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Tucked in the sleepy surroundings of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, Mayflower Market & Food Centre buzzes with activity and morning chatter. Most of the crowd, consisting of senior folk come during breakfast and lunch, as many stalls open at dawn and close after midday.
Follow me as I explore the hawker centre grounds, checking out what’s interesting, and striking conversations with friendly owners along the way. There were about 48 food stalls in total, but not all were open or occupied. So with that, here are 10 must-try hawker stalls at Mayflower Market & Food Centre.
1. Pin Xiang Yuan Mushroom & Minced Meat Noodle (#01-31)
Helmed by a couple who appear to be in their 50s, Pin Xiang Yuan Mushroom & Minced Meat Noodle that’s located at a corner has been operating for over 10 years. If you love bak chor mee or fishball noodles, then this place should be in your list.
The stall has 7 varieties or noodles to choose from, including Fishball Mee Sua (S$4), Fishball Kway Teow (S$4), and Kway Teow Mee (S$4). You can also add-on Fuzhou Meatballs at just S$1.50 for 2 pieces.
I spotted mee tai mak behind the glass display, and requested it for my bowl of Minced Meat Noodle (S$4). Filled with clusters of minced pork, a meatball, fishcake slices, mushrooms, and fishballs, my bowl of mee tai mak was slathered in chilli and vinegar.
I had no complaints — the fishballs had a bouncy texture, the noodles were seasoned flawlessly and the sambal had a robust kick.
Fri to Wed: 5am – 2pm
Closed on Thu
2. Uncle Bao Carrot Cake (#01-19)
Judging from the word “handmade” on the signboard and the stack of plastic buckets outside the stall, you can tell one thing — Uncle Bao Carrot Cake steams their own carrot cake in-house.
Established at this current spot for 2 years, the owner shared with me that they were previously selling chai tow kway at Tanglin Halt. The menu is straightforward and offers just 2 things: White Carrot Cake (S$3/S$4) and Black Carrot cake (S$3/S$4).
Being a fan of black over the white version, I tried the small Black Carrot Cake. The carrot cake was silky soft and each bite had addictively crunchy bits of cai poh. The amount of egg used was generous and the black sweet sauce was aromatic without being cloyingly sweet.
I read online reviews that the White Carrot Cake here triumphs over the black. I’m looking forward to trying that next time!
Fri to Tue: 6am – 12pm
Closed on Wed & Thu
3. 3 Sisters Prawn Noodle (#01-06)
3 Sisters Prawn Noodle is run by — yes, you guessed it — three sisters who wanted to carry on their father’s legacy after his passing 16 years ago. The trio persuaded their mother to teach them the original family recipe before finding the confidence and drive to open a stall of their own.
Besides offering Prawn Noodle Dry (S$4/S$5) and Prawn Noodle Soup (S$4/S$5), the menu also sells Fried Hokkien Mee (S$5/S$6). The ingredients here are simple and old-school, without the bells and whistles of extra large prawns and pork ribs.
I opted for kway teow mee for my S$4 bowl of Prawn Noodle Soup, which contained pork and fishcake slices, prawns and green veggies. The prawn broth is aromatic and full-bodied, and the ingredients were incredible fresh.
+65 9452 3328
Thu to Tue: 6am – 1pm
Closed on Wed
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4. Jin Song (金松著名冬菇鷄脚面) (#01-30)
I vividly remember my ex-colleague who dabao-ed a packet of wanton noodles from Jin Song (金松著名冬菇鷄脚面) at a lunch exchange once. I was the lucky one who received it and I ate it with gusto. This establishment has been running since 1971 — an indication that they’re on the right track.
Aside the usual Wanton Noodle (S$4) and Dumpling Noodle (S$4.50), you can also enjoy a plate of Mushroom Chicken Feet Noodle (S$4.50), Ipoh Hor Fun (S$4), and sides like Fried Dumpling (S$5).
The $4 portion of Wanton Noodle was decent with slices of char siew and green veggies that concealed the bed of HK-style mee kia. Just before serving, a ladle of flavourful gravy from the braised chicken feet pot is poured over the noodles. A bowl of soup with wantons is served alongside.
The noodles maintain a consistent taste, reminiscent of my previous experience— spicy and rich with dried shrimp essence. With a substantial amount of savoury sauce beneath, each mouthful of noodles was a flavour bomb. Interestingly, the wantons reminded me of siew mai, which, surprisingly, wasn’t a bad thing.
Tue to Sun: 6am – 3pm
Closed on Mon
5. Chef Oh HK Style Cheong Fun • Porridge (#01-23)
3-year-old Chef Oh HK Style Cheong Fun • Porridge sells a plethora of chee cheong fun and porridge options. The stall is owned by Chef Oh San Oui, who has worked in the kitchen since 1982. He started as an apprentice, learning from Hong Kong chefs in various Chinese restaurants.
For a hearty, piping-hot bowl of porridge, get the Preserved Egg Minced Meat Porridge (S$4), Scallops Porridge (S$5.70), or the simple Peanut Porridge (S$3.30).
As for the array of chee cheong fun options, there are a total of 9 choices. I spotted interesting ones like the HK-style Mixed Sauce Cheong Fun (S$4.20) and Egg Cheong Fun (S$3.70).
However, the Lontong Cheong Fun (S$4.20) tickled my fancy even more. The silky sheets of rice rolls were topped with long beans, beancurd cubes, carrot and cabbage strips. The cheong fun is made in-house, and boy, was it luxuriously soft and silky.
The veggies were cut thinly, making each mouthful easier to wolf down. The lemak-ness of the gravy was also flavourful and luscious without being too jelak.
Tue to Sun: 6.30am – 1.30pm
Closed on Mon
6. Barakath Nachiyar (#01-08)
Craving for Indian roti? Then head to Barakath Nachiyar, an Indian Muslim stall selling over a dozen kinds of prata. While waiting for my Plain Prata (S$1.20 each, minimum 2 pieces) to be ready, the lady boss returned and shared that the stall has been around for 1.5 years.
For those with a sweet tooth, you can try the Chocolate Prata (S$2.20) or Strawberry Prata (S$2.20). If you lean towards savoury stuff, there’s also Coin Prata (S$4), Cheese Egg Prata (S$3), and Onion Prata (S$1.60).
Once both sides of the plain Prata were perfectly grilled, the chef expertly fluffed it up with both hands – a crucial step, if you ask me!
True enough, the prata was crispy on the outside and decently fluffy on the inside. The curry was well-balanced and had the perfect amount of spice.
Tue to Thu, Sat & Sun: 5am – 1.30pm
Fri: 5am – 12pm
Closed on Mon
7. Zhen Xin Vegetarian (#01-22)
Zhen Xin Vegetarian, now in its fourth year, is up and running at 4am— a time when most of us are still fast asleep. First impressions, the stall appears to be selling the usual vegetarian Bee Hoon Set (S$2.80). But lean in closer, and you’ll notice unique dishes like vegetarian Laksa (S$3.50), Kway Chap (S$3.50), Char Siew Wanton Mee (S$4), and Fish Ball Mee Pok (S$4) being offered, too.
It also features a Daily Special which varies from Vegetarian Duck Rice (S$3.80) to Nasi Lemak.
I decided to skip the fancy stuff and go back to basics with the Bee Hoon Set. The simple bee hoon was topped with run-of-the-mill ingredients like the mock ‘char siew‘, ‘meat’, cabbage and vegetarian goose (or fried beancurd skin).
The area where the sauce was drizzled on made the noodles tastier with the supporting ingredients. Overall, it was better than most vegetarian places I’ve tried.
Thu to Tue: 4am – 1.30pm
Closed on Wed
8. Ah Xiang Yong Tau Foo (#01-03)
Even before you decide to give Ah Xiang Yong Tau Foo a try, the neatly arranged ingredients and bright lights already makes the food look so enticing. Run by 2 friendly ladies, this stall charges S$0.70 per piece for their homemade yong tau foo.
The options span over 30 varieties including stuffed green/red chilli, bittergourd, eggplant, tau kwa, and many more.
If you wish to have carbs, the minimum amount is 6 pieces with your choice of noodles at only S$4.90. Alternatively, if you’re sick of the regular offerings, you can have it with Chee Cheong Fun (S$1.20), too.
Hankering for some spice? Try your bowl of yong tau foo with Laksa Sauce (+S$0.70). The ladies deep-fry the ingredients separately (though not the healthiest!), so that they are nice and crispy when you have it.
Sat to Thu: 6.30am – 1.30pm
Closed on Fri
9. Original Nasi Lemak Atok (#01-01)
One of the few Muslim-owned stalls at Mayflower Market & Food Centre, Original Nasi Lemak Atok is probably the most aesthetically-pleasing stall of the lot. It offers kampung-style , rustic nasi lemak with 5 different sets to take your pick.
Many netizens agree that the rice here is fragrant and the sambal has the perfect ratio of sweet to spicy.
The most popular choice among customers is the Chicken Set (S$4.30), but the Double Chicken Set (S$5.80) is perfect for those with additional stomach space. Crispy chicken that’s well seasoned and juicy — what’s there not to love? Other options include Chicken Katsu Set (S$5.10) and Fish Set (S$4.30).
Want to make your plate more luxurious? Original Nasi Lemak Atok also offers an array of sides such as Otah Cake (S$0.60), Cuttlefish Cake (S$1.30), and Fried Fish (S$1.50).
Tue to Thu, Sat & Sun: 8.30am – 11.30am
Closed on Mon & Fri
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10. Ho Ji Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle (#01-39)
Ho Ji Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle has been dishing out plates of aromatic Hokkien mee for the past 3 years at Mayflower Market & Food Centre. This stall will post on their Facebook page regarding their off days for the month. Some netizens tout it as the best Hokkien mee in Ang Mo Kio.
Using a mix of yellow noodles and thin bee hoon, the Hokkien Mee (S$5/S$8) leans towards the wet version, with the prawn stock possessing a robust umami flavour. However, since thin rice vermicelli is used, it absorbs the stock rather quickly.
It’s stir-fried with pork belly, crispy pork lard, beansprouts and prawns without the use of sotong. The special homemade chilli here is said to be potent — you have been warned!
+65 9066 6096
Mon to Fri: 6am – 5pm
Sat & Sun: 6am – 2pm
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