Singapore's South Indian dining runs from long-running vegetarian tiffin houses serving dosai and thali to Chettinad and Tamil kitchens known for fish head curry, biryani and pepper-heavy dry fries. Most of the long-running names sit along Serangoon Road and Race Course Road in Little India, with a few destination spots at Dempsey, Upper Bukit Timah, Kampong Glam, Robertson Quay and City Hall. A dosa or tiffin meal at the vegetarian restaurants often costs under $15, while fish head curry at the big restaurants usually starts from around $25-$32. Go to Little India on a weekday morning or mid-afternoon to avoid the weekend crowds, and note that many of these restaurants are not MUIS halal-certified.
Last verified: October 2026. Hours and prices can change — we re-check our guides regularly, but do confirm before a special trip.
The list
Muthu's Curry Tamil and Chettinad, fish head curry · $$$
Founded in 1969 by Ayyakkannu, who brought a Chettinad-style fish head curry recipe from Tamil Nadu, Muthu's is now run by his two sons. Its official site describes it as a recognised SG Heritage Business and lists a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
- Cuisine: Tamil and Chettinad, fish head curry
- Price: $$$ · Fish head curry from around $32++; masala chicken from around $16++ (Eatbook, Oct 2025)
- Must-try: Fish head curry, Masala prawns, Chukka varuval
- Where: 138 Race Course Road, #01-01, Singapore 218591
- Area: Little India
- Nearest MRT: Farrer Park
- Hours: Daily 10:30am-10:30pm
Anjappar Chettinadu Restaurant Chettinad (Tamil Nadu) · $$
The Singapore outlet of a Chennai chain founded in 1964, which has served Chettinad cooking in Singapore since 2005. The menu also covers dosa and other South Indian staples.
- Cuisine: Chettinad (Tamil Nadu)
- Price: $$ · Mutton biryani around $16; Chettinad chicken masala around $13; masala dosa from around $7 (official site menu)
- Must-try: Chettinad chicken masala, Mutton biryani, Masala dosa
- Where: 76-78 Race Course Road, Singapore 218575
- Area: Little India
- Nearest MRT: Farrer Park
- Hours: Daily 11am-11pm
The Banana Leaf Apolo South Indian banana leaf · $$
Founded as a thosai stall on Cuff Road in 1974 and on Race Course Road since 1983, this South Indian restaurant serves meals on banana leaves and is known for its fish head curry.
- Cuisine: South Indian banana leaf
- Price: $$
- Must-try: Fish head curry, Banana leaf meals
- Where: 54 Race Course Road, Singapore 218564
- Area: Little India
- Nearest MRT: Little India
- Hours: Daily 10:30am-10:30pm
Ananda Bhavan South Indian vegetarian · $
A vegetarian chain that started in 1924 and is known for budget South Indian tiffin. Its original outlet is on Serangoon Road at the entrance to Little India, with other branches on Buffalo Road, Syed Alwi Road and Serangoon Road.
- Cuisine: South Indian vegetarian
- Price: $
- Must-try: Uthappam, Dosai, Tiffin sets
- Where: 58 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217964
- Area: Little India
- Nearest MRT: Little India
- Hours: Daily 7:30am-10pm (58 Serangoon Road outlet; other outlets vary)
MTR Singapore Karnataka-style vegetarian · $
The Singapore branch of Bangalore's Mavalli Tiffin Room, which dates to 1924. It serves Karnataka-style vegetarian dishes such as thosai, idli and bisibele bhath.
- Cuisine: Karnataka-style vegetarian
- Price: $ · Plain thosai from around $6; masala dosa from around $7; bisibele bhath from around $6; filter coffee around $3 (Time Out 2024, Eatbook Oct 2025)
- Must-try: Masala dosa, Pudhi masala dosa, Bisibele bhath, Filter coffee
- Where: 438 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218133
- Area: Little India / Farrer Park
- Nearest MRT: Farrer Park
Machan's Kitchen Tamil · $$
A Race Course Road restaurant serving Tamil dishes in a contemporary setting, including thosai, appam, kothu parotta and seeraga samba mutton biryani. The menu also has Indo-Chinese noodles and Manchurian dishes.
- Cuisine: Tamil
- Price: $$
- Must-try: Crab soup, Machan's mutton biryani (seeraga samba rice), Kal thosai, Chicken chukka
- Where: 34-36 Race Course Road, Singapore 218553
- Area: Little India
- Nearest MRT: Little India
- Hours: Daily 11am-10pm
Podi & Poriyal Contemporary South Indian vegetarian · $$
A contemporary restaurant on Serangoon Road serving vegetarian dishes from South India, with crafted drinks.
- Cuisine: Contemporary South Indian vegetarian
- Price: $$
- Where: 486 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218151
- Area: Little India / Farrer Park
- Nearest MRT: Farrer Park
- Hours: Wed-Mon 11am-10:30pm (closed Tue)
Samy's Curry South Indian, fish head curry · $$$
A Dempsey Hill South Indian restaurant dating back to the 1960s and one of the first restaurants in Dempsey, known for its fish head curry.
- Cuisine: South Indian, fish head curry
- Price: $$$ · Fish head curry from around $25++; Mysore mutton around $16++ (Eatbook, Oct 2025)
- Must-try: Fish head curry, Mysore mutton, Masala chicken
- Where: 25 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249670
- Area: Dempsey
- Nearest MRT: Napier
- Hours: Wed-Mon 11am-3pm and 6pm-10pm (closed Tue)
Karu's Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant South Indian banana leaf · $$
A banana leaf restaurant on Upper Bukit Timah Road, one of the better-known South Indian options outside Little India, known for fish head curry and crab masala.
- Cuisine: South Indian banana leaf
- Price: $$ · Fish head deluxe from around $27.50; crab masala priced on request (Eatbook, Oct 2025)
- Must-try: Fish head deluxe, Crab masala
- Where: 808/810 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 678144
- Area: Upper Bukit Timah
- Nearest MRT: Hillview
- Hours: Tue-Sun 10:30am-10pm (closed Mon)
Nalan Restaurant (Capitol Singapore) South Indian vegetarian · $
An Indian vegetarian restaurant in the Capitol Singapore basement, connected to City Hall MRT, with gluten-free and vegan options.
- Cuisine: South Indian vegetarian
- Price: $ · Lunch set meal from around $20 (Time Out, Jun 2025)
- Must-try: Lunch set meal
- Where: 13 Stamford Road, #B2-54, Capitol Singapore, Singapore 178905
- Area: City Hall
- Nearest MRT: City Hall
- Hours: Daily 10am-10pm
Cafe Malabar Kerala (Malabar Coast) · $$
A restaurant serving cooking from Kerala's Malabar Coast, including coastal seafood, fish curries, biryani, appams and string hoppers.
- Cuisine: Kerala (Malabar Coast)
- Price: $$
- Must-try: Fish curry, Biryani, Appam, String hoppers
- Where: 142 Arab Street, Singapore 199828
- Area: Kampong Glam
- Nearest MRT: Bugis
- Hours: Daily 10am-10pm
Thevar Modern Indian (Chettinad and Kerala influences) · $$$$
Chef Mano Thevar's two-Michelin-starred modern Indian restaurant, which reworks regional flavours from Chettinad and Kerala with European technique. Its tasting menus are the priciest option in this guide.
- Cuisine: Modern Indian (Chettinad and Kerala influences)
- Price: $$$$ · Seasonal tasting menus from around $298++ (Eatbook, Oct 2025)
- Must-try: Chettinad chicken roti, Crispy pork wrapped in betel leaf, Biryani
- Where: 16 Mohamed Sultan Road, Singapore 238965
- Area: Robertson Quay
- Nearest MRT: Fort Canning
- Hours: Tue-Thu 6pm-11pm; Fri-Sat 12pm-3pm and 6pm-11pm (closed Sun-Mon)
- Halal: No
At a glance: compare every spot
| Spot | Cuisine | Price | Area | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muthu's Curry | Tamil and Chettinad, fish head curry | $$$ | Little India | — |
| Anjappar Chettinadu Restaurant | Chettinad (Tamil Nadu) | $$ | Little India | — |
| The Banana Leaf Apolo | South Indian banana leaf | $$ | Little India | — |
| Ananda Bhavan | South Indian vegetarian | $ | Little India | — |
| MTR Singapore | Karnataka-style vegetarian | $ | Little India / Farrer Park | — |
| Machan's Kitchen | Tamil | $$ | Little India | — |
| Podi & Poriyal | Contemporary South Indian vegetarian | $$ | Little India / Farrer Park | — |
| Samy's Curry | South Indian, fish head curry | $$$ | Dempsey | — |
| Karu's Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant | South Indian banana leaf | $$ | Upper Bukit Timah | — |
| Nalan Restaurant (Capitol Singapore) | South Indian vegetarian | $ | City Hall | — |
| Cafe Malabar | Kerala (Malabar Coast) | $$ | Kampong Glam | — |
| Thevar | Modern Indian (Chettinad and Kerala influences) | $$$$ | Robertson Quay | No |
Your questions answered
Where is the best area for South Indian food in Singapore?
Little India has the most South Indian restaurants. Vegetarian tiffin houses such as Ananda Bhavan and MTR are along Serangoon Road, and the fish head curry and Chettinad restaurants are mostly on Race Course Road. Outside Little India, there are well-known options at Dempsey (Samy’s Curry), Upper Bukit Timah (Karu’s) and City Hall (Nalan at Capitol).
How much does a South Indian meal cost in Singapore?
A dosa or tiffin meal at vegetarian restaurants such as MTR usually costs from around $6-$13. Fish head curry starts from around $25++ at Samy’s Curry and around $32++ at Muthu’s Curry, while tasting menus at Thevar start from around $298++.
Are South Indian restaurants in Singapore halal?
Many of the best-known South Indian restaurants in this guide are not MUIS halal-certified, including MTR, Muthu’s Curry, Samy’s Curry, Karu’s and Thevar, according to Eatbook’s October 2025 listings. The vegetarian restaurants serve no meat, but if you need halal certification, check the MUIS halal directory or ask the restaurant before you visit.
Do I need to book a South Indian restaurant in Singapore?
Casual vegetarian restaurants such as Ananda Bhavan are walk-in spots and get busiest at weekend breakfast and lunch. Muthu’s Curry and Cafe Malabar take online reservations, and fine-dining Thevar runs set tasting menus that are best booked ahead.
What is the difference between Chettinad, Kerala and Karnataka cooking?
Chettinad cooking, from Tamil Nadu, is known for heavily spiced, pepper-forward meat dishes such as chukka varuval; Anjappar and Muthu's Curry are known for it. Kerala cooking, as at Cafe Malabar, leans on coconut, curry leaves and seafood, with dishes such as appam and fish curry. Karnataka-style vegetarian cooking, as at MTR, centres on dosa, idli and bisibele bhath.
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