Food Near Little India MRT: 17 Best Places to Eat by Exit (2026)
Little India is one of Singapore's most vibrant food neighbourhoods, anchored by the historic Tekka Centre hawker market right beside the MRT and lined with decades-old eateries along Serangoon Road and Race Course Road. Expect South Indian banana-leaf meals, fish head curry, crispy dosai, biryani and Indian sweets, alongside Chinese and Malay hawker classics inside Tekka. Most places are cheap, casual and within a short walk of the station. Hours and halal status change, so confirm directly with each venue before you go.
Last verified: September 2026. Hours and prices can change — we re-check our guides regularly, but do confirm before a special trip.
The best places to eat near Little India MRT
The Banana Leaf Apolo South Indian · $$$
Long-running banana-leaf restaurant (est. 1974) known for its non-milky, heavily spiced fish head curry.
- Cuisine: South Indian
- Price: $$$ · Fish head curry ~$32.94–43.74; dishes ~$10–50
- Must-try: Apolo Fish Head Curry, Tandoori Non-Veg Platter, Gobi Manchurian
- Where: 54 Race Course Road, Singapore 218564
- Nearest exit: Exit E (towards Serangoon Road / Race Course Road) (~6 min walk)
- Hours: Daily 10:30am–10:30pm
- Halal: No
Komala Vilas South Indian vegetarian · $
Household-name pure-vegetarian South Indian eatery running since 1947, known for dosai and thali.
- Cuisine: South Indian vegetarian
- Price: $ · Dosai and thali sets from ~$3–10
- Must-try: Masala Dosa, Vegetarian Thali, Podi Dosa
- Where: 76-78 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217981
- Nearest exit: Exit C (Serangoon Road) (~5 min walk)
- Hours: Daily 7:00am–10:30pm
Lagnaa… barefoot dining North & South Indian · $$
Michelin Bib Gourmand Indian bistro offering optional floor seating and a build-your-own spice-level experience.
- Cuisine: North & South Indian
- Price: $$ · Mains roughly ~$12–25
- Must-try: Mutton Varuval, Chicken Tikka, Methi Naan
- Where: 6 Upper Dickson Road, Singapore 207466
- Nearest exit: Exit C (Serangoon Road, via Dickson Road) (~4 min walk)
- Hours: Tue–Sun 11:30am–midnight; closed Mon
MTR Singapore South Indian vegetarian · $$
Singapore outpost of the famous Bangalore vegetarian institution (MTR 1924), 100% vegetarian South Indian fare; nearer Farrer Park MRT.
- Cuisine: South Indian vegetarian
- Price: $$ · Rava Idly ~$4, Pudi Masala Dosa ~$7
- Must-try: Rava Idly, Pudi Masala Dosa
- Where: 438 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218133
- Nearest exit: Exit C (Serangoon Road) (~13 min walk)
- Hours: Tue–Thu 8:30am–3pm & 5:30pm–9:30pm; Fri–Sun 8:30am–3pm & 5:30pm–10pm; closed Mon
Mustard Bengali & Punjabi · $$$
Halal restaurant serving distinct Bengali and Punjabi cuisine with vegan and vegetarian options.
- Cuisine: Bengali & Punjabi
- Price: $$$ · Kabab e Tashtar ~$23.90 (half); dishes ~$9–24
- Must-try: Kabab e Tashtar, Saffron Rice, Cheese Naan
- Where: 32 Race Course Road, Singapore 218552
- Nearest exit: Exit E (towards Race Course Road) (~6 min walk)
- Hours: Sun–Fri 11:30am–3pm & 6pm–10:45pm; Sat 11:30am–4pm & 6pm–10:45pm
- Halal: Yes
Nalan Restaurant North & South Indian vegetarian · $$
Vegetarian restaurant spanning North and South Indian dishes with a wide thosai range.
- Cuisine: North & South Indian vegetarian
- Price: $$ · Thosai varieties ~$6–18; dishes ~$10–12
- Must-try: Paneer Kathi Roll, Gobi Manchurian, Thosai (18 varieties)
- Where: 82 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217987
- Nearest exit: Exit C (Serangoon Road) (~5 min walk)
- Hours: Daily 11:30am–10:30pm
Swaadhisht Kerala (South Indian) · $$
Kerala-style restaurant (est. 2005) known for dum biryani, appam and vegetarian stews.
- Cuisine: Kerala (South Indian)
- Price: $$ · Bamboo Chicken Biryani ~$14; dishes ~$6–14
- Must-try: Bamboo Chicken Biryani, Appam with Coconut Milk, Vegetable Ishtoo
- Where: 47 Chander Road, Singapore 219546
- Nearest exit: Exit E (via Chander Road) (~5 min walk)
- Hours: Daily 11am–10pm
Gayatri Restaurant North Indian / mixed Indian · $$
Popular Race Course Road Indian restaurant offering both meat and a large vegetarian selection.
- Cuisine: North Indian / mixed Indian
- Price: $$ · Mains typically ~$8–20; fish head curry ~$17 on Mon/Wed promo
- Must-try: Pomfret Fry, Fish Head Curry, Mock Mutton
- Where: 122 Race Course Road, #01-01, Singapore 218583
- Nearest exit: Exit E (towards Race Course Road) (~8 min walk)
- Hours: Daily 11:30am–3pm & 6pm–10:30pm
Yi Zun Noodle Chinese-Muslim (hand-pulled noodles) · $
Halal, Muslim-owned shop serving Qinghai/Xinjiang-style hand-pulled beef noodles with chilli-oil-soaked sliced meats.
- Cuisine: Chinese-Muslim (hand-pulled noodles)
- Price: $ · Sliced Beef Noodles ~$7.80–9.80; Sliced Chicken ~$3.20
- Must-try: Sliced Beef Noodles, Hand-pulled Noodles, Sliced Chicken in Chilli Oil
- Where: 45 Sam Leong Road, Singapore 207935
- Nearest exit: Exit A (towards Jalan Besar side) (~9 min walk)
- Hours: Daily 11am–10pm
- Halal: Yes
545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles Chinese hawker · $
Michelin-listed Tekka Centre stall dishing out prawn noodles in a robust prawn-and-pork broth.
- Cuisine: Chinese hawker
- Price: $ · Prawn noodles ~$4–5 (dry/soup)
- Must-try: Prawn Noodles
- Where: 665 Buffalo Road, #01-326, Tekka Centre, Singapore 210665
- Nearest exit: Exit E (Tekka Centre) (~2 min walk)
- Hours: Mon–Fri 6:30am–2pm; closed Sat–Sun (check for closures)
- Halal: No
Grandma Mee Siam Malay / local hawker · $
Budget Tekka Centre stall (40+ years) best known for cheap, tangy plates of mee siam with prawn fritters.
- Cuisine: Malay / local hawker
- Price: $ · Mee siam ~$3; ngoh hiang sides ~$1.20–4
- Must-try: Mee Siam, Prawn Fritter
- Where: 665 Buffalo Road, #01-311, Tekka Centre, Singapore 210665
- Nearest exit: Exit E (Tekka Centre) (~2 min walk)
- Hours: Mon, Wed–Sat 8am–3pm (closed Tue & Sun; rest days vary)
Yakader Muslim Food Indian-Muslim / biryani · $
Popular Tekka Centre Muslim-food stall serving affordable dum biryani (confirm halal status on site).
- Cuisine: Indian-Muslim / biryani
- Price: $ · Dum briyani (chicken/mutton/fish) ~$5.50–7; egg/pappadam ~$0.50
- Must-try: Dum Briyani, Chicken/Mutton/Fish Biryani
- Where: 665 Buffalo Road, #01-259, Tekka Centre, Singapore 210665
- Nearest exit: Exit E (Tekka Centre) (~2 min walk)
- Hours: 9am–6:30pm
- Halal: Muslim-owned
Ananda Bhavan South Indian vegetarian / vegan · $
Long-established chain of vegetarian/vegan South Indian eateries (claims roots to 1924).
- Cuisine: South Indian vegetarian / vegan
- Price: $ · Rava Thosai ~$3.90; vegetarian briyani set ~$8
- Must-try: Rava Thosai, Vegetarian Briyani Set, Veg Pulav
- Where: 95 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore 207671
- Nearest exit: Exit A (towards Syed Alwi Road) (~10 min walk)
- Hours: Daily approx. 8am–10pm (hours vary; confirm)
Moghul Sweet Shop Indian sweets · $
Little India Arcade sweet shop known for warm gulab jamun and other traditional Indian desserts.
- Cuisine: Indian sweets
- Price: $ · Gulab Jamun ~$1 per piece (cash only)
- Must-try: Gulab Jamun, Assorted Indian Sweets
- Where: Little India Arcade, #01-16, 48 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217959
- Nearest exit: Exit C (Serangoon Road, Little India Arcade) (~3 min walk)
- Hours: Daily 11am–11pm
Kebabs N Curries North Indian / Pakistani · $$
Halal, booze-free rooftop North Indian/Pakistani restaurant atop Mustafa Centre serving kebabs and curries late into the night.
- Cuisine: North Indian / Pakistani
- Price: $$ · Butter Chicken ~$13.50; Rosemary Lamb ~$16.90
- Must-try: Rosemary Lamb, Butter Chicken, Chapli Kebab
- Where: 171 Syed Alwi Road, Level 7, Mustafa Centre, Singapore 207713
- Nearest exit: Exit A (towards Mustafa Centre) (~10 min walk)
- Hours: Daily, till late — approx. 11am/5pm to 1–2am (sources vary; confirm)
- Halal: Yes
Azmi Restaurant (Chapati) North Indian · $
No-frills Muslim-owned stall famed for freshly griddled chapati paired with keema and curries.
- Cuisine: North Indian
- Price: $ · Chapati ~$1 each; keema ~$3.40
- Must-try: Chapati, Keema, Mutton Curry
- Where: 168 Serangoon Road (Thye Chong coffee shop, cnr Norris Road), Singapore 218050
- Nearest exit: Exit C (Serangoon Road) (~6 min walk)
- Hours: 9am–10pm
- Halal: Muslim-owned
Shivam Restaurant North & Gujarati Indian vegetarian · $$
Vegetarian restaurant serving North Indian and Gujarati thalis plus freshly made Indian sweets.
- Cuisine: North & Gujarati Indian vegetarian
- Price: $$ · North Indian meal ~$11; Gujarati meal ~$12
- Must-try: North Indian Meal, Gujarati Thali, Fresh Indian Sweets (Mawa Barfi, Jalebi)
- Where: 87 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore 207666
- Nearest exit: Exit A (towards Syed Alwi Road) (~9 min walk)
- Hours: Daily 11:30am–11:30pm
At a glance: compare every spot near Little India MRT
| Spot | Cuisine | Price | Nearest exit | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Banana Leaf Apolo | South Indian | $$$ | Exit E (towards Serangoon Road / Race Course Road) | No |
| Komala Vilas | South Indian vegetarian | $ | Exit C (Serangoon Road) | — |
| Lagnaa… barefoot dining | North & South Indian | $$ | Exit C (Serangoon Road, via Dickson Road) | — |
| MTR Singapore | South Indian vegetarian | $$ | Exit C (Serangoon Road) | — |
| Mustard | Bengali & Punjabi | $$$ | Exit E (towards Race Course Road) | Yes |
| Nalan Restaurant | North & South Indian vegetarian | $$ | Exit C (Serangoon Road) | — |
| Swaadhisht | Kerala (South Indian) | $$ | Exit E (via Chander Road) | — |
| Gayatri Restaurant | North Indian / mixed Indian | $$ | Exit E (towards Race Course Road) | — |
| Yi Zun Noodle | Chinese-Muslim (hand-pulled noodles) | $ | Exit A (towards Jalan Besar side) | Yes |
| 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles | Chinese hawker | $ | Exit E (Tekka Centre) | No |
| Grandma Mee Siam | Malay / local hawker | $ | Exit E (Tekka Centre) | — |
| Yakader Muslim Food | Indian-Muslim / biryani | $ | Exit E (Tekka Centre) | Muslim-owned |
| Ananda Bhavan | South Indian vegetarian / vegan | $ | Exit A (towards Syed Alwi Road) | — |
| Moghul Sweet Shop | Indian sweets | $ | Exit C (Serangoon Road, Little India Arcade) | — |
| Kebabs N Curries | North Indian / Pakistani | $$ | Exit A (towards Mustafa Centre) | Yes |
| Azmi Restaurant (Chapati) | North Indian | $ | Exit C (Serangoon Road) | Muslim-owned |
| Shivam Restaurant | North & Gujarati Indian vegetarian | $$ | Exit A (towards Syed Alwi Road) | — |
Little India MRT food: your questions answered
What food is Little India known for?
Little India is best known for South Indian cooking: banana-leaf meals, fish head curry, crispy dosai/thosai, biryani, roti prata and Indian sweets like gulab jamun and jalebi. The Tekka Centre hawker market beside the MRT also serves Chinese and Malay hawker classics such as prawn noodles and mee siam.
Are there halal options near Little India MRT?
Yes. Tekka Centre has Muslim-owned stalls serving biryani and Indian-Muslim food, and the Mustafa Centre area nearby has more late-night options. Many Indian restaurants here are fully vegetarian. Halal certification varies stall to stall and is not guaranteed, so check the signage or ask the vendor before ordering.
What are the cheapest eats near Little India MRT?
The cheapest meals are inside Tekka Centre: mee siam from around $2.50, dosai and vadai from roughly $1, and prawn noodles from about $3. Indian sweets like gulab jamun run around $1 a piece, and vegetarian thali sets at nearby South Indian restaurants start around $3–10.
What's open late near Little India MRT?
Kebabs N Curries at Mustafa Centre runs until around 2am, Lagnaa on Upper Dickson Road serves until about midnight, and Shivam on Syed Alwi Road stays open to roughly 11:30pm. The Mustafa Centre area is the neighbourhood's main late-night dining zone. Always confirm current hours before heading out.
Which MRT exit should I use for the main food cluster?
Exit E connects to Tekka Centre, the biggest single food cluster right at the station. For the Serangoon Road and Race Course Road restaurants and Little India Arcade, use Exit C or E and walk a few minutes; the Syed Alwi Road/Mustafa Centre eateries are closer to Exit A.
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