With more than 100 hawker stalls dotted around the island, eating at hawker centers is a staple of Singaporean life. Be it slow-cooked eggs for breakfast, kaya toast and coffee, or satay for dinner, when you’re hungry in Singapore, the popular open-air food courts are always the answer. Take napkins and money, and Bob is your uncle, lah.
Amoy Street Food Center
After you’ve had your mouth full at lunchtime with the office crowd, head to the top to make sure you get a seat and avoid the queues at famous businesses like Hoo Kee Rice Dumpling, J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff and Hong. Beef Kee Noodles, all in the Michelin Guide. Another popular spot is Ah Seng Hai Nam Coffee, which has been serving navy-strength coffee to hard-working Singaporeans since 1964. Pair it with kaya toast, or something different, French toast and kaya on the side.
Location: While the official address is 7 Maxwell Road, the Food Center is located at the intersection of Amoy Street and Telok Ayer Street.
Changi Airport Canteen
Need some final touches before boarding the plane? Travelers and intrepid eaters know how to line up the staff canteens at the airport, where you can find the most affordable food. You’ll find everything from chicken rice to roti prata, and even Korean, Thai and Japanese stalls. Once on board, just follow the signs for the “staff canteen”, and make sure you check in or walk lightly, as you may have to climb the stairs to get there.
Location: Basement 1, Terminal 1, Changi Airport, Singapore
Chinatown Complex
The largest shopping center in Singapore, the Chinatown Complex has over 260 stalls and has a wet market (fresh food market) below. With so much competition, prices are more pocket-friendly than ever, and there are many varieties, with Chinese cuisine dominating. Liao Fan Hawker Chan, the first restaurant to be awarded 1 Michelin-star is here, with their famous soy sauce chicken and Zhao Ji Claypot Rice – who can resist the crispy bottom? Whatever you choose, pair it with a beer from Smith Street Taps – the city’s first “hawker bar”.
Location: 335 Smith Street, Singapore
Hong Lim Market and Food Center
If the Chinatown Complex seems too overwhelming, skip to Hong Lim, which is quieter, but less exciting. You’ll find Teochew-style congee and five-spice pork at Teo Heng Teochew Porridge, chicken curry noodles at Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee, and the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, Tai Wah Pork Noodle for bak chor mee (Pork Noodles ), and the Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa with crab on top of the laksa.
Location: 531A Upper Cross St, Singapore
Maxwell Food Center
Due to its central location, accessible from Chinatown and the CBD, Maxwell Food Center is one of the most popular hawker centers in the city. At this point, things sell out, so come as soon as possible, especially if you’re looking to get dishes from rockstars like Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice or Zhen Zhen Porridge. If the queues are too long, go for the less obvious, yet no less delicious items like the Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake in all its fried glory, or the China Street Hum Jin Pang; for some wallet friendly DIY dough fritters.
Location: 1 Kadayanallur Street, Singapore
Old Airport Road Food Center
Although a bit on the eastern seaboard of Singapore, the Old Airport Road Food Center remains one of the island’s most popular eateries thanks to the wide range of food that has to cross town. It’s huge too, with about 170 stores to choose from. Other favorites include Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow, whose char kway teow earned him a Michelin Bib Gourmand, but mention this and locals will argue Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow and Lucky Char Kuey Tiao. Mattar Road Seafood is a great lobster fix without the restaurant price. To cool it down, try the Toa Payoh Rojak for a sweet, savory fruit & vegetable salad, and finish it off with Lao Ban Soya Beancurd for a silky beancurd.
Location: 51 Old Airport Road, Singapore
Telok Ayer Market (Sat Pa Sat)
Smack-bang in the middle of Singapore’s CBD, it’s probably the city’s most scenic spot. A national landmark, it has 19th Century colonial architecture, complete with wrought iron and Victorian fittings. Opening at noon, it’s not until 7pm that many of the so-called “satay street” vendors open (along Boon Tat Street), with many satays on offer, as well as popular dishes such as grilled stingray. spicy sambal. Be sure to visit Food Folks, where all the familiar and new ingredients are on the table, as well as educational, hands-on experiences. For something a little lighter, try Thunder Tea Rice, which offers a classic Hakka dish that can’t be found anywhere else.
Location: 18 Raffles Quay, Singapore
Tekka Center
If you like the flavors of the Indian subcontinent with a Singaporean twist, head to Tekka, a wet market (fresh food) that caters to the Indian crowd, and the best part of the vendors. Gorge on biryani at Allauddin or Yakader, eat dosas at Anna Dosai Stall, aromatic curries and grills at SJ Tandoori. If spicy isn’t your thing, don’t worry, because Tekka is also home to 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles one of the island’s favorite hae mee (prawn noodle) places.
Location: 665 Buffalo Road, Singapore
Timbre +
This “gastro park” is a revolutionary hawker area, consisting of connected warehouses and repurposed containers that house a wide range of food stalls, often young, innovative, from wontons with tomato to chicken burgers, to zi. char with a modern twist, including dishes such as chilli crab meat seafood hor fun. The stylish design means there are plenty of terraces and great places to kick back with a pint or freshly brewed coffee after eating street food.
Location: 73A Ayer Rajah Crescent, JTC Launchpad, Singapore
Tiong Bahru Market
If you like Art Deco architecture, take a look around Tiong Bahru’s modest buildings, then walk to the museum above the Tiong Bahru wet market, housed in a renovated Bauhaus building. Dine on chwee kueh (fried rice cakes topped with radish) at Michelin-approved Jian Bo Shui Kueh, slurp on lor mee (dishes with thick gravy) at 178 Lor Mee, and cool off with Milo dinosaur ice kachang (Milo shaved ice on top and Milo powder), a favorite flavor for many Singaporeans.
Location: 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore
Singapore is full of authentic, delicious – and affordable – dishes just waiting to be eaten. And with so many delicious places to shop, why stop at just one? For more information on Singapore’s petting zoo, visit Singapore Tourism.
Editor’s note: This article was sponsored by Singapore Tourism and endorsed by Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make Urban List possible. Click here to learn more about our maintenance process.
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