Teochew fish soup has a quiet kind of appeal. It doesn’t arrive with the drama of chilli crab or the smoky pull of satay. It’s gentler than that. A clear, savoury broth, fresh slices of fish, maybe some lettuce, tomato, tofu, bitter gourd, or preserved vegetables if the stall does it that way. The best bowls feel clean but not bland, light but still deeply comforting. In Singapore, that balance matters because fish soup is one of those dishes people return to when they want something restorative without feeling deprived.
The Teochew style, in particular, tends to lean toward clarity and sweetness in the broth rather than aggressive richness. Good stalls let the fish do most of the talking. You notice freshness first, then the broth, then the little things: whether the slices stay tender, whether the fried fish is still crisp when it lands, whether the soup tastes naturally savoury instead of heavily engineered. That’s why the best Teochew fish soup stalls in Singapore are usually the ones that look almost understated from the outside.
Below are some of the strongest places to know right now if you’re craving a proper bowl.
| Place | Best For | Style | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Street Teochew Fish Soup | Best overall classic bowl | Clear, naturally sweet Teochew broth | Upper Serangoon / Kovan |
| Best for a benchmark Teochew fish soup experience. | |||
| Han Kee Fish Soup (Amoy) | CBD lunch crowd | Classic clear broth, fresh fish | Tanjong Pagar / Maxwell |
| Best for a respected, queue-worthy city-centre bowl. | |||
| Fish Soup Paradise | Convenience | Polished brand-led Teochew fish soup | Raffles Place |
| Best for a repeatable CBD option with easy access. | |||
| Han Kee Fish Soup (Bedok) | Neighbourhood comfort | Mild, dependable fish soup | Bedok |
| Best for east-side regulars who want a simple, reliable bowl. | |||
| Whampoa 87 Fish Soup | Value | Fresh fish, generous portions, lighter broth | Bedok |
| Best for generous portions without losing freshness. | |||
1. First Street Teochew Fish Soup
If there’s one name that comes up again and again in Singapore’s fish soup conversation, it’s First Street. The reason is simple: it does the classic Teochew profile very well. The broth is light, clear, and naturally sweet rather than heavy-handed. The fish slices are thick enough to feel satisfying, and the stall’s pomfret and batang options are a big part of why people are willing to queue. It’s one of those places where the soup still feels delicate even when the bowl itself is substantial.
What makes First Street stand out isn’t novelty. It’s confidence. It doesn’t need to pile on ingredients or lean on an overly milky broth to impress. If you like fish soup that feels old-school and honest, this is one of the safest recommendations in Singapore. The only real downside is that you’re unlikely to have the stall to yourself.
Best for: A classic benchmark bowl with tender fish and a clean, naturally sweet broth.
Address: 1014 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534752
Contact: +65 8161 9552
Opening hours: Tue–Sun, 8am–3pm according to Time Out; other current official social listings also show the same address and indicate daytime opening, so it’s worth checking the stall’s latest notice before heading down.
2. Han Kee Fish Soup at Amoy Street Food Centre
Han Kee is one of those CBD stalls that office workers talk about with a mix of affection and resignation because the queues are real. It has Michelin recognition, which is not why people line up, but it does tell you the stall has reached a level of consistency that goes beyond ordinary lunchtime popularity. The fish is fresh, the broth is famously clean, and the stall has the kind of reputation that only builds over years of serving the same thing well.
This is a very good choice if what you want is a straightforward, no-nonsense bowl in the Teochew tradition. The broth isn’t trying to overwhelm you. It’s restrained, which is exactly what makes it work. In a city where plenty of fish soups are now competing on gimmicks or add-ons, Han Kee still feels anchored in the idea that fresh fish and proper soup should be enough.
Best for: A respected CBD staple with a classic clear-broth profile.
Address: Amoy Street Food Centre, #02-129, 7 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069111
Opening hours: Mon–Fri, 11am–3pm; closed Sat–Sun.
3. Fish Soup Paradise
Fish Soup Paradise is different from the hawker-style names on this list because it’s a more modern brand, with multiple CBD outlets and a broader retail presence, but it still roots itself explicitly in Teochew fish soup. The brand says it uses a family recipe and currently operates outlets at CIMB Plaza and Republic Plaza, which makes it especially convenient if you work in Raffles Place and don’t want your fish soup fix to involve a long detour.
The style here is a little more polished and brand-led than hawker soup, but that doesn’t automatically make it less appealing. In fact, if you like Teochew fish soup and want it in a cleaner, more accessible CBD format, Fish Soup Paradise is a very practical option. It’s especially strong for people who want consistency and a central location, and it has done a good job making fish soup feel office-lunch friendly without flattening the category into blandness.
Best for: CBD convenience and a polished, easy-to-repeat Teochew fish soup lunch.
Representative outlets:
- 30 Raffles Place, CIMB Plaza, #B1-02, Singapore 048622
- 9 Raffles Place, Republic Plaza, #B1-07, Singapore 048619
Contact: +65 9146 9284 / +65 9232 9219
Opening hours: CIMB Plaza Mon–Fri, 7:30am–4:30pm, Sat 7:30am–2:30pm on the brand’s contact page; the brand FAQ also lists self-pickup at CIMB Plaza Mon–Fri 10:30am–7pm and Republic Plaza Mon–Fri 10:30am–8pm, so it’s sensible to check the latest branch-specific timing before visiting.
4. Han Kee Fish Soup at Bedok Food Centre
This Han Kee is unrelated to the better-known Amoy Street stall, but it has its own loyal crowd and deserves to be judged on its own bowl rather than by association. The Bedok version has been serving fish soup for decades and is still one of the east side’s more reliable places for a simple, satisfying bowl. It has a more neighbourhood feel to it, which can be a very good thing when you’re craving fish soup that doesn’t come with a lunch-break crowd and CBD intensity.
What works here is familiarity. The broth is mild and comforting, the fish is fresh, and the whole experience feels like a stall that has earned regulars over time rather than sudden hype. If you live in Bedok or nearby, this is one of those places that can easily become part of your personal rotation.
Best for: East-side comfort and a dependable neighbourhood bowl.
Address: 216 Bedok North Street 1, #01-46, Bedok Food Centre and Market, Singapore 460216
Opening hours: Around 10am–2:30pm on currently indexed map data; older food write-ups list 9:30am–3pm and note closure on selected weekdays, so it’s worth checking the stall before making a special trip.
5. Whampoa 87 Fish Soup
Whampoa 87 is a newer favourite compared with some of the long-established names here, but it has gained attention quickly because people feel they’re getting a lot of fish for the price. The stall hangs whole batang fish at the front, which is the kind of visual statement that immediately signals seriousness about freshness. While it may not brand itself as “Teochew” in the way First Street does, its clearer broth and fish-first approach make it highly relevant for anyone who likes this general style of fish soup.
This is probably the best choice on this list if value matters a lot to you. The portions have become part of the stall’s reputation, but it isn’t just about quantity. The freshness seems to be a real part of the appeal too. If you’re in the east and want a bowl that feels generous without becoming clumsy, Whampoa 87 is worth knowing.
Best for: Value-for-money fish soup with especially generous fish portions.
Address: 26 New Upper Changi Road, Lucky Stars Coffeeshop, Singapore 462026
Opening hours: Commonly listed as 9am–8pm on community posts; the most recent food write-up confirms the same address, though not the full hours, so checking before you go is sensible.
How to choose the right Teochew fish soup stall
If you want the classic answer, go to First Street or Han Kee at Amoy. Both lean into the clean, restrained style that makes Teochew fish soup distinct. If you want a more office-friendly, repeatable CBD option, Fish Soup Paradise is the most practical. And if you want something in the east that feels generous and straightforward, Han Kee Bedok or Whampoa 87 make more sense.
The bigger point is that “best” depends on what you value. Purity of broth, freshness of fish, location, portion size, or queue tolerance. Fish soup is a simpler dish than it looks, but that simplicity makes small differences matter more. A broth that is just a little murkier, fish that is just a little tougher, soup that is just a little too salty, and the whole bowl changes.
Final thoughts
If you want the short list, start with First Street for a proper Teochew benchmark, Han Kee Amoy if you’re in the CBD and don’t mind a queue. Fish Soup Paradise is the practical city-worker answer, while Han Kee Bedok and Whampoa 87 are useful if you live in the east and don’t feel like crossing the island for lunch.
Teochew fish soup is not dramatic food. That’s part of why people love it. When it’s good, it feels restorative in a way flashier dishes don’t. Clear broth, fresh fish, a little rice on the side, and suddenly lunch feels much more sorted than it did half an hour ago.
