Built up a serious appetite while exploring Singapore? Don’t let Tiong Bahru Market Hawker Centre pass you by!
Set in the historical neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru, this culinary hotspot is one of the finest hawker centres in Singapore. It offers the whole gamut of Singaporean food favourites. You’ll find everything from wonton mee & roast duck to char kway teow & chicken rice here.
Ready to start exploring this blissful marketplace? Get started with this guide to the Tiong Bahru Food Centre…
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!
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What to expect at Tiong Bahru Market
Used to “classic” Singaporean hawker centres like the Chinatown Complex Food Centre or Old Airport Road Food Centre? Tiong Bahru Market will be a breath of fresh air.
Although the market dates back to 1955, Tiong Bahru Food Centre has been recently renovated. It’s perhaps the cleanest and most comfortable hawker centre in Singapore.
The design of Tiong Bahru Market is quite unique. It combines an open-air area with a ventilated covered market. Compared to cramped food centres elsewhere in the city, it’s a more inviting atmosphere for foodies.
One of the other unique features here is the popular Tiong Bahru Wet Market. It’s located on the first floor of the complex. After enjoying delicious Singaporean snacks at one of the top food stalls on the second floor, be sure to check it out. The wet market offers tons of fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, and seafood. Like some other centres, you’ll find plenty of other goods here, too.
Where & what to eat at Tiong Bahru Food Centre
Now, let’s skip to the real reason you’re visiting: the delicious food. Unsurprisingly, like most of Singapore’s best hawker centres, Tiong Bahru Food Centre delivers. In a big way.
As you roam through the barrage of hawker stalls, keep your eyes peeled for some of the following:
- Jian Bo Shui Kueh (#02-05): If you ask around, you’ll find plenty Singaporeans raving about the chwee kueh at this stall. These soft & silky Teochew rice cakes are topped with chye poh (dry prepared radish) and sesame seeds. They release seriously addictive umami flavours you won’t soon forget. Expect a long queue at this famous stall.
- Tiong Bahru Fried Kway Teow (#02-11): No visit to a hawker centre is complete without a taste of char kway teow. It’s one of my own personal favourite Singaporean foods, truth be told! With more than 40 years of history behind it, this food stall serves up two varieties of char kway teow. Go for the “light” version if you’re feeling only a bit peckish. If you’ve built up a big appetite, opt for the slightly more expensive dishes. They’re a tad heavier on seafood and meat.
- Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Noodles (#02-30): Follow the long queues to this popular Tiong Bahru food stall. It’s famous for serving up delicious wonton noodles topped with juicy char siu. The signature offering here is their premium bu jian tian char siu. It’s carved from the tender meat under the arm part rather than belly or back. Come early on in the day as their premium char siu tends to sell out quickly. (As I, unfortunately, experienced firsthand!)
- 178 Lor Mee (#02-23): This stall has become famous for topping its lor mee with deep-fried shark meat fritters. The gravy is heavier than most lor mee you’ll find elsewhere. You’ll either love it or could do without it.
- Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (#02-80): The other famous lor mee vendor here, this stall skips on the shark meat. Instead, they top their lor mee with ingredients like fried dumplings, fish cake, and eggs. Their signature dish also includes ngor hiang, a Singaporean five-spice pork roll wrapped in beancurd skin.
- Min Nan Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle (#02-31): For eating prawn noodles at Tiong Bahru Food Centre, this is the grandaddy of ’em all. Their signature prawn noodles (S$4) feature plump, fresh prawns and thin vermicelli noodles. Rare for prawn noodles, they also toss in an ample serving of fishballs. The pork rib noodle here also gets high praise among locals.
Getting there
The easiest way to get to Tiong Bahru Market is by MRT. The closest MRT station is Tiong Bahru MRT (EW17). From Exit B, it’s approximately an 8-minute walk via Tiong Bahru Road and Seng Poh Road.
