Deepavali was on Sunday 8 November, and the Festival Village has wrapped up, but Little India's street lights are still glowing every night until 29 November. That makes the next few weeks a nice time to go for dinner and a stroll. Here's a simple food walk, with a few honest notes on what we could and couldn't verify.

When to go

The light-up runs nightly from 7pm to midnight until 29 November. Guides we read say Little India is busiest on Sunday afternoons and evenings, and calmest on weekday mornings. If you want food and lights without the squeeze, try a weekday evening after 7pm.

Getting there is easy: Little India MRT (NE7/DT12) is right at the area, and Jalan Besar MRT (DT22) is also nearby, according to the Singapore Tourism Board.

Stop 1: Tekka Centre, the market and hawker hub

Tekka Centre (665 Buffalo Road) has a long story. The original market opened in 1915, and the present building replaced it, with stallholders moving in on 3 May 1981 and the name Tekka Centre adopted in 2000, according to Roots.gov.sg. Many stallholders today are second or third generation.

Expect Indian stalls selling biryani, prata, dosa and tea, alongside Chinese and Malay stalls. One guide gives rough prices of S$5 to 8 for banana-leaf rice, S$1.50 to 2.50 per prata and S$5 to 7 for biryani, but these are not official, so please treat them as ballpark only.

Stop 2: A banana-leaf meal

A banana-leaf meal means rice with several curries, vegetables and pappadam served on a banana leaf. It is traditionally eaten by hand, but spoons are usually available if you prefer. Names that come up in the guides we read:

  • Banana Leaf Apolo (54 to 58 Race Course Road): known for fish-head curry. It is not vegetarian.
  • Ananda Bhavan (58 Serangoon Road): a long-standing South Indian vegetarian canteen, with thalis, idli, dosa and sweets.
  • Madras New Woodlands (14 Upper Dickson Road): South Indian vegetarian, with pongal, paper dosa and thali sets.
  • Gokul Vegetarian (Upper Dickson Road): North and South Indian dishes, and one guide says Jain-style food without onion or garlic can be requested.

Do note that Komala Vilas on Serangoon Road, still listed in many older guides, is reported to have been closed since 19 January 2026, with no reopening announced.

Stop 3: Something sweet and a stroll

Many shops sell Indian sweets and snacks, and the lights along Serangoon Road are best enjoyed on foot. Take your time, and give way at crossings, as the streets get busy.

Eating respectfully

Many restaurants in Little India are fully vegetarian, so don't bring in outside meat dishes.
If you are vegetarian, ask about hidden ingredients. One guide notes that "no meat" does not always mean no fish sauce, shrimp paste or lard.
If you need halal food, ask the outlet directly. We could not verify halal status for individual places.
Don't assume every shop is open. Some family-run shops close around the festival.

Good to know before you go

We could not confirm the opening hours of individual restaurants from the outlets themselves, so please check before travelling. A temple visit works best in the morning, and remember to dress modestly and remove your shoes.

Enjoy the lights, and come hungry.