10 Best Fish Head Curry in Singapore (2026 Guide)

There's a moment every first-time visitor to Singapore has. You're somewhere in Little India, the air smells like toasted cumin and coconut, and someone slides a clay pot the size of a hubcap onto your table. Inside: a whole fish head, submerged in a rust-coloured curry that's been simmering since before you woke up. You stare at it. It stares back.

That's fish head curry — and if you leave Singapore without trying it, you've essentially spent a week in Italy skipping pasta.

It isn't just a popular dish. It's a cultural accident that became a national icon. Back in the 1940s, a Southern Indian restaurateur named M.J. Gomez paired a Chinese-favoured ingredient — the fish head — with a classic Indian curry base. His Chinese customers loved it. His Indian customers loved it. Peranakan cooks then added their own tamarind-spiked spin, and Malay cooks brought in coconut milk. The result is arguably the most Singaporean dish there is: nobody's original recipe, and everybody's favourite.

This list has been running since 2023. Restaurants open second outlets, prices climb with rising ingredient and rental costs, and awards get renewed or lost — so instead of leaving the original list to go stale, we rechecked every entry below against current restaurant websites, delivery platforms, and 2026 diner reviews. Where something has genuinely changed since our last update — a new outlet, a price shift, a consolidated location — we've flagged it, because that's usually more useful than the description of the curry itself.

If you'd rather have a guide walk you through Singapore's food scene in person, our Street Food & Night Tour ends the night at Lau Pa Sat, Singapore's UNESCO-recognised hawker centre, with a guide who can point out which stalls are actually worth the queue.

Quick comparison

Prices are the entry point for a half portion or the smallest size unless stated otherwise, and are typically listed "++" — before 9% GST and service charge. Confirm current pricing with the restaurant before you go, as menus change.

The Classics: Where Fish Head Curry Is a Religion

1. Samy's Curry Restaurant

25 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249670 · Wed–Mon, 11am–3pm & 6pm–10pm (closed Tuesdays) · Not halal-certified

Open since the 1960s, Samy's is a Dempsey Hill institution that hasn't changed its formula: fish cooked with turmeric, tamarind, and fennel, served bubbling in a clay pot on a colonial-era black-and-white bungalow verandah. The fish head curry runs $25+ for a small portion, $30+ for medium, and $35+ for large, with a single-piece option at $5.50+ if you just want a taste. Rice sets ($4.50+ white rice, $5+ biryani) come with free-flow refills as long as you've ordered a main.

2. Muthu's Curry

138 Race Course Road, #01-01, Singapore 218591 · Daily, 10:30am–10:30pm · Not halal-certified

Nearly 60 years in, Muthu's is still the name most locals reach for first. Its fish head curry (from $32++) is spicier than most, with a tamarind gravy and a choice of sea bream, sea bass, or red snapper. A note worth knowing: Muthu's has opened and closed outlets over the years — it previously ran branches at Suntec City and Dempsey Road — so the Race Course Road flagship is the one to count on; call ahead if you're heading to any other location. It's held a Michelin Bib Gourmand mention since 2018.

3. Yu Cun Fish Head Curry

147 Upper Paya Lebar Road, Singapore 534849 · plus a second outlet at 29–31 Sultan Gate

Technically a zi char restaurant — the Chinese-style hawker cooking that covers everything from cereal prawns to stir-fried beef — Yu Cun's claypot fish head curry is what regulars come back for. You can dial the spice level up or down, which makes it one of the more forgiving entry points if this is your first time. Prices run roughly $24 to $30 depending on portion size. The Sultan Gate outlet opened more recently, so if you're near Beach Road you no longer need to trek to Paya Lebar.

4. Na Na Homemade Curry (formerly "NaNa Curry")

12 outlets islandwide, including Bukit Merah, Jurong East, Bedok North, Canberra Plaza, and Jewel Changi Airport

This is the entry that's changed the most since our last update. The brand has grown from four outlets to twelve, and it now holds ten consecutive years of Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition — not the five-year run (2016–2020) it was known for previously. Its fish head curry is loaded with tau pok, lady's finger, and yam, and priced at $28.90 for a half portion and $48.90 for a whole head. Hours vary by outlet — the Bukit Merah View branch, for example, runs Monday to Saturday, 11am–7pm, and is closed Sundays — so check the specific outlet nearest you before heading over.

Halal Options: No Compromise on Flavour

Three restaurants on this list are halal-certified: The Banana Leaf Apolo, Pavilion Banana Leaf, and West Coz Cafe. If you're travelling with a group that includes Muslim diners, these are your safest bets for a proper fish head curry experience — and if you want a guide to build a wider halal-friendly food itinerary around them, our Private Food & Heritage Tour can be tailored to dietary needs.

5. The Banana Leaf Apolo

54 Race Course Road, Singapore 218565 · Daily, 10:30am–10:30pm · Halal-certified

Established in 1974, this is the restaurant most Singapore cab drivers will point tourists toward. The Apolo Fish Head Curry (from $30.50) is tangy and bright — pineapple chunks and tomatoes cut through the heat. It's well-trafficked by tourists, which either reassures you or puts you off, depending on your travel style, but the queue moves fast and the quality has stayed consistent for decades.

6. Pavilion Banana Leaf

Westgate Mall, 3 Gateway Drive #02-28, Singapore 608532 · plus a second outlet at Bird Paradise, Mandai · Halal-certified

Pavilion runs on Chettinad recipes, mildly adjusted for local palates, under the direction of culinary consultant Dr Chef Damu. Its Zaffron Fish Head Curry — fish slow-cooked in tamarind gravy with brinjal, okra, and coconut milk — starts at around $30.90 for a half portion. The newer Bird Paradise outlet at Mandai makes this a workable stop if you're already spending the day at the wildlife parks.

7. West Coz Cafe

154 West Coast Road #02-23, West Coast Plaza, Singapore 127371 · Daily, 11:30am–9:30pm · plus a second outlet at Yew Tee Point · Halal-certified

Running since 2009, West Coz serves a creamier, coconut milk-forward curry alongside an Assam (tangy, Peranakan-style) version at the same roughly $22 price point. The newer Yew Tee Point outlet is smaller and less crowded than the original, with slightly smaller portions priced from about $16.

The Wild Cards: Different Takes on the Same Dish

8. Ocean Curry Fish Head

Blk 92 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, #01-264, Singapore 310092 · Daily 11am–9pm, closed alternate Tuesdays · Not halal-certified

Serving since 1983, Ocean Curry Fish Head is the go-to for Assam-style — the Peranakan take that leans on tamarind for a sharp, sour tang instead of a spice-forward Indian base. Half a fish head, large enough for three to four people, runs roughly $25–30. The business now also runs sister stalls in Telok Ayer and Bedok, though the Toa Payoh original is still the one with the loyal following and the longer queue.

9. Canton Delicacies

Geylang Bahru Market & Food Centre, Blk 69 #01-27, Singapore 330069

Run by Chef Ericson Ng, formerly of Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, this hawker stall adds a distinctly Cantonese angle — fish head curry with a savoury edge rather than a sour or fiery one. The Claypot Curry Fish Head has moved from $21 in 2022 to $24 today, still one of the more affordable options on this list and one of the more interesting ones, given the fine-dining background behind it.

10. Ivins Peranakan Restaurant

21 Binjai Park, Singapore 589827 · plus a second outlet at Heartland Mall

Family-run since 1985, with the Binjai Park flagship opened in 1988, Ivins is a bit out of the way in a quiet residential stretch near Bukit Timah — but regulars make the trip anyway. The Garam Assam Fish Head, a half portion that comfortably serves three to four, runs around $27 and is slow-cooked until the fish is close to falling apart, garnished with fried onion and chilli for texture.

Before You Go

• On "++" pricing: Many of the restaurants above list prices with a "++" symbol. That means the amount shown doesn't include Singapore's 9% GST and, at sit-down restaurants, a service charge of around 10%. Build in roughly 19–20% on top of the menu price if you're budgeting for a restaurant (not hawker) visit.

• What to order alongside it: Plain white rice is standard, but roti prata or garlic naan work just as well for soaking up the curry. At Indian restaurants, papadum usually comes automatically — use it to scoop. Don't skip the vegetables in the curry pot itself; the lady's fingers and eggplant absorb the gravy.

• On the fish eyes: Yes, you can eat them. No, you don't have to. They're smooth, slightly gelatinous, and milder in taste than they look.

• Which style to try first: New to the dish? Start with a classic Indian-style version at Muthu's, Samy's, or Na Na Homemade Curry. Already tried it? Go Peranakan at Ocean Curry Fish Head or Ivins for the tamarind-forward contrast, or zi char-style at Yu Cun or Canton Delicacies if you want to control the spice level yourself.

  
  

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is fish head curry? A Singaporean dish that began in the 1940s, combining a Chinese preference for cooking fish heads with a South Indian curry base. It now exists in Indian, Peranakan, and Chinese versions, each with a different spice and sourness profile.

• Where is the best fish head curry in Singapore? There isn't a single "best" — it depends on what you want. Indian versions (Muthu's, Samy's) are spicier and tamarind-heavy. Peranakan versions (Ocean Curry Fish Head, Ivins) lean tangier. Chinese zi char versions (Yu Cun, Canton Delicacies) tend to be milder and more customisable on spice level.

• Is there halal fish head curry in Singapore? Yes. The Banana Leaf Apolo, Pavilion Banana Leaf, and West Coz Cafe are all halal-certified and serve fish head curry as a signature dish.

• How much does fish head curry cost in Singapore? Expect to pay between roughly $21 and $49 depending on portion size and restaurant, based on 2026 menu prices listed above. Remember that "++" prices exclude GST and service charge.

Want to Explore Singapore's Food Culture Further?

If fish head curry has you curious about the rest of Singapore's food scene, our Singapore Michelin & Local Hawker Food Tour covers Bib Gourmand stalls and neighbourhood favourites across Chinatown and beyond — including the hawker culture UNESCO officially recognised in 2020. For a more personal, small-group experience, the Street Food & Night Tour takes you through Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan food in one evening.

Fish head curry is a good starting point. Singapore's food scene doesn't really have an ending point.

Sources

Facts, prices, hours, and outlet information above were cross-checked in July 2026 against the following:

• Samy's Curry — Eatbook, Corner

• Muthu's Curry — Eatbook, Michelin Guide, Burpple

• Yu Cun Fish Head Curry — Yu Cun Facebook, SG Food on Foot

• Na Na Homemade Curry — nanacurry.com, Michelin Guide, Rubbish Eat Rubbish Grow

• The Banana Leaf Apolo — Yelp, Kaizenaire

• Pavilion Banana Leaf — HomeTeamNS, Chope

• West Coz Cafe — Burpple, Budgetpantry

• Ocean Curry Fish Head — Eatbook, Singapore Atrium Sale

• Canton Delicacies — Eatbook, SETHLUI

• Ivins Peranakan Restaurant — Burpple, Ivins official ordering site

  
  

Menus, hours, and outlet locations change often — treat the prices and addresses above as a starting point and confirm directly with the restaurant before visiting, especially for large groups.