Where to Find Plant-based Food in Singapore?

With Singapore crowned as the second most vegan friendly Asian city by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), a quick Google search will reveal numerous articles and blogs recommending plant-based eateries. Thank you, friendly people of the Internet! However, with so many resources, it can be overwhelming to find a place that fits your vibe and budget. As such, this list of lists spotlights resources to make it easier for vegetarians, vegans, and those seeking new and interesting places to dine at! 

Eateries

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21 local vegan and vegetarian businesses (by More Than Veggies): A comprehensive list of eateries, bakeries, home businesses and retail stores selling groceries and snacks! Also… vegan bubble tea!

Best vegan-friendly restaurants in Singapore (by LivingveggiebyAnia): Recommends vegan-friendly restaurants ranging from Persian to German cuisine! As some places have a pretty steep price tag, they are probably not suitable for everyday meals, but make a great dining experience for special occasions. The blog also has some vegan recipes if you’d like to cook for yourself. 

Plant-based Singapore Guide (by Abillion): Features some plant-based restaurants nestled in culturally rich and touristy areas of Singapore - useful for planning a day out! 

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But… My wallet is quite empty, any more cheaper options? 

Good news for vegetarians and vegans residing in eastern Singapore! Check out this extensive list of plant-based hawker/food court stalls and restaurants/cafés we put together. You can use this as a handy guide whenever you wish to grab a meal by easily filtering the list of more than 100 places by location and cuisine. For the environmentally conscious, we have also listed some green practices for the relevant eateries. If you're too lazy to head out, eateries available for delivery are also marked. For you non-Easties, do explore the places listed that have branches outside eastern Singapore, or visit sites such as HappyCow!

Desserts and snacks

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A plant-based diet does not necessarily mean giving up on sinful and satisfying sweet treats!

18 vegan-friendly cakes (by Mothership, sourced from the Facebook page Cqveggiefinds): An informative article featuring cakes from well-known brands such as Privé to home bakers!

15 vegan and dairy-free ice creams (by Avenue One): Vegan ice creams don’t have to be disappointingly icy! This list spotlights a good range of artisanal ice cream cafes and take-home pints, with some really fancy flavours. 

Boxgreen: A local social enterprise selling a variety of plant-based snacks such as mushroom chips (read our review here) and a variety of nuts and crunchies. As a business priding itself on doing social and environmental good, they employ vulnerable communities such as inmates, and use boxes made of recycled materials. Got to support brands like this!

Zenko Superfoods’ water lily pops: Heard of the “farm-to-table” concept? According to their website, this brand adopts a “seed-to-snack” model where they work directly with local communities to improve the supply chain, such as providing fair wages. These popcorn-like crunchy snacks are both vegan and halal.

If you’re looking for local Chinese snacks, check out Dong Shan Eastern Highland Healthy Cake House and Xin Yuan Vegetarian Food Trading! Dong Shan Eastern Highland Healthy Cake House is a humble neighbourhood shop selling plant-based Chinese snacks and pastries such as mooncakes and almond walnut cookies. Situated at Fortune Centre, Xin Yuan Vegetarian Food Trading is a grocery stall with an array of cooking staples and snacks such as eggless cream puffs and vegetarian Bak Kwa.

Plant-based meat alternatives

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From Quorn to local brand TiNDLE, Singapore has witnessed numerous plant-based brands sprouting out in recent years thanks to Singapore’s support of such alternative food. This section could be particularly attractive for those of you trying to ease into a plant-based diet. 

9 Singapore businesses selling plant-based meat, eggs and milk (by Vulcan Post): A compilation of brands offering eggless “eggs”, meatless “meat”, and dairy-free milk!

Love Handle: This one really intrigued me – a butcher without the meat? A deli and diner, Love Handle is Asia’s first ever plant-based butcher pushing the envelope of what meatless meals could be. Try out their range of “meats”, calamari rings, unagi fillets, and condiments to go with them! 

Concluding remarks

Many still perceive plant-based diets as boring and overly restrictive, but the above resources clearly prove otherwise. More brands are expanding the range of dining experiences for vegetarians and vegans and offer unique dishes even to meat eaters. If a full plant-based diet intimidates you, why not start small and try a flexitarian diet by predominantly consuming plant-based food with occasional meat? Just like how most of us are excited to try new and exotic food, give plant-based food a shot and you might be pleasantly surprised. 

References

Cleveland Clinic (2021, May 25). What is the flexitarian diet? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-the-flexitarian-diet/ 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia (n.d.). Top 10 vegan-friendly cities in Asia. https://www.petaasia.com/living/food/top-10-vegan-friendly-cities-asia/ 

Cover image credit: Lefteris Kallergis on Unsplash