Quick answer: For vegetarian food in Little India, Nalan Restaurant gives you proper North and South Indian cooking with a no-onion, no-garlic menu. Ananda Bhavan has been doing banana leaf meals since 1924 and still opens at 7am. If you want something less traditional, Herbivore near Bugis does Japanese-Western plates like vegetarian sashimi, while Elemen at Millenia Walk runs a multi-course set menu that mixes Asian and Western flavours. The best pick depends on whether you want heritage, a date-night setting, or something your non-vegetarian friends will also get excited about.
How to choose
Little India’s vegetarian scene splits roughly three ways: old-guard Indian kitchens that have fed generations, modern fusion spots that treat plant-based dining as its own art form, and casual cafes where you can drop in without planning three days ahead. What matters is the occasion. Bringing parents who remember the original Ananda Bhavan from the 1970s? That is one kind of meal. Taking a friend who thinks vegetarian food means sad salads? That calls for Herbivore’s sashimi-or the eight-course set at Elemen. If you are strictly Jain or avoid onion and garlic, Nalan’s whole menu is built around that. Price-wise, a banana leaf meal and a cup of chai at a heritage spot will run you under $15. The tasting-menu places land closer to $40-60 per head, which is fair when you see the number of courses and the detail on the plate. Book ahead on weekends—Little India gets packed, and the better-known names fill up fast.
We keep these lists updated by hand. If you run something that fits, get in touch before the next revision.
Elemen
Elemen sits inside Millenia Walk, a short walk from Promenade MRT, and feels like a place you book when you want a proper sit-down dinner that happens to be meat-free. The kitchen runs multi-course set menus—eight courses for the Thai menu, for instance—that move from a truffle mushroom soup through quinoa salads and creative vegetable-based mains, all plated with the kind of care that makes you pause before picking up your fork. They use natural ingredients and avoid mock meats in favour of vegetables treated as the main event, which is part of why this spot draws as many non-vegetarians as it does regulars.
The lunch hours are staggered on weekends and lunar calendar dates, with two seatings, so check before you go. Dinner follows a similar split: one seating early, one later. It is a smart setup that keeps the room from feeling rushed, and the service gets a lot of quiet appreciation for knowing when to leave you alone and when to refill your tea.
- Address: 9 Raffles Boulevard, Millenia Walk, #01-75/75A/76, Singapore 039596
- Phone: +65 6238 1668
- Hours: Lunch Mon–Thu 11am–3:30pm; Fri–Sun & selected dates two seatings 11am–1pm, 1:30pm–3:30pm. Dinner Mon–Thu 5:30pm–9:30pm; Fri–Sun & selected dates two seatings 5:30pm–7pm, 7:30pm–10pm
- Price: Set menus around $40–60 per person
- Website: elemengroup.com.sg
If you have a birthday or an anniversary coming up and want a table where the food looks as good as the conversation feels, this is the one. The room is calm enough for a long meal, and the set-menu format means you do not have to think—they just bring course after course. Might also be the place to bring a parent who insists vegetarian food cannot be filling; they will leave quiet and happy.
LingZhi Vegetarian Restaurant
LingZhi occupies the fifth floor of Liat Towers on Orchard Road—technically not Little India, but close enough that regulars treat it as part of the same outing. It is a Chinese vegetarian restaurant through and through, the kind where dim sum arrives in bamboo steamers and herbal soups are taken seriously. Dishes like braised mock fish with yam and vegetarian roast meats lean on decades of kitchen technique to get the textures right without cutting corners on ingredients.
Lunch runs 11am to 3pm, dinner from 6pm to 10pm, daily. The dining room feels more Orchard Road than Serangoon Road—white tablecloths, attentive captains, a wine list that pairs with the menu. It is not cheap-eats territory, but you are paying for consistency and a kitchen that has been at this long enough to make vegetarian char siew that actually tastes like char siew.
- Address: 541 Orchard Road, Liat Towers #05-01, Singapore 238881
- Phone: +65 6734 3788
- Hours: Daily lunch 11am–3pm, dinner 6pm–10pm
- Price: Around $35–55 per person for a full meal
- Website: lingzhivegetarian.com
This one suits families who want a proper Chinese meal without the meat, especially during festive periods when tables elsewhere are booked solid. The dim sum is a good reason to gather a group—order a few rounds, share, and let someone else pick up the bill.
Nalan Restaurant
Nalan is on Serangoon Road, right in the thick of Little India, and the first thing to know is that the entire menu skips onion and garlic. That makes it a natural fit for Jain diners and anyone who keeps those restrictions, but it also means the kitchen works harder with spice blends to build flavour. The result is North and South Indian vegetarian food that does not feel like it is missing anything—dosas, paneer gravies, vegan bento boxes, and during Diwali, limited-run sweets like sugar-free rose nutty delights.
They open at 11:30am and stay open right through to 11:30pm, which is a blessing when you are wandering Little India late and suddenly hungry. The room has a modern polish without being stiff, and the online ordering works smoothly if you would rather eat at home.
- Address: 82 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217987
- Phone: +65 9171 8282
- Hours: Daily 11:30am–11:30pm
- Price: Mains from about $10–18
- Website: nalan.com.sg
If you have family members who eat strictly vegetarian, or you are planning a group meal where dietary requirements are all over the place, Nalan takes a lot of stress off the table. The no-onion-no-garlic baseline means fewer questions to ask, and the food still has enough character that nobody feels they are compromising.
If you enjoy what you find here, our list of South Indian Restaurants in Singapore has another set of picks worth a look.
Ananda Bhavan Vegetarian Restaurant
Ananda Bhavan has been on Serangoon Road since 1924. That is more than a century of banana leaf meals, thali sets, dosas, idlis, and biryanis served to a crowd that spans early-morning regulars and families rolling in for weekend lunch. The menu covers Southern and Northern Indian dishes, with vegan and Jain options marked clearly, and the portions are generous enough that you will probably skip dinner. They open at 7am, which means you can chope a seat for breakfast before the heat really kicks in.
This is not a place that chases trends. The kitchen does what it has always done: fresh preparations, balanced spices, and a rhythm that keeps the floor turning over without making you feel hurried. The banana leaf meal is the move—rice, vegetables, pickles, papadum, and a few curries ladled out in sequence. Simple, satisfying, and priced so you can come back tomorrow.
- Address: 58 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217960
- Phone: +65 6396 5464
- Hours: Daily 7am–9:30pm
- Price: Banana leaf meals from about $8–12
- Website: anandabhavan.com
Go when you want something grounding—a meal that does not need explaining, in a room that has seen it all. Bring visiting relatives who want to see the “real” Little India, or just treat yourself to a slow breakfast after a long week. The 7am opening is a quiet luxury few other spots in the area offer.
Herbivore
Herbivore is tucked inside Fortune Centre on Middle Road, a building locals know as a treasure box of vegetarian and Buddhist-friendly eateries. This one does something different from the Indian kitchens up the road: Japanese-Western fusion, with vegetarian sashimi, teriyaki “meats,” and fried “chicken” that are made to fool your senses. The sashimi in particular gets people talking—the texture and presentation are close enough to the real thing that longtime vegetarians do a double take.
Lunch runs 11:30am to 3pm, dinner from 5pm to 9:30pm, daily. The dining room is modest, the focus is squarely on the plate, and the menu rewards a sense of adventure. If you have a friend who refuses to believe vegetarian food can be indulgent, this is where you bring them.
- Address: 190 Middle Road, #01-13/14 Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979
- Phone: +65 6333 1612
- Hours: Daily lunch 11:30am–3pm, dinner 5pm–9:30pm
- Price: Mains around $15–25
- Website: herbivore.sg
Best for a casual dinner with friends who like to share plates and debate which dish tastes most like the original. It is also a solid pick if someone in your group is vegan—the menu handles that without fuss.
Eight Treasures Vegetarian
Eight Treasures Vegetarian is on South Bridge Road, a short ride from Little India proper, and it has built a quiet following around comfort food done in vegetarian form. The satay, mutton curry, and other faux-meat dishes are the draw—flavours that remind you of hawker-centre favourites, executed with enough care that you do not miss the original. The kitchen’s philosophy is straightforward: properly cooked vegetarian food lacks nothing, and the menu is structured to prove that dish by dish.
Lunch is Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30am to 2:30pm. Dinner runs Tuesday to Friday 6pm–9:30pm, and on weekends 5pm–9:30pm. Closed Mondays, so plan around it. The space is simple, the service quick, and the price point makes it easy to order an extra dish just to try.
- Address: 282A South Bridge Road, Singapore 058831
- Phone: +65 6534 7727
- Hours: Lunch Tue–Sun 11:30am–2:30pm; dinner Tue–Fri 6pm–9:30pm, Sat–Sun 5pm–9:30pm (closed Mon)
- Price: Dishes from about $8–16
- Website: Check with the business
This one is for comfort-food cravings—when you want satay and curry on a rainy evening and do not want to overthink it. The early weekend dinner start at 5pm also makes it handy for families with kids who eat early.
Tulasi Vegetarian Cafe
Tulasi is on Race Course Road, a street that runs parallel to Serangoon Road and often gets overlooked by the main crowd. The cafe does Indian vegetarian with a modern sensibility—the menu includes a vegetarian mutton Hyderabadi biryani that gets a lot of quiet respect for how close it comes to the original in aroma and texture. Biryanis and curries are the backbone here, built with premium spices and layered in a way that rewards eating slowly.
Open daily from 11am to 10pm, so it works for lunch, an early dinner, or something in between. The space is bright and unpretentious, and the staff are happy to guide you through the menu if you are new to Indian vegetarian cooking.
- Address: 46 Race Course Road, Singapore 218559
- Phone: +65 6398 0022
- Hours: Daily 11am–10pm
- Price: Biryanis and mains around $10–18
- Website: Check with the business
A good pick when you want to explore beyond the usual dosa-and-thali rotation. The biryani is the reason to come; order it with a side of raita and a cup of masala chai, and you have a meal that feels special without any fuss.
We keep these lists updated by hand. If you run something that fits, get in touch before the next revision.
If Little India is part of a bigger food crawl, our guides to Restaurants on Club Street in Singapore and Restaurants in Robertson Quay might be useful next stops.
Comparison at a glance
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Price per person | Best for | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elemen | Asian-Western fusion | Check with the business | Date nights, anniversaries | Lunch & dinner; split seatings on weekends |
| LingZhi Vegetarian | Chinese vegetarian | $35–55 | Family meals, dim sum lunches | Daily 11am–3pm, 6pm–10pm |
| Nalan Restaurant | North & South Indian | $10–18 | Jain diets, group meals | Daily 11:30am–11:30pm |
| Ananda Bhavan | South Indian heritage | $8–12 | Breakfast, banana leaf meals | Daily 7am–9:30pm |
| Herbivore | Japanese-Western fusion | $15–25 | Adventurous eaters, vegan-friendly | Daily 11:30am–3pm, 5pm–9:30pm |
| Eight Treasures | Chinese vegetarian | $8–16 | Comfort food, casual dinners | Tue–Sun lunch, dinner; closed Mon |
| Tulasi Vegetarian Cafe | Indian vegetarian | $10–18 | Biryanis, exploring new menus | Daily 11am–10pm |
Summary
Little India’s vegetarian restaurants run the full gamut from century-old banana leaf institutions to polished fusion kitchens. Whether you want a $10 breakfast that has been served the same way for decades, or an eight-course dinner where vegetables get the fine-dining treatment, the area delivers. Pick based on what the meal needs to do: impress, comfort, or simply fill you up well.
Disclaimer: Details can change. Hours, menus and prices shift with the season, so confirm directly with the restaurant before making plans.
Frequently asked questions
Which vegetarian restaurant in Little India is best for a special occasion?
Elemen at Millenia Walk is the natural pick—multi-course set menus, careful plating, and a room quiet enough for long conversation. LingZhi Vegetarian on Orchard Road also works well for family celebrations, especially if Chinese vegetarian dishes are what the table wants.
Are there Jain-friendly vegetarian restaurants in Little India?
Yes. Nalan Restaurant runs an entirely no-onion, no-garlic kitchen, which suits Jain dietary practices. Ananda Bhavan also marks Jain options on its menu, so you have at least two solid choices without leaving the area.
Can I find vegan options at these restaurants?
Several spots handle vegan requests without much trouble. Nalan has vegan bento boxes, Ananda Bhavan labels vegan dishes clearly, and Herbivore is known among the vegan crowd in Singapore for its Japanese-Western plant-based plates.
Which vegetarian restaurant in Little India opens earliest?
Ananda Bhavan opens at 7am daily, which makes it the earliest on this list. It is the place for a proper South Indian breakfast—idli, dosa, or a banana leaf meal to start the day.
Do I need to book a table in advance?
For Elemen and LingZhi, yes—especially on weekends and around lunar calendar dates, when they run split seatings. Nalan, Ananda Bhavan, and the more casual cafes usually have walk-in availability, but calling ahead never hurts if you are coming with a large group.
Which restaurant would impress a non-vegetarian?
Herbivore, hands down. The vegetarian sashimi and teriyaki “meats” are close enough to the originals that even sceptics tend to leave curious rather than sceptical. Eight Treasures Vegetarian does something similar for Chinese comfort-food classics like satay and mutton curry.