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The power that 20 Ghim Moh Road Market & Food Centre, set up in 1972 (seven years after Singapore’s independence), holds is no secret. The wet market is a haunt for the Ulu Pandan residents’ groceries, while the hawker centre provides them with ready-made sustenance. Droves gather during the peak lunch hours almost daily, lining up at the 70+ cooked food stalls for their meal.
Yes, you read that right – the Food Centre has an insane total of 72 hawker stalls serving a huge range of cuisines! You’re probably wondering, how on earth does one decide on what to try here?
That’s what this list is for. Hopefully, it’ll provide some insight on the 11 stalls featured, or even entice you to explore the many more in the Ghim Moh Food Centre.
1. Thiam Kee 1977 Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-19)
No, this isn’t on the list just because it’s a “typical Singaporean meal”. Thiam Kee 1977 Hainanese Chicken Rice and Curry Chicken Noodles is just one of the few chicken rice stalls in the Food Centre. However, in my opinion, it stands out in terms of both quality and service. I know I’m not the only one – there was already a long queue when I arrived.
For S$5.50, you can buy a Chicken Rice Set, which includes rice, steamed chicken, soup and a choice of either bean sprouts or leafy greens. I ordered more Breast Meat (S$1/S$2) and Gizzard (S$1/S$2/S$3) as I was sharing the portion with others.
The slices of steamed breast meat were thick and succulent, and not tough at all despite the meatiness. It was clear that the chicken was fresh and of good quality. Together with the fragrant rice, it created a wonderful combination of flavours.
Wed to Mon: 9.30am – 7.30pm
Closed on Tue
2. Heavens (#01-26)
Heavens was another stall I knew I had to try. There was a long line, sure, but no one told me that it would weave so far into the neighbouring tables, proving it a popular choice. It took almost 20 min to get to the front for an order.
The Plain Appam (S$4 for 2 pcs), made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk, had crisp edges and a pillowy centre. To give your appam a little more extra-ness, you could consider the Princess (S$4), the same dish, except with a slice of cheese in the centre.
I confess that I truly don’t mind having my prata with sugar and coconut (unlike others who feel like it’s a crime). Besides, they went well with the appam, countering the light sourness and creating a dessert-like version.
Dal curry and fish curry accompanied each dish. I found the fish saltier than the dal, but both accompanied the appam quite well with their fragrance and weren’t overly spicy.
Tue to Sun: 6am – 1pm
Closed on Mon
3. Ghim Moh Carrot Cake (#01-16)
It would almost seem that Ghim Moh Carrot Cake was meant to be on this list – it’s literally in the name. Like Thiam Kee, it has multiple fried carrot cake counterparts in Ghim Moh Food Centre, but there was a significantly larger crowd present compared to the rest. It is said that queues form from as early as 6.30am when the stall opens, which is definitely proving its popularity.
The homemade Carrot Cake is the only item on the menu, and it comes in either Black, cooked with dark sauce or White without the sauce. Choose your portion size depending on your appetite – they come in prices of S$3.50, S$4 and S$5.
While the carrot cake was soft, it was a bit crispy on the sides after being fried. It came in large chunks rather than small, loose, separate pieces, which I quite liked. A slight warmth from the chilli was present in each bite – neither too salty nor spicy.
Wed to Fri: 6.30am – 1pm
Sat & Sun: 6.30am – 2pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
4. Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh (#01-54)
Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh is one the more well-known stalls iconic to the Food Centre. Having been around since 1959, it made its way onto the Michelin Guide list multiple times in 2013, 2019 and 2024. Its Chwee Kueh (Teochew steamed rice cake) is steamed fresh daily in rows and rows of aluminium moulds over a charcoal stove.
A minimum of 4 pieces is required per order, and portion prices range from S$2.40 (4 pcs) to S$12 (20 pcs). Don’t judge the Chwee Kueh by their appearance; they’re more filling than they look!
It was delicious, no doubt. The soft and cakey Chwee Kueh was aromatic, and seasoned perfectly with the salty and savoury chye poh. It’s amazing how umami it tasted, especially since no MSG was used during the cooking.
+65 9176 6850
Daily: 6.30am – 5pm
5. The Headless Baker (#01-64)
The Headless Baker’s original stall is located at the back end of Ghim Moh Food Centre, furthest from the Market. You’re instantly drawn towards the mesmerising goodies on display, from caneles to doughnuts and pound cakes. This famous hawker bakery brand also has another outlet, The Headless Baker and Sons located nearby in Star Vista, with a more cafe-style setting.
For those who love tea-flavoured items, the Lemon Rose Pistachio (S$3.50) would be worth a try. A rose fragrance is infused throughout the soft and crumbly cake, topped with rose petals and crushed pistachios. I liked the icing glaze—it was lemony and perfectly suited the floral notes.
On the other hand, the Cardamom Coffee Roll (S$) was a braided bun of sorts, made without yeast or eggs. It had a tougher, baked brown exterior dusted with sugar, which was difficult to cut with a knife. Inside, it was soft and doughy, with swirls of spiced layers providing an enticing aroma. It was a decent snack, and my only bone to pick would be that it tasted more cardamom than coffee.
+65 9740 0538
Tue to Sun: 8am – 2pm
Closed on Mon
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6. Fort Canning Hill (Huat Kee) Bak Kut Teh (#01-61)
If you’re craving pork bone soup, Huat Kee is the way to go; it’s the only bak kut teh stall in the Food Centre. It’s been there for more than a decade now, and despite the Fort Canning in its name, the stall has no relation to the location.
The Bak Kut Teh (S$5.50) is peppery as per the Singaporean-style version of the dish. The soup gets some of its sweetness from the garlic, which I’m a huge fan of. There’s never such a thing as too much garlic! It comes with different cuts of meat – lean meat, soft bone and ribs, but there’s also a Pork Rib Bak Kut Teh (S$8) option if you’re looking for just that. The meat is tender and comes in generous amounts.
My companion pointed out that it would’ve been more value for money if we’d bought a set, though. For S$8, Set A includes you tiao pieces, peanuts, braised egg and vegetables alongside the original bak kut teh rice and soup.
+65 9793 4325
Mon, Wed to Fri: 11am – 8.30pm
Sat & Sun: 10.30am – 8.30pm
Closed on Tue
7. Sheng Ji Shao La
Sheng Ji Shao La has a pretty decent selection of dishes for meat and carb lovers.
My order, the Wanton Soup (S$4/S$5) came with 13 addictive dumplings (S$4 portion) wrapped with silky skin. I found that there was a nice amount of filling in each, and the soup wasn’t too salty. The soup contained chye sim as well, which provided a leafy freshness that paired well with the meatiness.
Roasted meat dishes include Char Siew Rice (S$3.50/S$4.50) and Roasted Pork Noodle (S$4/S$5).
I preferred Sheng Ji Shao La’s roasted pork to the char siew. It had a crispy, crunchy skin, which paired with melty fat and thick meat, was divine. While the char siew wasn’t too fatty, it was pretty average. However, it was still a sufficiently satisfying addition to the meal for me.
If you’re looking to get the best of worlds, the Wanton Noodle (S$4) is served with both char siew and wantons.
Tue & Wed, Fri to Sun: 9am – 1pm
Closed on Mon & Thu
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8. Lao Chao Zhou/Old Teochew (#01-18)
Old Teochew isn’t just a stall – it’s a stall with an impressive backstory. Its owner, Mr Quck, used to be on Channel 8’s Golden Age Talentime, a show where seniors are allowed to display their talents. He won first place in the 2012 show! Following the success, he and his wife decided to dive into the F&B world by setting up their first hawker stall.
Another unique characteristic of Old Teochew is its rotating menu. On Mon and Thu, only Mee Siam (S$4/S$5) is served, but on weekends, you’re allowed to order the Satay Bee Hoon as well. The latter comes with the inclusion of prawns (S$7.50) or without (S$5.50) depending on your preference, covered in thick satay sauce.
Interestingly enough, the Mee Siam comes with a pile of deep-fried dried sakura ebi shrimp on the side, which gives the dish a deep umami. The sauce-coated bee hoon is sweet and sour, and according to reviewers isn’t too heavy-tasting.
+65 9893 1948
Thu to Mon: 6.30am – 1.30pm
Closed on Tue & Wed
9. Hin Fried Hor Fun With Prawn. Beef. Sliced Fish (#01-56)
Ghim Moh Food Centre probably sells everything – if you think your cravings haven’t been covered, look again and you’ll find it. Hin Fried Hor Fun is your way to go if you’re trying to cure your hor fun fix.
Despite the high demand, service is quite efficient, though one may still have to wait a while for their turn to order. After all, only 2 people man the stall – one who does the cooking, and another serving orders and accepting payment.
Every item on the menu costs S$6. Only two carbohydrate bases, Hor Fun and Mui Fan (rice with gravy) are provided, and they come with different selections for your meat of choice. Ingredient variations include Sliced Beef, Prawns, and Sliced Fish as well as mixtures of any two. The stall caters to certain dietary requirements as well, as they have two gravy bases, one containing beef, and one without.
A popular choice according to the customers is the Fried Hor Fun w Beef & Sliced Fish. Not only is the meat flavourful, but the hor fun itself also has an incredibly smokey wok hei.
Tue to Sun: 10am – 3pm & 5pm – 8.30pm
Closed on Mon
10. 63 Laksa (#01-20)
Featured in the news for its laksa from S$2.80, 63 Laksa has garnered quite some positive attention for providing affordable yet good quality fare. Larger portions at S$4.80 can be ordered if the S$2.80 portion isn’t filling enough for you.
Forget about using chopsticks, because 63 Laksa serves the noodles cut up in bite-size, scoopable pieces you can conveniently slurp up. It’s full of assorted ingredients, from cockles and fishcake to tofu, that give the dish a nice chew. The laksa broth contains coconut milk, but isn’t too jelak as it’s not too heavily creamy. It does overpower the umami taste of the shrimp, though, but many still find it enjoyable.
Fresh and thick Mackerel Otak-otak (S$1.40) is prepared and sold daily as well. It’s a nice addition to the Laksa that provides more textures and flavour to complete the dish.
+65 6513 8833
Tue to Sat: 8am – 2pm
Sun: 8am – 1pm
Closed on Mon
11. Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck (#01-04)
Rated 4.4 stars with more than 360 reviews on Google Maps, Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck has gained quite a fan following. It shows, too – the queue at the front of the stall seems semi-permanent at the rate at which it regenerates itself.
Chuan Kee was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023, an indication of good quality food at reasonable prices. Its Duck Rice Sets start from S$4 and increase to either S$5 or S$6, depending on how much duck meat you want to include. Sides such as Braised Egg (S$0.80), Duck Gizzard (S$0.80), and Braised Peanuts (S$1) can also be added to the order.
The fare doesn’t disappoint, according to what customers have to say. While the braise sauce is on the sweeter side and might put some off slightly, the overall dish is delicious, and the duck is tender and fragrant.
Mon to Sat: 9.30am – 8pm
Closed on Sun
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