All the stalls listed below are owner-operated and they take a lot of pride in what they do. As most cater for the lunch time working community, it is best to be there between 11am to 11.30am as they would have completed most of their preparation and more importantly, to get seats and shorter queues.
Listed below are 13 of the hawker centers that I commonly frequent including my must eat meals when I am there.
1. Chinatown Complex Food Centre
This food center is located at 335 Smith Street (Postal Code 0530335) and the nearest MRT Station is the Chinatown MRT Station (NE4).
“The Ngau Lam (Beef Briskets) is so very flavorful and tender, and with the heavenly gravy atop the springy egg noodles, you know a return trip must be penciled in. Their braised chicken noodles are also very good and important to come before 11am as they often sell out before 12.30pm.”
“Though there is always a long queue, it is a pleasant wait as the stall owners make a point to be polite and you can actually see the food assembled freshly and steamed when you order. The Xiao Long Bao is very well made with the thin skin holding well the soup and meat which burst just right after you put in your mouth. My must order includes their spicy wanton as the flavor is done just right.”
“The stall is at an obscure part of Chinatown Complex Food Center & blocked by a pillar, but this is my must go Makan when the crave for Clay Pot Rice needs to be satisfied. What separates them from the rest is they make the extra effort to debone their chicken and pork which they put atop their moist rice and drizzle with dark soy sauce and aromatic oil.”
2. Hong Lim Market & Food Centre
This food center is located at 531A Upper Cross Street (Postal Code 051531) and the nearest MRT Station is the Chinatown MRT Station (NE4).
“The elderly couple who man the stall are now in their 70s and has been doing a roaring business at this same stall for the last 40 years. They still take the same care to every single order and though prices have risen slightly over the years, where can you can get Ipoh quality Kway Teow with fresh crayfish, prawns and chicken meat at $10, which can actually feed 2 small eaters?”
“Their chicken is poached Hainanese style, but their secret sauce is the curry gravy which is full of character. Savor slowly the blend of spices with the noodle and moist chicken and before you know, everything is gone.”
“The 3rd Generation now runs this stall and he does a great job too. Their Bak Chor mee sets the bar for this dish as the mix of vinegar, pork lard, chili and noodle are done just right with fresh minced pork, crispy fried sole fish & wanton. The family is close knit and when the father comes, you can see the strong bond between the father-mentor and son-pupil.”
3. Amoy Street Food Centre
This food center is located at 7 Maxwell Road (Postal Code 069111) and the nearest MRT Station is the Tanjong Pagar MRT Station (EW15).
“This is my all-time favorite and I have been a fan since my teens back in the late 70s when they were at Lau Pa Sat. The couple are Teochew-nang and their dishes are so very shiok and so very comforting to the stomach. They are the best in their trade and do come between 11am to 11.30am before the office lunch crowd converge and order their fish if they still have any.”
“So very glad that a new generation of well qualified chefs take the challenge to pursue their passion and serve great makan. Their fusion ramen is excellent as it combines Japanese style precision cooking and presentation with so very shiok wanton, braised pork, fried prawn, onsen egg atop springy egg noodles.”
“This old school authentic Cantonese Zi Char is very, very good and the Wong Po Lou Meen (Noodles wrapped in egg and prawns) separates them from the competition. Also order their har cheong kai (prawn paste chicken), their hei zhor and garlic kai lan and you will understand why they have a very loyal following.”
4. Maxwell Road Food Centre
This food center is located at 1 Kadanayallur Street (Postal Code 069184) and the nearest MRT Station is the Tanjong Pagar MRT Station (EW15).
“It is deep fried, laden with calories but sinfully delightful. They do it very well here and even Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain couldn’t resist having a bite.”
“The Hainanese have it in their blood to make great makan, & this stall, now helmed by the 3rd Generation bears testimony to churning out great tasting pork chops, meat balls, braised pork and must have fried prawns to go with their stream rice and challoped with their definitive curry.”
(The Owners decided to call it a day in April 2021. Will keep you posted if they decide to resume business)
“There was a time when Chinese Wayang dominated the streets during every festive season and on the roadside, you can find great tasting prawn fritters, ngoh hiang, century egg and guan chang to dip into gooey and very tasty sweet chili sauce. The Wayangs may have been consigned to history but the owners who operate this great dish can be found at China Street Fritters. They are very good at their craft.”
5. Tiong Bahru Food Centre
This food center is located at 30 Seng Poh Road (Postal Code 168898) and the nearest MRT Station is the Tiong Bahru MRT Station (EW17).
“A simple dish done well goes a very long way. The couple are now in their 70s and make their own fish cake, fish balls, yong tau fu and iconic chili paste. Once you have it, you will return.”
“Many queue patiently for their turn to savor an excellent made Hokkien Mee flavored by prawn pork stock, pork lard and fried garlic. The chili complements the dish so very well too and this stall was so highly commended that it attained a Michelin award.”
“They make possibly the best savory and sweet glutinous rice in Singapore that goes so well with fried shallots and peanuts. You have got to taste this to see why this so simple dish is done so very well and that now, the 3rd Generation has taken the brand to another level with many Nyonya offerings titled HarriAnn’s Nyonya Table.”
6. Golden Mile Food Centre
This food center is located at 505 Beach Road (Postal Code 199583) and the nearest MRT Station is the Lavender MRT Station (EW11).
** Please Note **
Golden Mile Food Center is now reopened for business from 1 March 2021.
“This is my all-time favorite. They do the dry version and sells only 1 price at $4 per plate. The elderly owner fries it just right and will actually touch the noodle to ensure the texture after much tossing before adding in the final ingredients. Be prepared to wait and so I call before I come when I am there.”
“Located just next to the Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee, the aroma of the Chicken Rice from this stall is so very fragrant that it can be eaten on its own. Their poach and roast chicken are equally outstanding and to complement it, try out the gizzard & liver, to go with their equally outstanding garlic and chili. Oh yes, it keeps very well too and if you keep in the fridge and eat the next day, it still taste so very good too.”
“The stall looks very ordinary and many would just pass it by as the Golden Mile Food Center is a heaven for foodies. That is a big mistake. Their Soto Ayam and Gado Gado is so delightfully tasty and a side order of their begedil to go with the Soto Ayam will bring a smile on your lips.”
7. Zion Riverside Food Centre
This food center is located at 70 Zion Road (Postal Code 247792) and the nearest MRT Station is the Tiong Bahru MRT Station (EW17).
** Please Note **
Zion Riverside Food Center is currently closed till 31 March 2021 for Repairs & Renovation.
“Not too sweet, not too wet, but done just right. This award-winning Char Kway Teow has been amongst the top at their craft for decades and you can understand why when you get a mouthful of their offering. Ask for more hum when you are there as it goes so well in the dish.”
“Operated by a couple who is hearing impaired, the owner will not take orders till his wok has reached the right temperature. Some like the white version, some like the black version, but I always ask for the Michael Jackson version to get both the savory and sweet side by side.”
“Excellent broth, fresh huge prawns, outstanding hae bee hiam and well blanched noodles, when combined together by a master chef, always brings in the crowd. I have been a fan since I started working and glad that they have been consistent all these years.”
8. Old Airport Road Food Centre
This food center is located at 51 Old Airport Road (Postal Code 390051) and the nearest MRT Station is the Dakota MRT Station (CC8).
“This stall sets the benchmark for selling braised pork innards and the crowds have followed from their original outlet at Blanco Court to Old Airport Road. How they clean and transform the intestines to gourmet makan is truly their secret sauce.”
“Great char siew and siew yoke comes from best cuts of pork and if it is properly marinated with rights spices and smoked just right, the flavor makes you salivate at the thought. This stall does just that and it is even more remarkable that the young owners learnt from scratch by studying how the great masters in KL did it.”
“An institution that has remained strong all these years as they continue to churn out great tasting of the dry version of fried Hokkien Mee day after day. The noodles are truly flavorful.”
9. Ghim Moh Road Market & Food Centre
This food center is located at 20 Ghim Moh Road (Postal Code 270020) and the nearest MRT Station is the Buona Vista MRT Station (EW21).
“Not many places sell great Appom and Putu Piring and it was a god-sent to discover Heavens making fresh authentic Appom on-site and upon order. They also serve excellent thosai but for me, Appom with brown sugar and grated coconut maketh my day.”
“Their version is less oily but no less tasty. Add the savory chye poh and chili on top, the chwee kway hits all the right spots.”
“They have possibly the longest queues at the Ghim Moh Food Center and everyone waits patiently. Their braised duck is very tasty and not too fatty, and do order their stewed peanuts, tau pok and egg to go with fresh porridge. The dark sauce and chili takes the meal to another plane.”
10. Alexandra Village Food Centre
This food center is located at 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1 (Postal Code 150123) and the nearest MRT Station is the Queenstown MRT Station (EW19).
“Started by Amy & Jerry in 2012, this stall serves freshly made muffins of different flavors which sells out within 3-4 hours. Many pre-order and collect just in time for their office tea-break and equally many join the long queue to get their muffins.”
“Their burgers are so well put together, not just pleasing to the eye but great tasting with character too. My fave is their pulled beef burger and I complement it with their uber-sinful cheese fries. If they make their own sauces to dip their fries and burgers into, I think they will really stand out from the crowd.”
11. ABC Brickworks Food Center
This food center is located at 6 Jalan Bukit Merah (Postal Code 150006) and the nearest MRT Station is the Queenstown MRT Station (EW19).
“The owner smokes the meats very well and it seeps deep into their char siew, siew yoke & roast duck. What makes it stand out is the gooey great tasting black sauce that is drench on the rice and meats before serving. And yes, their chili sauce makes the dish even more memorable.”
“People say great looking food makes food taste even better. This stall does that very well indeed and their Power Chendol is a class of its own.”
“A no fuss stall serving shiok Taiwan porridge that has sweet potato in it. Order their Chai Poh Omelet and Pork Liver in Claypot, and you will understand why they have been able to strive in a very competitive marketplace since the 1970s.”
(The owners are still there but no longer serving Taiwan Porridge, but are instead selling reasonably decent western cuisine)
12. Toa Payoh West Market & Food Center
This food center is located at Blk 127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh (Postal Code 310127) and the nearest MRT Station is the Braddell MRT Station (NS18).
“They make their own radishes & blend their own sauces. Each plate is masterfully fried till it gives a golden gareng wok flavor then pack or serve. Be prepared to wait for no less than 30 minutes and best to go before 8am or to pre-call your order.”
“Their stock is the secret sauce and is so very tasty that you just have to empty the plate. They too have a very loyal following for their wet version of Fried Hokkien Mee and best to call before coming or be prepared to wait long long. The family which mans the stall are very nice though.”
13. Pek Kio Market & Food Centre
This food center is located at 41 Cambridge Road (Postal Code 210041) and the nearest MRT Station is the Farrer Park MRT Station (NE8).
“They may be in their 70s, but their energy and passion are still very much in them. The husband makes delightful tasting prawn noodles where you just cannot get enough of their tak boleh tahan soup and hae bee chili. The real character is the wife and though she appears loud, she is actually a very nice lady.”
“This is the best Chee Cheong Fun in Singapore and the family which makes them really care in ensuring you get great quality even when you tapau home. They were originally selling great chwee kway but switch to making Chee Cheong Fun but not before conducting conscientious research in how the masters in Hong Kong made them.”
What a great resource for Singapore hawker food and one of the best I’ve seen around. Thank you for the great information. The photographs are beautiful and makes me miss Singapore food! Thank you , Harry.
Thanks Linda and glad you found it useful. We are fortunate that our food makes it a pleasure for many and our hawker centers are truly worth a special mention as it benefits everyone.
Great info!
Esp sad to say for those who does not have much time to live but crave to eat all the nostalgic dishes before going away forever!
God bless you for your efforts, thank you, Sir.
Thank you for making time to comment and for your blessings. We are fortunate to have great food at affordable prices.
Can you list the food by categories as well?
Thanks Foong… that is a great feature which I intend to incorporate too.
Fatty Ox HK Kitchen in Chinatown Complex: The beef brisket and tendon there meets Hong Kong’s standard. Only one in Singapore. Don’t think there is another stall like this elsewhere in Singapore. Glad to have a taste of HK after 8 months.
You missed one of the best hawker food centre Haig Road hawker centre, a huge mixed of halal and non halal.
Do share your fave stalls at the Haig Road Hawker Center and why you like them too. Thanks.
Thank you for recommending the fish balls to my daughter, A.J. and I at what I think was the Ion Mall (I recently arrived for a short visit and was – and am – mostly lost ). If you find yourself in NYC, please give a shout.
Wonderful selection of reviews Harry. Precise and to the point.
Makes one want to put in the extra effort to try all the outlets and support these hard working chefs.
Truly a gourmet’s treasure and hopefully this will encourage more to experience this Food culture.
Haha… thanks Kok Yang. They are certainly very good at what they do and we are certainly lucky to have a meal at their stalls.
天天海南雞飯 at Maxwell is super good. Do try smile 😋
Agree. Tian Tian is very good at what they do and the vegetables esp tow gay that goes with the rice & chicken is excellent too!
Your food blog is good but made even better with your personal comments. Makes me want to follow your hawker food trail and visit each stall. Guess I’ll have to wait till MY-SG borders are freely open again.
Thanks Hwee Ling. When the borders open, we go and makan… but we walk a bit first so can eat with less guilt.
How about soup kambing and pig stomach soup. Thank you, Sir.
Haha… will factor this into the wish list too!
Have you also tried the sio-bak at 88 HK Roast Meat along Tyrwhitt Road? They are very good at what they do.
Harry, good work. Good place to introduce to those who wants to see Singapore and taste local food. A sure web site to recommend to visit.
I notice there is practically no recommendation for food of other ethnic groups like the satay, mee rebus, lotong, Indian Rojak, roti pratas, mutton soup, goring, etc….
Hello Teck Hiong,
Great to hear from you from beautiful Vancouver and thanks for your inputs.
This 1st blog is about our Hawker Centers which are mainly in the central area.
Our Malay and Indian makan are equally sedap but mainly found in kopitiams or shop houses. I will be providing another blog on this too.
I say makanharry this is for me the definitive list, kamsiah lu.
I am going to go & try the ones I hv not.
My kampung is Pek Kio.
Next time you there, gimme a holler.
Aiyoh… Kamsiah Sylvia!
Will definitely holler the next time as the Chee Cheong Fun there is family fave and with Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah just round the corner, will make the trip within next 2 weeks.
Not yet. Can you tell me more about their Chicken Rice?
Youre so right. Im there with you. Your weblog is certainly worth a read if anyone comes throughout it. Im lucky I did because now Ive received a whole new view of this. I didnt realise that this issue was so important and so universal. You surely put it in perspective for me.
Having read Harry’s recommendations,
I brought my family for lunch at Golden Mile Food Court.
The lave bread from Mr. Baguette was to die for. I had the tiramisu and the cheese. Both were fresh and delicious. They go extremely well with the robust local coffee from Kopi More.
Thanks Sam.
The owner of Mr Bacquette has priced his shiok pastries at very affordable prices so more can have a chance to try his offerings and then make many a repeat visits. He has been able to sustain this high quality since opening the stall more than 4 years ago and that is truly an achievement too!
Oh yes, Kopi More truly sets the bar for kopi tiam kopi!
Greetings from NZ,
Very impressed with the re commendations
When our border is opened I hope to spend at least a week to try all my favourites.
My favourites in most of our visits t will be Nonya type, satay,
Matabat n Chinese Rojak.
We are looking forward to visit Singapore in 2021 December n hopefully earlier since our last trip was in June 2019 June on transit to Iceland with a few days stopover.
Have a Fabulous day.
Thank you for your kind words and glad you enjoy much of our local cuisines.
Singapore is a truly foodie paradise and drop me a note before you come and will give you an update on some of the places to makan (eat) great Satay, Peranakan delights, Murtabak & Rojak (you may also want to try our Indian Rojak too as they are heavenly!).
Have a great day in beautiful NZ!
Thank you for your kind remarks. Yes, this was created by myself after attending a 3-day course on WordPress.
Excellent and concise tabulated info. Love the recommendations without going into lengthy stories and I can find what I’m looking for immediately! You’re my go-to makan Guru!
Hello Shanti,
Thanks again for your kind comments. Will try to improve further and make it current too. We are fortunate as our Singapore makan is truly sedap, affordable and widely available too.
Heng Kee. Food spectacular but perhaps eating there on a Sunday is a mistake. Most stalls closed and result is garbage and food on floor with accompanying bad odors.,
Thanks for providing feedback Steve.
Hong Lim Food Center is a old Food Center built in the 1970s and caters primarily to the office working community in the financial districts of Raffles Place & Shenton Way during office hours. There is still much to do in Singapore to keep our Food Centers clean which includes returning food trays and cleaning up the tables after meals, instead of leaving it to cleaning staff to clear up the mess.