The best fish soup in Singapore, according to local chefs

Marcus Leow, head chef of Belimbing

“This stall has been in operation for almost three decades. While it has recently moved to Bukit Timah Interim Market and Food Centre, it still holds nostalgic memories for me as I had it since my primary school days. The clear soup has a ton of sole fish powder, and the grouper fish is fresh and consistently tasty over the years. My order usually includes bittergourd, sambal belachan, and tau cheo (fermented soybeans), resulting in a flavourful fish soup that is even better to savour.”

Leng Kee Fish Soup
Address: 2A Jalan Seh Chuan, #01-162 Bukit Timah Interim Market & Food Centre, S(599213)

Eric Neo, director of culinary at Capella Singapore

“There are a lot of fish soups in Singapore that feature batang fish, but Xin Yuan Ji does it best for me; the batang fish is sliced to a two to three-centimetre thickness. There are the standard milky and clear broth options. I prefer the latter, with thin vermicelli, as it absorbs the flavours better as compared to the thick. It comes with tofu, tomato, long cabbage, and sole fish powder, which gives it that extra boost of flavour. I usually add bittergourd for a more balanced soup. The soy sauce also caught my attention; it is exquisitely savoury, which I believe is a blend of their own.”

Xin Yuan Ji Fish Soup
Address: 30 Purvis Street, #01-01, S(188607)

Tryson Quek, chef-owner at Side Door

“Some people crave warm soup, especially on rainy days. But I always have it because it’s light-tasting yet packed with nutrition. At Bau Mak, I know I’m in for a treat as it is made with tasty and value-for-money ingredients. Run by the former head chef at Naked Finn, Kek Wan Fong, who also once co-owned and ran popular fish soup Qing Feng Yuan at Tiong Bahru Food Centre, Bau Mak recently opened at Golden Mile Food Centre, and a bowl of batang fish soup costs just $5.50. Rest assured that the fish is always fresh.”

Bau Mak
Address: 505 Beach Road, #01-82 Golden Mile Food Centre, S(199583)

Nicolas Tam, head chef of Willow

“My favourite place for fish soup is at Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hoon, a stall along Dover which I go to about twice a month. I like it because the soup is creamy but light, and you can tell that the delectable fish flavours are derived from simmering bones for a long time, instead of relying on fish sauce. Fish meat portions are also generous, with just the right amount of XO sauce for intensity and fragrance. This is also the place that inspired my version of pao fan, which is essentially a fish-soup-meets-chazuke with a collagen-styled broth over dashi rice.”

Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hoon
Address: 19A Dover Crescent, Jumbo Coffee Hub, S(131019)

Ammie Khoo, chef de cuisine of Rosemead

“This stall at Albert Food Centre serves up the perfect bowl of comfort, even more so when it’s raining. Despite its simplicity, it is a well-balanced soup in terms of flavour and texture. You get a refreshing taste and tenderness from the batang (Spanish mackerel) that they use, some sweetness from the tomato, bitterness from the bitter gourd, umami from the seaweed and if you’re lucky, some popping texture from the fish roe.”

Angel Horse Teochew Fish Soup
Address: 270 Queen Street, Albert Centre #01-95, S(180270)

Dylan Ong, chef-owner of The Masses

“Tucked away in Geylang East Centre Market & Food Corner, this stall is my go-to spot for the best fish soup. What sets their fish soup apart is that they make it Teochew style, using fresh batang (Spanish mackerel) every day. I love how they keep the broth light and clean, with just the right balance of flavours from tomato, lettuce, salted vegetables, coriander, and a touch of pepper. It’s even better when you pair it with their lor ark (Teochew braised duck). They chop up the duck and serve it with this amazing braising sauce and chilli.”

Ng Soon Kee Fish & Duck Porridge
Address: 117 Aljunied Avenue 2, #01-11, S(380117)

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Marcus Ow, executive chef of Tribal Dining

“My favourite fish soup is Xin Yun Seafood Fishhead Steamboat at 409 AMK Market And Food Centre. My family and I would have this at least three times a month. I love the old-school charcoal steamboat style which imparts a deep smokiness to the broth while keeping it hot and sizzling. There’s also a generous fish head portion with fried yams, napa cabbage and seaweed that’s balanced with salted plum. It’s flavourful and homely all at the same time—always a bonus when you can tell that taste is not reliant on added msg.”

Xin Yun Seafood Fishhead Steamboat
Address: 409A Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, #01-01, S(561409)

Ryan Nile Choo, chef-partner of Marcy’s Singapore

“My fondest memories from my early teenage years and beyond revolve around the cherished tradition my dad and I shared: indulging in fish head steamboat at this humble zi char gem nestled in Tampines. It remains our go-to dinner spot for any occasion to this day. A testament to the quality of the ingredients used, the batang (Spanish mackerel) is consistently fresh, meaty and succulent. When paired with the silky milk broth, this steamboat never loses its magic, no matter how many times we visited.”

Seafood Park
Address: 823A Tampines Street 81, #01-02, S(521823)

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