When I planned my first trip to Singapore, there was one thing on my mind more than anything: food. And, oh, how spot on it was to set my goal to spend most of my vacation eating to my heart’s content at all the tasty hawker centres in Singapore!
After visiting dozens of cities on the continent, I can say with unshakeable certainty that Singapore is one of the best food cities in Asia. And nowhere in this fine city-state did I experience complete food bliss more than in its food courts.
Food centres are a massive part of Singaporean food culture. Although they sound a little dubious, I’d describe them as a regular food court taken to its most logical (and delicious) extreme.
On its own, visiting a hawker centre is a must-have cultural experience in Singapore. Of course, the real treat isn’t to just walk around aimlessly, but to partake in the gastronomical nirvana that awaits!
Not sure how to get started exploring the scene? Here’s a quick guide to some of my favorite Singapore hawker centres that I encountered on my three trips to the city…
Looking for more ideas for your trip? Check out our Singapore Travel Guide for recommendations on what to do, see & eat, and where to stay!
Chinatown Complex Food Centre
Want to get acquainted with Singapore’s food culture? I’d recommend starting with the massive and central Chinatown Complex Food Centre.
This famed food complex is situated in the heart of—you guessed it!—Chinatown. It delivers a wealth of top-notch food options at affordable prices.
There’s enough here to keep your taste buds exploring for hours, if not days. (This is, after all, the largest hawker centre in food-obsessed Singapore!)
Unsurprisingly, the Chinatown Complex Food Centre is heavy on Chinese-inspired dishes. At the food stalls, I found plenty of my Singaporean favourites to enjoy: wonton noodles, char kway teow, Hokkien mee, chicken rice, dim sum, lor mee, and bak kut teh.
Over several visits to the Chinatown Complex on my three trips to Singapore, I was also able to dabble in plenty of other, more “local” popular Singaporean foods. Keep on the lookout for favourites like satay, laksa, and chill crab here.
One of my favourite hawker stalls here is Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle (#02-126). Better known as Hawker Chan, the food stall famously serves up the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal. I also spotted a branch on nearby Chinatown Food Street, but it’s not quite the same as enjoying a meal at the original location.
Another popular choice I enjoyed here is Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice (#02-197/198). It’s one of the most famous places in Singapore to eat claypot rice. Along with the Hainanese chicken rice at Maxwell Food Centre, this was one of my biggest culinary surprises in the city!
Nearest MRT station: Chinatown MRT (NE4), Exit B
Hong Lim Market & Food Centre
Looking for a more local, yet central, Singapore food experience? I’d also suggest carving out time on your Chinatown visit to explore the Hong Lim Market & Food Centre.
Although it’s located only a few blocks north of the Chinatown Complex, Hong Lim is often overlooked by travellers on a central Singapore hawker centre walking tour. After eating here a couple of times, I can attest that’s not a reflection of the quality of the food, but, instead, its location, which is tucked away from the main streets of Chinatown.
Snake your way into Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, and you’ll be treated to a sprawling two-storey food extravaganza. The food court is chock-full of some of Singapore’s most famous food stalls. I even found a couple of Michelin-starred gems here!
On my first trip to Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, I drifted into culinary heaven at Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa (#02-66). Their delicious and aromatic laksa was one of the tastiest I’ve had while visiting the city. It’s chock-full of cockles and shrimp, in an umami broth that gets even tastier with a dollop of sambal mixed in.
Ah Hong Curry (#02-57/58) also made me a lifelong fan with its mind-blowing spicy curry noodles. The creamy broth and noodles are perfectly complemented by a generous portion of juicy chicken, tau pok (tofu puffs), and fish cake.
Nearest MRT station: Chinatown MRT (NE4), Exit G
Maxwell Food Centre
The popular Maxwell Food Centre completes the trifecta of stellar hawker centres in the Chinatown area. This one-floor food court was the second I visited in Singapore, and one I returned to multiple times on my three visits to the city. Whenever I stop in, I’m always amazed at the superb variety of local dishes to suit all tastes.
Much of the centre’s current fame was sparked by a visit from the late Anthony Bourdain. On Parts Unknown, he dubbed the signature fragrant rice dish at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-10/11) one of his favourites in Singapore.
(Truthfully, I found the chicken rice found elsewhere in Maxwell Food Centre just as good—and without the perpetual long queue! Try out Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice to test my theory.)
Already exhausted the chicken rice stalls? There’s a handful of other dishes I’d recommend seeking out at Maxwell Food Centre.
Taste the pork congee and fish porridge from Zhen Zhen Porridge (#01-54), char kway teow from Marina South Delicious Food (#01-35), and wonton noodles from Guang Dong Wanton Mee (#01-99). They were all among my favourites here!
Nearest MRT station: Chinatown MRT (NE4), Exit B
Old Airport Road Food Centre
Although it’s a little further afoot, I give my high praise to Old Airport Road Food Centre. It’s also often recommended by Singaporeans as one of the tastiest places to eat in Singapore.
This iconic food court isn’t just one of the largest in Singapore but one of the first. Some of the food stalls here have operated for generations. To put it mildly: You’re gonna get to experience some pretty legendary food while digging in here!
Unsurprisingly, I also found all my Singaporean favourites here. As I walked around here for the first time, I could see that the menus were jam-packed with everything from char kway teow and Hokkien mee to rojak and kway chap.
Of course, on my first visit to the Old Airport Road Food Centre, I had to try its most famous dish: soya beancurd. Plop yourself into the long queue at Lao Ban Soya Beancurd (#01-107) to see what the fuss is all about.
Nearest MRT station: Dakota MRT (CC8), Exit A
Tiong Bahru Market
The landmark Tiong Bahru Market is located in the historical Tiong Bahru neighbourhood. Wandering into this bright and airy building was a pleasant surprise after spending much of my time in Singapore’s older food courts.
It wasn’t always like this, though. A recent renovation changed the face of Tiong Bahru Market. The food market is now one of the airiest, cleanest, and most comfortable in the city. If the thought of eating at informal food stalls leaves you squeamish, Tiong Bahru Market is a great primer to Singaporean hawker fare.
Among Singapore’s hawker centres, I found Tiong Bahru Market unique. After hitting up the sizeable food court on the second floor, I was also able to explore its interesting wet market on the first floor.
Of course, I had to try an endless multitude of dishes on my visit here. For lor mee, one of the most famous hawker stalls here is 178 Lor Mee (#02-23)—and it was one of the most unique I tasted in the city.
If you’re craving roasted duck rice, I’d give a thumbs-up to Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted (#02-60). The yong tau foo at Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo (#02-44) and prawn noodles at Min Nan Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle (#02-31) were also delicious and well worth seeking out.
I also loved the chwee kueh at Tiong Bahru Market. This uncomplicated dish combines a silky steamed rice cake with a pickled radish. Jian Bo Chwee Kueh (#02-05) is one of the best places to try it in Singapore.
Nearest MRT station: Tiong Bahru (EW17), Exit B
Lau Pa Sat Hawker Centre (Telok Ayer Market)
Spending time in the central business district? On my walks through this bustling area, it was impossible for me not to spot the Lau Pa Sat Hawker Centre, often also referred to as Telok Ayer Market.
Lau Pat Sat’s 120-year-old pavilion stands out among the city’s impressive architecture. Stepping inside, I was dazzled by the building’s unique wrought-iron design, ample seating—and, of course, its diverse selection of mouth-watering foods!
During my three visits to Singapore, Lau Pa Sat became one of my favourite places to eat in the city centre. Whereas other centres often present a challenge in finding a place to sit, there are 2,500-odd seats here. Outside the lunch rush, I had no problem finding a place to plop down to eat.
Although you can rarely go wrong with trying new foods in Singapore, I took a particular liking to the char kway teow at Lai Heng Fried Kway Teow (sadly, now closed). The dish douses fried wide rice noodles & seafood with dark soy & pork lard. The noodle soup at the Qiu Lian Ban Mian hawker stall was also outstanding.
Roaming around the Lau Pa Sat area in the evening? Don’t miss the chance to get your Singapore BBQ meat fix on Satay Street.
I stumbled upon Satay Street on Boon Sat Street behind the pavilion. The nightly experience sees Singapore’s top satay vendors set up shop on the street side. Whether chicken, pork, or beef, I tasted several succulent varieties of this popular street snack here. (With its oh-so-delicious peanut dipping sauce, naturally!)
Nearest MRT station: Telok Ayer (DT18), Exit A
Tekka Centre
Rarin’ to try Indian food while in Singapore? My go-to for solving my deepest Indian food cravings was the Tekka Centre in Little India.
The moment you enter the three-storey food complex, your olfactory sense will become overjoyed. Even before I entered, I caught the savoury smells of Singapore’s tastiest curry dishes and other Singaporean favourites whisping out the door.
The Tekka Centre is a local favourite hotspot in the Little India food scene. And after checking it out, it was easy to see why. Eating here quickly impressed both my palate and wallet!
According to locals I spoke to during my visit, this hawker centre is most famous for its biryani. This popular Indian rice dish is served with chicken or mutton and flavoured with various spices.
Allaudin’s Briyani (#01-232) is one of the most popular hawker stalls at Tekka Centre, so, of course, I had to dabble. It turned out to be a fantastic place to indoctrinate my taste buds into this flavourful dish.
After waiting over 20 minutes in line, I finally grabbed a fork and dug into the golden orange rice and juicy chicken. It’s still one of the tastiest biryani I’ve tried, not just in Singapore but anywhere. (Disclaimer: I haven’t visited India yet.)
Nearest MRT station: Little India (DT12), Exit A
Makansutra Gluttons Bay
Sure, it gets flak for being a little less than authentic. But it’s hard to argue that Makansutra Gluttons Bay isn’t a fun spot to eat in Singapore.
To some, the cuisine here may feel more run-of-the-mill and overpriced compared to other food courts in the city. But—my, oh my!—the views at Makansutra Gluttons Bay are hard to beat.
Let’s leave behind the claustrophobic indoor quarters elsewhere in Singapore. Makansutra Gluttons Bay is an open-air food court. It’s perched on the edge of Marina Bay, opposite the iconic Marina Bay Sands.
I loved spending time in his food court, enjoying delicious food and beautiful views into the wee hours of the night. I think it’s the perfect spot to end an evening exploring Marina Bay.
My advice? Pull up a chair. Sip on a pint of Tiger and chomp down satay or chilli crab to the lights of Singapore’s skyscrapers shining into the waters of Marina Bay. It’ll be as rewarding an experience as any on your Singapore itinerary!
Nearest MRT station: Esplanade (CC3) or City Hall (NS25)
Chomp Chomp Food Centre
Once you’ve hit up all the top hawkers in the city centre, drift up to Chomp Chomp Food Centre. It’s located in the Serangoon Gardens area in Singapore’s north. It’s a bit out of the way, but well worth the hike.
This busy food court is popular among local residents and foodies from around Singapore. It offers a plentiful selection of Singaporean favourites, all at prices lower than those I found in the food courts closer to downtown.
If you’re a foodie like me, your taste buds will be delighted with the food at Chomp Chomp Food Centre. From spicy & savoury dishes like sambal stingray and BBQ chicken to sweeter delights like carrot cake and sugar cane juice, I found all of the usual Singaporean staples here.
To taste a legendary local favourite, brave the perpetual queue at Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Mee (#27). Order their famous hokkien mee. In true Singaporean style, their hokkien mee spins together thick egg noodles and thin bee hoon noodles with seafood in a rich prawn broth. Smother it with sambal paste for a jolt of spice.
Save room in your burstin’ belly for Ah Mai Satay Bee Hoon (#17), which serves up some of the tastiest satay bee hoon in Singapore.
Nearest MRT station: Serangoon (CC13), Exit B
Amoy Street Food Centre
I first stumbled upon Amoy Food Centre by accident, while walking back to my hotel from the central business district. Happy accident, it would seem!
Located steps from the financial district, Amoy Food Centre is a favourite food court among Singapore’s caffeine-wired office workers crunching numbers nearby.
Like at nearby Lau Pa Sat, I noticed that the top hawker stalls at Amoy Food Centre suffer from long queues at peak meal times. (And when peeking in while walking by at other times of the day, I often found them closed.)
Still, I managed to try a couple of amazing dishes at Amoy Street Food Centre. One stood out, though.
Don’t leave without stopping at the Michelin-starred A Noodle Story (#01-139). Their signature noodle dish blends Japanese-style ramen with wontons, roasted pork, and prawns. This, my foodie friends, is a game-changer!
Other popular stalls at Amoy Street include Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Noodles (#01-14) and Han Kee Fish Soup (#02-129).
Nearest MRT station: Tanjong Pagar MRT (EW15)
Satay by the Bay
Worked up an appetite while wandering around the spectacular Gardens by the Bay? Scoot on over to Satay by the Bay for a quick bite.
Like Amoy Food Centre, I randomly found myself at this outdoor food court on the edge of the northeastern corner of the gardens. It specializes in—you guessed it!—satay, Singapore’s most famous BBQ dish.
Not into satay? I saw plenty of other delicious Singaporean foods on the menus at Satay by the Bay, too, including char kway teow, carrot cake, hokkien mee, roti prata, and laksa.
Nearest MRT station: Bayfront (DT16)
ABC Brickworks Food Centre
Built in the 1970s, ABC Brickworks Food Centre was one of the first centres to kick off Singapore’s UNESCO-recognized hawker culture. It’s located on Jalan Bukit Merah, about 30 minutes east of downtown.
ABC was named after the Archipelago Brewery Company, Singapore’s first commercial brewery. Although the brewery’s since moved elsewhere, its original location still pleases the palate. (In a different way!)
Start your ABC Food Centre taste-testing adventure with Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Mee (#01-13). The popular local food stall serves up some of the city’s finest fried prawn noodles.
I’d also recommend carving out time for the Michelin Bib Gourmand-recommended herbal soups at Ah Er Soup (#01-141). The juicy char siew at Fatty Cheong Roast (#01-120) is also worth a try.
Nearest MRT station: Redhill (EW18)
Golden Mile Food Centre
Opened in 1975, Golden Mile Food Centre has long been a fixture in the Singapore food scene. The hawker centre is steps away from Kampong Glam. And after building up an appetite while exploring Singapore’s historical charms, I couldn’t help but check it out!
Walking through two floors of vendors at Golden Mile Food Centre, I spotted all of the city-state’s usual favourite dishes. With its proximity to the Arab-Malay quarter, I also saw plenty of stalls selling Halal and Malay fare like nasi lemak, sup tulang, and nasi ayam.
Taste Indonesian and Malay favourites like gado-gado and bee hoon soto ayam at Wedang (#B1-19). Experience the city’s tastiest braised duck at Ah Xiao Teochew Braised Duck (#B1-43), open since the 1990s. The yong tau fu at Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo (#B1-44) is also some of the finest I have tasted on my three trips to Singapore.
Nearest MRT station: Nicoll Highway (CC5)
