Private Singapore Food Tour: Chinatown & Little India, 9 Tastings

Eating is a national pastime in Singapore, and this tour explains why.

A private 3-hour street food tour through Singapore's Chinatown and Little India with a licensed local guide, featuring 9 authentic tastings of multicultural dishes and refreshment. The tour includes stops at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Tekka Centre, and Serangoon Road, with hotel pickup available as an option. Tastings are meant for sharing and span carb-based dishes, popular snacks, and heritage foods shaped by Singapore's diverse cultures.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Chinatown and Little India food

• Visit old streets and alleyways
• Taste 9 local street foods
• See Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
• Visit Tekka Centre for local foods
• Taste Indian snacks on Serangoon Road
• Explore historic temple in Little India
• View last surviving Chinese villa
• See flower garland artisans and markets

The Experience

The tour starts in Chinatown, where you'll taste your way through old streets and alleyways that once hosted traveling hawkers. Your guide walks you past the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple—a Tang-style Chinese temple that anchors the district—and explains how street food traditions have been preserved across generations. Each of the 9 tastings represents a different thread in Singapore's multicultural food landscape, and the guide shares the origins and stories behind the dishes you eat.

From Chinatown, you move into Little India, where the stops shift to Tekka Centre and Serangoon Road. At Tekka Centre, you'll taste roti prata (Indian flatbread), rojak, and other local favorites. Serangoon Road itself is where you spot hidden street art and sample Indian street snacks while the guide points out the shops and cultural landmarks that define the neighborhood. The tour also includes a historic Hindu temple—once a refuge during the Japanese War Occupation—and a surviving Chinese villa that blends Malay, Chinese and European architecture.

You'll need to come hungry: tastings are meant for sharing and include a mix of 2 to 3 carb-based dishes, popular snacks, and heritage foods. The full experience runs 3 hours, or 3.5 hours if you add hotel pickup. Public transport is used to move between stops after pickup, so wear comfortable footwear and bring water and a poncho or umbrella. The tour is led by a licensed local guide in English and is suitable for all fitness levels; minimum age is 13.

What’s included

• Private 3-hour tour with a licensed local guide in English.
• 9 authentic street food tastings and refreshment featuring carb-based dishes, popular snacks, and heritage foods meant for sharing.
• stops at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Tekka Centre, Serangoon Road, a historic Hindu temple, and a Chinese villa in Little India.
• public transport between stops.
• hotel pickup available as an option (adds 30 minutes to total duration).

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Culture Curious Singapore Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the tour with pickup if you want to avoid navigating to Chinatown on your own and prefer the guide to handle the logistics of getting to the starting point. Book without pickup if you're comfortable meeting the guide in Chinatown and want a shorter total time commitment.

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Top questions

What kind of food will I taste on this Singapore street food tour?

The 9 tastings span Singapore's multicultural influences and include roti prata (Indian flatbread), rojak, carb-based dishes, popular snacks, and heritage foods. Tastings are meant for sharing and represent the traditions of Chinatown and Little India. The guide explains the origins of each dish as you eat.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup is available as an option at checkout; if you choose it, the total duration becomes 3.5 hours. Without pickup, the tour itself is 3 hours, and you'll meet the guide at the starting point in Chinatown. Public transport is used to move between stops after any pickup.

What is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and why does the tour stop there?

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is an architecturally stunning Chinese temple built in the Tang style and a prominent landmark in Chinatown. The tour includes a stop there so you can see and photograph the temple while learning about the district's cultural heritage.

What should I wear and bring for this tour?

Wear casual attire with comfortable footwear, since you'll be walking through old streets and alleyways. Bring a poncho or umbrella and water to stay hydrated. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces can accommodate wheelchairs.

Are there dietary restrictions I should know about before booking?

Tastings include ingredients such as soy, gluten, wheat, chicken, pork, dairy, nuts and spices. The tour is not suitable for travelers who are vegan, gluten intolerant, or have allergies to these ingredients. Let the operator know about any dietary needs when you book.

Who leads the tour and what language is it in?

A licensed local guide leads the tour in English. The guide shares stories about the locals who shape Singapore's food landscape and explains the cultural significance of the neighborhoods and dishes you encounter.