6 malaysian spots in East Coast, editor-picked by TableJourney. All of East Coast's food · All malaysian in Singapore.

328 Katong Laksa ★ 4.5

51 East Coast Road, Singapore 428770

East Coast laksa institution that defeated Gordon Ramsay in a 2011 cook-off. Nancy Koh's coconut-prawn broth has drawn queues at the flagship since the 1990s.

Tip: Arrive before 10am on weekends to avoid a long wait; the broth is slightly richer at the East Coast Road flagship than at any branch.

Jumbo Seafood (East Coast) ★ 4.4

1206 East Coast Parkway, Singapore 449883

The canonical Singapore address for chilli crab since 1987. Tomato-egg sauce with Sri Lankan mud crabs; long queues every evening at East Coast.

Tip: Book the dinner seating; weekday lunch is easier and you avoid the tourist peak.

Sin Huat Eating House ★ 4.4

659 Lorong 35 Geylang, Singapore 389589

Bib Gourmand zi char that put crab bee hoon on the global food map. No menu; tell owner Danny Lee what you want. Budget S$80 to S$150 per person.

Tip: Go after 8pm on a weekday for shorter waits; accept whatever is fresh that night, not just the crab.

J.B. Ah Meng Restaurant ★ 4.3

534 Geylang Road, Singapore 389490

Tip: Geylang has the best zi char in the city; this stretch of Geylang Road has multiple good options. J.B. Ah Meng is most consistent for wok-fried dishes.

No Signboard Seafood ★ 4.2

414 Geylang Road, Singapore 389392

Originator of white pepper crab, started in the 1970s by Ong Kim Hoi. The Geylang original retains the most atmosphere and the definitive version.

Tip: Order the flower crab in addition to the white pepper crab for a comparison; both are priced by weight so ask before ordering.

Long Beach Seafood ★ 4.1

1018 East Coast Parkway, Singapore 449877

East Coast flagship for black pepper crab; sauce spicier and more pungent than most rivals. Open-air, sea-facing setting on East Coast Parkway.

Tip: Ask for medium spice for the black pepper sauce if it is your first time; the full version is genuinely hot.