Chilli Crab, an iconic Singaporean culinary masterpiece, is a fiery delight that has become synonymous with the city-state’s vibrant gastronomic scene. This delectable dish features succulent crab bathed in a rich, spicy, and tangy tomato-based sauce, a tantalizing symphony of flavors that embodies the diverse influences of Singapore’s multicultural heritage.
Typically savored with a side of fragrant fried rice and fluffy mantou (steamed or fried buns), Chilli Crab is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate. The dish’s luscious sauce, infused with aromatic spices and chili heat, is perfect for dipping the mantou or drizzling over rice, creating a culinary experience that captures the essence of Singapore’s love affair with bold and dynamic flavors.
Top 10 Best Chilli Crab in Singapore
Introducing 10 renowned names in the world of Chilli Crab in Singapore. These establishments are held in high regard by both locals and visitors, representing recommended spots that serve authentic Chilli Crab and epitomize the excellence of this iconic dish in Singapore. Whether you’re a seasoned local or a curious traveler, these Chilli Crab havens ensure a culinary journey that encapsulates the true flavors and mastery of this beloved Singaporean delight in the vibrant and diverse food landscape of the city.
Dancing Crab (Orchard Central)
Address: 181 Orchard Rd, #07-14/15, Singapore 238896
Opening Hours: Daily 11:30 am–3 pm, 5:30–10 pm
Serving a mix of robust, American style seafood and the distinctive richness of Singapore seafood cuisine. Dancing Crab is a refreshing counterpart to Singapore’s equally famed preferences for seafood, shellfish and rich flavors. Backed by one of Singapore’s oldest seafood restaurant leaders, TungLok Group, Dancing Crab sources their shellfish from the same vendors used at the group’s best seafood restaurants, offering a range from Boston lobster to Dungeness crab. Dancing Crab is known for its happy atmosphere, lively music, and high spirits.
Public Rating: 4.2/5
Public Reviews:
“We were there to celebrate my husband’s graduation and we really have a good time. We enjoyed the family feast with better crab option. The seafood were very fresh and the crab have so much meat. The fried rice was very tasty. So was the fries. The waiters were very attentive too. The only thing is the tables are very close to each other. So you can simply hear the next table talking. Not a good place to catch up but a good place for seafood.”
“This was highly recommended by a local as they offer a good variety of shellfish dishes. We ordered black pepper crab, crab cakes, chili crab with rice cakes, fried mushroom, and my personal favourite the rice with lobster bisque. It was a lovely take on Chinese congee but westernized. We ordered way too much food in advance and it will be better for the restaurant to advice if the food is too much for 7 pax proactively vs us over ordering. Overall the team had fun indulging the food.”
HOLYCRAB
Address: 13 Stamford Rd, #01-85 Arcade @ Capitol, Singapore 178905
Opening Hours: Daily 11:30 am–9:30 pm
A forerunner of Singapore’s much loved Private Dining Scene, HolyCrab originally offered the unique experience of dining in Chef Elton’s abode, more than a decade ago back in 2009. The playfulness of HolyCrab’s creations has delighted many more guests since its humble beginnings. HolyCrab offers bold, distinct flavours, forged by a fiery need for “WokHei”.
Public Rating: 4.6/5
Public Reviews:
“Book in advance as this place is busy.
Had the chilli crab and everyone of us enjoyed the dish. We had the small crab which was around 1 kilo.
Food quality and taste definitely was above average, hence the price was above average too.
Worth a visit if you are nearby. Place is comfortable for a long dinner.”
“The best crab we have tasted so far, crabs were fresh and tasty. Staff are very friendly and nice.
Must order Capricorn kernels in salted egg sauce, and their signature Green chili crabs. Highly recommend! We can’t wait to go back!”
JUMBO Seafood – East Coast
Address: 1206 ECP, #01-07/08 East Coast Seafood Centre, Singapore 449883
Opening Hours: Weekend 11 am–11 pm Weekday 430pm-11pm
JUMBO Seafood had its humble beginnings in 1987. Operating from a single outlet in East Coast Seafood Centre, the brand now comprises multiple restaurants in Singapore and abroad, capturing the hearts of local and overseas gastronomes alike with its Award-Winning Chilli Crab and other fresh seafood cooked to perfection. Underpinning its success is a simple objective – to bring diners the best seafood cuisine Singapore has to offer.
Public Rating: 4.2/5
Public Reviews:
“Definitely one of the top 3 chili crabs in town, if not the best. The food dishes were excellent and at the right price point. Vast variety of seafood and other meats and veggies dishes to choose from. Thoroughly enjoyed the dinner here. Staff were friendly and efficient and the atmosphere of the East Coast branch is very nice, comfortable with plenty of seats for all. Can get packed during peak hours, if not, I highly recommend the outdoor seats that’s closest to the beach / foot paths. Highly recommended!”
“Food served within 15 minutes after ordering. Ordered the SET 4 for 4 person which is worth for the price. Overall, food are pretty decent. The Chili Crab 🦀, the stir fried asparagus and the fried rice are recommended.”
No Signboard Seafood At Geylang
Address: 414 Geylang Rd, Singapore 389392
Opening Hours: Daily 11 am–12:30 am
No Signboard Seafood At Geylang their prestige brand had humble beginnings in 1970s, when our founder Mdm Ong Kim Hoi, started a seafood restaurant till where it is now. No Signboard Seafood serves up amazing food, service and vibe of the place is an overall great place to dine in. They serve fresh mud crabs alongside with a variety of seafood options available for choice.
Public Rating: 4.2/5
Public Reviews:
“Although on the pricier side, this place is a must-try for their world-famous White Pepper Crab. I would strongly recommend to opt to add noodles/vermicelli to the white pepper crab. Do give their Chilli Crab a try as well as it is another dish well-known to Singapore! Despite the high turnover and overall busy-ness, the staff are still very responsive. You can also checkout the live seafood too if you’re interested.”
“Best quality chili crab in my opinion. Fresh and very firm ingredients, not too much cooking flavors to cover the flavor of the crab and other seafood. Comfy atmosphere and easy to get the seats without booking. Recommend to order Tiger beer to compliment the food.”
Mellben Seafood
Address: 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, St 22, #01-1222, 560232
Opening Hours: Daily 5–10:30 pm
One of the first dedicated crab restaurants in Singapore, Mellben Seafood is known for its Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup, Butter Crabs and Chilli Crabs. In 2019, Mellben Seafood of Ang Mo Kio outlet was listed in the Singapore Michelin Guide with a “Michelin Plate”. Mellben Seafood provide a new menu delectable dishes every bi-monthly to keep you coming back for more hence u can be sure to look for out for new menu items to try.
Public Rating: 4.2/5
Public Reviews:
“The crab is extremely fresh, you can totally dig big chunks of meat out of the shells. They even allow you to pick male/female, which I never seem.
The place reminds me of those local places at housing estates in Hong Kong, which are mostly gone now.”
“We ordered a medium-sized creamy butter (female) crab which weighed about 1.1kg, a small portion of drunken prawns and a small portion of vegetables to share between 2 pax. The creamy butter sauce was tasty and flavourful, and the crab was fresh and juicy. Overall, it’s a great meal and it can be quite crowded after 630pm so either reserve in advance or come early. Do take note that there is a 5% discount if the payment is made in cash. You can withdraw at nearby Sheng Siong with a transaction fee of 30 cents, which is a small sum compared to the 5% discount that you will be saving.”
Orchid Live Seafood
Address: 2 Yishun Walk, #03-01 HomeTeamNS Khatib, Singapore 767944
Opening Hours: 11 am–2:30 pm, 5–10 pm
Orchid Live Seafood is known for their Live lobster porridge, Teochew Cold crab and Steven Chicken and these are some of their core dishes with long standing history that they take pride in since the beginning. Customers are able to dine in comforts of air-condition while enjoying a whole view of Live Seafood right from the tanks visible in the dining area, with a warm and inviting ambience that locals and tourists all enjoy.
Public Rating: 4.1/5
Public Reviews:
“Not the first time having their Signature Lobster Porridge which was so flavourful and the Southern Australia Lobster was really fresh! My family enjoyed their other popular dish, Steven Chicken and Soon Hock was cooked really well and tender. Had their Green Dragon Vegetables with Scallops, the portion was pretty generous and yummy. Overall, the dishes were all served quite promptly and staff were very attentive too. A great place for gatherings and celebrations!”
“Being a Singaporean, live seafood is a classic! And I am glad somewhere like Orchid Live is still around!
The portion is fairly large and the taste of their dishes were great! I really like the pricing and promos they have from time to time! Their Alaskan king crab, Australia lobster, and lobster porridge is a must! A definitive order is their signature Steven Chicken, this dish is my favourite!
Overall this place is a great alternative to some of the other well-known brands in SG. If you live in the north area then this is surely the place to go!
Will definitely go back to visit whenever I have to chance to go up north in Sg.”
Crab Delivery Singapore by 8 Crabs
Address: 80 Playfair Road, Ka Po Factory Building Lobby B, #02-19, 367998
Opening Hours: Monday-Thursday 10:30 am–2:30 pm, 6–8 pm Friday-Sunday 10:30 am–2:30 pm, 6–10 pm
Crab Delivery Singapore by 8 Crabs serves the best tasting Wild Catch Sri Lankan Species Mud Crabs, that are known to be bigger, better, tastier, and meatier. They also specialise in other seafood, and a great variety of locally loved Zi Char dishes. Truly the have mastered the skill of how to make seafood with a great pricing.
Public Rating: 4.1/5
Public Reviews:
“Delivery came on time. Crab size was over my expectation, order L size and came really L size. Black pepper crab was abit of spicy but it’s good. Chili crab was just nice and it’s good too. Ordered the seafood in a bag also, the Cajun butter garlic was nice too. Overall a fulfilling dinner. Will order again once my crabs are digested.”
“This is my first time ordering. Ordered 3 crabs of different flavors. One chili crab, one black pepper and one salted egg. Firstly, a big shout out to the excellent service from the admin online. I encountered some technical issue making my order online and upon checking out, the delivery slot is all filled out. The admin is kind enough to help accepting my additional order. 👍👍
As for the food, out of the 3 flavors, my wife and I preferred the chilli and black pepper crab with the black pepper crab being the stand out one.
Will definitely order again!”
Keng Eng Kee Seafood @ Alexandra Village
Address: 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-136, Singapore 150124
Opening Hours: Daily 11:30 am–2 pm, 5–10 pm
Keng Eng Kee Seafood started out from a small hawker stall in 1970s at Old Havelock Road and is currently operating at Alexandra Village and was even featured on Netflix. Here they take family of high importance so their service would definitely be one of a homely feel as they believe that Serving up divine Michelin zi char fare is a feat in itself, but staying true to their philosophy, is another. Known for their all their dishes not only the Chilli crab serving up fresh seafood always.
Public Rating: 4.3/5
Public Reviews:
“The staff here are a machine! They are serving a lot of people a lot of food. And the food is amazing.
The hor fun noodles are perfect. I would eat them once a week or more if it lived closer. The coffee pork ribs are good. Their Kang Kong with garlic was great, and the Black Pepper 🦀 was just perfect!
Highly recommend this place and wish I could come back sooner to further explore their menu!”
“Saw this place on Netflix Street Food Asia and it definitely lived up to the hype! The chili crab was fresh and flavorful and the claypot liver rice was fragrant and so well done. The owner was friendly too. An absolute must-try if you’re in Singapore.”
Uncle Leong Seafood (Punggol)
Address: 6 Tebing Ln, #01-03 Punggol East, Singapore 828835
Opening Hours: Sunday-Thursday 430-10pm Friday, Saturday 430-11pm
First founded in a neighbourhood coffeeshop amidst the friendly Ang Mo Kio estate, the ever-popular Uncle Leong Seafood (best seafood restaurant in Singapore) has now heightened into three full-fledged restaurants at Punggol, Jurong East, and Toa Payoh. Still keeping its modesty, Uncle Leong Seafood welcomes a daily haul of customers comprising both locals and foreigners. It is both affordable and delicious.
Public Rating: 4.2/5
Public Reviews:
“
Nice food with affordable price for the quality that you will get.
Crab bee Hoon soup is awesome and is a must try!
The pork ribs are great too, flavourful and tender.
Vegetable with clam is ok not a must order.
Signature hor fun is a bit spicy (peppery). Chilli crab is a good to have too!
Parking: Plenty for weekdays evening”
“If you are looking for crabs, look no further. This place has been a hang for me and my bro in law for many years now. As always, ordered the Shimmering Sand crab and Chilli Crab. A must go place for seafood lovers – and always great to have a pint while looking onto the waterway!”
Chinatown Seafood Restaurant
Address: 51 Pagoda St, Singapore 059212
Opening Hours: Daily 12 pm–12 am
Chinatown seafood restaurant serves up the well known Chilli crab that is not too spicy but still packed with flavour together with some of their signature dishes like Golden Fragrant Clams, Cereal Prawns, Soy sauce stir-fried noodle, Crispy Spring Rolls, Crab Meat Fried Rice and many more! it definitely lives up to its hype with good service as well.
Public Rating: 4.3/5
Public Reviews:
“We found ourselves in Chinatown and had to try the famous Singapore Chilli Crab 🦀 We ordered 2 portions which was enough for 6 people (crabs were huge 🤩) along with some veggies, prawns and fried rice.
The crab wasn’t very chilli in my opinion, but it was pretty tasty. The meat was really fresh and the food was served very quickly.
Everything is expensive in Singapore, so I’m not even going to comment on that 😂 but definitely worth the experience!”
“Can’t really come to Singapore and not dig into a nice Singapore Chili Crab. A very delicious sweet spicy sauce and an 800g crab. The vegetables were very nicely flavoured as well. I’m not a fan of being elbow deep in crustacean so I opten in for the plastic gloves (nope no picture 🙂)
Washed down with a nice cold sweet/sour lime soda.
All in all a good experience.”
Google Map’s Best Chilli crab in Singapore 2023
Frequently Asked Questions About Chilli Crab
What is Chilli Crab, and what makes it a signature dish in Singapore?
Chilli Crab is a Singaporean culinary treasure renowned for its spicy and tangy tomato-based sauce enveloping succulent crab. It has achieved iconic status, representing the dynamic and diverse flavors of Singaporean cuisine.
What makes the sauce in Chilli Crab unique, and what key ingredients contribute to its distinctive flavor?
The sauce in Chilli Crab is a blend of tomatoes, chili, garlic, ginger, and other spices. The combination creates a harmonious balance of sweetness, spiciness, and tanginess that defines the dish’s unique and rich flavor profile.
