
Its original restaurant is located at Kandahar Street, right next to Sultan Mosque, but it also has another restaurant at Our Tampines Hub.
With recipes dating as far back as the 1940s, Rumah Makan Minang provides sedap nasi padang that’s authentic and delicious.
Fuss-free options include single-diner combos like the Beef Rendang Padang Box Set (S$14.40), which includes rice, beef rendang, vegetables, bergedil, sambal belacan and a bottle of Teh Botol. If you’re here for breakfast, you can try its Gado Gado Minang (S$5.40) or Lontong Gulai Lodeh (S$5.40).
Alternatively, à la carte options are available as well, though it might be more on the pricey end. For example, its Ayam Percik costs S$7.80 alone, while its Paru Belado will set you back S$7.20.
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, refer here.
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3. Sari Ratu Restaurant
Along the shophouses at Pahang Street is an unassuming gem, Sari Ratu Restaurant.
Known to be one of the places to offer seriously authentic nasi padang in Singapore, Sari Ratu’s founder hails from Padang (aka where nasi padang originated from), and they even have a restaurant in Jakarta!
Prices for its nasi padang dishes vary, but you can expect to fork out S$7 for dishes like Kikil Sambal (cow’s trotters in sambal) and S$4.80 for Dendeng.
Sari Ratu is also known for its Gulai Tunjang, which is beef tendon cooked in a spicy and rich coconut curry, so be sure to order that whenever you’re here!
20 Pahang Street, Singapore 198617
+65 6294 9983
Tue to Sun: 10.30am – 8pm
Closed on Mon
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4. Coba Coba
If there’s one thing Yishunites has got going for them, it’s Coba Coba. This rustic restaurant, located at Yishun Street 11, was conceptualised in 2014 by a father-and-son team, who wanted to pay homage to their Indonesian background.
With over 30 dishes ranging from tahu telur to sotong sumbat, Coba Coba (which means “try try” in Bahasa Indonesia, and is actually pronounced as “choba”) aims to bring traditional homemade Indonesian food in a halal-certified, clean and homey environment.
Coba Coba is most well known for its massive Deluxe Nasi Ambeng Set (S$36.90 for two pax, S$62.90 for four pax), which includes up to 15 ingredients such as sambal sotong and serunding. You can also try its à la carte nasi padang with dishes such as Ayam Bakar (from S$4), or go for Nasi Lemak sets which start from S$3.50.
156 Yishun Street 11, #01-106, Singapore 760156
+65 6382 2622
Wed to Mon: 8am – 9pm
Closed on Tue
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5. Serangoon BBQ & Curry
Most nasi padang stalls are run by Muslim families, so you might be surprised to find that a Chinese family runs ever-popular Serangoon BBQ & Curry instead. Don’t belittle the owners’ race though, because the Tan family first learned how to cook nasi padang from their Malay neighbours back when they were living in the same kampong.
Their authentic nasi padang is so good that it even landed themselves a spot in SETHLUI.com’s Top 300 Hawker awards!
The Tans opened their first stall in Serangoon. Back then, they went by the name “Serangoon Nasi Padang”, before moving to Bishan. After selling off the business with the intention of retiring in October 2020, the Tan family decided to kick-start the business again, and moved to Sin Ming under a new name.
Adorably, Serangoon BBQ & Curry sells Sedap Sets, which consist of one main dish that comes with butterfly pea rice and two free side dishes.
Go for its most popular Sedap Set— the Signature BBQ Chicken (S$5), and choose from a wide range of side dishes such as Achar, Begedil, Curry Vegetables, Sambal Kang Kong and more.
If you have a sinful addiction towards dousing your rice in curry, you might prefer the Mutton Rendang (S$6) instead, which features tender mutton cubes that had been slow-cooked in fragrant rempah and coconut milk.
22 Sin Ming Road, #01-210, Singapore 570022
+65 8884 4322
Wed to Sun: 10am – 3pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
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6. Pagi Sore
Pagi Sore can be found at Far East Square, just a minute’s walk away from Telok Ayer MRT (exit B).
This authentic Indonesian restaurant was established in 1989 by Chef Liyana Kwan, who has now passed over the reins to her son, Chef Park.
Using heritage recipes that present the best flavours of Indonesian cuisine, Pagi Sore’s most famous dishes include the Ikan Goreng Baladi (S$28.90), an entire deep-fried sea bass topped with rich Padang-style balado chilli, as well as the iconic Ikan Otah Kukus (S$28.90 for regular, S$32 for large), a Pagi Sore original dish that features a whole leatherjacket fish steamed in an otah-based gravy.
88/90 Telok Ayer Street, Far East Square, Singapore 048470
+65 6225 6002
Mon: 11am – 3pm
Tue to Sun: 11am – 3pm & 5.30pm – 9pm
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7. Warong Nasi Pariaman
In my humble opinion, Warong Nasi Pariaman should become a national treasure. Founded in 1948, this could easily be Singapore’s oldest and longest-surviving nasi padang stall in Singapore.
Apart from a couple of moves due to renovation, it largely hasn’t moved from its original location— a mere coffee shop (aka warong) at the corner of Kandahar Street. Its original founders, Mr Isrin and Madam Rosna, hail from Pariaman, a city in West Sumatra.
As of today, Warong Nasi Pariaman is helmed by Mr Isrin’s sons and three generations of their extended families.
Want an authentic taste of Indonesian nasi padang without breaking the bank? Try Warong Nasi Pariaman’s set meals, which range from the Ayam Bakar Set (S$11) to Rendang Set (S$8.25).
If you’re intending to order à la carte style, look out for popular dishes such as the Ikan Bakar (S$6.60), Sambal Goreng (S$3.95) and Rendang Lembu (S$4.85).
738 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198706
+65 6292 5898
Thu to Tue: 7.30am – 3pm
Closed on Wed
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8. Rendezvous Restaurant Hock Lock Kee
Ever since I was a little girl, my parents loved bringing me to Rendezvous Restaurant Hock Lock Kee for its delicious nasi padang.
What I didn’t know was that this old-school nasi padang institution first started out more than seven whopping decades ago in the 1930s, selling Western food in an unassuming coffee shop along Bras Basah Road. After the British forces withdrew from Singapore in the 1960s, the late Mr Seah Soo Khoon decided to bring in nasi padang instead.
In fact, its name, Rendezvous, means “meeting place” in French, and came about because the British soldiers used to hang out at the eatery! Currently, you can find Rendezvous Restaurant at The Central in Clarke Quay.
At Rendezvous Restaurant, it’s all about pointing and picking what you’d like. Try its signature Curry Chicken (S$9.30 for breast, S$10.30 for thigh), Beef Rendang (S$5.80) and Prawn Sambal (S$6.30/S$7.30), and be sure to order other accompanying dishes like Lodeh (from S$4.30), Sambal Goreng (from S$5.50) and Cuttle-fish Sambal (from S$5.80).
If you’re hungry, you can even go for its Fish Head Assam Pedas (S$23), which pairs perfectly with a plate of Rice (S$1.80).
6 Eu Tong Sen Street, The Central, #02-72 to 75/77/92, Singapore 059817
+65 6339 7508
Daily: 11am – 8.30pm
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9. Sinar Pagi Nasi Padang
Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre might have plenty of Muslim-friendly stalls, but those familiar with this popular hawker centre will know Sinar Pagi Nasi Padang for its long queues.
This well-loved nasi padang stall sets itself apart from others by offering traditional Kapau-style nasi padang, with over 40 types of yummy ingredients that’ll seriously leave you spoilt for choice. Its history goes back to the 1960s, when its founder sold authentic nasi kapau in a makeshift stall in Geylang Serai.
Be sure to come hungry, as Sinar Pagi Nasi Padang doesn’t scrimp on its serving sizes.
Despite ordering three types of vegetables— Brinjal Belado (S$1), Sambal Goreng (S$1) and Sayur Lodeh (S$1)— with one protein of choice, which was Ayam Sambal (S$6), I was shocked to see that I couldn’t even spot my rice underneath all that ingredients. And mind you, my Ayam Sambal was served on another side plate altogether.
My best advice to you would be to come early, as Sinar Pagi Nasi Padang is said to sell out as early as lunchtime!
1 Geylang Serai, Geylang Serai Market, #02-137, Singapore 402001
+65 9067 8907 / +65 6536 5302
Mon to Tue & Thu to Sat: 8am – 4pm
Closed on Wed & Sun
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10. Sabar Menanti II
Occupying a pre-World War II colonial shophouse along Kandahar Street is Sabar Menanti II, a well-known nasi padang restaurant that was founded in the 1920s.
The business grew from a small food stall to a modest restaurant, and the running of the restaurant was passed over from its original founder, the late Haji Marlian, to his children.
Fun fact: the restaurant’s name can be literally translated to “patiently waiting”, which is an accurate description of the state of its queue!
Out of all the usual nasi padang items such as Chicken Rendang (S$5.50) and Squid Sambal (S$5.50), be sure to order one of Sabar Menanti II’s iconic and most unique dishes— the Opor Nangka (S$1.70), young jackfruit and beef tripe cooked in lemak curry gravy.
737 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198715
+65 6291 0109
Tue to Sun: 6am – 4.30pm
Closed on Mon
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11. Istimewa Nasi Padang
Istimewa Nasi Padang’s story began in 1989, when a husband-and-wife team left their jobs as a policeman and store helper to open their nasi padang stall in Bukit Merah. Their son and wife took over the business in 2017, but you can still catch a glimpse of the elderly couple hard at work at their latest location at Hoy Fatt Road near Redhill.
At Istimewa Nasi Padang, everything tastes like home-cooked comfort food. Go for the signature Rendang Lembu (S$6), which is tender slow-cooked beef that had been marinated in rich coconut milk and spices, or the Ayam Goreng Istimewa (S$9), which is the house special fried chicken.
You can also try Istimewa’s specially concocted Indomie specials, such as IndoMie + Ayam Besar (S$11.50), which pair the ever-famous Indomie with your choice of protein.
28 Hoy Fatt Road, Chong Wah Coffee & Restaurant, #01-24, Singapore 151028
+65 9630 1272
Daily: 9am – 3pm
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12. Raden Lina Nasi Padang
Pasir Ris residents might know Raden Lina Nasi Padang from its snaking queues, and this hidden gem deserves a spot on this list for its authentic and affordable nasi padang.
You can find this unassuming Muslim-owned stall at West Plaza’s Koufu in Pasir Ris, but for those who aren’t willing to travel all the way down to Pasir Ris, you might be delighted to know that there are two other outlets in Oxley Bizhub Uni and Heartbeat@Bedok.
At Raden Lina Nasi Padang, you can choose to order your nasi padang à la carte style by choosing ingredients such as Beef Rendang (S$3/S$4), Big Chicken (S$3.50), Vegetable (S$1) or Drumsticks (S$3/S$3.50).
Not sure what to choose? Go for Raden Lina Nasi Padang’s fuss-free set and platter options like the Nasi Ambeng (S$8 for chicken/beef, S$9 for mutton), Nasi Sambal Goreng (S$6.50) and Nasi Padang Sotong Set (S$6.30).
735 Pasir Ris Street 72, West Plaza (Inside Koufu), #01-336, Singapore 510735
+65 8608 1070
Daily: 8am – 8pm
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13. Warong Java Nasi Padang
Nestled in a quiet coffee shop in Bedok is Warong Java Nasi Padang, a popular nasi padang stall that has won the hearts of Easties with its rich, fragrant and authentic nasi padang dishes.
A must-try is its super popular Nasi Rawon (from S$5.80), which is essentially rice ladled with rawon gravy.
Rawon is an Indonesian beef stew simmered in a spice paste made of keluak, so you can only imagine how delectable it’ll taste when paired with fluffy white rice! Accompanying the beef pieces and buah keluak are other ingredients such as fried beef lung and sambal goreng.
You can also find other popular Indonesian classics such as Nasi Ambeng (S$7) and Nasi Jenganan (S$5.60) here, the latter of which features thick satay gravy.
539 Bedok North Street 3, #01-619, Singapore 460539
+65 9734 0350
Tue to Sun: 7am – 4pm
Closed on Mon
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14. Warung M. Nasir
Warung M. Nasir’s prices aren’t exactly the most affordable, but the reason behind it lies in its location— Killiney Road, just a short walk from Somerset MRT. It’s right beside the famous Killiney Kopitiam at shophouse no. 67, so you definitely won’t miss it.
It’s opened by Mohanad Nasir Mohamad, or M. Nasir, a Singaporean-Malaysian poet, singer-songwriter, actor and film director.
This is where you head to if you’re looking for authentic nasi padang within town.
Its set meals cost S$9.80 each and include options such as Beef Rendang Set, Chicken Gulai Set and Ayam Goreng Bumbu Set. Each set comes with your choice of three side dishes, and you can pick between popular ingredients like Sambal Ikan Bilis with Peanuts, Bergedil, Achar and Sayur Lodeh.
Its à la carte menu is considerably pricier, with items such as Beef Rendang going for S$10 for two pieces, and the Sambal Lodeh going for S$7.
69 Killiney Road, Singapore 39526
+65 6734 6228
Daily: 10am – 9.30pm
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Sixth Avenue Nasi Lemak: Home-cooked nasi lemak since 1986, open from 6am
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