Spice lovers will always love the heat from the food that makes one’s face blush, sweat trickle and stomach churn from dusk till dawn. No matter how torturous it may sound, the excitement we get from eating spicy food will make the fiery blast that awaits us seemingly enjoyable.

Many of us absolutely love spicy food, yet our bodies cannot take the heat. However, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Believe it or not, spice tolerance can actually be built up over time.

There are some dining establishments in Singapore where you can choose the spice level of your food—an excellent idea for those who simply want to challenge themselves. If you are someone like that, we have compiled a list of 11 places in Singapore where you can up your spice level on your next visit if you are tired of playing it safe.

Photo Credit: whiskeyandsoba

CURRY HOUSE COCO ICHIBANYA

Curry House Coco ICHIBANYA has over 1400 outlets worldwide and it is the place to go to whenever any craving for Japanese curry kicks in and luckily for us, there are five outlets in Singapore. While Coco Ichibanya’s menu ranges from curry rice to salad and pasta, their Japanese curry is the one that will steal your heart.

Diners get to customise their spice level from level 1 to level 5 for their curry rice set—daredevils should go ahead and order the highest level. It may not be the spiciest curry out there, but it will definitely leave you perspiring from the fiery heat.

Coco ICHIBANYA
#B3-25/27, 313 Orchard Road
313@Somerset*
Singapore 238895
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Tel: +65 6636 7280
(*Coco ICHIBANYA has several outlets islandwide)

GU THAI NOODLE CAFÉ

Thai food is just not the same without the intense spice level. Nestled in POMO, Gu Thai Noodle Café serves Thai Boat Noodles from just S$1.90, and we promise you that their Thai chilli packs a punch.

Diners can choose from level 1 to level 3, but we suggest you opt for no spice first as you would be able to help yourself to the Thai chilli at every table. We aren’t joking when we say that their Thai chilli could potentially leave you in tears, so being generous with their Thai chilli may not be the smartest idea.

Gu Thai Noodle Café
1 Selegie Road, #01-04 PoMo Mall
Singapore 188306
Daily: 24 hours
Nearest Station: Dhoby Ghaut/ Bras Basah

Photo Credit: ying761027

LAGNAA BAREFOOT DINING

Bare your feet and feed your soul with South and North Indian cuisine at Lagnaa Barefoot Dining, a humble eatery situated in the heart of Little India.

The place offers various levels of spiciness for their curries but proceed with caution—we heard that level 6 is so hot that your stomach will still be churning from the heat the next morning.

Lagnaa Barefoot Dining
6 Upper Dickson Road
Singapore 207466
Daily: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Tel: +65 6296 1215
Nearest Station: Little India

MA LA XIANG GUO

Many of us should be familiar with the lingering heat tingling on our lips and the numbing sensation that comes after having Ma La Xiang Guo. Choose between mild, medium and very spicy for every bowl of Ma La Xiang Guo that you are having!

The level of spiciness varies across different Ma La Xiang Guo stalls in Singapore and most will have you begging for mercy after a few mouthfuls.

NANDO’S

‘Choose your heat before you eat’—this phrase is what you will find beside the PERI-ometer on Nandos’ menu. Their PERi-PERi Chilli is measured this way, with six different levels of spice.

Besides that, the restaurant’s signature chicken comes in five levels of spiciness—ranging from ‘Plain-ish’ to ‘Extra Hot’—so it can cater to everyone in the group, whether you prefer mild or wild.

Nando’s
23 Serangoon Central, B1-41, NEX Mall
Singapore 556083*
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Tel: +65 6509 0331
Nearest Station: Serangoon
(*Nando’s has several outlets islandwide)

Photo Credit: valencia_au

OVEREASY

Overeasy serves a tantalising collection of American-fare, including gourmet burgers and chicken wings.

Spice lovers will definitely want to try their chicken wings with an additional kick of spiciness—choose between 3 different spice levels from ‘Wimp’ and ‘Hot stuff’ to ‘Crazy mofo’. Daredevils who are looking for more can ask for their spicy wing roulette, but don’t say we didn’t warn you of that crazy spice level!

OverEasy
541 Orchard Road, #01-01 Liat Towers
Singapore 238881*
Mon: 5pm – 11pm
Tue – Thu: 12pm – 3pm, 5pm – 12am
Fri: 12pm – 1am
Sat: 10am – 1am
Sun: 10am – 11pm
Tel: +65 6684 1453
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: jaxlyx

RAMEN NAGI

Hailing all the way from Fukuoka to Singapore is Ramen Nagi, a famous award-winning ramen chain in Japan that serves fully customisable ramen to their patrons.

Upon ordering, diners will get to opt for the amount of Butao Home Made Fire Sauce that is added to their bowl of ramen. Ramen Nagi offers 12 different levels of spiciness there, including no spice and an option for 1/2 spice.

Ramen Nagi
Suntec City Tower 2, North Wing, #01-512/513
Singapore 038989
Daily: 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 10pm
Tel: +65 6821 1601
Nearest Station: Promenade/ Esplanade

Photo Credit: jaxlyx

SAMA CURRY & CAFÉ

Craving for some drinkable curry? SAMA Curry & Café specialises in whipping up and assortment of flavoured curries—including Tomato, coconut and shrimp soup bases.

SAMA Curry & Café serves their curries with 3 categories of spiciness to choose from—Baby Bear (Levels 0-5), Adult Bear (6-15), and Crazy Bear (16-30). If you can take the heat well, any level from 20 onwards should not be a problem!

SAMA Curry & Café
6A Shenton Way, OUE Downtown Gallery, #03-26
Singapore 068815
Mon – Sat: 11am – 9pm
Closed on Saturdays & Sundays
Tel: +65 6224 0590
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

Photo Credit: breadkrumbs

SOUTHWEST TAVERN

Ever heard of ‘Spaghetti From Hell’? It is one serving of spaghetti that can send your body and your mind to hell and back—and it is served at Southwest Tavern.

Spaghetti From Hell comes in three stages—Hell’s Gateway, Halfway There, and Level 18, which is known to be the spiciest spaghetti in Singapore; it is so spicy that you may highly likely you would end up in tears with just one mouthful.

Southwest Tavern
8 Boon Lay Way
Singapore 609964
Daily: 11am – 12am
Tel: +65 6515 4303
Nearest Station: Jurong East

Photo Credit: The Boiler

THE BOILER

Dungeness crabs, Sri Lanka crabs, Boston lobsters, mussels and clams—these are what you can expect from The Boiler, a seafood joint that serves finger-licking good seafood and an enthralling range of beers.

For those who are in a group and opting for a combo seafood set, you can choose from 3 different levels of spiciness for a sauce of your preference.

The Boiler
18 Howard Road
#01-06 Novelty Bizcentre
Singapore 369585
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 5pm – 10.30pm
Tel: +65 6635 1285
Nearest Station: Tai Seng

Photo Credit: Sg Asia City

SUNSET GRILL & PUB

Sunset Grill & Pub’s chicken wings are almost guaranteed to leave you in tears. But those that have conquered their legendary level 35 hot wings will have their picture taken and exhibited on the wall of fame. Is it worth the pain? You decide.

259 Jalan Kayu
Singapore 799488
Tel: +65 6482 0244
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Wed to Sun: 4pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Seng Kang

Read: 7 Food Challenges in Singapore you legit want to join.

Sick of afternoon teas and cafe hopping adventures in Singapore? Then why not spice things up a little by joining our sunny island’s toughest eating challenges! These eating competitions range from consuming a jaw-dropping amount of beef burger to insanely spicy chicken wings that will have you weeping in pain. Partaking in these challenges will be epic, we promise.

From Lau Pa Sat’s Satay Challenge, Little Diner’s Empire Burger Stack Challenge to Sunset Grill & Pub’s The Level 30 Hot Wings Challenge, here is our guide to 7 food challenges in Singapore that you legit want to join.

Source: Base

#1 BASE – BASE MEGA TOWER CHALLENGE

Base’s Base Mega Tower Challenge is a ginormous sandwich boasting nine layers of bread, bacon, egg, ham, tuna and mixed vegetables. The gigantic dish itself is worth S$25 but is on the house if you could finish it within 10 minutes.

Block 603, #01-2661
Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5
Singapore 560603
Tel: +65 6451 3008
Closed on Mondays
Tue to Fri: 12pm – 9pm
Sat and Sun: 9am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Ang Mo Kio

#2 LAU PA SAT – SATAY CHALLENGE

The iconic Lau Pa Sat’s satay challenge has been around for many years. Put your eating skills to test by beating the top record of the number of satay sticks consumed within 20 minutes. If you manage to beat the current score of 150 satay sticks ($0.70 each), your satay feast will be completely free of charge.

Lau Pa Sat
18 Raffles Quay
Singapore 048582
Nearest Station: Downtown / Telok Ayer

Source: Little Diner

#3 LITTLE DINER – EMPIRE BURGER STACK CHALLENGE

Little Diner’s Empire Burger Stack (S$55++) comprises three thick beef patties, bacon slices, cheddar cheese, fried egg, caramelised onions, lettuces and tomatoes. The massive burger is perfect for three to four diners, but the challenge invites you to devour it within 20 minutes. Your bill for the meal will be waived if you succeed!

789 Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 269763
Tel: +65 6466 4088
Closed on Mondays
Tue to Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Sat: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Botanical Gardens

Source: Lower East Side Taqueria

#4 LOWER EAST SIDE TAQUERIA – THE ULTIMATE HOTNESS CHALLENGE

Do you have an extremely high tolerance for spicy food? Then head down to Lower East Side Taqueria and give their Mexican (S$18 for three) tacos a shot. Finish these tacos – smeared with level five hot sauce – within five minutes and they would be absolutely complimentary.

19 East Coast Road
Singapore 428746
Tel: +65 6348 1302
Mon to Fri: 11am – 11pm
Sat and Sun: 10am – 12am
Nearest Station: Dakota

Source: Southwest Tavern

#5 SOUTHWEST TAVERN – THE SPAGHETTI FROM HELL CHALLENGE

As its name suggests, Southwest Tavern’s Spaghetti From Hell is indeed a dish that will let you have a glimpse of hell. The pasta is slathered in the world’s spiciest chilis and contestants are entitled to either two towers of Heineken draught beef or a S$100 dining voucher should they wipe the plate clean in 10 minutes.

8 Boon Lay Way
Singapore 609964
Tel: +65 6515 4303
Sun to Fri: 11am – 12am
Sat: Closed
Nearest Station: Jurong East

Source: Sg Asia City

#6 SUNSET GRILL & PUB – THE LEVEL 30 HOT WINGS CHALLENGE

Sunset Grill & Pub’s chicken wings are almost guaranteed to leave you in tears. But those that have conquered their legendary level 35 wings will have their picture taken and exhibited on the wall of fame. Is it worth the pain? You decide.

259 Jalan Kayu
Singapore 799488
Tel: +65 6482 0244
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Wed to Sun: 4pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Seng Kang

Source: Stomp

#7 THE BEAST – THE BEAST BURGER CHALLENGE

Double-patty or triple-patty palm-size burgers are no biggie. What you should try is The Beast’s monstrous-size burger (S$125) that weighs a whopping 3.2 kilograms! The over-the-top burger consists of cheese, fried chicken, pork and a bucket of sweet potato fries.

17 Jln Klapa
Singapore 199329
Tel: +65 6295 0017
Mon to Wed: 5pm – 12am
Thu and Fri: 5pm – 1am
Sat: 5pm – 12am
Sun: 10am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Lavender