Best Chilli Crab and Seafood in Singapore: 18 Best Spots (2026)
Chilli crab — Singapore's unofficial national dish of mud crab smothered in a sweet-savoury tomato-and-chilli gravy, best mopped up with fried or steamed mantou buns — anchors a seafood scene that runs from waterfront institutions to neighbourhood zi char coffeeshops. The classic hunting grounds are the East Coast Seafood Centre and riverside spots like Dempsey and Clarke Quay, but excellent, often cheaper versions turn up in heartland stalls island-wide. Crabs are almost always sold by weight at market price, so confirm the day's per-kilo rate when you order.
Last verified: September 2026. Hours and prices can change — we re-check our guides regularly, but do confirm before a special trip.
- JUMBO Seafood (East Coast Seafood Centre)
- Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey)
- Red House Seafood (Clarke Quay)
- Keng Eng Kee Seafood (KEK)
- J.B. Ah Meng Restaurant
- Uncle Leong Seafood (Waterway Point)
- Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant
- Momma Kong's
- Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood
- Kok Sen Restaurant
- Sin Hoi Sai Eating House
- Long Ji Zi Char
- Kai Xin Crabs
- Crab at Bay Seafood
- Alliance Seafood
- 21 Seafood
- Sinaran Seafood
- Mr Crab Seafood
The list
JUMBO Seafood (East Coast Seafood Centre) Chinese seafood · $$$
The definitive tourist-and-local chilli crab institution, with a seafront terrace and a rendition widely rated among the city's best (also outlets at Riverside Point, Dempsey, ION and Jewel).
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab at market price (a full meal often exceeds S$100/pax); other dishes from S$22-S$26++
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab, Crispy Fried Baby Squid
- Where: 1206 East Coast Parkway, #01-07/08, East Coast Seafood Centre, Singapore 449883
- Area: East Coast
- Nearest MRT: Siglap
- Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, 4:30pm-1am; Sat-Sun 11am-11pm
- Halal: No
Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey) Chinese seafood · $$$
Long-running seafood name that lays claim to originating Singapore-style black pepper crab; also at Robertson Quay and East Coast (UDMC).
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab at market price; premium meal spend
- Must-try: Black Pepper Crab, Chilli Crab, Live Alaskan King Crab
- Where: 25 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249670
- Area: Dempsey Hill
- Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 5pm-11:30pm; Sat-Sun & PH 11am-11:30pm
- Halal: No
Red House Seafood (Clarke Quay) Chinese seafood · $$$
Established 1976, a riverside stalwart known for its chilli crab and a broad seafood menu; also at Grand Copthorne and Esplanade.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab at market price; dim sum buffet from S$36.80++ (weekday)
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Prawn Rolls, Geoduck Sashimi
- Where: 3C River Valley Road, #01-02/03, The Cannery, Singapore 179022
- Area: Clarke Quay
- Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay
- Hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm
- Halal: No
Keng Eng Kee Seafood (KEK) Zi char / Chinese seafood · $$
Michelin Bib Gourmand family zi char beloved for old-school crab and wok dishes; flagship at Alexandra Village with several outlets islandwide.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Dishes from ~S$19.80+; crab at market price
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Coffee Pork Ribs, Moonlight Hor Fun
- Area: Alexandra / Bukit Merah
- Nearest MRT: Redhill
- Halal: No
J.B. Ah Meng Restaurant Zi char / Chinese seafood · $$
Michelin Bib Gourmand late-night Geylang institution famed for its punchy white pepper crab and wok-hei san lou bee hoon.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Dishes ~S$9-S$20+; crab at market price
- Must-try: White Pepper Crab, San Lou Bee Hoon, Fried Garlic Chilli Clams
- Where: 534 Geylang Road, Singapore 389490
- Area: Geylang
- Nearest MRT: Aljunied
- Hours: Tue-Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 5pm-1:30am
- Halal: No
Uncle Leong Seafood (Waterway Point) Chinese seafood · $$$
Popular crab specialist known for its buttery 'shimmering sand' crab alongside classic chilli crab.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab from ~S$60++ each
- Must-try: Shimmering Sand (Buttered) Crab, Chilli Crab, Creamy Custard Crab
- Where: 83 Punggol Central, #B1-21, Waterway Point, Singapore 828761
- Area: Punggol
- Nearest MRT: Punggol
- Hours: Daily 4:30pm-11:30pm
- Halal: No
Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant Chinese seafood · $$
Old-school East Coast seafood house set in a colonial bungalow, a nostalgic pick for classic crab preparations.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Crab from ~S$73; dishes ~S$13-S$30
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Salt and Pepper Baked Crab, Deep-Fried Baby Squid
- Where: 462 Upper East Coast Road, Singapore 466508
- Area: Upper East Coast
- Hours: Daily 5pm-11pm
- Halal: No
Momma Kong's Crab specialist · $$
Sibling-run Chinatown shophouse crab specialist known for a notably spicy chilli crab in a casual setting.
- Cuisine: Crab specialist
- Price: $$ · Crab from ~S$58++
- Must-try: Red Chilli Crab, Crab Bee Hoon
- Where: 34 Mosque Street, Singapore 059512
- Area: Chinatown
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown
- Hours: Tue-Fri 5pm-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 11am-10:30pm
- Halal: No
Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood Chinese seafood · $$
Long-standing neighbourhood seafood restaurant praised for a rich, thick chilli crab gravy.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Crab from ~S$70+/kg
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Salted Egg Yolk Crab, Hei Zhor (Prawn Rolls)
- Where: 122 Casuarina Road, Singapore 579510
- Area: Sembawang Hills / Casuarina
- Hours: Mon-Thu, Sat-Sun 11am-2:30pm, 5pm-11pm; Fri 11am-2:30pm, 5pm-12am
- Halal: No
Kok Sen Restaurant Zi char / Chinese seafood · $$
Michelin Bib Gourmand corner zi char, a Keong Saik favourite for smoky big-prawn hor fun and wok seafood.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Dishes ~S$15-S$20+; crab at market price
- Must-try: Big Prawn Hor Fun, Chilli Crab, Prawn Paste Chicken
- Where: 4 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089137
- Area: Keong Saik
- Nearest MRT: Outram Park
- Hours: Tue-Sun 12pm-2:15pm, 5pm-9:15pm
- Halal: No
Sin Hoi Sai Eating House Zi char / Chinese seafood · $
Katong late-night coffeeshop zi char, a reliable and affordable spot for after-hours crab and seafood.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $ · Dishes ~S$8-S$20; crab at market price
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Fried Prawns with Butter, Marmite Chicken
- Where: 187 East Coast Road, Singapore 428893
- Area: Katong
- Nearest MRT: Marine Parade
- Hours: Daily 4pm-3am
- Halal: No
Long Ji Zi Char Zi char / Chinese seafood · $$
Outram coffeeshop zi char best known for its crab bee hoon and dependable chilli crab.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Dishes ~S$17-S$30++; crab at market price
- Must-try: Crab Bee Hoon, Chilli Crab, Sweet Corn Crab Meat Soup
- Where: 253 Outram Road, Singapore 169049
- Area: Outram
- Nearest MRT: Outram Park
- Hours: Daily 5pm-10:30pm
- Halal: No
Kai Xin Crabs Crab specialist / zi char · $
Value heartland crab specialist serving meaty Sri Lankan crabs across chilli, black pepper and salted egg styles.
- Cuisine: Crab specialist / zi char
- Price: $ · Sri Lankan crabs from ~S$38; dishes ~S$15-S$38
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab, Salted Egg Crab
- Where: 76 Circuit Road, #01-18, Singapore 370076
- Area: MacPherson
- Nearest MRT: Mattar
- Hours: Daily 11am-9:30pm
- Halal: No
Crab at Bay Seafood Crab specialist · $
No-frills crab specialist that keeps prices low, a solid value option for a chilli crab fix.
- Cuisine: Crab specialist
- Price: $ · From ~S$48++ for two medium crabs
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab
- Where: 548 Macpherson Road, Singapore 368227
- Area: MacPherson
- Nearest MRT: Tai Seng
- Hours: Daily 10:30am-2:30pm, 4:30pm-10:30pm
- Halal: No
Alliance Seafood Hawker seafood · $$
Long-running Newton Food Centre hawker stall serving award-recognised chilli crab in a classic hawker setting.
- Cuisine: Hawker seafood
- Price: $$ · Chilli crab set ~S$65
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Butter Prawns
- Where: 500 Clemenceau Avenue North, #01-27, Newton Food Centre, Singapore 229495
- Area: Newton
- Nearest MRT: Newton
- Hours: Daily 11:30am-11:30pm
- Halal: No
21 Seafood Zi char / Chinese seafood · $
Heartland Kovan zi char offering some of the more wallet-friendly chilli crab in the northeast.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $ · Around 3 crabs for S$45
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab
- Where: 212 Hougang Street 21, Singapore 530212
- Area: Kovan
- Nearest MRT: Kovan
- Hours: Wed-Mon 12pm-3:30pm, 5pm-11:30pm; Tue 12pm-3:30pm, 5pm-1am
- Halal: No
Sinaran Seafood Zi char / Chinese seafood · $
Affordable Teck Whye coffeeshop stall serving classic chilli crab with fried mantou for the west side.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $ · Chilli crab from ~S$45
- Must-try: Chilli Crab, Fried Mantou
- Where: 26 Teck Whye Lane, #01-170, Singapore 680026
- Area: Teck Whye
- Nearest MRT: Choa Chu Kang
- Hours: Daily 2pm-11pm
- Halal: No
Mr Crab Seafood Crab specialist / zi char · $$
Ghim Moh crab specialist popular for its salted egg crab as well as the classic chilli version.
- Cuisine: Crab specialist / zi char
- Price: $$ · Crab from ~S$70/kg
- Must-try: Salted Egg Crab, Chilli Crab
- Where: 19 Ghim Moh Road, #01-229, Singapore 270019
- Area: Ghim Moh
- Nearest MRT: Buona Vista
- Hours: Daily 12pm-11pm
- Halal: No
At a glance: compare every spot
| Spot | Cuisine | Price | Area | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JUMBO Seafood (East Coast Seafood Centre) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | East Coast | No |
| Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Dempsey Hill | No |
| Red House Seafood (Clarke Quay) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Clarke Quay | No |
| Keng Eng Kee Seafood (KEK) | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $$ | Alexandra / Bukit Merah | No |
| J.B. Ah Meng Restaurant | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $$ | Geylang | No |
| Uncle Leong Seafood (Waterway Point) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Punggol | No |
| Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant | Chinese seafood | $$ | Upper East Coast | No |
| Momma Kong's | Crab specialist | $$ | Chinatown | No |
| Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood | Chinese seafood | $$ | Sembawang Hills / Casuarina | No |
| Kok Sen Restaurant | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $$ | Keong Saik | No |
| Sin Hoi Sai Eating House | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $ | Katong | No |
| Long Ji Zi Char | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $$ | Outram | No |
| Kai Xin Crabs | Crab specialist / zi char | $ | MacPherson | No |
| Crab at Bay Seafood | Crab specialist | $ | MacPherson | No |
| Alliance Seafood | Hawker seafood | $$ | Newton | No |
| 21 Seafood | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $ | Kovan | No |
| Sinaran Seafood | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $ | Teck Whye | No |
| Mr Crab Seafood | Crab specialist / zi char | $$ | Ghim Moh | No |
Your questions answered
How much does chilli crab cost in Singapore?
Crabs are sold by weight at market price, typically around S$80-S$120 per kilo (one crab is usually about 800g-1kg). Heartland and hawker stalls offer sets from roughly S$45, while waterfront restaurants often push a full meal past S$100 per person. Always confirm the day's per-kilo rate before ordering.
What makes a good chilli crab?
Look for fresh, meaty mud crab (Sri Lankan crabs are prized) and a gravy that balances sweet, savoury, tangy and spicy, thickened with ribbons of egg. Fried or steamed mantou buns for dipping are essential. Black pepper crab and white pepper crab are the popular non-tomato alternatives.
Are there halal chilli crab options?
Most classic chilli crab restaurants are Chinese-run and not halal, and many serve pork. Muslim diners should seek out dedicated halal-certified seafood outlets and verify certification directly before visiting, as halal status can change over time.
Which areas are best for chilli crab and seafood?
The East Coast Seafood Centre is the iconic address, while Dempsey, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay host the big riverside names. For value, heartland areas such as Geylang, MacPherson, Alexandra, Kovan and Punggol have excellent zi char seafood.
Do I need to reserve, and are there queues?
For popular waterfront restaurants like Jumbo, Long Beach and Red House, and for weekend dinners, book ahead. Hawker and heartland zi char stalls are walk-in but can queue and sell out of crab, so go early or call to reserve crabs where possible.
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