South Indian flaky flatbread tossed and stretched paper-thin, folded and griddled on a hot tava until shattering crisp, served with curry dipping sauces. Singapore's defining 24-hour breakfast and supper dish.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Roti prata arrived in Singapore with South Indian immigrants in the 19th century, evolving from the Keralan parotta tradition. The dish became a 24-hour staple at Singapore's mama shops and Indian-Muslim restaurants. Today the Casuarina Curry corridor on Upper Thomson Road and the Joo Chiat stretch are pilgrimage stops, with Mr and Mrs Mohgan Super Crispy Roti Prata the cult favourite. The dish has its own Singapore name: prata in Singapore, paratha elsewhere.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Tip from the editors. The flicking-stretching technique is the dish; rolling alone never gets thin enough. The long oil soak is non-negotiable for the elastic stretch.
Casuarina Curry is a malaysian room in East Coast. Open Monday to Thursday 10am to 11pm; Friday to Saturday 8am to midnight; Sunday 8am to 11pm. Walk-in only.
Why locals goLocated in a residential neighbourhood far from the tourist circuit, known almost exclusively through word of mouth among the Indian-Singaporean community.
TipOpen Monday to Thursday 10am to 11pm; Friday to Saturday 8am to midnight; Sunday 8am to 11pm. Walk-in only.
The prata here is stretched paper-thin before being folded and cooked on the griddle, producing a crispness that most other prata shops never achieve. Operating from a modest coffee shop on Joo Chiat Road, this is the standard-bearer for crispy prata in Singapore. Michelin Guide recognised.
OrderPlain prata (crispy), Egg prata, Mutton curry
TipOpens at 7am and closes before noon when sold out. Friday and weekends see the longest queues. Cash only.
Little India's principal hawker centre, where the most affordable Indian, Malay and Singaporean food in the district is served across the upper floor while the wet market operates below. The thosai, roti prata, biryani and nasi padang stalls all serve well under S$8 for a full meal. The surrounding spice stalls add an olfactory dimension absent from more polished food courts.
TipOpen daily 6.30am to 9pm. Sunday mornings are the most warm-lit period. The wet market opens from 6am for fresh produce.
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