You've probably been to some of these hawker centres at some point but can you say you've tried all the best stalls there? Here are just some of the hottest vendors to patronise the next time you're at each venue!
For Mouth-Watering Beef Brisket NoodlesÂ
Stop over at Chinatown Complex Food Centre if you want to be totally inundated with the best dishes Singapore has got to offer! With over 260 stalls at your disposal, this is a great place to head to if you want to sample all sorts of local food. Take for instance the springy egg noodles and roast meat cuts from Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen; their signature Beef Brisket Noodles are a must-try when you're there!
For High Quality Kway ChapÂ
Since its inception in 1973, Old Airport Road Food Centre has been home to a slew of hawker stalls offering wallet-friendly local delights. One such stall is To-Ricos Kway Chap which is a must-try for any lovers of the usual suspects in the platter: pork belly, large intestines, pig stomach, and braised egg. Doused in a super tasty sauce, these ingredients go best with their silky smooth rice noodles! Do note that prices vary based on what you opt for when you're there.
For Michelin Bib Gourmand Chwee Kueh
Tiong Bahru Market has been around for decades and is still going strong today! Featuring an old school wet market on the ground floor and a food centre on the second level, this complex has now become synonymous with many popular food stalls, Jian Bo Chwee Kueh being one of them.
With a 65-year legacy strapped under their belt, Jian Bo is better known for its robustly flavoured steamed rice cakes which come with preserved radish and dried chilli paste. The brand's adherence to time-tested recipes and meticulous preparation techniques have earned them the highly acclaimed Michelin Bib Gourmand accolade for two consecutive years (2021 & 2022).
Chomp Chomp Food Centre
Photo by Burppler Jonathan Lim
For A Super 'Shiok' Sambal Stingray
If you're looking for a hawker to dine at in the evening, Chomp Chomp is the place to be! This bustling centre is a great supper spot as there are quite a handful of stalls offering street food till late—perfect for satisfying those night time hunger pangs.
The Sambal BBQ Stingray ($12) from Hai Wei Yuan BBQ is perhaps one of the most sought after dishes at the food centre, and for good reason. Wrapped in a fragrant banana leaf, the tender meat is grilled to perfection and slathered with generous amounts of sambal chilli and onion slices. Don't forget to drizzle some lime juice over before you dig in!
For A Wonderful Wagyu DonburiÂ
Living in the East does have its benefits! Being close to The Bedok Marketplace is certainly one of them. If you're in the Simpang area and want to grab a quick bite, you should definitely pay this modern hawker centre a visit. They've got all sorts of trendy stalls including The Burning Oak which specialises in donburi bowls consisting of Wagyu beef cuts. Crowd favourites are, without a doubt, the mouth-watering Foie Gras and Wagyu Bowl ($12) and the Pork Cheek Bowl ($12) which comes with thick slices of pork cheek—both bowls come with short-grain Japanese pearl rice and a bowl of miso soup.
For Singapore-Style Ramen
Nestled within the CBD area, Amoy Street Food Centre is a definite hotspot for the working folk during lunchtime! This two-story hawker centre houses a good mix of long-established stalls and newer start-ups so if variety is what you're after, it's exactly what you're going to get once you step foot there.
Want to try something a little different from the regular local fare? Then the innovative (not to mention, Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee) A Noodle Story is your best bet. Dubbed Singapore-Style ramen, their reimagined noodle bowls are certainly different from their Japanese counterparts; the noodles are instead, prepared in the style of Wanton Mee, served with a ridiculously runny Ajitama egg, sous-vide pork that has been smoked with wood chips, and accompanied with a side of homemade sambal and dried shrimp. Each bowl is priced according to the portion size!
