Chilli crab hits all the right spots with tangy gravy that seeps into the succulent flesh of the stir-fried crab. Despite its name, chilli crab is only mildly spicy, and is often described as having a flavour that’s both sweet and savoury. One of the favourite ways of eating chilli crab is with bread—mantou (steamed buns) are often used to sop up the dish’s delicious sauce.
Chilli crab is among Singapore’s greatest culinary inventions, the king of all crab dishes. It is easily available in most seafood restaurants, which typically serve it with mud crabs that have deliciously sweet and juicy flesh. Singaporeans love their seafood, whether it’s decadent barbecue sambal stingray at hawker centres or fresh raw oysters at many popular buffet restaurants out there. But crab is arguably one of Singapore’s most popular foods, with chilli crab at the top of most seafood lovers’ lists.
Recognised as one of Singapore’s national dishes, Singaporeans are always on the lookout for the best places to eat chilli crabs in Singapore. If you’ve been craving some succulent crab meat immersed in sweet, spicy, and tangy chilli sauce, then you’ve come to the right place. We provide you a list of the 10 best chilli crab restaurants in the country. Start planning your next chilli crab feast to get your crab and seafood fix today!
Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood Restaurant
Founded in 1986, Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood Restaurant is no stranger to making high quality and fresh seafood. The family-run restaurant is now in its second generation, helmed by Mr Noel Teh Jing Long, son of founder Mr Teh Chor Joo.
Ban Leong Wah Hoe’s signature chilli sauce for its Chilli Crab is described by the younger Mr Teh as “not very spicy”, but leaves customers satisfied and coming back for more. Apart from crab, its signature Fried Lala is also a must-try thanks to its light taste that retains the lala’s original sweetness.
To complete your meal, you can’t go wrong with delicious Har Cheong Gai, Salted Fish Fried Rice, and Sambal Kang Kong, which serve as perfect complements to your scrumptious seafood.
– D Chua
The food is good, the staff were friendly and helpful. They even took the initiative to provide cutlery and simple “entertainment” for my young child in the form of cardboard and a pen to scribble with. Always enjoy eating here and I bring all my foreign friends here to have chilli crab without fail. Love that we can even make a reservation online.
– Grace Ho
My favourite place to go to for chilli crab! The crabs are big and sweet and very fresh as well. The flesh does not stick to the shells so it is very easy to eat. The crabs here are easily one of the best crabs I’ve had in Singapore. The star of the show might be the chilli crabs, but the other dishes are really delicious too. I personally really like the har cheong gai as well. These 2 dishes are something that I will always order whenever I eat at Ban Leong. Overall, a great spot to go to for great chilli crabs, great tze char and at the same time will not burn a huge whole in your pockets!
– Garett Lee
One of the best chilli crabs – we ordered a 2kg crab and despite being huge in size, the meat was still sweet to taste and the chilli gravy was great – not too spicy and most flavourful! It is more on the starchy side but it didn’t bother our palate for our family. Steamed pomfret was good too, especially the “soup”. Fish meat was just slightly overcooked though, but still nice. The prawn paste chicken wings are very good here too, super yummy! Price came up to $284 for a family of 6 with two seafood items – reasonable and good value!
Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood Restaurant
Address: 122 Casuarina Road, Sembawang Hills Estate, Singapore 579510
Phone: 6452 2824
Website: https://banleongwahhoe.com/
No. 3 Crab Delicacy Seafood Restaurant
Originally located in Tiong Bahru, No.3 Crab Delicacy has been a purveyor of casual Singaporean dining since 2001. No. 3 Crab Delicacy Seafood Restaurant has been serving true blue Singaporean seafood and local delights since 2001. Their signature dishes include the quintessential Chilli Crab, super lemak Curry Crab, fiery Black Pepper Crab, irresistible Salted Egg Crab, creamy Butter Crab, Drunken Prawns, Drunken Cockles, Sambal Siput, Rojak Chicken, Cabbage Chicken and more.. This hidden gem is a favourite haunt among local and overseas celebrities.
– Justin Lee
In my opinion one of the best chilli crab in Singapore. Consistent and good flavour. Underrated. Nice chillax spot with putting green view. Free parking too.
– Cheryl-Ann Low
Chilli crab is a yummy, messy, delectable affair. Kampong chicken rice is fragrant and done just right, plus the rice is not oily. None of that slimy fatty chicken slices that are getting too common in Singapore. Efficient service by multi-tasking staff. This is a sheltered open-concept place located at a golfing range so it can be noisy.
No. 3 Crab Delicacy Seafood Restaurant
Address: 1 Orchid Club Road, Orchid Country Club, #01-04, Singapore 769162
Phone: 6484 3188
Website: https://www.3crab.com/
Crab at Bay Seafood Restaurant
Located along Macpherson Road,, Crab At Bay specializes in Asian Chinese cuisine and is most well-known for their crab dishes, e.g. Signature Crab Bee Hoon. Crab At Bay was established in 2015 to delightfully excite you with flavourful tastes to fill your appetite of some of the best dishes ever made, globally. With uniquely refined methods of Chinese cooking, we take pride in serving the best mouth-watering, seafood dishes prepared by highly-skilled chefs from our kitchen. Over the years, Crab at Bay has successfully made a name for themselves and was reviewed by many patrons as the place to go to, for fresh, delicious and succulent crabs.
– William Lou
The food were great. Many varieties to choose from. The chili crab was good, plenty of meats from the crab itself. The sauce was good with the mantao. Recommended dish to order.
– Vicky Peh
If you are looking for good seafood, this is the place. The owner can accommodate any request you have in mind. Their signature dish is crab beehoon. They also have the famous Singapore chili crab. Affordable and delicious!
Crab at Bay Seafood Restaurant
Address: 540 – 542 MacPherson Rd, Singapore 368223
Phone: 6743 8366
Website: https://www.crabatbay.com/
Legacy Seafood
Legacy Seafood offers you fresh, quality seafood in an exciting yet casual dining environment. You can enjoy mouthwatering dishes made from the freshest ingredients. Relax with your family and friends in the casual ambience, with an air-conditioned interior that makes casual feasts a reason for celebration! Legacy Seafood aims to bring you all your beloved seafood dishes in a more accessible and enjoyable dining environment.
Chilli Crab, Golden Sand Crab, and Crab Bee Hoon are just a few of the many dishes available at Legacy Seafood that will whet the appetite of any palate. With crab imported fresh daily, you can be assured that you’re only getting the freshest seafood when you order your next meal at Legacy Seafood.
– Candis Yeo
Lovely dining venue that we have just uncovered recently and are surprised to learn about its links with Uncle Leong Seafood. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of food and service levels of staff – superb to say the least. Worth a try if you are looking for a sumptuous seafood meal! We loved the Chilli Crab 🦀 and Signature Hor Fun!
– Angeline Ng
One of the best chilli crabs n crab bee hoon I ever had. Went for reunion dinner and all the dishes were to our family liking, especially the crabs. Staff were helpful and prompt. Will go again and recommend to all my friends.
Legacy Seafood
Address: 10 Science Centre Road, #01-23, Singapore 609079
Phone: 8162 3663
Website: https://www.legacyseafood.com.sg/
Roland Restaurant
Roland Restaurant has been around since the 1950s, and their claim to fame? That they’re the original creators of Singapore’s chilli crab. It’s quite the unassuming restaurant though, perched on a HDB carpark in Marine Parade. But try the original recipe here – it differs a tad bit, as they use an eggless gravy with no added sambal. It’s cooked with a large crab (seasonal price), and you can choose to add on mantou.
– Ben Alexander
This is the place to go to experience authentic Singapore Chilli Crab! Food is incredible. Ambience is very comfortable without being snobby. Service was amazing. Roland even came out and said hi to us.
– Esther Young
Great place to get the original chili crab in a nice and clean, air-conditioned environment. Crab is excellent and food in general is very traditional Chinese. Great to bring the family. Owner Roland is still there and he’s happy to take a picture with you!
Roland Restaurant
Address: Blk 89 Marine Parade Central, #06-750, Singapore 440089
Phone: 6440 8205
Website: https://rolandrestaurant.com.sg/
Mellben Seafood
Mellben Seafood has made its way from a humble stall along Alexandra Road to a largely well-known seafood place with three outlets in Singapore. This casual seafood eatery has been a zi char staple in Ang Mo Kio for decades, and they’ve also since branched out to other heartland spots like Toa Payoh and Depot Lane. It’s the chilli crab that diners keep coming back for. Its menu features a wide selection of crab dishes such as chilli crab, black pepper crab, claypot crab vermicelli soup, butter crab, salted egg yolk crab, and shimmering sand crab. Order up fried mantou (fried buns) to share too – it’s a flavourful medley when dipped into the chilli crab sauce.
– Loan Hoang Phuong
One of the best Chili Crab restaurants in town. There are 2 sizes of crabs: medium (~1.6kg/crab) and big (1.7~2.1kg/crab). Chili sauce is the highlight, butter cream sauce is sweet and savory. It tastes so good with the fried buns.
– Kahmen
My colleagues took me here for chilli crab and it was amazing. I don’t know if it’s just because they know how to order well, or if it’s just that everything is good, but we had a great time and a lot of food. Definitely the highlight was the chilli crab which wasn’t too spicy and served with a lot of delicious gravy, soaked up with the fried buns. We also had the black pepper crab, snow pea shoots, the chicken and bullfrog. Really enjoyed and would recommend.
Mellben Seafood (Ang Mo Kio)
Address: 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, #01-1222, Singapore 560232
Phone: 6285 6762
Website: https://melbenseafood.sg/
Jumbo Seafood
JUMBO Seafood certainly needs no introduction. From humble beginnings in 1987, this seafood restaurant has become synonymous with Chilli Crab, especially amongst tourists. Try the JUMBO’s award-winning Chilli Crab which has earned the praises of tourists of locals alike. JUMBO Seafood is famous for its live seafood, prepared in Singapore style. With more than twenty-year experience in serving local and international foodies, Jumbo Seafood is able to touch customers’ pulses and continuously creates distinctive menu items to satisfy any tastes.
Other dishes worth trying include Deshelled Prawns Fried with Golden Salted Egg, Home-made Vegetable Beancurd Braised with Crab Meat and Mocha Pork Ribs. Now, you no longer have to fear their ever-present long queues and simply have them delivered to your doorstep! Jumbo has several other outlets in Singapore including Dempsey Hill, ION Orchard, and Jewel Changi Airport.
– Inas Rageh
You can’t be in Singapore without dinning at JUMBO Seafood! It’s a tradition with their famous award winning chili crab main star dish. Very consistent on the quality and freshness of menu items. Big portions too.
– Tee Nee
Legend of seafood. Chilli crab here is always the best. It’s pricey but it’s a quality! Fresh, juicy, big, sweet crab. The chilli sauce is so very good that we wish we could suck all the rest into the stomach! Fried bun is just perfect with the chilli sauce though it’s already good alone.
– Tae Yong Shim
I have been coming to Jumbo Restaurant most every time I visit Singapore. I think it’s worth the trouble considering the value you get at Jumbo. First, Alaskan Crab was amazingly rich in meat contents. Second, their chili version and the black pepper version of the crab were both presented to us and they were (as always) crazily tasty – in particular chili crab was out of this world flavor. Dip the fried buns in the chili sauce and you get a taste of heaven. Third, the beautifully balanced sweet and chili flavor seems to be difficult to replicate elsewhere – Jumbo chili crab can only be consumed at Jumbo.
JUMBO Seafood @ East Coast
Address: Block 1206 East Coast Parkway #01-07/08, East Coast Seafood Centre, Singapore 449883
Phone: 6442 3435
Website: https://www.jumboseafood.com.sg/en/home
Keng Eng Kee Seafood
With over 50 years of experience under their belt, you know Keng Eng Kee Seafood will serve up a more-than-worthy plate of Chilli Crab goodness. Try their Signature Chilli Crab for the perfect blend of sweet and sour, topped with a mildly spicy note. Best paired with their cloud-like Steamed Mantou, dip it in their intensely flavoured Chilli Crab sauce and get ready to dive into an unforgettable flavour fantasy. Other highlights are the moonlight hor fun and coffee pork ribs.
– Enrico Becker
This place is one of the best Chilli Crab places in Singapore definitely check them out for there delicious food and great service.
– Yuqing Oo
The food was scrumptious! The Chili crab is really good and the service was impeccable. Would totally recommend people to eat here.
Keng Eng Kee Seafood @ Alexandra Village
Address: 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-136, Singapore 150124
Phone: 6272 1038
Website: http://www.kek.com.sg/
Long Beach Seafood Restaurant
Long Beach Seafood Restaurant has long been a seafood paradise for Singaporeans. This famous restaurant has gained a number of culinary awards for serving the finest and freshest seafood ever. Long Beach has been there since anyone can remember, and judging from the weekend crowds of multi-generational families, it’s going to be around for the long haul. Don’t be distracted by the other goodies piled high on surrounding tables. Just concentrate on the huge Sri Lankan crabs doused with a molten, eggy, tart, tongue-singeing chilli crab sauce. Mop it all up with crispy fried mantou.
– Daeun Lee
The best chili crab in Singapore. I visited this place two times and both were unforgettable. The food items we ordered were chili crab, mantou, and egg fried rice. The dishes were all beyond expectations. They have a lovely outdoor dining where you can enjoy your meal and chat with your company. I will definitely visit again.
– Aleli Rosario
Of course we had crabs. We ordered 2 kinds. Chili crabs and black-peppered crabs. Both were delicious. The black pepper spicier but the sauce on the chili crabs was perfect for dipping those beautiful mantou bread. The meat of the crabs itself was flavorful. It was just so good.
Long Beach UDMC
Address: 1202, East Coast Seafood Centre, #01-04, Singapore 449881
Phone: 6448 3636
Website: https://longbeachseafood.com.sg/
No Signboard Seafood Restaurant
White pepper crabs have been synonymous with the No Signboard Seafood restaurant. The restaurant chain has 4 outlets across Singapore with the outlet at Geylang being the original branch, boasting of a rustic ambience that reminds diners of its nostalgic past.
No Signboard Seafood had humble beginnings in the 1970s when founder Mdm Ong Kim Hoi started a seafood hawker stall at Mattar Road Hawker Centre. In the early days of No Signboard, only about 3 crabs were sold a day. However, the dedicated chef treated it as an opportunity to nurture her culinary passion. She finally perfected the irresistible alternative to black pepper crabs in order to differentiate her from all the competition from Mattar Road hawker stalls.
Fast forward to today, the renowned No Signboard Seafood restaurant is now one of the finest places in Singapore for seafood, with the specialty of chilli crabs and notably, white pepper crab. If you wish to walk down the memory lane of Singapore in the ‘good old days’ of the 70s, head down to the Geylang branch and opt to dine alfresco!
Other than their iconic White Pepper Crab, another dish they are famous for is the Chilli Crab. The presentation of the chilli crab dish may look deceivingly messy, but the tantalising taste of the succulent crab meat is finger licking good! Furthermore, you can decide on the level of spiciness to cater to your preferences. So remember to choose the level of spiciness that is just right for you!
– Charttrawat Apinyapanich
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.
– Guiller Lallana
One of the best place to get all sorts of crab dishes. Chili crabs, white and black pepper crabs. A very good variety and great tasting seafood dishes.
No Signboard Seafood Restaurant
Address: 414 Geylang Road, Singapore 389392
Phone: 6842 3415
Website: https://www.nosignboardholdings.com/
