Gallery: Singapore Stories: Tour of 7-Eleven

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Updated Aug. 10, 2018

See what local flavors are stocking the shelves at 7-Elevens in Singapore.

  • Hot Chips and Chinese Buns

    Labeled "Craze Hottis" (if they mean "crazy hotties" that would be hilarious), these crunchy spicy chips are served up nice and warm right next to various filled Chinese steamed buns, orbao．包馅料包括叉烧、chicken, and red bean.

  • "Faster" Instant Noodles

    Instant Noodles

    I didn't know you could get faster than instant, but apparently 7-Eleven offers it here in the form of a hot water spout for noodles on the run.

  • More Noodles

    Noodles

    There's something for everyone here, especially the locals. Flavors include tom yam, laksa, tonkatsu ramen, chili crab, and black pepper crab. There's even instantcongee(rice porridge).

  • Sweet Bun

    Sweet Bun

    Yes, the name made me think twice. But the sweet bun in this package is spread with a favorite of Singapore:kaya jam, which is a spread made of caramelized coconut, palm sugar, egg, and pandan. Instead of the usual butter that accompanies kaya, this had margarine. The bread that 7-Eleven picked was just a standard hamburger bun. Other choices are coconut and sweet corn.

    Continue to 5 of 11 below.

  • Local "Snacks"

    Local snacks

    Does anyone notice anything strange or vague with the labeling here? On the back side you'll find the labels: prawn stick crackers, prawn crackers, and sambal tapioca chips.

  • Dried Cuttlefish

    Dried cuttlefish

    Get your fishy chew on with dried cuttlefish. I've never been able to warm up to this popular Singaporean snack. If you like very chewy, extremely fishy snacks, this is for you.

  • The Singaporean TV dinner

    TV dinner

    There are plenty of ready-made meals to go in 7-Eleven, such as nasi lemak, butter chicken, curry roti, beef rendang, and the one here, which is a spin on the popular hainanese chicken rice.

  • Drinks

    Drinks

    Feel like a chrysanthemum or jasmine iced tea? Would lemon barley, lychee, wintermelon, or calamansi lime juice hit the spot? How about a good ole bird's nest drink? You'll find it here.

    Continue to 9 of 11 below.

  • Wine (Mostly From Australia)

    Wine

    Not every store sells wine, but even if you find it, you won't find it at a bargain. Alcohol is taxed heavily in Singapore, so you'll still pay $20 for a really cheap bottle.

  • Merlion Souvenir Snacks

    Snacks

    Themerlionis Singapore's mascot. The figure of a lion head on a fish's body represents the melding of Singapore's original name, Singapura (meaning "lion city") to Singapore's origin as a fishing village. I traveled to a particularly touristy 7-Eleven to find heaps of souvenirs on display, including the merlion cookies here.

  • Non-food Souvenirs

    Non-food items at 7/11

    Merlion T-shirts that won't melt in the heat.

    7/11
    Dining Out