Katong & the Neighbourhoods

Away from the centre, Singapore's neighbourhoods have a handful of Mexican places that locals return to. They tend to be smaller and cheaper than the downtown cantinas, and are set in shophouses, HDB blocks and neighbourhood malls.

Comida Mexicana on East Coast Road serves homestyle plates, baked crab enchiladas and sizzling fajitas, and traces its history to 1996. Bored Tacos in Joo Chiat is a Muslim-owned, pork-free taco shack from the team behind Wooly's Bagels, with birria, lamb and garlic prawn tacos. Fuego Mesa, in an HDB block by Farrer Park MRT, is known for beer-battered fish tacos and a tom yum quesadilla. El Cocinero, inside Novena Regency on Thomson Road, is a tiny one-woman kitchen serving beef cheek tacos since 2018.

Farrer Park and Novena MRT stations are close to Fuego Mesa and El Cocinero; Katong is best reached by bus or taxi. Bored Tacos is pork-free but not halal-certified.