Thosai, Appam and the South Indian Breakfast: How to Order

By The Table desk · Last verified 7 October 2026

The South Indian breakfast in Singapore centres on two griddle favourites. Thosai (also spelt dosai or dosa) is a thin, crisp crepe made from a fermented rice and lentil batter, slightly tangy, served with sambar (lentil and vegetable stew) and chutneys, as SG101 describes. Appam is a bowl-shaped rice pancake, soft and spongy in the middle with lacy, crisp edges, often eaten sweet with grated coconut and orange sugar. Round out the table with idli (steamed rice cakes) and vadai (savoury lentil doughnuts). Prices are gentle: at a Michelin Bib Gourmand stall in Tampines, a plain thosai was $2.50 and a masala thosai $4 in April 2026.

It is light, vegetarian-friendly and beautifully cheap, and once you know the names, ordering takes ten seconds.

Quick facts

• Thosai: fermented rice and lentil crepe, crisp and tangy.
• Appam: fermented rice and coconut batter cooked in a small curved pan; soft centre, crisp rim.
• Idli: steamed fermented rice-and-lentil cakes, soft and plain.
• Vadai: fried lentil fritters, savoury, often doughnut-shaped.
• Comes with: sambar or dhal, coconut chutney and a tomato or chilli-onion chutney.
• When: breakfast to lunch; many stalls close by early afternoon.

The menu, decoded

Order	What you get	Eat it with
Plain thosai	Thin, crisp crepe, folded or rolled	Sambar and chutneys
Masala thosai	Thosai filled with spiced potato	Sambar and chutneys
Onion / egg / butter thosai	Topped or cooked with onion, egg or ghee/butter	Sambar and chutneys
Paper thosai	An extra-long, extra-thin, very crisp thosai	Sambar and chutneys
Appam (plain)	Bowl-shaped rice pancake	Grated coconut and orange sugar, or curry
Egg / cheese appam	Appam with an egg or cheese in the centre	As it is
Idli	Two or three steamed rice cakes	Sambar and chutneys
Vadai	Fried lentil fritter	Coconut chutney

What it costs

Item at Rajarani Thosai, Tampines (Daniel Food Diary, April 2026)	Price
Plain thosai	$2.50
Egg, butter or onion thosai	$3.00
Masala thosai	$4.00
Masala egg onion thosai	$5.00
Plain appam set	$2.50
Cheese appam	$2.50

Elsewhere, a Jurong East stall reviewed by Seth Lui listed plain appam at $2 and a mini breakfast combo of thosai, idli, vadai and halwa at $4.50. Restaurants in Little India charge more, especially for paper thosai and set meals.

How to order

1. Name the item and variant: “one masala thosai”, “two plain appam”.
2. Sweet or savoury appam: plain appam usually comes with coconut and sugar; ask for curry if you want savoury.
3. Ask about sides: sambar and chutneys are usually included; extra may be free or a small charge.
4. Wait for it: thosai and appam are cooked to order, so expect a few minutes.
5. Eat with your right hand if you like, tearing pieces to scoop sambar; a spoon is fine too.

Worked example: breakfast for two

At the April 2026 Tampines prices, one masala thosai ($4.00), one egg thosai ($3.00) and a plain appam set ($2.50) to share comes to $9.50, or $4.75 each, before drinks.

The WahLiao Verdict

For a first visit, order one masala thosai for savoury satisfaction and one plain appam with coconut and sugar for a sweet finish; share both. Go early, because the best stalls sell out and many close by lunchtime. It is one of the lightest, cheapest and happiest breakfasts in Singapore.

Questions people ask

Is thosai vegetarian?

The batter is rice and lentils, so plain thosai is vegetarian, and many South Indian stalls are fully vegetarian. Egg and some curries are not; ask if unsure.

What is the difference between thosai and prata?

Thosai is a fermented rice-and-lentil crepe; prata is a flaky, oily wheat-flour flatbread. Thosai is lighter and slightly sour.

Why is the sugar orange?

Reviewers of both stalls above describe the bright orange or red sugar served with appam and grated coconut. It is sugar with colouring added; it adds sweetness and a cheerful look rather than a different flavour.

Is it halal?

Many stalls are vegetarian or Muslim-run, but only MUIS certification is formal proof. Check the sign.

Sources: SG101 (Singapore government heritage resource), thosai batter, cooking and accompaniments; Daniel Food Diary, April 2026 review with full Rajarani Thosai price list; Seth Lui, review of a Jurong East appam stall with prices. The Table explains; it does not endorse.

Read next: Prata Explained: Kosong, Egg, Plaster and How to Order at Supper · Vegetarian and Vegan Eating in Singapore: How to Order at Hawker Stalls · Back to The Table

For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.