From a stall operating since 1930 to DIY party sets, check out these places for the best popiah in Singapore.
Popiah is a dish that originated in Fujian, China. It consists of a thin, crepe-like wheat skin wrapped around ingredients, much like a spring roll or a burrito. The filling can consist of up to 10 ingredients, including bamboo strips, braised turnip, fried garlic, beansprouts, Chinese sausage, crushed peanuts, and shredded omelette or chunks of hard-boiled egg. Some hawkers see fit to add prawn, others might include crunchy pork lard. There is an option to add chilli sauce before the roll is sliced into individual pieces.
In Singapore, the dish is usually eaten as a snack or a supplement to the main meal. Do-it-yourself popiah sets are also popular, where the components are separated for people to assemble them. These bundles are available from Good Chance, a restaurant run by a former national basketball coach, and Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah, which has been specialising in it since 1938.
If you rather just dig in, visit Ann Chin Popiah. Founded in the late 1950s as a street hawker stall, the family-owned business has expanded into multiple locations around Singapore and was lauded by Michelin for its rendition. Fortune Food has outlets in Maxwell and Bendemeer, and Qi Ji serves halal popiah at its various locations around the island. My Cosy Corner is a Peranakan eatery where the popiah is the star, and ABC Popiah counts a high-ranking government official among its fans. Read on for more.
(Hero and featured image credits: My Cosy Corner; Qi Ji Singapore / Facebook)
13 places for the best popiah in Singapore
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968 Popiah
Popiah is sometimes referred to as a Chinese burrito, but 968 Popiah takes it one step further. The food stall in Whampoa serves popiah sushi (S$2.50 per roll) that sees crab stick added to the traditional assortment before it is wrapped in popiah skin and seaweed, sliced, and topped with prawn, mayonnaise, and chilli sauce. For purists, they also sell the original.
S$2 per roll for the regular popiah
Saturday – Thursday, 12.30pm – 7pm
Closed on Friday
(Image credit: @thetravellingspud / Instagram)
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ABC Popiah
ABC Popiah is run by Tay Chen Boon, a longtime hawker who counts Singaporean politician Ng Eng Hen among his fans – Ng even wrote about Tay’s stall in a Facebook post in 2018. Despite being over 80 years old, Tay still slices the jicama filling by hand and makes his own sauces, resulting in a bold and flavourful dish.
S$2 per roll
Tuesday – Sunday, 8am – 7pm
(Image credit: @chefsimonng / Instagram)
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Ann Chin Popiah
Ann Chin Popiah was founded by Lim Kam Chwee, who immigrated from China’s Fujian province to Singapore in the 1940s. He started selling popiah from a pushcart before moving into a stall along Upper Thomson Road in 1958. Now run by his second generation with multiple locations across Singapore, the Michelin-recommended brand still makes thin and chewy skin by hand, and stuffs it generously with crunchy and juicy ingredients.
S$2.20 per roll
Daily, 8am – 8pm
(Image credit: @crappysotong / Instagram)
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Fortune Food
Fortune Food started out as a food stall at Blk 69 Geylang Bahru Hawker Centre that makes its own popiah skin from scratch daily, resulting in a soft and stretchy texture. It proved to be a hit and the business now has outlets in different parts of Singapore from Maxwell to Bendemeer. The stall also sells kueh pie tee, Chinese rojak, and muah chee, as well as DIY popiah sets that are customisable (order here).
Halal-certified
From S$2.50 per roll
(Image credit: Fortune Food)
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Good Chance Popiah Eating House
Good Chance offers an opportunity to roll your own popiah. The restaurant was started in 1977 by former reporter and Singapore national basketball team coach Hou Shen Hu, who turned to the food trade when he retired. Now run by his grandson, the eatery serves a DIY popiah set in either six or 12 pieces, which comes with all the essentials for a hands-on experience.
From S$26 (six-piece popiah set)
Tuesday – Sunday, 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 9.30pm
(Image credit: @ahboypopiah / Facebook)
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Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah
Based in a prewar Joo Chiat shophouse, Kway Guan Huat has been making popiah the same way since 1938. It is now run by the founder’s third-generation family members, who follow a secret recipe to make the skin paper-thin yet strong. At S$4 per piece, this is one of the more expensive popiah on this list, but it is well-stuffed and hearty. DIY popiah sets are also available to try making them at home.
S$4 per roll
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 2pm
(Image credit: @bowiehoneybaby / Instagram)
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Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake
You guessed it, Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake is renowned for its chai tow kway, but the food stall makes an excellent popiah too, which it won an award for in 2015. The filling is generous and the thin skin holds everything together while still boasting a soft, chewy texture.
S$2.40 per roll
Monday, Wednesday – Friday, 12pm – 10pm
Saturday & Sunday, 8.30am – 10pm
Closed on Wednesday
(Image credit: @themisskuo / Instagram)
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Old Long House Popiah
Old Long House dates back to 1930, and their popiah comes from a secret recipe that does not use MSG, artificial colouring, and preservatives. They also do not add pork, lard, and seafood to the turnip, which they say makes their version healthier. Instead, they spike it with heaping amounts of garlic, which brings a heady aroma to the dish. The food stall is currently closed but they sell popiah sets online.
From S$118 (35-50 piece popiah set)
(Image credit: @thehungrysoulja / Instagram)
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Miao Sin Popiah
Miao Sin was founded by Ong Chin Quay along Upper Boon Keng Road in 1980, before moving to Eminent Plaza in Lavender and then to its current premises on Balestier Road. The skin is gently chewy, but supple enough to hold the juicy stuffing together. The chilli is quite mild, so ask for more if you like yours spicy.
S$2 per roll
Thursday – Tuesday, 11am – 9pm
(Image credit: @singapore.lady / Instagram)
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My Cosy Corner
My Cosy Corner is a Peranakan cafe that has been tucked away in Coronation Plaza since 1988. The nook serves up favourites like mee siam and laksa, and many diners also come for their popiah, which bulges with ingredients. They add lard and crunchy bamboo, as well as a potent, fiery sambal.
S$3.30 per roll
Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm
Sunday, 11am – 4pm
(Image credit: @pengloh / Instagram)
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Ping Kee Popiah
One of the highlights of Sembawang Hills Food Centre, Ping Kee rolls considerable amounts of turnip, beansprouts, peanuts, egg, and dried shrimp between their popiah skins. There’s also a touch of Chinese sausage in there, bringing a sweet-savoury element to the dish.
S$2 per roll
Saturday – Thursday, 11.30am – 8pm
Closed on Friday
(Image credit: @mt_voyage / Instagram)
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Qi Ji
Qi Ji is a Halal-certified chain of restaurants that does local favourites including nasi lemak, mee siam, laksa, and lontong. Popiah is another of their signature, and the brand still makes the skin and sauce in-house. The dish comes in two versions, either prawn or premium with chicken.
From S$2.70 per roll
(Image credit: Qi Ji Singapore / Facebook)
Rojak, Popiah & Cockle
Serving just three items, this Michelin-recommended stall combines braised turnip, ground peanuts, hard-boiled eggs, and julienned carrots. The dark sauce lends a sweet, tangy flavour to the dish, and cabbage brings it a distinct greenness. At S$2.80 for two rolls, it’s one of the more affordable options on this list.
S$3.40 for two rolls
Daily, 11.30am – 8.30pm
(Image credit: @dorisxiaomei / Instagram)
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Jethro enjoys wine, biking, and climbing, and he's terrible at all three. In between them, he drinks commercial lagers, and eats dumplings and ice cream.
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