11 best stalls at 115 Bukit Merah View Food Centre to keep in view

It’s always “East side best side” or “West side best side” — but what about the South? With hawker centres like ABC Brickworks, Alexandra Village, Tiong Bahru Market and more, this area doesn’t get nearly enough spotlight in the perennial debate over where Singapore’s best food lies (the actual answer’s islandwide, but you get the drift). Let me make the case with yet another of its gems: 115 Bukit Merah View Food Centre.

A long-time favourite among taxi uncles and other locals who live to eat, this food centre packs close to a hundred cooked food stalls dishing out all of our favourite local delights. Nestled conveniently between Redhill and Tiong Bahru, it’s a spot that reliably buzzes come lunch and dinner.

While you can hardly go wrong with any stall at this criminally underrated food centre, here are our picks for the 11 best stalls in 115 Bukit Merah View Food Centre to keep in view.

1. Yong Chun Wan Ton Noodle (#01-56)

Crowning our list is none other than one of Singapore’s best-rated wanton mee: Yong Chun Wan Ton Noodle. Whether it truly holds the crown is up to you — though judging by the loyal devotees who rise at the crack of dawn for a plate, many seem to think so. Queues start the moment the stall opens at 5.30am and don’t let up until everything sells out before noon.

It’s little wonder they’ve earned and kept a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2023.

The Wan Ton Noodle (S$4/S$5/S$6) is the stall’s star. Soft yet springy egg noodles come topped with char siew and chye sim, paired with a peppery soup carrying silky wantons. Every ingredient is meticulously prepped fresh before opening; a real standout being the char siew, which is cooked using the traditional ma jie method for that old-school touch.

Yong Chun also offers various other noodle dishes to suit different fancies, such as Chicken Feet Noodle (S$5/S$6), Shredded Chicken Hor Fun (S$4/S$5/S$6) and Dumpling Noodle (S$4/S$5/S$6), the latter of which swaps wantons for plump shui jiao studded with crunchy water chestnuts.

+65 9028 1285
Mon to Wed & Fri: 5.30am – 12.30pm
Sat & Sun: 5.30am – 1pm
Closed on Thu
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2. Hakka Leipopo (#01-61)

If you’re a sworn veggie-hater, Hakka Leipopo might just change your mind. The brainchild of a piano teacher-turned-hawker, this stall serves up some of — dare I say — the best lei cha in Singapore, and has since been thriving with two more outlets in the Northeast.

The menu is refreshingly simple, offering just two signatures: Hakka Lei Cha (S$5) and Hakka Yong Tau Foo (S$7.20). There’s also best-of-both-world combos: Set A (S$8.30) pairs your lei cha with 3 pieces of yong tau foo, while Set B (S$11.70) gets you 7.

The lei cha earns my former-veggie-hater stamp of approval, featuring a garden of finely chopped vegetables, peanuts, tofu bits and hae bee for a dash of umami. Mixed with gritty Brown Rice (S$0.50) and enjoyed with the savoury, herbaceous tea soup, it makes for a wholesome, fibrous lunch that’s far more comforting than it sounds.

And don’t sleep on the yong tau foo, too. Stuffed with a tasty mix of fresh pork and mackerel fish paste, these flavour bombs simply beg to be devoured and you’ll polish them off in no time.

Mon to Wed: 9.30am – 3pm
Closed on Thu to Sun
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3. 786 Char Kway Teow (#01-28)

While Muslim-friendly char kway teow is a pretty rare treat in Singapore, 786 Char Kway Teow has you covered here at 115 Bukit Merah Food Centre. At the reins of this humble stall is Anis, a Muslim convert and former Chinese banquet chef, who cleverly swaps pork and lard for his own secret blend of seasonings and sauces that gives the dish its signature flavour.

The stall serves just one thing: Char Kway Teow (S$4.50/S$5.50/S$6.50). Each plate is a well-balanced mix of kway teow and yellow noodles, wok-tossed in dark sauce with a scattering of crunchy taugeh, fishcakes and chubby cockles. Its savoury-sweet profile is accompanied by an all-important wok hei, which will keep you going for mouthful after mouthful without even realising.

Considering how synonymous lard is with char kway teow, nailing the spirit of the dish without the traditional pork elements is surely no easy feat. That’s exactly why 786 Char Kway Teow is a champ in our eyes.

Sat to Thu: 12pm – 8pm
Closed on Fri

4. Cai Mao Fried Kway Teow (#01-62)

Prefer your char kway teow old-school and unapologetically rich? Cai Mao Fried Kway Teow is a worthy stop. A new kid on the block, it’s helmed by a young lady hawker who fries up her Char Kway Teow (S$4.50/S$5.50) with the calm precision of a pro. Even before your plate lands, the heavenly smokiness wafting from the stall tells you you’re in for something good.

There’s plenty to laud here, starting with how every plate is fried fresh to order — and how generous my S$4.50 portion was. The sauce-coated noodles come loaded with the usual suspects: taugeh, creamy egg bits, slender fishcakes, thin slices of sweet lup cheong and crackly nuggets of pork lard.

The real clincher, though, is its unmistakable wok hei. Smoky and heady, it matches the stall’s alluring aroma and perfumes every spoonful. For a newcomer, Cai Mao’s decadent rendition already feels like it can go head-to-head with the big guns.

Tue to Thu, Sat & Sun: 9.30am – 5pm
Fri: 9.30am – 4pm & 6pm – 8pm
Closed on Mon

5. Red Sea Homemade Yong Tau Foo (#01-59)

Handmade yong tau foo is, hands down, one of the best foods for the soul, and the bowls from Red Sea Homemade Yong Tau Foo are sure to hit the spot. Think flavour-packed broths and an array of nearly 40 handcrafted items stuffed with fish paste — painstakingly prepared every morning from 5am by the passionate couple behind the stall.

S$4.20 fetches you 5pcs Yong Tau Foo with Noodle, or 6pcs Yong Tau Foo if you’re going carb-free. First, fill your bowl with essentials like stuffed chilli, bittergourd, fishballs, tofu, wonderfully charred eggplant and more. Then, pick between two broths: their deceptively simple Yong Tau Foo Soup, simmered ikan bilis, yellow soybeans and pork bones, or the potent but incredibly moreish Laksa (+S$1).

Can’t decide? The Premium Egg Noodle (S$4.50) is one you can’t miss. Springy egg noodles are tossed in an addictive, lard-laced sauce and topped with a medley of must-tries, including their signature King of Beancurd (S$3.50 a la carte) and Fried Wanton (S$3.50 a la carte) — crisp parcels packed to the brim with savoury fish paste.

Mon to Sat: 7.45am – 2pm
Closed on Sun
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6. Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang (#01-51)

Follow the scent of mutton and you’ll find yourself at the tail end of a winding queue at Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang. This unquestionably popular stall doles out rich bowls of mutton soup that’ve secured them a Michelin Bib Gourmand for 7 years running. Be sure to come early, as they’re open for just 2.5 hours each day and often sell out well before closing at 1.30pm.

Chai Chuan Tou’s acclaimed Mutton Soup goes from S$6, with a variety of options packing different lamb parts — from meat, ribs and meatballs to adventurous cuts like tripe and even brain.

But let’s talk about the meat: fresh New Zealand mutton is simmered for no less than 3 hours a day, yielding a heavenly melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. It’s pure bliss for mutton lovers, especially when it’s enjoyed with the warm, full-bodied broth laced with herbs and hints of pepper.

+65 9109 5631
Tue to Sat: 11am – 1.30pm
Closed on Sun

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7. Na Na Curry (#01-47)

Na Na Curry is a name you might already recognise, thanks to its 7 outlets scattered across Singapore. This flagship stall at 115 Bukit Merah View Food Centre, however, remains the only one with the coveted Michelin Bib — which it’s held on to since 2017. The draw? None other than hearty Peranakan-style curries that have had fans coming back since the brand’s beginnings in 1989.

The Michelin Guide Inspectors sing praises of their Curry Fish Head (Market Prices), its aromatic, spice-laden gravy served bubbling in a claypot with a generous portion of fish and players like spongy tau pok, eggplant and okra. For solo diners hankering for the same satisfaction, the Curry Fish Meat (S$6) is a hassle-free alternative that packs the same punch.

If you’re not as much a fan of fish or assam-style curry, the Curry Chicken (S$4), Curry Pork Ribs (S$5) are solid picks that come with tender, fall-off-the-bone meat in equally satisfying portions.

+65 9106 4316
Mon to Sat: 11am – 7pm
Closed on Sun
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8. Hong Xing Handmade Fishball • Meatball Noodle (#01-07)

Fans of fishball noodles should know just how rare handmade fishballs come nowadays, given the sheer labour that goes into crafting these orbs from scratch. Believe it or not, Hong Xing Handmade Fishball • Meatball Noodle tirelessly does it day after day — and that alone deserves a shout-out.

Their Fishball Noodles (S$4/S$5/S$6) come in both Soup and Dry variations: your choice of noodles served in a comforting fishball soup, or lathered in a punchy mix of chilli and vinegar. Naturally, the handmade fishballs steal the spotlight. Irregularly shaped (the true hallmark of handwork), they possess an impeccable bounce and savoury depth. The meatballs aren’t shabby either, studded with bits of flatfish for an umami kick.

For those who can’t get enough (same here), the stall also serves up Fishball Soup (S$4/S$5/S$6) and Meatball Soup (S$5/S$6) loaded with even more of those springy signatures.

Thu to Tue: 5.30am – 1.30pm
Closed on Wed

9. Unforgettable Carrot Cake (#01-30)

Family-run Unforgettable Carrot Cake may be just one of numerous chai tow kway stalls at 115 Bukit Merah View Food Centre, but it stands out for good reason. Memorable name aside, its Michelin recognition makes the Carrot Cake (S$4/S$4.50/S$5) a worthy must-try.

Their chai tow kway comes in both Black and White variations, although mixing is unfortunately not allowed. The uncle works his magic with 2 woks: one where the radish cubes sit and soak up the wok hei, and another where he fries each portion to order.

For a rendition fried up with just vegetable oil (instead of the usual, sinfully good lard oil), Unforgettable Carrot Cake’s Black Carrot Cake more than holds its own. Chunky radish cake pieces are tossed in sweet black sauce without tipping into cloying territory, complemented by savoury chye poh, garlic, beaten eggs and irresistibly crispy charred bits for a smoky lift.

+65 9325 2500
Daily: 6am – 2pm

10. Heng Heng Coffee (#01-23)

Hawker centre drink stalls are pretty much a dime a dozen, so it’s not every day you see a queue like Heng Heng Coffee attracts. Beyond your usual canned drinks, you’ll find classics like Kopi (from S$1.20), Teh (from S$1.20), Lemon Tea (from S$1.40) and old-school sips like Horlicks (from S$1.40), Ginger Teh (from S$1.50) and Haw Ka Sai (from S$1.50).

The main attraction for many, however, is their Kaya Toast (S$1.80, 2 pieces). The velvety coconut spread here dons a unique pastel green hue, with a pandan-perfumed eggy profile that goes well with the cold, creamy butter and crispy toast.

Their viral Kaya Bun (S$1.80), AKA “UFO Bun”, is another crowd favourite. This variation sees toasted buns in place of good ol’ thin toasts, offering a fluffier mouthfeel and a smokier nuance owed to its lightly charred top.

Daily: 4am – 9pm

11. Happy Duck (#01-38)

Turn that frown upside down at Happy Duck, where tender braised duck takes centre stage. With hearty staples like Hokkien Duck Noodles, Duck Porridge and Braised Duck Rice going for just S$3.50 (in this economy?!), they’ll probably have you grinning in no time.

You’ll be glad to know that their portions are anything but stingy, too. For one, the Braised Duck Rice comes with a decent helping of succulent braised duck atop a mound of fragrant yam rice, along with firm tau kwa and half a hard-boiled egg.

If you don’t mind topping it up a little to S$4.30, the Kway Chap Set is another huge win. A bowl of silky kway in warm, herbal broth is accompanied by a platter loaded with juicy pork belly, tau kwa, braised duck, innards and hard-boiled egg, all lavishly coated in sweet-savoury gravy.

+65 9386 3316
Sat to Wed: 8.30am – 8pm
Thu: 8.30am – 9pm
Closed on Fri
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