Best hawker food guide
By LINDA JAMES | Updated MARCH 30, 2025 | EAT & DRINK
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One of the main reasons I love Singapore so much as a destination is the fact that you can eat fabulous food very cheaply and this hawker food guide will give you a comprehensive rundown on all of the key centres.
These food courts offer such a huge variety of local dishes such as chicken rice, laksa, satay, fried kway teow, chilli crab and hokkien mee and all at VERY low prices – from $S2.50 to $S9 each.
The hawkers are such an integral part of Singaporean culture that the practice was inscribed on the 2020 UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This aims to promote and preserve fragile culture, traditions, skills, and knowledge that are integral to a particular place.
There are more than 100 of these open-air food courts around the city, all with a wide variety of Malay, Chinese and Indian dishes. Most of the stalls only accept cash and you may find yourself sharing a table with locals. It’s best to go at lunchtime because once the hawkers sell out, they shut up shop and go home.
I’ve listed the centres alphabetically – it’s almost impossible to order them in terms of which one is better than another. They all have great food and your decisions about where to eat are more likely to be based on where you are than anything else.
However, if you’re only in Singapore for a couple of days and you want to head to the hawker centres that are “famous” because some of the stalls have (or had) Michelin stars, I’ve tried to include this information.
I’ve never had a bad meal at a hawker centre. Sometimes the best strategy is to watch where the locals go and join the queue.
While the centres themselves have opening hours, individual stalls will have their own so please check if you want to eat at a specific food outlet.
Tien Tien chicken rice
Hawker Chan chicken rice
Adam Road Food Centre
If you’re planning a visit to the Botanic Gardens then you should drop in to Adam Road Food Centre – it may be small but it’s popular. One of the attractions here are the stalls selling nasi lemak – a Malaysian dish of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves, served with a side of sambal, eggs and anchovies. Other popular dishes include mutton soup, rojak, hokkien mee and mee goreng. It also offers halal-certified cuisine.
There are about 30 stalls here that are usually open from early morning to late night.
Stalls to try
Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak (#01-02)
Dish: Nasi lemak
Open: Saturday and Sunday 7am–3pm, Monday to Thursday 7am–5pm
Bahrakath Mutton Soup King (#01-10)
Dish: Mutton soup
Open: Daily 1pm–3am
Address: 2 Adam Rd Open: Monday to Thursday, 7am–5pm, weekends 7am–3pm, Friday closed Getting there: near Botanic Gardens MRT, opposite Bukit Timah Gate
Amoy Street Food Centre
This busy food centre in the CBD is one to avoid in the middle of the day when the surrounding office workers descend for their breaks. There are four stalls that have been awarded Michelin Bib Gourmands for serving “great food at reasonable prices”: A Noodle Story, Hong Kee Beef Noodle, Hoo Kee Bak Chang, and J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff. There’s a good variety of stalls offering vadai (fried Indian snacks), mee goreng, sliced fish soup and rice dumplings.
There are also some stalls here that offer modernised hawker food such as salmon-topped meals from Big Bowls Project and flavoured kopi and teh from Coffee Break.
Stalls to try
Hoo Kee Rice Dumplings (#01-18)
Bib Gourmand
Dish: Bak zhang (rice dumpling)
Open: Tuesday to Friday 11am–3pm
Amoy Street Fried Kway Teow (#01-01)
Dish: char kway teow (stir-fried rice noodles)
Open: Monday to Saturday, 9.30am–2.30pm
Address: 7 Maxwell Rd Open: Most stalls operate Monday to Friday, some Saturdays and a few Sundays Getting there: Near Telok Ayer (DT18) and Tanjong Pagar (EW15) MRT stations
Changi Village Hawker Centre
Near the east-most point of the island, Changi Village is the gateway to Pulau Ubin, which is popular with fishing and cycling enthusiasts. There are also a number of resorts and holiday apartments nearby.
Popular dishes include nasi lemak, Malay fragrant rice cooked in coconut and pandan leaves, and Ipoh Hor Fun, rice noodles soaked in chicken and mushroom broth topped with shredded chicken.
Address: 2 Changi Village Rd Open: Monday to Thursday 6am-2am, Friday 6am-midnight, Weekends all day Getting there: Nearest MRT is at Changi Airport so best to combine subway and bus eg Tampines MRT and 19 bus
Chinatown Complex Food Centre
This is possibly the largest hawker centre in Singapore with over 260 stalls. Chinatown itself is a must-see when you’re visiting this island state so including a visit to this centre will be easy.
I’m not sure there’s a popular Singaporean dish that you couldn’t find here. Stalls offer all the favourites such as chilli crab, black pepper crab, satay, carrot cake, char kway teow, BBQ stingray, BBQ chicken wings, Hokkien mee, chicken rice, bak kut teh, frog porridge, dim sum, lor mee, prawn noodles to kway chap and pork intestine as well as popular desserts like ice kachang, soya beancurd, chendol and tau suan.
Given the number of stalls that have to compete with each other, prices here are very reasonable.
Stalls to try
Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu (#02-88)
Dishes: Fried fish cake, Ikan Bilis bee hoon, brinjal, yong tau fu
Open: Tuesday to Thursday 6am-3pm
China La Mian Xiao Long Bao (#02-135)
Dish: Steamed dumplings
Open: Tuesday to Friday 11am-9pm, weekends 9am–9pm
Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodles (#02-127)
Dishes: Soya sauce chicken rice, soya sauce chicken noodles
Open: Daily 10am-8pm, closed Wednesdays
Jia Ji Mei Shi (#02-166)
Dishes: Fried bee hoon, yam cake
Open: Daily 7.30am–10pm (closed Wednesday)
Hong Kong Mongkok Tim Sum (#02-97)
Dish: Hong Kong-style dim sum
Open: Wednesday to Sunday 11am until sold out
Cheng Ji (#02-190)
Dish: Steamed fish head
Open: Monday to Saturday noon-9pm
Hai Sing Ah Balling (#02-59)
Dish: Teochew style dumplings
Open: Tuesday to Sunday noon-9pm
Zhao Ji Clay Pot Rice (#02-53)
Dish: Claypot rice dishes
Open: Daily noon-7pm (closed Wednesday)
Yue Ping (#02-65)
Dish: Fried pumpkin cake
Terry Katong Laksa (#02-04)
Dish: Laksa
Shi Xiang Satay (#02-79)
Dish: Satay
Tian Tian Porridge (#02-185)
Dish: Pork porridge
Address: 335 Smith St Open: All day Getting there: Near Chinatown MRT (NE4) – walk 1 minute from Exit B; buses - 2, 12, 33, 54, 63, 124, 143, 147, 190, 851, 961, 961#, 970 and CT1
Chomp Chomp Food Centre
Also known as Serangoon Gardens Food Centre, the stalls here offer a wide variety of popular local dishes such as Hokkien mee, satay, carrot cake, BBQ chicken wings, grilled stingray, popiah, fried oyster and prawn mee. It’s also known for its satay selection with pork, beef, chicken and mutton all on offer.
Many centres open during the day and close at night but this one doesn’t open until 6pm so it’s perfect for late-night diners. That does mean though that it’s often very crowded.
Stalls to try
Ah Hock Hokkien Noodles (#01-27)
Dish: Hokkien mee
Ang Mo Kio Carrot Cake (#01-24)
Dish: Carrot cake
Lucy BBQ Seafood (#01-06)
Dishes: BBQ stingray, BBQ squid
Chia Keng Fried Hokkien Mee (#01-11)
Dishes: Traditional Hokkien mee, Hokkien fried prawn mee
Hai Wei Yuan Seafood BBQ (#01-01)
Dish: BBQ chicken wings
Ang Sa Lee Fried Oyster (#01-33)
Dish: Oyster omelette
Address: 20 Kensington Park Rd Open: Daily 6pm-late Getting there: Near Lorong Chuan MRT (CC14) – walk 21 minutes from Exit A; buses – 73, 136, 315, 317
Cluny Food Court
This newly reopened court is handy if you’re planning a visit to the Botanic Gardens. It has six stalls serving traditional and contemporary cuisine.
Address: 1J Cluny Rd (near Raffles Building at Nassim Gate entrance) Open: Daily 7am-9pm Getting there: Near Botanic Gardens MRT
East Coast Lagoon Food Village
Also popular for its satay, East Coast Lagoon Food Village offers up barbecued seafood, chili crab, satay, mee goreng and popiah – all with an ocean view.
There are many legacy hawkers here such as Geylang 29 Charcoal Fried Hokkien Mee and Haron Satay whose chicken, beef and lamb satay, paired with rice cakes and peanut sauce, is a big favourite of locals.
Most of the stalls here open from 4pm and close late.
Address: 1220 East Coast Parkway Open: Daily from 4pm Getting there: Bedok (EW5) is a 32-minute walk away; buses – 197, 36, 47, 48
Food Republic
There are 14 Food Republic outlets in Singapore that incorporate mini restaurants with hawker stalls: Wisma Atria, 313@Somerset, VivoCity, Suntec City, NEX, Parkway Parade, City Square, BreadTalk IHQ, Causeway Point, Westgate, Shaw House, Manulife and Capitol Piazza. The chain is owned by the BreadTalk group.
The Wisma Atria court seats 900 people while the VivoCity is slightly bigger. The prices at Food Republic tend to be a bit higher probably reflecting the rents in major shopping centres.
Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre
This market’s Malay Minangkabau architecture reflects the rich culture of the area. The food stalls are on the second storey with a wet market on the first. There’s a wide variety of Malay and Indian food and most of the stalls are halal.
Traditional Malay cuisine such as asam pedas stingray (sour and spicy stew), beef rendang (braised meat cooked in coconut milk and spices) and goreng pisang (banana fritters) are all on offer.
Address: 1 Geylang Serai Open: Daily Getting there: near Eunos MRT (EW7), 11 min walk, Paya Lebar MRT (CC9/EW8) 11 min walk; buses – 154,21,24,30,60,7,76
Haig Road Market and Food Centre
This is just down the road from Geylang Serai Food Centre and also has a large percentage of halal food stalls.
You’ll find roti john (omelette sandwich) and putu piring (steamed rice flour cakes filled with palm sugar.
Address: 14 Haig Rd Open: Daily 6:30am-9pm Getting there: Near Paya Lebar MRT (CC9/EW8), 11 min walk; buses – 135,30,70
Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre
This is a little off the beaten track for tourists but might be handy if you’re planning to do any hiking on the 15-mile Green Corridor nature trail. On offer are a range of hawker dishes such as boneless braised duck, appam (fermented rice pancakes), fried prawn mee and peanut pancakes.
Stalls to try
Li Lao San Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh (#01-54)
Dish: chwee kueh
Open: Daily 6.15am–6.30pm
Jiu Jiang Shao La (#01-17)
Dish: char siew (barbecue pork), roast duck, roast pork
Open: Thursday to Sunday 10am–2pm
Heaven’s Indian Curry (#01-26)
Dishes: thosai, appam, putu mayam
Address: 20 Ghim Moh Rd Open: Daily 8am-9pm Getting there: near Buona Vista MRT (CC22/EW21) 9 min walk; buses – 100,105,111,92
Gluttons Bay
There is a wide variety of local street food such as satay, oyster omelette and fried carrot cake. This is perfect if you’re visiting the Theatres on the Bay or even seeing the National Gallery of Singapore.
Address: 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-15, Esplanade Mall Open: Tuesday to Friday 4pm–10.30pm, Saturday and Sunday 3pm–10.30pm, closed Monday Getting there: Near City Hall MRT Station, walk towards Esplanade link-way; Buses – 36, 56, 70, 97, 111, 133, 162, 174M, 195, 502, C1, C2, C3, 75, 77, 106, 171, 700A, 857, 960, 961, NR 1, NR 2, NR 5, NR 6, NR 7 & NR 8) More information: Gluttons Bay
Golden Mile Complex
Golden Mile Complex is Singapore’s “Little Thailand” and features many Thai restaurants, pubs and supermarkets. Other than being known for a “Thai place”, it is also one of the main meeting points for coaches to Malaysia.
Stalls to try
Golden Banana (#02-64)
Dish: banana fritters, sweet potato balls
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10.30am-8.30pm, closed Monday
Ah Xiao Teochew Braised Duck (#B1-43)
Dish: braised duck rice
Open: Weekdays 9.30am–3.30pm, weekends 9.30am–1.30pm
Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo (#B1-44)
Dish: young tau foo
Open: Monday to Saturday 10.45am–3pm, closed Sundays
Shen Bakmie Noodle (#B1-37)
Dish: bakmi noodles
Open: Weekdays 9.30am–7.30pm, Saturday 9.30am–5pm, closed Sunday
The Original Vadai (#B1-32)
Dish: vadai
Open: Tuesday to Sunday noon–7pm, closed Monday
Yew Chuan Claypot Rice (#01-73)
Dish: claypot rice
Open: Monday-Wednesday and Friday noon–8.30pm, weekends 4pm–8.30pm, closed Thursdays
91 Fried Kway Teow Mee (#01-91)
Dish: char kway teow
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 11am–2.30pm, closed Monday
Wedang (#B1-19)
Dishes: tahu goreng, gado gado, nasi ayam
Open: Tuesday to Saturday noon–5pm, closed Sunday and Monday
Hainan Hokkien Mee (#B1-34)
Dish: hokkien mee
Open: Monday 10am–3pm, Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday 10am–5pm, closed Wednesday
Chung Cheng Chilli Mee Prawn Laksa (#01-59)
Dishes: chilli mee, prawn mee, laksa
Open: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday 9.30am–6.30pm, closed Tuesday
Address: 5001 Beach Rd Open: Daily 11am-9.30pm Getting there: Near Nicoll Highway Station (via Circle Line). Exit station, turn right onto Beach Rd and the complex is on your right; buses – 100, 961 and 980 More information: Golden Mile Complex
Hong Lim Market and Food Centre
Close to Chinatown Complex, Hong Lim Market and Food Centre has Michelin-awarded eateries as well as modernised hawker stalls. This gets very busy at lunchtime.
Some of the most popular dishes on offer include pork noodles, mushroom minced pork, porridge, fishballs, rice dumplings and Hokkien prawn mee.
Stalls to try
Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist (#02-48/49/50)
Dish: wanton noodles
Open: Daily 7.30am–7pm
Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa (#02-66)
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Dish: laksa
Open: Monday to Saturday 10.15am–3pm, closed Sunday
Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee (#01-58)
Dish: curry chicken
Open: Monday to Saturday 10.30am–2.30pm, closed Sunday
Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sar Hor Fun (#02-39)
Dish: hor fun
Open: Monday to Saturday 11.15am–2.30pm, closed Sunday
Granny’s Pancake (#01-58)
Dish: ban chang kueh
Open: Monday to Saturday 7am–7pm (or till sold out), closed Sunday
Tai Wah Pork Noodle (#02-16)
Dish: pork noodle
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 8am–7.30pm, Sunday 8am-3pm, closed Monday
Ma Bo Lor Mee (#02-04)
Dish: lor mee
Open: daily 8.30am–6.30pm
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (#02-17)
Dish: char kway teow
Open: Monday to Saturday 6am–3.30pm, closed Sunday
Belly Lucky Noodles (#02-25)
Dish: char siew and dumpling noodles and dumpling soup
Open: weekdays 11.30am–2.30pm, weekends closed
Cantonese Delights (#02-03)
Dish: curry fried chicken
Open: Saturday to Thursday 10.30am–2pm, closed Friday
Dong Fang Hong Sotong Ball Seafood Soup (#01-47)
Dish: sotong ball seafood soup
Open: Monday to Thursday 11am–2pm, closed Friday to Sunday
Eddy’s (#02-52)
Dish: duck confit, mala shrimp spaghetti
Open: Monday to Friday 10.30am–7pm, Saturday 10.30am–3pm, closed Sunday
Address: 531A Upper Cross St Open: daily Getting there: Near Chinatown MRT Station (NE4/DT19), walk 2 mins from Exit F; buses – 61, 80, 145, 166 and 197, walking 1 min from bus stop B05199 More information: Hong Lim
Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
This popular hawker centre in Joo Chiat has a long history and is considered to be authentic and traditional. Dishes range from dim sum, curry puffs and seafood soup to a variety of vegetarian options and noodle dishes. The Malay national dish, nasi lemak, is also a popular one here.
Address: 84 Marine Parade Central Open: Daily 7am-10pm Getting there: Buses – 36, 48, 196, 197
Maxwell Food Centre
In the heart of Chinatown, this hawker centre is a one-stop location for everything from oyster cake to fish soup. It’s also home to the very well-known Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice stall (#01-10), which I can definitely say serves one of the best chicken rice dishes I’ve eaten in Singapore. It was also endorsed by renowned chef Anthony Bourdain and the Michelin Guide. If the line there is too long, go to Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice (#7), which was founded by a former Tian Tian chef.
This is a must-visit if you’re in Chinatown and is directly opposite the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.
Stalls to try
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-10/11)
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Dish: Hainanese chicken rice
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 11am–8pm or until sold out
Zhen Zhen Porridge (#01-54)
Dishes: Pork congee, pork intestine congee, slice fish congee, raw fish
Open: daily 5.30am-2.30pm
China Street Fritters (#01-64)
Dishes: Deep fried prawn fritters, ngoh hiang (local sausages), fish cake
Open: Tuesday to Sunday noon-7pm, closed Monday
Marina South Delicious Food (#01-35)
Dish: Char kway teow
Open: Daily 7am-8pm
Hoe Kee Porridge (#01-45)
Dish: Cantonese style congee
Open: 7am-4pm, closed Tuesday
Tong Xin Ju Special Shanghai Tim Sum (#01-92)
Dishes: Fried and steamed dumplings
Open: daily 11am-8pm
Fu Shun Roasted Meat Specialist (#01-71)
Dishes: crispy sio bak and charcoal roasted char siew
Address: Cnr South Bridge and Maxwell Rds Open: weekdays 8am-10pm, weekends 8am-3am Getting there: near Tanjong Pagar MRT (Take Exit G, walk 6 minutes to Maxwell Rd); near Chinatown MRT Station (NE4) - take Exit A to Pagoda St, walk to South Bridge Rd; buses – 100, 143, 568, 80 (Walk 1 minute from bus stop B05269) More information: Maxwell Food Centre
Newton Food Centre
Now firmly entrenched in pop culture thanks to the Hollywood hit “Crazy Rich Asians”, this is one of Singapore’s most popular centres, with about 100 hawker stores.
It’s also not far from Orchard Rd so is handy if you’re staying in the area or spend the day shopping. With 100 stalls, you can be pretty certain to find what you want here from seafood to laksa (spicy coconut noodle soup), satay (spiced skewers with a peanut sauce), ice kachang (shaved ice), and oyster omelettes.
Due to its popularity, prices here can be a little higher than other centres.
Stalls to try
Kwang Kee Teochew Fish Porridge (#01-20)
Bib Gourmand
Dish: fish porridge
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 11am-8pm, closed Monday
Hup Kee Fried Oyster Omelette (#01-73)
Dish: oyster omelette
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 6pm–midnight
Guan Kee Seafood (#01-53)
Dish: sambal stingray
Address: 500 Clemenceau Ave North Open: Daily noon-2am Getting there: near Newton MRT (NS21|DT11), 6 min walk; buses – 124,143,170,48,67,972M More information: Newton Food Centre
Old Airport Road Food Centre
This is another heritage hawker centre and so a staple for many locals. It also has a large number of well-known stalls so the queues can be long.
There’s a variety of popular dishes on offer such as lor mee (Hokkien-style noodles in gravy), rojak (fruit and vegetable salad with palm sugar dressing), satay, char kway teow and soya bean curd.
Stalls to try
Jun Yuan House of Fish (#01-69)
Bib Gourmand
Dish: daily 10.30am-9.30pm, closed Thursday
Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow (#01-138)
Dish: fried kway teow
Open: Friday and Saturday, Monday to Wednesday 11am–2pm, 6pm–8pm
Toa Payoh Rojak (#01-108)
Dish: rojak
Open: Monday to Saturday 10am–7pm
Albert Street Prawn Noodles (#01-10)
Dishes: Prawn noodles, pork rib noodles
Open: Daily 8.30am-11pm
Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow (#01-12)
Dish: Fried kway teow
Open: Monday to Friday 11.30am–midnight, weekends 10.30am–midnight
Nam Sing Hokkien Mee (#01-32)
Dish: Hokkien mee
Open: Daily 7am-8pm
Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee (#01-116)
Dish: Lor mee
Open: Daily 9.30am–3pm, closed Thursday
Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun (#01-155)
Dish: Chee cheong fun
Open: Daily 7am–9pm
Blanco Court Kway Chap (#01-135)
Dishes: Kway chap, pork intestines
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 8am-3pm, closed Monday
Holy Grill (#01-27)
Dishes: Western grilled food
Open: Monday to Sunday noon-9pm, closed Wednesday
Toa Payoh Rojak (#01-16)
Dish: rojak
Open: Daily noon-8pm, closed Sundays
Chuan Kee Satay (#01-85)
Dish: satay
Open: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 6.30pm-11pm, Sunday 1pm-11pm
Lao Ban Soya Beancurd (#01-127)
Dish: Soya beancurd
Address: 51 Old Airport Rd Open: Daily Getting there: near Dakota MRT (CC8) (walk 3 minutes); buses – 10, 16, 30, 30E, 31, 32, and 33 (walk 2 minutes from bus stop B81171) More information: Old Airport Road Food Centre
Rasapura Masters
Within Marina Bay Sands resort, Rasapura, which means “City of Taste”, is a collection of street food stalls offering dishes from Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and China.
Take the escalator from the atrium to the basement and walk through the shopping district to the food court on the first basement floor. It’s in the opposite direction from the MRT station.
Address: 2 Bayfront Avenue, 50-53, Canal Level The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Open: Sunday to Thursday, 8am–10pm; Friday, Saturday and eve of public holiday, 8am–11pm Getting there: Near Bayfront MRT (CE1/DT16), take exits C and D; buses – 77, 97,97E More information: Rasapura Masters
Singapore Food Treats
This food hall is at the base of the Singapore Flyer and features a good range of stalls. Stop by for a snack or a full meal before or after sightseeing in the area. Singapore Food Treats is designed to resemble Singapore of the 1960s with a retro atmosphere that reflects a long-gone era of street-side dining. Choose a favorite Southeast Asian dish from its numerous vendors, or try something new. Dishes to try include satay, barbecued seafood, laksa, and chicken rice, among others. Most visitors come before or after a ride on the Singapore Flyer, and some guided tours also allow for time at Singapore Food Treats.
Singapore Food Treats is beneath the Singapore Flyer, and the wheel makes for an easy-to-spot waterfront landmark. It’s a short walk from Promenade MRT station, and it can be reached by taxi from anywhere in Singapore. Singapore Food Treats is open daily from late morning through late evening, so it’s a good place to head for lunch, an afternoon snack, or dinner.
Address: 30 Raffles Ave Open: Sunday to Thursday, 10.30am–10.30pm, Friday and Saturday 10.30am–11.30pm Getting there: near Promenade MRT (CC4/DT15), take Exit A and walk for 8 mins; buses – 36, 36A, 36B, 70A, 70M, 97, 97e, 106, 111, 133, 162M, 502, 502A, 518, 518A, 700A, 857 (bus stop 02171 opposite the Ritz-Carlton) More information: Singapore Food Treats
Tekka Centre
A landmark in in Little India, the hawker centre is on the first floor and has stalls selling Indian and Chinese vegetarian meals as well as North Indian and Malay food and is well-known for serving favourites such as biryani (spiced rice with slow-cooked meats), thosai, and murtabak.
Stalls to try
Allauddin’s Briyani (#01-232)
Dish: biryani
Open: daily 8am–8pm
Temasek Indian Rojak (#01-254)
Dish: rojak
Address: 666 Buffalo Rd Open: Daily from 6.30am–9pm Getting there: near Little India MRT (NE7|DT12); buses – 131,139,147,166,65 More information: Tekka Centre
Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre
Most of the popular Singapore dishes can be found here: chicken rice, bak kut teh, wonton mee (egg noodles with dumplings), chwee kueh (steamed rice flour cakes topped with preserved turnip/radish), sweet mung bean soup and lor mee.
The hawker centre is on the second floor with the wet market on the first floor.
Stalls to try
Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted (#02-60)
Dishes: Roasted duck rice, char siew rice, roast pork rice
Open: daily 9am-8pm, closed Thursday
Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (#02-82)
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Dishes: Steamed chicken rice, roasted chicken rice
Open: daily 10am–8pm, closed Monday
178 Lor Mee (#02-23)
Dish: Lor mee
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 6am-9pm
Koh Brothers Pig Organ Soup (#02-29)
Dish: Pig organ soup
Open: daily 9am–2.30pm, 5pm–7.45pm, closed Monday
Min Nan Prawn Noodles (#02-31)
Dishes: Prawn noodles, pork ribs noodles
Open: Daily 8am–2.30pm
Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Noodles (#02-30)
Dish: Wanton noodles
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 8am–2pm, closed Monday and Friday
Jian Bo Chwee Kueh (#02-05)
Dish: Chwee kueh
Open: daily 6.30am-9pm
Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo (#02-44)
Dishes: Yong tau foo, fishball noodles
Open: daily 5.30am-2.30pm, closed Wednesday
Tiong Bahru Fishballs (#02-20)
Dishes: Fried fishballs, fried fish cakes, ngio hiang
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 7am–3pm
Tiong Bahru Pau (#02-18)
Dishes: Char siew bao, big bao, siew mai
Open: Daily 6.30am–9pm
Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (#02-80)
Dish: Lor mee
Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 5.30am–2pm
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd Open: Daily 6am to 11pm Getting there: Near Tiong Bahru MRT (EW17) (Walk 8 minutes from Exit B); buses – 5, 16, 33, 63, 123, 195, 851, and NR5 (Walk 1 minute from bus stop B10141) More information: Tiong Bahru Market
Yuhua Market and Hawker Centre
These last two centres are in out in Jurong East and have just had some of their stall holders awarded with Michelin Bib Gourmands.
Stalls to try
Lai Heng Homemade Teochew Kueh (#01-218)
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Dish: Teochew kueh
Open: daily 6.30am-2.30pm, closed Monday
Address: 347 Jurong East Ave 1 Open: daily Getting there: near Chinese Garden MRT (EW25), walk 9 min; buses – 157,185,187,198,334,99 More information: Yuhua Market
Yuhua Village Market and Food Centre
Stalls to try
Fei Fei Roasted Noodle (#01-28)
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Dish: roasted meat
Open: daily 9am-12.30pm, closed Sunday
Heng Heng Cooked Food
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Dish: prawn noodles, laksa
Address: 254 Jurong East St 24 Open: daily 7am-11pm Getting there: near Chinese Garden MRT (EW25), walk 13 min; buses – 157,176,180,185,187,98 More information: Yuhua Village Market
Conclusion
No matter where you choose to stay in Singapore, there’s bound to be a hawker centre close by. However, remember that some of the really popular stalls sell out early so it might be wise to go during the day when you’re out seeing the sights. If you use this hawker food guide to plan your trip, also check out the main areas of Singapore and my sample itineraries for ideas.