10 Tantalising Dishes From Zion Riverside Food Centre To Savour By The Singapore River

Sandwiched between Great World City and the Singapore River, Zion Riverside Food Centre can still be seen harbouring long queues during lunch hour.

Amidst the heterogeneity of hawkers in Singapore, Zion Riverside Food Centre is probably one of the smallest, with just 32 stalls.

Nonetheless, we found some yummy eats that will be sure to satisfy any craving. The food centre is patronised by many office workers wanting to escape the high prices at Great World City, and for those wanting to enjoy the views by the Singapore River, these are the 10 plates that you’ll want to dig into while you’re at it!

1. Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle 知味鲜

Brimming with accolades, Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle elevates your typical hae mee, showing that bigger is better. They sell Prawn Noodles in either the dry or soup version, starting from S$6.

The prawns are larger than usual, sweet and fleshy. For its price, the humongous prawns are worth every penny.

Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle 知味鲜: #01-04 | Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm (Tues to Sun), Closed on Mon

2. Xin Fei Fei Wanton Noodle 新飛飛飛吞面

Stormed by the crowd during the lunch hour, Xin Fei Fei Wanton Noodle was a hit with us as well. Serving a variety of wanton noodle dishes and soups, we settled for a basic bowl of Wanton Noodles (S$3.50).

I have to caution you first; if you’re not a huge fan of chilli, either ask for less or skip it entirely because it got too spicy for us. The dish was topped with sliced char siew and fried wanton, with a small bowl of wanton soup at the side.

Personally, I preferred the soup wanton‘s much more, which were fat with meat fillings.

Xin Fei Fei Wanton Noodle 新飛飛飛吞面: #01-06 | Opening Hours: 9.30am – 1.30am (Fri to Wed), Closed on Thurs

3. Ngoh Hiang 五香蝦餅 炒米粉

Catering to Zion Riverside Food Centre regulars is the Ngoh Hiang stall. They’ve got seriously tight opening hours and they only prepare the dish to-order.

The five-spice dish comes with sides of cucumbers, lap cheong, and dips with pickled onions for that extra boost in flavour!

Each portion for a single adult starts from S$5 — ‘the standard price’, claimed the owner. They also do prawn fritters, which are made on the spot with fresh prawns and beansprouts. We advise getting the bee hoon to balance out the oily platter.

Ngoh Hiang 五香蝦餅 炒米粉: #01-07 | Opening Hours: 12.30pm – 2pm (Sun to Fri), Closed on Sat

4. Ah Wang La Mian Xiao Long Bao Shang Hai Fried Dumplings 阿汪拉面小籠包上海鍋貼

For the adventurous, Ah Wang La Mian Xiao Long Bao is a stop-by for anyone willing to give hawker centre dim sum a try. Their location and price make it an alternative to the fancy fare at Great World City.

The most popular orders are a plate of Szechuan Spicy Wantons (S$4.50 for 10) to share with the table. The sauce may look scary, but it’s definitely the perfect balance of chilli oil and vinegar to accentuate the wanton. 

One of the dishes that totally make the dim sum here worth it is their Xiao Long Bao (S$4.50 for seven).

Ah Wang La Mian Xiao Long Bao Shang Hai Fried Dumplings 阿汪拉面小籠包上海鍋貼: #01-18 | Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Tue to Fri), 9am – 9pm (Sat & Sun), Closed on Mon

5. House Of Soya Beans 豆浆之家

House of Soya Beans claims to have moved over to the riverside from Chomp Chomp, another haunt for local fare. I picked up a serving of Cold Beancurd (S$1.50) and it quickly became one of my favourite tau hueys. 

Unlike traditional bean curd desserts which are scooped into the bowl and completed with sugar syrup, House of Soya Beans carries something closer to a pudding. It had a consistently smooth texture, almost like another well-known tau huey franchise, but it’s less firm.

House Of Soya Beans 豆浆之家: #01-11 | Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Daily)

6. Seng Huat Western 成发西餐

If you’re feeling more for meaty dishes, Seng Huat Western will satisfy your carnivorous cravings while you’re around the area. You can get the regular Chicken Chop (S$5), Burger Steak (S$4.50), or Fish And Chips (S$5).

The meats were tender and lavished with delicious gravy. Each dish comes with fries and baked beans on the side, along with a sunny side up. I’m definitely getting my Western fix here next time!

Seng Huat Western 成发西餐: #01-12 | Opening Hours: 11am – 8.30pm (Fri toWed), Closed on Thurs

7. No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow 炒粿條麺

Upon entering the food centre, you might be overwhelmed by the smell of wok hei smoking up the place. I’m sure the majority of it comes from No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow. Even before the lunch hour, the stall racks up their queue right up to the adjacent sheltered entrance.

Notably one of the best fried kway teows in Singapore, it sports a robust flavour packed in a semi-dry version of char kway teow. Singaporeans aren’t big fans of long waits, but good things are worth the wait, over and over again.

No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow 炒粿條麺: #01-17 | Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Daily), Closed alternate Tues

8. Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap • Braised Duck 文通記粿汁

Contending for the longest lunch queue at Zion Riverside Food Centre is Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap And Braised Duck. So far, I’ve yet to see a queue consistently this long at a hawker stall!

The duck meat is braised in a herbal broth, making it tender and flavourful. The same can be said for the kway, where the soup carries the same herbal concoction and balances the umami notes of pork.

The menu offers sets for pairs and groups of three to share, so those are pretty popular especially with office workers coming in groups for lunch. Otherwise, a plate of Braised Duck Rice (S$3.50) or Kway Chap (S$3, additional S$0.50 for kway) is granted to make your meal.

Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap • Braised Duck 文通記粿汁: #01-24 | Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Thurs to Tues), Closed on Wed

9. Lau Goh Teochew Chye Thow Kway 老吳菜頭粿

Lau Goh is said to be one of the pioneers of today’s breakfast favourite, White Carrot Cake. The stall is currently run by Lau Goh’s son, Peter, whom many know to be a hearing-impaired hawker.

The radish cakes are cut up in uneven chunks, which are well-seasoned with the chye poh. You’ll be happy to find that you get a generous helping of egg fried in the White Carrot Cake.

To order a plate of crispy carrot cake, point at the desired item on the counter, and remember to flash a friendly smile! A plate of the white or black version goes at S$4, and S$5 for Yuan Yang.

Lau Goh Teochew Chye Thow Kway 老吳菜頭粿: #01-26 | Opening Hours: 11am – 3.30pm & 6pm – 11pm (Mon to Fri), 8.30am – 4pm & 6pm – 11pm (Sat, Sun, & PH)

10. Ming He Fish Soup 明何鱼汤

Another must-have meal by the river would be something from the water itself, right? Of course, Ming He Fish Soup doesn’t really serve you fish from the canal, but their Sliced Fish Soup (S$3.50) is fresh for sure!

The fish slices were firm to the bite, while the thick vermicelli noodles were silky. The clear soup was light and refreshing, even when we were surrounded in the heat of the crowd in the hawker centre.

Ming He Fish Soup 明何鱼汤: #01-31 | Opening Hours: 9am – 8pm (Mon to Sat), Closed on Sun & PH

Though small, Zion Riverside Food Centre has nothing short of gourmet grub, and taking the outdoor seating by the river really amps up the vibes.

Almost like clockwork, the lunch crowd will most definitely appear around noon, so best be in the queue before that!