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8 Best Hawker Centre Singapore Selections [2024]

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Hawker Centre Singapore

Best Hawker Centre Singapore
Best Hawker Centre Singapore

Singapore is known for its hawker centres – open-air complexes that house stalls selling a wide variety of affordable dishes.

The best hawker centres in Singapore include Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, Tiong Bahru Market, Newton Food Centre, and Old Airport Road Food Centre.

When selecting a hawker centre in Singapore, take into account elements like cost-effectiveness, food diversity, and hygiene.

Hawker Centres in Singapore offer a wide range of mouthwatering and budget-friendly dishes that showcase the diversity of culinary traditions.

So whether you’re visiting Singapore or are a local looking for a new Hawker centre to explore, be sure to check out our list!

Quick Summary

  • Best hawker centres in Singapore include Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, Tiong Bahru Market, Newton Food Centre, and Old Airport Road Food Centre.
  • When choosing a hawker centre in Singapore, consider factors such as affordability, variety of food, and cleanliness.
  • At Hawker Centres in Singapore, you can get a rich variety of delicious, affordable dishes representing diverse culinary traditions.

Best Hawker Centre Singapore

1) Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre

Key services:It’s also a fantastic location to observe modern-day hawkers continuing their family’s tradition.
Address:20 Ghim Moh Rd, Singapore 270020
Website:Facebook
Phone:+65 6225 5632
Email:N/A
Operating hours:N/A

This popular dining place in the west is hidden from most tourists, with its activity beginning at dawn and continuing until late afternoon.

Attracting a mix of students, nearby residents, and active hikers refueling while traversing the nearby 15-mile Green Corridor nature trail, it offers a selection of timeless hawker treats: boneless braised duck, appam (fermented rice pancakes), fried prawn mee, and peanut pancakes.

It’s also a fantastic location to observe modern-day hawkers continuing their family’s tradition.

Key Differentiators

  • It’s also a fantastic location to observe modern-day hawkers continuing their family’s tradition.

Client Testimonial

Nestled in the west of Holland Village, Ghim Moh market has always been popular with both locals and expatriates. This place has a few good eats that you should discover for yourself.

Travel Writer

2) Tiong Bahru Market

Key services:It’s home to a few heritage vendors and two Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand recipients, as one of Singapore’s oldest public housing estates.
Address:30 Seng Poh Rd, Singapore 168898
Website:http://tiongbahru.market/
Phone:N/A
Email:N/A
Operating hours:Thursday
Closed
Friday
Closed
Saturday
6AM–12PM
Sunday
6AM–12PM
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed

This curved, two-story hawker center looks perfect in the art deco, hipster enclave of Tiong Bahru.

It’s home to a few heritage vendors and two Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand recipients, as one of Singapore’s oldest public housing estates.

With a wet market on the ground floor and more than 80 stalls on the upper level serving hawker classics like chwee kueh (steamed rice flour cakes topped with preserved turnip), sweet mung bean soup, Hokkien prawn mee, and lor mee, there’s something for everyone. 

Key Differentiators

  • It’s home to a few heritage vendors and two Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand recipients, as one of Singapore’s oldest public housing estates.

Client Testimonial

Nice retro area with a lot of 1960s’ buildings for you to take pictures as well as nice food around this area. Also there are many chic cafe for you to chillax outside.

Vincent Khoo

3) Newton Food Centre

Key services:The oyster omelet is freshly cooked and served immediately.
Address:Newton, Singapore
Website:N/A
Phone:N/A
Email:N/A
Operating hours:Thursday
12PM–2AM
Friday
12PM–2AM
Saturday
12PM–2AM
Sunday
12PM–2AM
Monday
12PM–2AM
Tuesday
12PM–2AM
Wednesday
12PM–2AM

This bustling hawker center, located a short drive (or walk) from Orchard Road, will appear familiar owing to its appearance in Crazy Rich Asians.

(Credit to the scriptwriters who didn’t embellish the experience.)

There are many seafood stalls here (and most of them are great), with a dizzying variety of dishes to try, including laksa (spicy coconut noodle soup) and satay (grilled skewers with a peanut sauce). Ice kachang is another common specialty.

The oyster omelet is freshly cooked and served immediately.

Top it all off with a glass of cold sugarcane juice.

Key Differentiators

  • The oyster omelet is freshly cooked and served immediately.

Client Testimonial

Simply delicious lunch.. worth the visit if you are in Singapore.. meal won’t be complete without fresh coconut/sugar cane juice

Aishikin

4) Old Airport Road Food Centre

Key services:Home to several famous Singapore hawkers, Old Airport Road Food Centre has been one of the island’s best-loved hawker haunts for over 40 years.
Address:51 Old Airport Rd, Singapore 390051
Website:N/A
Phone:+65 6756 0266
Email:N/A
Operating hours:Thursday
6AM–11PM
Friday
6AM–11PM
Saturday
6AM–11PM
Sunday
6AM–11PM
Monday
6AM–11PM
Tuesday
6AM–11PM
Wednesday
6AM–11PM

Home to several famous Singapore hawkers, Old Airport Road Food Centre has been one of the island’s best-loved hawker haunts for over 40 years.

The queues for popular dishes—lor mee (Hokkien-style noodles in gravy), rojak (fruit and vegetable salad with palm sugar dressing), satay, char kway teow—can get long, but there are excellent people-watching opportunities to bide the time.  

Key Differentiators

  • Home to several famous Singapore hawkers, Old Airport Road Food Centre has been one of the island’s best-loved hawker haunts for over 40 years.

5) Tekka Market Food Centre

Key services:Located at the entrance of Singapore’s vibrant Little India enclave, this multi-use building houses a wet market, food center, and retail shops in a single complex.
Address:Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore
Website:N/A
Phone:N/A
Email:N/A
Operating hours:Thursday
5AM–1PM
Friday
5AM–1PM
Saturday
5AM–12PM
Sunday
5AM–12PM
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
5AM–1PM
Wednesday
5AM–1PM

Located at the entrance of Singapore’s vibrant Little India enclave, this multi-use building houses a wet market, food center, and retail shops in a single complex.

This is where you’ll find the best Indian food on the island: There are more than 100 hawkers to try in the main complex, but the level with a concentration of stalls serving standards like biryani (briyani), thosai, and murtabak has a decent selection.

Key Differentiators

  • Located at the entrance of Singapore’s vibrant Little India enclave, this multi-use building houses a wet market, food center, and retail shops in a single complex.

Client Testimonial

One of the more unique spaces in Singapore. It houses great hawker food (definitely check out the Indian cusines).

Melloh SG

6) Amoy Street Food Centre

Key services:There’s a wide range of meals to try, including sliced fish soup, vadai (fried Indian snacks), mee goreng, and rice dumplings. Avoid lunchtime as it becomes packed when the surrounding office employees congregate for their favorite hawker meal.
Address:7 Maxwell Rd, Singapore 069111
Website:N/A
Phone:+65 6225 5632
Email:N/A
Operating hours:Thursday
6:30AM–9PM
Friday
6:30AM–9PM
Saturday
6:30AM–9PM
Sunday
6:30AM–6PM
Monday
6:30AM–9PM
Tuesday
6:30AM–9PM
Wednesday
6:30AM–9PM

Located in the central business district, this busy food center has a mix of heritage hawkers, Michelin Bib Gourmand awardees (selected by the French tire company for serving “great food at reasonable prices”), and new-generation owners serving modernized hawker staples like A Fishball Story’s Singapore-style ramen with handmade fishballs.

There’s a wide range of meals to try, including sliced fish soup, vadai (fried Indian snacks), mee goreng, and rice dumplings. Avoid lunchtime as it becomes packed when the surrounding office employees congregate for their favorite hawker meal.

Key Differentiators

  • There’s a wide range of meals to try, including sliced fish soup, vadai (fried Indian snacks), mee goreng, and rice dumplings. Avoid lunchtime as it becomes packed when the surrounding office employees congregate for their favorite hawker meal.

Client Testimonial

Highly recommended

Soo Hin

7) Maxwell Food Centre

Key services:It’s become a one-stop shop for residents, office workers, and tourists since it was formerly a wet market in the 1950s.
Address:1 Kadayanallur St, Singapore 069184
Website:N/A
Phone:+65 6225 5632
Email:N/A
Operating hours:Thursday
8AM–2AM
Friday
8AM–2AM
Saturday
8AM–2AM
Sunday
8AM–2AM
Monday
8AM–2AM
Tuesday
8AM–2AM
Wednesday
8AM–2AM

This single-story hawker center, situated in the heart of Chinatown, serves a variety of Singaporean Chinese cuisine.

It’s become a one-stop shop for residents, office workers, and tourists since it was formerly a wet market in the 1950s.

Key Differentiators

  • It’s become a one-stop shop for residents, office workers, and tourists since it was formerly a wet market in the 1950s.

Client Testimonial

I like the chicken rice from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. I ordered the Chicken Thigh set which is so yummy.

Yixiang Low

8) Adam Road Food Centre

Key services:After touring the captivating tropical landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage site, try some hawker specialties including mee soto (spicy chicken noodles), hokkien mee (stir-fried noodles with prawns), and mee goreng (Indonesian style stir-fried noodles).
Address:2 Adam Rd, Singapore 289876
Website:N/A
Phone:N/A
Email:N/A
Operating hours:Thursday
8AM–6PM
Friday
8AM–6PM
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
Monday
8AM–6PM
Tuesday
8AM–6PM
Wednesday
8AM–6PM

Small in size and well-known for its halal-certified cuisine, this hawker center is located across from the Singapore Botanic Gardens (Bukit Timah Gate).

After touring the captivating tropical landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage site, try some hawker specialties including mee soto (spicy chicken noodles), hokkien mee (stir-fried noodles with prawns), and mee goreng (Indonesian style stir-fried noodles).

Organized in a simple U-shape and framed by five angsana trees, there are approximately 40 stalls helmed by stallholders who’ve been doing brisk business for decades.  

Key Differentiators

  • After touring the captivating tropical landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage site, try some hawker specialties including mee soto (spicy chicken noodles), hokkien mee (stir-fried noodles with prawns), and mee goreng (Indonesian style stir-fried noodles).

Hawker Centre Singapore

Singapore is known for its hawker centres, which offer a dizzying array of food to try.

From hawker classics like chwee kueh (steamed rice flour cakes topped with preserved turnip), sweet mung bean soup, Hokkien prawn mee, and lor mee, there’s something for everyone!

Should you be interested in learning more about lifestyle, entertainment, and more, you may read any of the articles below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

If you have any questions about hawker centres in Singapore, you can refer to the frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the Best Hawker Centres in Singapore below:

What are the best hawker centres in Singapore?

The best hawker centres in Singapore include Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, Golden Mile Food Centre, Tiong Bahru Market, Market Street Food Centre, Newton Food Centre, Chinatown Complex Food Centre, and Old Airport Road Food Centre

What are some popular food stalls in the best hawker centres in Singapore?

There are numerous popular food stalls spread across the hawker centres in Singapore. Some of them include the soya sauce chicken rice stall at the Chinatown Complex, the tai wah pork noodle at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, and the nasi lemak stall at Chong Pang Market & Food Centre.

Where can I try the local dish, fried carrot cake, in Singapore’s hawker centres?

The fried carrot cake is a must-try local dish in Singapore. You can find this delicious food at places like Lau Pa Sat hawker centre and Old Airport Road Food Centre.

What makes the local food at Singapore’s hawker centres so special?

The local food at Singapore’s hawker centres represents a melting pot of diverse cultures and traditions. It ranges from Chinese, Malay, Indian to Peranakan cuisines, each bringing unique flavours and tastes. They are also affordable and widely available.

Which hawker centre is famous for its soya sauce chicken rice?

The Chinatown Complex hawker centre is well-known for its soya sauce chicken rice. The stall, Liao Fan Hawker Chan, even has a Michelin star to its name.

What are the must-try hawker stalls in Singapore?

A few must-try hawker stalls in Singapore include the tai wah pork noodle stall at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, the curry chicken noodles stall at Golden Mile Food Centre, and the nasi lemak stall at Chong Pang Market & Food Centre.

Where can I find the best curry chicken noodles in Singapore’s hawker centres?

You can find some of the best curry chicken noodles at the Golden Mile Food Centre. The dish, served with tasty peanut sauce, has gained a reputation for its unique and robust flavour.

Which hawker centre is known for its nasi lemak?

Chong Pang Market & Food Centre is a popular spot for nasi lemak lovers. The stall, Mizzy Corner Nasi Lemak, serves one of the best versions of this local dish.

What local dishes can I find at Lau Pa Sat hawker centre?

Lau Pa Sat hawker centre offers a wide variety of local dishes. From the famous satay with tasty peanut sauce to the delicious fried carrot cake and nasi lemak, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Why is the food at Singapore’s hawker centres considered delicious?

The food at Singapore’s hawker centres is considered delicious due to the variety of flavours, freshness of ingredients and the skill and passion of the vendors. Each dish has its own unique taste, making the culinary experience at these centres truly unforgettable.

Additional Useful Articles

If you are looking for other useful guides and articles about Best Hawker Centres in Singapore, check them out below:

Rachel Tan - FunEmpire

Article by

I'm currently the editor at FunEmpire Media Singapore. I've over 8 years of experience in the media industry discovering the best local businesses, places and things to do in Singapore. From lifestyle, entertainment, food, travel, education and more, I strive to curate the very best Singapore has to offer.