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When people search for “what to eat in Chinatown“, places like Chinatown Complex or Hong Lim Market & Food Centre usually steal the spotlight. However, with its long history and sheer number of stalls, I find People’s Park Food Centre a gem that deserves equal attention.
This hawker centre boasts a rich heritage that is hard to rival. First established in 1923 as a “food shelter”, it had become Singapore’s largest market by 1940, with a whopping 323 stalls.
Today, People’s Park Food Centre is home to 80 food stalls on the first level of the building, offering a wide array of cuisines that are sure to satisfy every palate. It is also significantly cleaner, brighter, and well-ventilated, thanks to extensive repair and redecoration work in 2023.
With that, I’ve narrowed this list to 11 stalls, featuring a mix of one-of-a-kind dishes, comforting soupy noodles, regional Chinese specialities and more.
1. Yong Xiang Xing Dou Fu (#01-1084)
Starting with the stall that boasts arguably the longest queue in this hawker centre, allegedly dubbed the “best yong tau foo stall in Singapore“.
This was the crowd situation 15 minutes before Yong Xiang Xing Dou Fu’s opening, and not without reason!
Open for only 3 hours a day with just one item on their menu — Yong Tau Foo (S$6) — you know they’re legit. One comforting bowl comes with 2 Fishballs, 2 Fish Paste Tofu, 3 Fried Meat Paste Tofu and 3 Fish Beancurd Rolls, all freshly handmade. Do note that it doesn’t come with carbs, rice or noodles.
Yong Xiang Xing Dou Fu’s iconic old-school broth is clean and light tasting with a hint of sweetness, perfect for soaking up the hearty ingredients that lie within.
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 3pm
Closed on Mon
2. Hometown Hainan Fen 家鄉海南粉 (#01-1100)
Helmed by 2 Hainanese sisters, this stall flexes an impressive 4.7/5 rating on Google (at the time of writing), serving authentic Hainanese beef noodles, or Hainan fen, at an affordable price.
Most people go straight for their Hainan Noodle (Gravy) (S$4.50/S$5.50), which comes with an option of Pork or Beef. Thick bee hoon is the standard fare used across their dishes, and when drowned in that dark and thick gravy, it makes for excellent slurpability.
If you don’t mind spending a little more, Hometown Hainan Fen’s Beef Brisket Noodle (Gravy) (S$7) is an indulgent option, featuring a generous serving of tender and flavourful beef brisket.
Incorporated with a deliciously pungent flavour from the salted veg and bamboo shoots, the flavours of this dish are sure to transport you right to Hainan.
Mon to Sat: 10am – 7pm
Closed on Sun
3. Loh Mei Specialist (#01-1106A)
The uncle proudly shared with me that his stall is the only one in Singapore selling loh mei, a traditional Cantonese dish that was sold on push carts back in the 1950s. He’s been running it for over 50 years, too!
From the stall’s name, it is obvious that they specialise in one dish, Loh Mei (S$5/S$7/S$9).
This unique dish has a bold base of fermented soybean stew, with an assortment of various meats, beancurds and veggies swimming in it. The variety of ingredients contributes to a complex mix of textures and flavour profiles that is truly one of a kind. Pro-tip: add on rice or noodles like I did, and allow the carbs to soak up that savoury, tangy broth.
+65 9072 5972
Daily: 12pm – 8pm
4. 传统古早味 Satay Beehoon (#01-1016)
Satay Beehoon as a whole is sadly a dying tradition amongst the younger generation in sunny Singapore. It’s rare to find stalls selling this dish, but I’m proud to announce that you can devour a hearty, saucy plate of it right here at People’s Park Food Centre.
Their Satay Bee Hoon comes in 3 sizes, priced at S$4.50/S$5.50/S$6.50 respectively. Even at the smallest portion of S$4.50 (see above), the uncle did not skimp on the liao. Pork slices, cuttlefish and hum (cockles) were floating around my thin bee hoon as I tossed everything together in the rich, peanutty sauce. Delish!
Otherwise, you can also opt for their Prawn Noodles (S$S$4.50/S$5.50/S$6.50) that come in both dry and soup form. It’s marked as “lower in calories”, so you needn’t worry too much when indulging in this umami-packed broth.
Unfortunately, their opening hours aren’t available online. But if you find yourself at the food centre and notice that it’s open, do give it a try!
5. Hong Peng La Mian Xiao Long Bao (#01-1064)
Michelin Guide handmade xiao long bao in a hawker centre? Say less.
Their Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (S$5) is a must-try (it’s in the name, after all). These soup dumplings come in a basket of 6, and for the work that goes into hand-folding each dumpling, it is definitely worth the price.
Hong Peng’s Dumpling in Spicy Sauce (S$5) is another standout. This one comes with a plate of a whopping 12 pieces! These spicy, umami flavour bombs are laden with a glistening mix of chilli oil and vinegar and packed chock-full of meat.
Aside from their signatures, Hong Peng La Mian Xiao Long Bao serves a wide variety of other Chinese noodles and dumplings. Some interesting mentions would be the pig’s organ soup, congee and mee hoon kueh. All single portions are priced affordably at S$4 to S$5, and the portions are generous too!
+65 9083 5166
Daily: 11am – 10pm
6. Fatt Soon Kueh (#01-1012)
Established in 1999, it was co-founded by Madam Lim had 30 years of experience in the homemade kueh business even before she started Fatt Soon Kueh. Since then, the brand has grown over time and today has three branches around Singapore with only three items on their menu: Soon Kueh, Peng Kueh and Ku Chye Kueh.
The signature Soon Kueh (S$1.30) is a decently sized Teochew dumpling filled with jicama, carrots, black fungus and dried shrimp, wrapped in translucent rice and tapioca flour-based dough skin. The vegetable filling is juicy and soft, yet slightly crunchy at the same time. The fried shallots stood out strikingly and complemented the nostalgic snack beautifully.
They do change things up a little with thicker and chewier kueh skins, which do deviate from traditional practice. Altogether, a decent breakfast or takeaway option within People’s Park Food Centre.
+65 6209 1078
Tue to Sun: 10.30am – 6.30pm
Closed on Mon
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第三代 Di San Dai: Father-daughter duo sell affordable fishball noodles and porridge in Chinatown
7. Chop Hean Kuan 道记 (#01-1018)
Let’s break from the noodles for some dim sum. Not just any dim sum, though, because this stall has been around since 1929, closing nearly 100 years of history!
Chop Hean Kuan is currently run by 3rd generation hawkers, who come in as early as 5.30am to start preparing the spread of dim sum from scratch, ensuring that you get your hands on fresh, fluffy baos with juicy meats.
They have 14 items on the menu, and not one falls short of the standard. For baos, you have a choice between the Red Bean Pau (S$1.30), Char Siew Pau (S$1.30) and Pork Pau (S$1.30). Personally… I’d just get all 3.
They also sell a range of Siew Mai (S$1.30), Glutinous Rice (S$2.30), Egg Tart (S$1.60), and one of my all-time favourites, Sponge Cake (S$1.30), better known to most as ma lai gao.
+65 6534 2930
Tue to Sun: 9am – 5pm
Closed on Mon
8. Lek Kee Authentic Teochew Braised Duck (#01-1104)
Here’s another long-standing stall in the centre that has been around since 1968. The OG hawker has since passed on the business to his son, who has been doing a good job at maintaining the standard, if the “non-stop queue” is anything to go by.
Lek Kee’s Duck Rice (S$4/S$6/S$7.50) is said to be deliciously braised, with fresh and slightly sweetish duck. Oh, and you can request different parts of the duck at different prices.
The Teochew-style braised sauce is more watery than what’s usual, but still maintains a well-balanced, savoury flavour that doesn’t overpower the fragrant duck meat. Braised sides like tau kwa (tofu), egg and pig ear are tasty additions to the meal, too.
Though they close at 2.30pm, I’d recommend that you head down early as they tend to sell out by 1+pm!
+65 6532 6796
Sun to Tue: 11am – 2.30pm
Closed Wed to Sat
9. Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo (#01-1152)
You can’t call yourself a mala connoisseur until you’ve tried this one.
One of the first mala hotpot eateries in Singapore, Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo (日日红麻辣香锅) is so popular that it has two outlets situated at People’s Park Food Centre just to cater to the crowd.
Unlike other stalls which charge based on the weight of your chosen ingredients, Ri Ri charges based on the serving portions instead. Their vegetables, meat and seafood are S$1, S$2, and S$3 respectively.
The magic begins as your chosen favourites are fried in a wok together with more than 20 herbs and spices. Of course, you can adjust the spiciness according to your tastebuds from mild to moderate to spicy to extra spicy).
One serving is good to be shared between two, and carb lovers could definitely use a bowl of rice to savour this dish with. Do be wary of the ridiculously long queues during dinner!
Daily: 10am – 9.30pm
10. Chuan Wei Fang Xiang La Xie (川味坊香辣蟹) (#01-1040)
Over at the two-stall wide Chuan Wei Fang Xiang La Xie (川味坊香辣蟹), you’ll find authentic Sichuan dishes well-loved by many.
The popular dinner spot often observes a crowd hovering around to place their orders, so get there early if you don’t fancy waiting.
The Signature Xiang La Crab (S$26) will have you salivating at the mere thought of it, and may even become your new favourite dish. The crabs used in this dish are smaller crabs with softer shells, unlike the usual Sri Lanka Crabs used in chilli crab. This makes them easier, and less messy to consume.
Spice lovers and flavour chasers, this has got to be on your list of places boasting dishes with great mala and Sichuan spices.
+65 8427 0381
Daily: 10.30am – 9pm
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