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Best Cendol in New York

“Soft, green, worm-like jelly strands in coconut milk and palm sugar—a pandan-scented Southeast Asian classic.”

Cendol

What the real thing tastes like

Cendol, also known as lot chong (Thai: ลอดช่อง), mont let saung (Burmese: မုန့်လက်ဆောင်း), nom lut (Khmer: បង្អែមលត), lod song (Lao: ລອດຊ່ອງ) and bánh lọt, is a traditional Southeast Asian dessert characterised by soft, green, worm-like jelly strands made from rice flour or mung bean starch, coconut milk and palm sugar syrup, typically served over shaved ice. The jelly is flavoured with pandan and combined with a creamy coconut milk base and the caramel-like sweetness of palm sugar. It is widely consumed in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and forms an established component of Southeast Asian food culture, commonly sold by vendors at roadsides, hawker centres and food courts. The dessert has a long and complex history reflected in regional variations that incorporate local ingredients and culinary techniques. Additional toppings may include diced jackfruit, sweetened red azuki beans or durian. Although most commonly green, it also

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Cendol is a Southeast Asian dessert built on a delicate contrast: soft, pandan-scented jelly strands that look almost alien—worm-like and bright green—suspended over shaved ice in a pool of creamy coconut milk and caramel-dark palm sugar syrup. The rice flour or mung bean jelly absorbs the sweetness around it while holding its own tender texture, making every spoonful a temperature and flavor shift. Found at hawker stalls across Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and beyond, it's both humble street food and ceremonial dessert, sometimes crowned with jackfruit or red beans, sometimes reimagined in entirely different colors or savory forms.

Order it here when it has

  • regional variations across Southeast Asia
  • served in festivals and ceremonies
  • widely available at hawkers and food courts
  • flexible with local toppings

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