A world without sweets would be like a world without colour especially so in the Indian subcontinent. In fact, when it comes to India and all of South Asia for that matter, sweets are an integral part of the culture itself. No happy occasion or celebration is complete without the presence of Indian sweets. Be it a birthday gathering, housewarming party or a grand wedding celebration, sweets take centre stage. That too for good reason; sweetmeats are synonymous with happiness, auspiciousness and good cheer in Indian culture. India brings this culture to the beautiful island city-state of Singapore through different Indian sweet shops opening their branches here. These sweet shops are somewhat symbolic of the sweetness of India that has travelled all the way to please the palates of Singapore residents. So for those of us who are about to head out to grab our favourite box of Gulab Jamuns for that birthday celebration or bulk order those delectable Laddus to be given out at that grand Indian wedding, here is your complete guide to the best sweet shops in Singapore.
Komala Vilas Sweets and Savories
This stall in Serangoon Road is a part of the larger Komala Vilas restaurant group founded by Mr. Murugiah Rajoo in 1947. Rich in history and an established household name, Komala Villas sweets and snacks are served up at affordable prices. While serving North and South Indian dishes in the restaurant, the owners realized that desserts, in the form of North Indian sweets and savories, are an integral part of any Indian meal. This made the makers come up with Komala Vilas Sweets and Savories selling a range of sweets from different parts of India. Affordability and unmatched quality are their key benchmarks. If you are heading down to this little outlet along Serangoon Road, don’t forget to get some of their South Indian style Halwas, the traditional Mysore Pak (ghee and gram flour fudge cubes) and their signature Pal Kova (milk sweet). These are their absolute must-tries. The taste and quality of the sweets at Komala Vilas have remained delectable over decades. 
Moghul Sweet Shop
Situated in Little India Arcade in Serangoon Road, this shop sells many varieties of Indian ‘Mithai’. The most striking thing is that the selection of sweets here changes from time to time, offering more and more variety. Compared to the price of sweets in restaurants, the sweets at Moghul Sweet Shop are quite affordable. The usual varieties include Jalebi, Rasgulla, Peda, Halwa, Laddu, Gulab Jamun and Rasmalai, amongst other delicacies. Be prepared to have a hard time choosing because everything on display is a feast for the senses. The sweets melt in your mouth and give you an unmatched experience of pure bliss. Want to know their secret? It’s all in the milk they use. According to the owner, fresh buffalo milk is imported from Malaysia daily to make the most delectable sweetmeats in town. Don’t forget to try their savouries too like the handmade samosas which come with a mint sauce dip, to balance out the sweetness of the Mithais. They are known for their long queues though, especially during the festive seasons so do come prepared.
Ganesan Villas Sweets & Savouries
Come Deepavali, this inconspicuous shop located in the heart of Little India Arcade sees snaking queues that never seem to end. Having earned the loyalty of many local Indian shoppers, they specialise in South Indian signature sweets like Pal Kova and Kesari. They are also one of the only sweet stalls in Little India to sell unique home-made favourites like Nei Urundai (Ghee Ball) and Wajek (glutinous rice sweetened with Gula Melaka). Ganesan Villas offers a wide array of savouries like ‘Murukku’ and ‘Oma Podi’ too which are highly sought after during festival periods and are must have accompaniments to any sweet dish.
French Corner
The mouth-watering sweets of French Corner are a must try for those who have an insatiable sweet tooth. Their first branch opened in November 2015 along Race Course Road, and they have added a second branch along Buffalo Road to meet the demands of their growing popularity. This chain is the latest addition to the group of Indian sweet shops in Singapore. Originally based in Pondicherry, India, where French Corner has 26 outlets, the Singapore outlets are its first footstep out of Pondicherry. The name French Corner draws inspiration from the French Connection of Pondicherry. The shop sells more than 100 categories of sweets from different parts of India. The striking thing about this shop is that all the sweets are freshly prepared in Little India. The shop specializes in Kaju Kamal (made of pure cashews), Jalebi and Color Boondi as well as Indian cakes.
Kailash Parbat
Kailash Parbat is actually a chain of restaurants started in 1950 by the Mulchandani Brothers who initially sold Pani Puri (savoury street snack). Presently, apart from exotic recipes from all over the world including a really good selection of Chaats, the restaurants also serve a scrumptious array of unique Indian sweets. These include Bengali sweets, Gulab Jamun (plain as well as stuffed with dry fruits), Malai Rabri, Malai Kulfi, Kulfi Falooda, along with other Indian sweet dishes. So if you are looking for a particular Indian sweet but can’t seem to find it anywhere else, you might just find it at Kailash Parbat. There are two branches in Singapore, one in Belilios Road and another in Syed Alwi Road. The classy interiors and high quality cuisine is a definite draw for all who visit Little India.
Bangalore Iyengar Bakery
Tucked away along the stretch of Rangoon Road, Bangalore Iyengar Bakery is a little known treasure trove especially for those of us who are vegetarians, The shop boasts a wide array of pure vegetarian sweets and savories and is frequented by many who are looking for a quick snack. Apart from the usual selection of Indian sweets like barfi, laddo and mysore pak, the shop also offers baked items like doughnuts and yummy slices of cake. Talking about cake, one of the main draws of Bangalore Iyengar Bakery is the variety of eggless birthday cakes on offer. Vegetarians who don’t eat eggs please take note. Whether a wedding or birthday celebration, this bakery has the tastiest vegetarian cakes in Singapore ready to order. Indian cartoon characters like Chota Bheem can also be printed on these cakes for ardent fans. Although not a sweet item, one of the must tries here is the veg puff. The bakery has a loyal following because of this puff. During festive seasons, this bakery always comes up with unique items to offer. Some of which include a special “fruit platter'” that is made up of cashew sweets and an Indian sweet box that contains one laddoo, murukku and badhushaa or Milk Peda which is an excellent door gift.
Panchtantra
Featuring the five elements of Indian cuisine; Chaats, snacks, curries, breads and sweets, Panchtantra is a hip new addition to the restaurants along Syed Alwi Road. The facade of the establishment is gorgeous with a sweet station strategically placed at the entrance to welcome customers. Panchtantra stays true to its commitment to serve exquisite and premium sweets with its attractive sweet menu and expert sweet makers who have been flown in specially from India. Some items that will make your mouth water include, rose petal Anjer cake, Boondi Ladoo, dry fruit ladoo and chocolate Barfi. But what really sets this place apart from the rest is the special festive season sweets that are both original and have a modern twist. These exclusive sweets include almond based items like: Badaam Pista Ferrero Roche, Badaam Butterscotch Ladoo, Badaam Boat with Pista stuffing and Badaam chocolate biscuit. They are both pretty to look at and delectable in flavour. During the Deepavali festive season, Panchtantra also has several sweet and nuts boxes on sale as gift items. The boxes range from wooden ones to glittery fabric embroidered pieces. Extremely attractive, these boxes are an excellent gift for those visiting the houses of friends and relatives during Deepavali.
Saravanaa Bhavan
This chain of superior quality vegetarian restaurants has branches in different parts of Singapore, namely Vivo City, Suntec, Jurong East, Changi Business Park, Syed Alwi Road and Tanjong Pagar. Apart from the usual South Indian dishes that Saravanaa specializes in, a host of delicious Indian sweets such as Semiya Milk Payasam, Sweet Pongal, Badam Halwa, Gulab Jamun and Rava Kesari are also served. Semiya Milk Payasam is rarely served commercially so for anyone who’s missing home and wanting to have a taste of home, this is the restaurant to head to.
Bikaner Express
A new addition to the sweet shop scene in Little India, Bikaner Express is located in a quiet corner along Dalhousie Lane. Enter the shop and you’lll be greeted with a colouful array of Mithai that will definitely arouse your curiosity. The sweets served here are quite unique with several variants of Rasgulas, Barfis and ladoos. Some sweets which you cant find elsewhere include Kesar Rasbari, Pink Rasmalai and Safed Peda. Their milk cake and Dhoda Barfi are must tries. According to the management, the range of sweets on offer will be increased in time to come to give customers greater choice. For festive seasons, Bikaner Express brings in a collection of special sweet boxes with beautiful designs for purchase. It is a common tradition to send sweet boxes as gifts to friends and family and also as an attractive display for home. Bikaner Express also functions as a restaurant serving North Indian vegetarian cuisine and their menu is quite vast. With the growing demand for Indian sweets in Singapore and the endless array of delicious and irresistible varieties available on this tiny island, one is undoubtedly spoilt for choice! So wait no longer, satisfy your sweet tooth today (in moderation of course)! We are grateful to The Infinite Moments for the high quality images.
