The Ultimate Gluten Free Singapore Guide (2024)

I am excited to bring you my gluten free Singapore guide. I know firsthand how intimidating it can be to visit Singapore, or anywhere in Asia, with celiac disease. Hopefully with this guide, your trip can be that much easier!

I visited Singapore twice last summer, for a total of two weeks, which is longer than your average tourist who typically visits Singapore as a stopover. Over that time, I made it my mission to try as many gluten free Singapore restaurants as I could (not that there are that many; I ended up becoming a regular at a few key places!).

My goal with this gluten free Singapore guide is to share restaurant recommendations from my perspective as a celiac traveler in Singapore, and to make your own trip easier with my tips.

NOTE | I have celiac disease and avoid cross contact. Saying that, staff, cooking protocols, menus, and hours can all change. I encourage you to always do your own research and ask questions before you dine.

Gluten Free Singapore: What You Need to Know

Singapore is a funny place to be gluten free. The cuisine is full of gluten (ahem, thanks soy sauce) and it’s nearly impossible to find gluten free options at local restaurants or street food stalls.

Saying that, Singapore is a metropolis and there are a number of specialty gluten free restaurants or those that can accommodate celiacs.

The result is that if you’re gluten free, you can eat a good meal in Singapore, but only at a limited number of restaurants. You will either have to plan your trip around those restaurants’ opening hours, or plan to cook some food yourself.

My Recommended Gluten Free Translation Card for Singapore

Before we get to the restaurants, let’s quickly talk about the language barrier. Singapore is an extremely multicultural city-state and as a result has multiple national languages.

English

English is spoken pretty widely in Singapore, although you have to be aware of the accent. Sometimes it was difficult to understand people, or for them to understand me.

One important example for gluten free folks is they pronounce flour as “flah.”

Mandarin / Simplified Chinese

Many people in Singapore also speak Mandarin / simplified Chinese. Some people, including restaurant staff, may be more proficient in this than English.

As a result it’s good to have a translation card especially if you want to dine at any non-dedicated gluten free restaurants, or even attempt street food. 

For our trip, I bought the Equal Eats simplified Chinese card. This was my first time using Equal Eats and I was pleased with the card.

Unlike my usual gluten free translation cards (Legal Nomads) this card is not personalized to Singapore cuisine. However, it does the next best thing and actually mentions cross contact, soy sauce, and other forms of hidden gluten. It’s pretty concise, which also works well with busy restaurant staff.

All in all, I highly recommend buying this card for your trip to Singapore if you’re gluten free.

Buy your Singapore GF card here.

Gluten Free Singapore Map

To help you navigate your way around Singapore, I created this map of gluten free options. You can download it to your phone and use it yourself!

Gluten free Singapore map key:

• Dark blue: Dedicated gluten free bakeries and restaurants.
• Light blue: Celiac safe restaurants (not dedicated GF)
• Yellow: Grocery stores.
• Maroon house icon: My recommended places to stay for celiacs.
• Green: Things to see and do.

Dedicated Gluten Free Singapore Restaurants

The Whole Kitchen

The Whole Kitchen is a wonderful 100% gluten free cafe in Singapore with two locations. I ate at their CBD location several times.

The menu includes breakfast and lunch, along with many baked goods ranging from cakes to breads to croissants to quiches!

For lunch, I enjoyed the tomato and cheese toastie with chaat masala sauce.

I also adored the gluten free baked goods – of which I bought many but my favorites were the pain au chocolate and croissant. It was surprisingly flaky and delicious, and they even heated it up for me.

I ate here so many times that the staff started to recognize me when I came in, and they were always so friendly. It’s the best spot in Singapore for a gluten free breakfast or lunch, by far, and I highly recommend it.

Note: Currently, the CBD location is closed on Sundays and they close early (5-6pm on weekdays and 3pm on Saturdays) but please check their website for updated hours. Just wanted to warn you so you’re not disappointed!

Address (CBD): The Whole Kitchen, 120 Robinson Rd, #01-01, Singapore 068913

Address (Katong): The Whole Kitchen, 11 East Coast Road, Odeon Building, 11 E Coast Rd, #01-16, Singapore 428722

The Butcher’s Wife

UPDATE | Butcher’s Wife was set to close at the end of March, 2024, but they made an announcement that they plan to stay permanently open. Woohoo!! I’ll keep this article updated if there are any other developments.

The Butcher’s Wife is another 100% gluten free Singapore restaurant. It’s a wonderful dinner option in particular, since there aren’t many of those, but try to book a table online in advance if you can.

This is a Brazilian restaurant and wine bar. I will warn you, I personally found the food here quite pricy for the portion sizes (but, that’s true for Singapore overall). The menu is designed for you to order several small plates, rather than one big meal. It adds up, but the food is definitely celiac safe, and very good!

To start off, Dan and I ordered some fruity cocktails. We shared the dadhinos, which are a kind of fried cheese cubes with a spicy dip. I found these a bit bizarre in texture but I loved the flavors.

We also ordered some croquetas, but I probably could have skipped those as they were a bit too crumbly and plain.

Next, we ordered the gluten free bread basket. I mean, when can a celiac order a bread basket? Of course I had to.

The breads include foccaccia, walnut, and pita, and some are actually made by The Whole Kitchen (mentioned above).

Finally, we ordered the roots salad. That was a combination of salad greens, watermelon, fennel, radish, caramelized nuts, and a slightly spicy dressing. It was so nice to actually get some vegetables in!

Overall, I would recommend The Butcher’s Wife for a safe gluten free brunch, lunch, or dinner in Singapore but be sure to book in advance.

Address: The Butcher’s Wife, 19 Yong Siak St, Singapore 168650

Tiann’s

Tiann’s is another dedicated gluten free Singapore restaurant, across the street from Tiong Bahru Market (which Dan loved) and close to Havelock MRT station (you can get here directly from Gardens by the Bay).

We came here twice, once for brunch and once for dinner.

I actually tried to come here a third time, but when I showed up 1.5 hours before closing time they told me the kitchen was already closed! That was a huge disappointment as a celiac with limited options in Singapore, so, be warned!

For our brunch visit, I ordered the Tiann’s signature waffles. I could choose two flavors so I chose smoked salmon, avocado, and dill sauce for one waffle and classic maple syrup with salty French butter for the other.

Both were delicious but the smoked salmon was so good, it kind of blew my mind. At SGD 26 / $19 USD for a pretty small portion, it was expensive, though. Needs must when you’re gluten free in Singapore!

When we went back for dinner, I actually ordered two dishes because I couldn’t decide. First, I got the Korean Fried Chicken, which was a tasty platter of fried chicken bits and French fries in a salty Korean BBQ sauce.

I also ordered a Korean seafood pancake, because I’d never had one before!

It was made of packed scallions with shrimp, calamari, and other seafood in a gluten free tempura and then cut up into strips with a gluten free soy dipping sauce. YUM.

This came to an eye-watering $63 SGD / $47 USD just for my portion but, honestly, it was worth it to actually be able to eat Asian food while in Singapore!

Address: Tiann’s, 71 Seng Poh Rd, #01-35, Singapore 160071

Caveman Food

Caveman Food is a bit different than the other gluten free Singapore restaurants I mentioned above. This is a small paleo food stall, located in the Square 2 shopping mall that’s in the basement of the Novena MRT station (in the food hall area).

When we visited, this place was 100% gluten free (also free of MSG, dairy, and processed sugar).

However, I encourage you to double check the gluten free status because there was a brief period of time where the owner introduced a beer-stewed chicken dish.

The owner told me that this was a temporary addition for two or three weeks only to try and draw in more customers after the pandemic. However, he had such a negative reaction from his gluten free customers that he abandoned that dish and returned to his original concept (100% gluten free).

Overall the menu here is very healthy, whole foods (think, baked chickens with vegetables and spices). It’s also by far the cheapest option in Singapore for a 100% gluten free restaurant. I think my bill came to less than $10 SGD!

Address: Caveman Food @ Square 2, 10 Sinaran Dr, B1-130 Novena Square 2, Singapore 307506

iJooz

iJooz is not a restaurant, but rather an orange juice vending machine that you can find all around Singapore. And yes, it’s 100% gluten free because it’s literally just fresh squeezed oranges!

This was a fun pick-me-up when I craved a bit of sugar and I highly recommend grabbing a juice at an iJooz if you see one!

Celiac Safe Restaurants in Singapore

The below restaurants are not 100% gluten free, however in my experience they had gluten free options that were safe for celiacs. Please be cautious and always ask your own questions when you visit.

The Soup Spoon

The Soup Spoon is a fast-casual chain specializing in, you guessed it, soup! It can be found all over Singapore, but we went to this location in the Raffles Place MRT station.

You order from digital kiosks by the counter, and all gluten free options are actually marked on the menu (of which there are quite a few, because they use rice flour as a thickener). They also note if a dish contains gluten.

When we visited, six soups were gluten free including minestrone, tomato, and pumpkin. I ordered the pumpkin soup and it was extremely tasty, and calming for my stomach as I was feeling a bit jet lagged after our flight from London.

Also… you get 30 cents off by selecting “no bread” when you order! How often does being gluten free actually cost you less money?! Look, I’ll take what I can get.

Be sure to also select “no toppings” because those aren’t gluten free.

When we visited, I spoke to the staff and noted that they do use separate spoon labels for each soup which helps prevent cross contact. I’m sure each location is different so ask as many questions as you need before ordering.

Notably, this was also the cheapest meal I ate anywhere in Singapore.

Entre Nous Creperie

Entre Nous Creperie is a lovely little Brittany French creperie that has an option for (gluten free) buckwheat crepes, and even mentions “gluten intolerance” on the menu.

All of the savory crepes are buckwheat, and the sweet ones can be upgraded to buckwheat to make them GF for an extra $1 SGD.

During our visit, I confirmed with the owner that they do have a separate crepe plate for the gluten free crepes, and use clean utensils for those ones.

I ordered the “breizh menu” which was $37 SGD / $27.50 USD for a savory ham, egg, and emmental cheese crepe; a green salad with dressing; a sweet crepe with salted butter and caramel; and a glass of cider (I chose dry).

Please note that this restaurant is CASH ONLY. We didn’t realize that, but luckily there is an ATM nearby. They also have PayNow, but that doesn’t work unless you have a Singapore bank account.

I know eating crepes in Singapore sounds odd, but if you’re gluten free you have to take what you can get, and the food here was truly delicious.

Address: Entre-Nous Creperie, 27 Seah St, #01-01, Singapore 188383

Kind Kones

Kind Kones is a plant-based ice cream company with a few shop locations in Singapore. According to their website, most of the flavors are also gluten free and there are even gluten free cones in the shops!

I did not eat here myself, but it was recommended to me on my Instagram by a celiac who lives in Singapore. Of course, do your own due diligence regarding cross contact but it seems to be a promising option!

Address: Kind Kones, B1-15 The Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238859

Yi By Jereme Lee

If you want a really special gluten free meal in Singapore, consider Yi by Jereme Leung. This is an upscale restaurant located in the Raffles Hotel, and they do have a gluten free set menu option if you reserve ahead of time. Note that this is a very pricy meal.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to eat here over my two trips to Singapore. However, my blogging pal Sarah (of Celiac Sarah Explores) visited Singapore a few weeks before me and her meal here looked absolutely incredible.

The exciting thing about eating here is the food is actually Chinese food. I love to try the local cuisine when I visit a country, and as a celiac that’s really challenging in Singapore. This is one of the few places where that’s possible.

If you eat here, let me know in the comments what it’s like!

Address: Yi by Jereme Leung, 1 Beach Rd, Singapore 189673

Raffles (Singapore Sling!)

Finally, when in Singapore you must try the famous Singapore Sling cocktail. The best place to do this is Raffles Hotel, where the cocktail was invented. Prepare to wait in a line, but it’s worth it.

Now, this was the most expensive cocktail of my life. Including the mandatory tax and tip, one single Singapore Sling comes to $46.50 SGD / $35 USD. Ahh! However, when in Singapore….

Singapore Slings are gin-based and naturally gluten free. Ingredients include gin, lime juice, simple syrup, club soda, bénédictine liqueur, cherry liqueur, and a maraschino cherry.

I have to admit I did not personally check the liquor bottle labels, but all of those ingredients are typically GF so I felt safe drinking this cocktail and had no reaction.

I won’t spoil it for you, but you’re also in for a surprise with the floors…

Address: Raffles Hotel, 03-26 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 189768

Gluten Free Singapore Airport

The Singapore Changi airport is iconic and like most tourists I’m sure you want to spend some time here (or have to, depending on how long your layover is!).

Having flown through Singapore Changi a number of times, in my experience there are NOT gluten free options once you’re through security.

It’s best to either bring snacks from home or, if you’re coming from a few days in Singapore, I recommend picking up a sandwich or pasta box to-go from The Whole Kitchen (this is what I did).

However, there are some gluten free Singapore airport options if you’re in the Jewel (which is before security).

TONITO Latin American Kitchen

TONITO Latin American Kitchen is a restaurant within the Jewel, and your best bet for gluten free food at Singapore airport.

I found the staff here pretty receptive to talking about gluten. There is actually a separate gluten free menu HOWEVER it is not celiac safe – a number of the “gluten free” dishes have cross contact.

Celiac safe options include salads and a few corn tortilla-based dishes (when cooked on a clean pan, since the grill is shared with flour tortillas). Unfortunately the chips are not safe as they’re cooked in a shared fryer.

Overall, there aren’t that many options but it’s better than nothing!

More Restaurants in Singapore With Gluten Free Options

There are even more gluten free Singapore restaurants than those I’ve listed above! However, I don’t want to overwhelm you with a long list of restaurants that I am not personally familiar with.

One thing I did to prepare before my first trip to Singapore was to buy this gluten free Singapore guide created by Karen of International Gluten Free.

Karen’s daughter has celiac disease. She is originally from the United States but has lived in Singapore for years, and runs a gluten free support group there.

She created a 40+ page guide to being gluten free in Singapore, as well as a video course. This is extremely detailed and somewhat geared to people moving to/living in Singapore but if you are nervous about visiting Singapore as a tourist then I highly recommend it.

A lot of the information is freely available online, but certainly not all of it, especially her gluten free Singapore restaurant list. This list is formatted as a Google map of restaurants, which Karen keeps regularly updated since she lives in Singapore.

Karen also runs a gluten free Singapore Facebook group which I joined prior to my trip and I recommend you do too. It’s extremely helpful.

Big thanks to Karen for everything she’s done to make being gluten free in Singapore easier for everyone!

Gluten Free Singapore Grocery Shopping

Luckily for us gluten free folks, there are some reliable places to pick up gluten free groceries in Singapore. This comes in very handy since the restaurants that can accommodate celiacs are somewhat limited.

Marks and Spencer

Marks and Spencer is a posh British grocery store and I was very happy to discover they had locations in Singapore.

They carry gluten free bread, pasta, flours, pastries, and similar items.

Note that they do NOT have gluten free sandwiches like they do in the UK. So, this wasn’t quite the on-the-go gluten free food savior I was hoping for, but still a great place to stock up on essentials.

M&S Wheelock Place reportedly has the best selection of gluten free products and I found this to be true after visiting both this one, as well as other locations closer to downtown.

Cold Storage

Dan and I stumbled across Cold Storage, which is a nice grocery store in the Square 2 shopping mall in the Novena MRT station (very close to 100% gluten free Caveman Food). There are also other locations across Singapore.

I was sooo happy to discover gluten free soy sauce at Cold Storage! This was particularly well-timed as we were off for three months of traveling in Japan and Vietnam, and I hadn’t brought a gluten free soy sauce from home.

RELATED | Gluten Free Tokyo Guide

Can You Eat Gluten Free at Hawker Centers in Singapore?

Everyone who visits Singapore wants to eat in a Hawker Center – especially if you’ve drooled over the food in Crazy Rich Asians.

Sadly, my short answer is that if you are gluten free you can NOT eat at Hawker Centers in Singapore.

Trust me, I looooove street food and I did my best to investigate what we could eat at these places.

But to put it plainly, Hawker Centers are a celiac’s nightmare: small kitchens, fast-paced environment, low awareness of gluten, and high concentration of gluten ingredients (think: soy sauce, oyster sauce, wheat flour, fried foods, Maggi, and Knorr).

Some people will tell you that you can ask for Hainanese chicken without the sauce, but honestly in my opinion the risk of cross contact is just way too high.

I didn’t even feel comfortable ordering fruit juices or drinks because barley-based drinks were so prevalent.

If you are visiting Singapore with other people who eat gluten and want to visit a Hawker Center, then I recommend Tiong Bahru Market.

That was Dan’s (my gluten-eating fiance’s) favorite of the many we went to, and conveniently for me it’s across the street from 100% gluten free Tiann’s, and only a short walk from The Butcher’s Wife!

So, he could eat his gluten-y fill, and I wouldn’t get hangry because I knew I had some delicious gluten free food nearby.

Where to Stay in Singapore If You’re Gluten Free

Since the gluten free restaurants in Singapore are limited, I highly recommend that you strategically book hotels near places you can eat.

I visited Singapore twice this summer, and stayed in three different accommodations during those trips. Since I was traveling longterm, I was attempting to stick to a budget (very hard in Singapore), however I did manage to stay in one extremely nice hotel on credit card points.

Actually, that hotel was my “Marina Bay Sands alternative hotel” ie. it had an infinity pool but came at a much more reasonable price!

I’ll share each of them below, with notes on their convenience to gluten free options (which is why we chose them over other accommodation options in Singapore).

hipstercity ($-$$)

hipstercity is the hostel where Dan and I stayed on our first week-long trip to Singapore.

What I liked about this hostel is we actually had our own separate “room,” AKA a lofted double bed above a desk, dresser, and small area. It was divided by a curtain and there were only about six other “rooms” in the larger area, so it felt relatively private.

The downside for celiacs is there is no kitchen here available to guests, although I could heat up water for my GF pot noodles. It does have a great location that’s central to gluten free restaurants, and also comes at a great price.

Book your stay here.

7 Wonders Hostel @ Boat Quay ($-$$)

On our second visit to Singapore, we stayed at 7 Wonders Hostel @ Boat Quay and I would actually recommend this to celiacs on a budget moreso than I recommend hipstercity.

Unlike hipstercity, you don’t get your own “room” but rather a big bed with a curtain divider and some locker space.

The upside is that there IS a kitchen here that guests can use. The location is also great.

Book your stay here.

Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena ($$-$$$)

Dan and I splashed out for a few nights at the Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena and I’m so happy we did. If you have the budget, I recommend staying here.

The main reason we stayed here is because we wanted a “Marina Bay Sands alternative” (I was not prepared to shell out $1,000 per night on a room there!). This hotel is GORGEOUS and it has a rooftop infinity pool that scratched my when-in-Singapore itch.

Even though it’s not as centrally located, it does actually still have a fabulous location for celiacs. Caveman Foods (100% gluten free) is a five minute walk away, and you can reach most gluten free restaurants pretty easily by the MRT.

Book your stay here.

RELATED | 15 Hotels in Singapore with Infinity Pools (That Aren’t Marina Bay Sands)

Gluten Free Singapore: Final Thoughts

There you have it: my ultimate guide to gluten free food in Singapore! I hope it was helpful.

I will do my best to keep this post updated, but if you do notice any changes on your own trip to Singapore, please let me know in the comments below. Together, we can keep this article useful and relevant for future gluten free visitors to Singapore.