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10 Best Char Siew Rice in Singapore

Ten of the best char siew rice in Singapore, from charcoal hawker stalls to Hong Kong-style roast houses serving caramelised char siew, sio bak and roast duck.

By: Amir Wahab
Edited by: Amir Wahab
Published: 26 Sep 2026
Reading time: 5 min read

A plate of char siew and crispy roast pork rice with roast duck at a Singapore hawker stall

A good plate of char siew rice in Singapore is a small masterpiece: sweet, smoky barbecue pork sliced over rice, often with crisp-skinned roast pork sio bak or roast duck alongside. From charcoal hawker stalls in the heartlands to Hong Kong-style roast houses, this guide gathers ten spots we verified are currently open, each with its own take. Treat it as a shortlist to explore, not a strict ranking.

1. Fatty Cheong

Fatty Cheong is a long-running roast-meat stall at ABC Brickworks Food Centre in Bukit Merah, where the meats are still roasted the old way over charcoal. Its signature plate is char siew cut from the prized bu jian tian (pork armpit) - lean yet juicy, with a dark caramelised edge - served with crackly roast pork sio bak and roast duck over rice. It is a hawker stall through and through, so expect a queue and a simple tray.

ABC Brickworks Food Centre
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2. Roast Paradise

Roast Paradise, run by a pair of younger hawkers at Old Airport Road Food Centre, is known for Kuala Lumpur-style char siew rather than the usual local version. The stall says it roasts the pork in a charcoal drum for hours and then glazes it, giving the fattier cuts a sticky, deeply caramelised finish; roast pork and roast duck complete the short menu. It draws long lines and can sell out, so going early is wise.

Old Airport Road Food Centre
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3. Kay Lee Roast Meat Joint

Kay Lee is a veteran roast-meat institution on Upper Paya Lebar Road, cooking in a Cantonese style it traces to the Pearl River region. It is best known for char siew that is tender and well-marbled under a sweet-savoury glaze, plated with crisp-skinned roast pork and roast duck over rice or with noodles. The setting is a plain, un-air-conditioned shophouse, which is part of its old-school appeal.

Upper Paya Lebar
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4. 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist

Founded by a former Western-cuisine chef, this Hong Kong-style specialist roasts over charcoal for a deep caramelisation and a crisp, cracker-like crackling on the pork. Char siew, roast pork sio bak and roast duck are the mainstays, plated over rice at hawker prices. It now runs a few outlets around central Singapore, including one on Tyrwhitt Road near Lavender.

Tyrwhitt Road
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5. Foong Kee Traditional Charcoal Roaster

Foong Kee revives a roast-meat name that was a Keong Saik Road fixture for years before it closed, now trading as Foong Kee Traditional Charcoal Roaster at Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre. The chef still works over charcoal, and the char siew is known for a heavily charred, caramelised crust that gives way to tender meat, alongside roast pork belly and roast duck. Opening hours are short and it often sells out by early afternoon.

Commonwealth Crescent Food Centre
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6. Kim Heng (HK) Roasted Delights

Set inside a Serangoon coffeeshop, Kim Heng (HK) Roasted Delights is run by an owner who has kept to charcoal roasting long after many stalls moved to gas or combi ovens. Its char siew is the highlight - braised, then roasted and finished with a glossy, sweet glaze and a dark sauce - and comes with crackly roast pork sio bak and other Cantonese roasts over rice. It is an unpretentious heartland stall best visited earlier in the day.

Serangoon
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7. Fei Fei Roasted Noodle

Fei Fei Roasted Noodle is a family-run stall at Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre in Jurong East, best known for pairing charcoal-roasted char siew with springy wanton noodles. The meats are roasted over charcoal in the early hours, giving the char siew a smoky char and sweet caramelisation; roast pork and dumplings are also served. Hours are short and the char siew often sells out within a few hours, so arrive early.

Jurong East
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8. Mei Mei Roast

Mei Mei Roast is a roast-meat stall in an industrial corner of Kampong Ubi, often linked in food circles to the family behind Kay Lee. It is especially prized for charcoal roast duck with crisp, savoury skin, served alongside char siew that carries a light char and gentle sweetness over rice. Its hours are limited, so a weekday lunch is the surest time to catch the full spread.

Ubi
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9. Xiao Di Charcoal Roasted Delights

Xiao Di Charcoal Roasted Delights is a charcoal roast-meat stall on Jalan Berseh in the Jalan Besar area, led by a chef who learned the craft in Ipoh. Its char siew shows clean caramelisation and a clear charcoal smokiness, while the siew yoke (roast pork belly) is prized for crunchy crackling and a good fat-to-meat balance; roast duck and soy-sauce chicken round out the choices. A bowl of soup usually comes with the rice.

Jalan Besar
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10. Kam's Roast

Kam's Roast is a sit-down Hong Kong Cantonese roast specialist whose family lineage traces back to a storied Hong Kong roast-goose restaurant. Its calling card is a richer, well-marbled char siew - offered as a toro or Iberico version - alongside crispy roast pork, roast duck and other Cantonese barbecue plates over rice. Outlets include Pacific Plaza on Scotts Road and Jewel Changi Airport, with islandwide delivery available.

Scotts Road and Jewel Changi Airport
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How to choose

Decide on the style you want. Local char siew tends to be savoury-sweet under a lacquered glaze, Kuala Lumpur-style is noticeably sweeter and stickier, and Hong Kong-style leans on a deep caramelised char - picking a lane narrows the choice fast.
Look for charcoal roasting if you want smokiness. Many of the most sought-after stalls still roast over charcoal rather than gas or combi ovens, which gives char siew its signature smoky edge and caramelised crust, though it usually means shorter hours and longer queues.
Choose your cut. Fattier, well-marbled cuts (sometimes sold as bu jian tian, or half-fat char siew) stay juicier and more tender, while leaner char siew is firmer and less rich, so tell the stall your preference when ordering.
Order the combo to judge a roast master. A stall that nails char siew, crisp-skinned roast pork sio bak and roast duck together is a safer bet than a one-hit wonder, so a two- or three-meat plate is a good test of the kitchen.
Time your visit. Roast-meat hawkers often open late morning and sell out by mid-afternoon, and popular char siew can go within a few hours, so go early and check the stall's rest day before making a trip across town.

Update history

Published 26 Sep 2026. No changes recorded since.

About the author

Amir Wahab

Founder and Editor

Amir Wahab is the founder and editor of LocalRank, an independent Singapore rankings and local guides publication.

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