From Britannia
to Bishan.
A short history of how Shepherd's Pie in Singapore evolved from a colonial club staple to a local comfort food icon.
It started in the cricket clubs. In the 1920s, the British elite in Singapore would retire to the Padang after a match for a pint of ale and a slice of "Cottage Pie." It was a taste of home in the tropics.
But Singapore has a way of making things its own.
As the colonial era faded, the recipe moved from the exclusive clubs to the Hainanese kitchens, and eventually, to the heartland bakeries. The Singapore Shepherd Pie became distinct. It became deeper, peppier, and—dare we say it—better.
The Hainanese Influence
You cannot talk about Western food in Singapore without bowing to the Hainanese chefs. They took the bland English potato mash and enriched it. They added soy sauce to the beef reduction. They understood that in this humidity, you need salt and savory punch.
This created a unique lineage. The "Shepherd's Pie Singapore" style is not the dry, crumbly version you find in London pubs. It is saucier using a roux-based gravy that rivals the best French demi-glace.
The Modern Era
Today, you can find a pie in almost every neighborhood. But mass production has threatened this legacy. The intricate Hainanese stewing methods have been replaced by central kitchens and frozen slurries.
Our hunt for the Best Shepherd Pie in Singapore was an attempt to find that lost lineage. We weren't looking for a British pie. We were looking for a Singaporean one—robust, flavorful, and unapologetically rich.
We found it.