Best Claypot Rice in Singapore: Where to Go for Smoky, Crusty Rice Grains Worth The Wait
PUBLISHED June 28th, 2021 05:00 am | UPDATED July 6th, 2021 01:21 pm
Anyone can burn rice, but the Chinese classic of claypot rice truly turns charred rice into an art form. Traditionally cooked over charcoal, this hawker dish brings together smoke-kissed rice with a crisp bottom, lashings of dark sauce, juicy chicken chunks, and umami-packed salted fish into one belly-warming bowl. If you’re starting to get hungry already, we’ve cooked up a shortlist of the best spots for claypot rice in Singapore – but be prepared for at least a half-hour wait!
Geylang Claypot Rice
The grungy Geylang Lorong 33 hotspot has moved to a stylish new space along Beach Road – with air-conditioning, no less. But their claypot rice is still as old-school and satisfying as it gets – they rank among the few in Singapore who still slow-cook their rice over charcoal the traditional way. The result is deeply charred, smoky grains that come laden with tender Chicken (from S$16.80 for two), sausage, and tasty drizzlings of dark sauce. If you’re looking for a change, they’ve dreamt up premium Unagi (from S$30 for two) and Black Pepper Beef Cube (S$28) options too.
Geylang Claypot Rice is located at 361/363/365 Beach Road, Singapore 199576, p. +65 6744 4574. Open daily 11am–8.30pm.
Yew Chuan Claypot Rice
A crowd favourite at the freshly reopened Golden Mile Food Centre, Yew Chuan Claypot Rice ticks all the right boxes: rice sizzled over a charcoal stove, seriously generous helpings of lap cheong and chicken, crowned with plenty of fresh veggies atop. You can add as much black sauce and flavoured oil as you fancy, and you can be sure there’re more than enough burnt rice bits to scrape up too. We love that they have wallet-friendly individual portions (S$7 for one pax), though the mountain of rice you’ll get is more than enough for two.
Yew Chuan Claypot Rice is located at #01-73, Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Rd, Singapore 199583, p. +65 9137 5661. Open Tues-Wed & Fri 12pm–8.30pm, Sat-Sun 3pm–8.30pm.
Zhao Ji Claypot Rice
Lian He Ben Ji is many folks’ go-to for claypot rice cravings at Chinatown Complex Food Centre, but we think Zhao Ji is an underrated gem. If you like your rice done moist and a little softer than usual, this is the stall to go for. Their claypot rice is smoke-kissed and laced with salted fish fragrance, but what keeps us coming back is the fabulously succulent chicken chunks. Get your fill of juicy goodness with the Chicken Claypot Rice, or stay classic with the lup cheong-packed Original Claypot Rice (from S$10 for one).
Zhao Ji Claypot Rice is located at 335 Smith St, Chinatown Complex Food Centre #02-53, Singapore 050335, p. +65 6221 9449. Open Tues-Sun 12pm–7pm. Delivery is available via WhyQ.
Nan Xing Claypot Rice
Tucked away in Circuit Road Food Centre for over a decade, Nan Xing Claypot Rice sizzles up a stellar Claypot Chicken Rice (S$6) with crisp-bottomed rice and sweet, generous slices of liver sausage. To take the party in your mouth up a notch, they throw in a whole salted egg yolk as well. Their other meat options are worth the trip down too: Garlic Roasted Pork, tender Roasted Duck, and Luncheon Meat & Egg for a guilty indulgence (all from S$6).
Nan Xing Claypot Rice is located at Blk 79 Circuit Road Food Centre, #01-11, Singapore 370079, p. +65 8498 6599. Open Thurs-Tues 12pm–8pm. Closed Wed. Islandwide delivery is available via their ordering platform.
Yong Nian Claypot Chicken Rice
Back in Taiping, Malaysian-born Reiko Chow’s father ran a flourishing chain of claypot rice stalls, and passed on his secrets to his family upon retiring. Armed with his traditional recipes and special claypots from her hometown, Reiko now dishes up Malaysian-style claypot rice in a Bukit Merah coffeeshop. Her rice leans a tad wetter and less charred, packed with plump chicken morsels and lashings of sauce with a Shaoxing wine kick. If you want to switch up your carbs, she sizzles up mean claypot noodles too.
Yong Nian Claypot Chicken Rice is located at 127 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-230, Singapore 150127, p. +65 8133 0032. Open Mon-Sat 10am–3pm. Closed Sun. Delivery is available via Grab and Deliveroo.
Sembawang Traditional Claypot Rice
There’s no question that Sembawang Traditional Claypot Rice is a household name in the north. Their time-honoured recipes date back to the 1980s, with their grains still cooked the traditional way – over charcoal and directly in the claypot to seal in that extra smokiness. The Traditional Claypot Rice (from S$8.80) hides plenty of satisfyingly crackly bits, along with an impressive helping of chicken (albeit bony ones). If you’ve got the munchies, tuck into their wide range of zi char dishes, including the perfectly crispy San Lao Bee Hoon (from S$5.80).
Sembawang Traditional Claypot Rice is located at 4 Jalan Tampang, Singapore 758948, p. +65 6757 7144. Open daily 11am–10pm. Islandwide delivery is available via their ordering platform.
Yuan Yuan Claypot Rice
This popular stall in ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre serves up claypot rice charcoal-cooked to a lovely crisp, and kissed with the fragrance of hua diao wine. Their chicken morsels are first seasoned with a blend of ginger juice, sesame oil, and pepper, before being painstakingly marinated for six hours – you can just imagine the juicy, spicy punch they pack with each mouthful. If you’re warming up on a rainy day, they dish up an array of herbal soups.
Yuan Yuan Claypot Rice is located at 6 Bukit Merah Lane 1, ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre #01-38, Singapore 150006, p. +65 6276 5259. Open Fri-Mon 4.30pm–9pm. Closed Tues & Wed.
Top Image: Geylang Claypot Rice
