Slurp up at these 12 hot suan cai yu spots in Singapore
Suan cai yu is having its cultural moment here. Not only can you get solid suan cai yu in Singapore in restaurants but you can also now get decent versions in coffeeshops and food courts!
Also known as sauerkraut fish or Sichuan fish with pickled mustard greens, suan cai yu hails from Chongqing, Sichuan, China. It’s served with fresh fish slices, though some versions are technically Chongqing-style grilled fish, with a whole seared fish in the broth.
For those who love the dish, you’ll know that a good suan cai yu balances both sour and spicy flavours. The pickled mustard greens come simmered in a tangy broth, often enhanced by Sichuan peppercorns for a numbing kick.
Have we got you salivating? If you’re craving a bold, vibrant broth, we’ve put together a quick list of 12 lip-smacking suan cai yu in Singapore to awaken your palate!
-
Tai Er
Tai Er needs little introduction — if you know your suan cai yu places in Singapore, you’d probably already be well-acquainted with this SCY speciality spot.
First established in 2015 as a small eatery in China, Tai Er’s name came about as it was said that its owner was so focused on cooking that he forgot to open the door. His amused customers began using the term “tai er” (“tai 2” — where “2” is read as “er” — is a Chinese slang for being excessively silly) to describe him.
The owner took it in his stride and eventually adopted it as the restaurant’s name. Tai Er has since become a suan cai yu favourite in Singapore after opening here in 2021.
Here, the suan cai & fish (from S$34.90) strikes the right balance of sour, spicy and umami-rich flavours, with consistently fresh, odour-free fish slices. Other popular dishes, such as spicy cereal prawns (S$32.90) and kid-friendly egg coated glutinous rice rolls (S$9.90), have their share of loyal fans, too.
2. Xiao Yu Hao
Xiao Yu Hao is a suan cai yu chain from China with over 800 outlets, and recently opened its first Singapore location at Collyer Quay Centre in mid-2025.
Ever since its launch in China in 2019, the brand has gone viral for its affordable single-portion bowls of clean-tasting sauerkraut fish soup, which showcases effortfully fermented ingredients. Xiao Yu Hao ages its pickled mustard greens for nearly a year in traditional clay jars, creating mellow yet complex flavours in its soup.
The highlight here is the sauerkraut black fish in golden broth with five grain rice noodles (from S$12.80), with fresh, thick slices of black snakehead fish, each firm yet tender to the bite, complemented by wholesome noodles, tofu puffs, fungus, enoki mushrooms and more.
Another favourite is the black fish in spicy lemon broth (from S$13.80), with a refreshing taste that is also easy on the stomach.
3. Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine
Not many might know this, but Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine is actually a Singapore-born suan cai yu concept. Founded in 2009, it had its beginnings as Hunan Restaurant on Smith Street in Chinatown, and was founded by Hunan natives James Chao and Stella Tang when they were still studying in university in Singapore.
Fast forward to more than a decade later, Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine is a household name in Singapore, loved for its authentic Hunan flavours, and boasting some 15 outlets around the country.
Xiang Xiang’s golden broth sour and spicy fish (S$32.90) is a popular choice among diners for its balanced profile that never overwhelms the palate. The hearty, sour and mildly spicy broth goes so well with the Wuchang rice, a type of Japonica rice from Heilongjiang, China, that is served.
The Changsha peppered century eggs (S$12.90), though a side dish, often steals the show, too, with its refreshing savouriness, pairing exceptionally well with the rice.
4. Little Pond
If you’re looking for a suan cai yu restaurant in Singapore that has a little something else, Little Pond specialises in both suan cai yu and spicy prawn pot.
Its golden sauerkraut fish (from S$39.90) can be enjoyed like a steamboat, where the soup, which delivers a gentle numbing sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns, is kept simmering. Most other versions come with just a little broth to coat the fish, but this version allows you to add sides after you’re done with the fish!
Regulars also appreciate Little Pond’s suan cai yu for being less oily than most. By default, the soup comes with fresh snakehead fish slices, tofu puffs, cabbage and enoki mushrooms — but the sky’s really the limit here!
Another highlight, the signature fragrant spicy prawn pot (from S$49.90), showcases large, meaty prawns with a piquant heat. This dry pot is accompanied by konjac, corn cobs, potato strips, lotus root and more, making it a pretty wholesome dish!
5. Xing Le Mala Hotpot
Opened in 2017, Xing Le Mala Hotpot is a spot that serves up both mala xiang guo and suan cai yu, making it the place for anyone who loves all things spicy. The brand has since expanded across neighbourhoods in Singapore over the past few years, and has earned a loyal following for its reliable dishes that deliver on all fronts when it comes to spice, fragrance and savouriness.
At Xing Le Mala Hotpot, the preserved vegetable fish (S$15) is a generous, shareable portion with fresh, quality ingredients — just the qualities its mala xiang guo possesses. Here, the mala (prices vary by ingredients) is less oily than that of other stores, and is particularly loved by regulars for its crunchy vegetables and springy noodles.
6. Old Chengdu
Its flagship Pagoda outlet might have opened in 2009, but Old Chengdu actually first began as a humble food stall in 2006 in People’s Park Complex, Chinatown, where many fell in love with the tingling sensation of Sichuan spices in the dishes that it served up.
Besides gaining popularity through the sheer power of its dishes and word-of-mouth, it was also featured in a CCTV documentary, and soon became the go-to Sichuan spot in Singapore for both locals and tourists.
Old Chengdu’s double-boiled fish (from S$30.80) and Old Chengdu chilli chicken (S$20.80) are the top hits here for their quality ingredients that emphasise fresh, vibrant flavours. But since we’re all here for its suan cai yu, it would be remiss to miss out on its boiled fish with Sichuan pickles (from S$28.80), celebrated for its bold, tangy broth and tender fish that soak up the addictive spices.
7. Yu Zhong Bu Tong
You might have seen it at Food Republic but we bet you didn’t know that not only is this suan cai yu concept a local one, but it also serves up the freshest catch.
Yu Zhong Bu Tong is a farm-to-table concept which uses fresh fish harvested from the owners’ local coastal farm at Lorong Halus Jetty in Pasir Ris. Fresh seafood and fish, such as barramundi and grouper, which come from the fish farm daily, arrive at the eatery within hours of their harvest, ensuring you get only the freshest fish on your table.
The fish soups (S$9.80) come in four flavours: Spicy poached, sauerkraut, tomato, and collagen. Each bowl includes rice and two sides of your choice, ranging from black fungus and tofu skin to lettuce, big beansprouts,and more. Here, the broth is robust and well-balanced between spicy and sour, coming off not only as a beautifully presented dish, but a completely satisfying value-for-money experience!
8. Ju Wei Ge
Ju Wei Ge is an unexpected gem of a spot that we incidentally found, serving suan cai yu in Singapore. The humble concept opened in late 2024 at Fortune Centre and has quietly but steadily won over diners with its hearty Nanyang and Sichuan fare.
The stall is helmed by 48-year-old Chong Chee Leong, who found the time and space to pursue his F&B passion with his siblings after being retrenched. Perhaps owing to his lifelong passion for food, the eatery channels a homely, honest touch into every dish.
While many might come for its signature salt-baked chicken burger (S$9.80), which features meat marinated overnight with traditional Chinese herbs, tucked between soft sourdough buns, it’s the sauerkraut Chinese fish set meal (S$11.90 with a bowl of rice, soup, dessert and drink) that’s been stealing the spotlight.
Ju Wei Ge’s version appeals to Singaporean taste buds with its milder flavours, less oil and tender toman slices — even actress Rebecca Lim is said to be a fan!
We spoke to its founder Chee Leong to find out more about the store.
9. Chong Qing Grilled Fish
Chong Qing Grilled Fish was founded by four friends, all of whom work in the finance industry. Two of them had visited Chongqing, China, and fell in love with its bold, mala-spiced grilled fish — they were so enamoured with the dish that they opened an outlet specialising in the dish in 2010 in Singapore.
Today, the brand, which allows you to select from a variety of fish types, is regarded as the OG of Chongqing grilled fish in Singapore.
While we’ve shared a few places with their fair share of individual-serving suan cai yu dishes, this place is all about sharing. The grilled fish here comes in different flavours, and if you can’t pick one, go for the dual pot (S$52.80).
The pickled cabbage flavour (from S$39.90) has a punchy salty-sweet broth that isn’t too spicy. It’s not the usual suan cai yu which typically features steamed fish — this one uses a whole grilled fish — but change-up is all for the better because it lends a different, full-bodied taste to the whole experience. Don’t forget to get some mantou (S$6.80 for six pieces) for dipping into the sumptuous broth, too!
10. Yao Yao
With over 60 outlets across China, it’s clear that Yao Yao, which was founded in Shenzhen in 2016, is easily one of China’s top few go-tos for a serving of satisfying suan cai yu. It first arrived in Singapore in 2023, and its outlet at VivoCity is its first international outpost.
The Yao Yao sauerkraut fish (from S$36.90) features a broth slow-cooked for eight hours with spices specially sourced from Sichuan. It comes with tender slices of California white seabass, simmered with pickled mustard greens fermented for 24 days for that distinctive tang.
What also sets Yao Yao apart from other suan cai yu restaurants is its Super Combination (S$61.90), which lets you enjoy two dishes in one bowl. For example, you can pair the sauerkraut fish with tomato fish, Hong Kong-style crispy prawns with fries, or Sichuan-style poached pork — making it a good spot for indecisive eaters or bigger groups!
11. Tanyu
Originating from Shenzhen, China, in 2008, Tanyu specialises in Chongqing-style grilled fish, and now has over 300 outlets across Asia.
The grilled fish with fresh green pepper (from S$48.90) is often the star here. This is closely followed by the grilled fish with sauerkraut (from S$48.90), where chunks of Chinese sauerkraut specially selected from Yunnan are stewed to produce a lively, tangy broth.
There are four fish options to choose from for your pots: Limbo fish (grass carp), limbo fish slices, Qingjiang fish (a type of catfish raised in the Qingjiang Reservoir area), and sea bass. Limbo fish is known for being tender and mild, Qingjiang fish is said to be firm with a clean taste, and sea bass is loved for being sweet and flaky — take your pick depending on your preference and slurp away!
12. Culiang Yufen
Over the past two years, Culiang Yufen is a casual concept that seems to have quietly expanded into various food courts around Singapore, serving up Chinese-style fish and beef noodle soups (from S$6.80) in its unique blue bowls.
Here, customisation is the name of the game. You can choose from five soup bases (signature, golden broth, tomato, sour and spicy and mala), and enjoy the soup with rice or noodles!
Notably, the sauerkraut soup with rice (from S$9.80) is a standout here — you get a choice of sliced fish, dory fish, or beef. The broth is hearty and well-seasoned, with a comforting tang from the preserved vegetables that whets the appetite. However, it may leave you slightly parched afterwards, thanks to the robust flavours, but hey, there’s plenty of quenching options in the malls these concepts are at!
For more stories, check out our latest piece on a new spot giving free sandwiches in Joo Chiat (yes, free!), as well as our interview with the strapping chef of the newest Michelin restaurant on the block, Omakase @ Steven’s.
