Tiong Bahru Market Hawker Centre: 6 Must-Try Dishes & Stalls For Your Singapore Food Adventure

On my three trips to Singapore, I likely spent far more time eating than sightseeing. So, when I had a little free time—and an empty belly!—I couldn’t resist the temptation to go on yet another Singaporean food adventure at the Tiong Bahru Market Hawker Centre.

Set in the historical neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru, this culinary hotspot quickly became one of my favourite hawker centres in Singapore. Exploring the food stalls for the first time, I saw the whole gamut of Singaporean food favourites laid out in front of me—from wonton mee & roast duck to char kway teow & chicken rice here.

Let me walk you through and help you start exploring Tiong Bahru Food with this complete guide, including some of my favourite dishes and hawker stalls…

What to expect

After spending a bunch of time in “classic” Singaporean hawker centres like the Chinatown Complex Food Centre or Old Airport Road Food Centre on my trips to Singapore, Tiong Bahru Market was a breath of fresh air.

The market dates back to 1955, but with a recent renovation, Tiong Bahru Food Centre is now perhaps one of the cleanest and most comfortable hawker centres I’ve visited in Singapore.

I found the design of Tiong Bahru Market quite unique. It combines an open-air area with a ventilated covered market. Compared to cramped food centres I ate at elsewhere in the city, it felt like a more inviting atmosphere for foodies.

One of the other unique features I discovered here is the popular Tiong Bahru Wet Market, located on the first floor of the complex.

After enjoying delicious Singaporean snacks at the food stalls on the second floor, be sure to check it out. The wet market offers tons of fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, and seafood—and plenty of other goods here, too.

Where & what to eat

Now, let’s skip to the real reason you want to visit Tiong Bahru Food Centre: the delicious dishes. Unsurprisingly, there’s plenty of that to go around! As you roam through the barrage of hawker stalls, keep your eyes peeled for a few of my personal favourites.

Jian Bo Shui Kueh (#02-05)

After asking around the food centre, I found several Singaporeans raving about the chwee kueh at this stall. Of course, I’m not one to shun glowing local food reviews, so I gave these a try!

These Teochew rice cakes were soft and silky, topped with chye poh (dry prepared radish) and sesame seeds. On the first bite, they release some seriously addictive umami flavours you won’t soon forget. (I know I won’t!)

Expect a long queue at this famous stall. (I waited about 10 minutes or so on my last visit.)

Tiong Bahru Fried Kway Teow (#02-11)

No visit to a hawker centre is complete without a taste of char kway teow. (Truth be told, after my first bite of it at Lau Pa Sat, it instantly became one of my own personal favourite Singaporean foods.)

With more than 40 years of history behind it, this food stall serves up two varieties of char kway teow. It’s won several awards for its signature dishes over the years, so I figured it was worth a gamble!

As I was already stuffed, I went for the “light” version. (Which was still quite filling.) If you’ve built up a big appetite, though, you can opt for the slightly more expensive dishes, which are a tad heavier on seafood and meat.

QUICK UPDATE: Since my last visit to Singapore, this char kway teow stall has been getting more mixed reviews from locals. One thing I have learned while researching spots to eat here, however, is that local palates are often more attuned to their own traditional flavors. (And they can be quite picky!)

I saw again and again (and this goes for anywhere, really) that what they like, Westerners might not. And vice versa. In any case, I’d still say it’s worth a try!

Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Noodles (#02-30)

Yet another chat with a friendly Singaporean “auntie” led me to search out one of my all-time favourite Chinese dishes—wanton noodles—at this popular Tiong Bahru food stall.

The queues here were long. The wait was well worth it, though, when an overflowing plate of delicious wonton noodles—topped with juicy char siu—plopped in front of me.

The signature offering here is their premium bu jian tian char siu. It’s carved from the tender meat under the arm rather than the belly or back.

I’d recommend visiting early in the day; their premium char siu tends to sell out quickly.

(Unfortunately, I experienced this firsthand. But their “normal” char siu was still a revelation!)

178 Lor Mee (#02-23)

This stall has become famous for topping its lor mee with deep-fried shark meat fritters. The gravy here is heavier than most lor mee elsewhere.

You’ll either love it or could do without it. (I’m still on the fence.)

Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (#02-80)

The other famous lor mee vendor here skips the shark meat. (It’s that’s a good thing, in my opinion.)

Instead, the stall tops 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. Sinking my teeth into this was far more to my own personal tastes.

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. It was one of the tastiest I’ve tried on my three visits to the city.

Rare for prawn noodles, they also toss in an ample serving of fishballs.

The pork rib noodle here also gets high praise among locals. (Although, regretfully, I was too stuffed to order it. Next time!)

Getting there

The easiest way to get to Tiong Bahru Market is by the 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.

As I was staying at the Dorsett Singapore near Chinatown, I decided, instead, to walk to the market. Despite travelling along busy Outram Road, the 20-minute walk was pleasant, thanks to a surprising amount of greenery.