What are the first few things that come to mind when you think about Bukit Timah? For me, it’ll be the dozens of cafes, supper spots and, of course, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Rail Corridor to break a sweat at. On the rare occasions that I wake up early enough to run or hike in the area, Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre is the no-brainer choice to head to after.
They have an amazing spread of hawker fare, and I know I can count on them to feed any and all of my food cravings.
If, like me, you live to eat rather than eat to live, I’ve got good news for you. Here are 14 lip-smacking dishes at Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre worth forgoing your ideal bod for.
1. That’s My Pizza (#02-198)
That’s My Pizza is a pretty interesting find in Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre. I would never have expected to find a stall specialising in pizza in a hawker centre, but ta-dah! They have a wide variety of flavours, from classic Pepperoni (S$18) to Japanese Chasiu Kurobuta (S$24). While pizza purists may flinch at the sight of the toppings here, that’s their pizza.
This fresh-faced stall took over the space previously occupied by yet another Western food stall, Genesis Kitchen & Grill.
That’s My Pizza’s best selling Pesto Prosciutto Bufala (S$28) uses a pesto base in place of the typical tomato sauce. It is topped with mozzarella di bufala and a generous portion of prosciutto. Rather than the traditional Italian thin-crust pizza, the dough here is fluffy and plush with a chewy texture.
The thicker dough here goes great with the abundance of toppings, so definitely give it a try if you’re looking for something new.
Order Delivery: foodpanda
+65 9753 1577
Wed to Fri: 5pm – 8pm
Sun: 4.30pm – 8pm
Closed on Mon, Tue & Sat
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2. He Le Seafood White Bee Hoon (和乐海鲜白米粉)(#02-180)
Those who frequent this hawker centre would be pretty familiar with He Le Seafood White Bee Hoon (和乐海鲜白米粉). The Lala Sliced Fish White Bee Hoon (S$5.50/S$9/S$13) is a real hit with the lunch and dinner crowd, and for good reason.
This dish is big in both portion and flavour; the smallest portion is probably enough for two, and the fish slices are huge and tender. The generous serving of fried lard that tops the dish gives it extra crunch and flavour. The broth here is also light but has a subtle wok hei taste.
Personally, the Lala Prawn White Bee Hoon (S$6.50/S$10/S$15) is my go-to dinner dabao when I can’t decide what to eat. Even after sitting for a while, it still tastes great. I recommend mixing in the provided chilli for an added spicy kick.
Order Delivery: foodpanda
Thu to Tue: 10.30am – 8pm
Closed on Wed
3. Chin Hock Mutton Soup (進福羊肉湯) (#02-156)
Run by a Chinese family, Chin Hock Mutton Soup’s (進福羊肉湯) rendition of mutton soup has a slight herbal twist to it.
The stall sells soup with a wide variety of parts such as Mutton Tendon Soup ($6.50/S$8.50/S$10) and Mutton Rib Soup (S$5.50/S$6.50/S$8.5/S$10). Go for the Mutton Tendon + Stomach + Ribs Soup (S$6.50/S$8.50/S$10) if you want a bit of everything.
Chinese herbs are added to the soup and for the sweetener, liquorice roots are used in place of rock sugar.
The soup has a subtle gamey taste from the mutton, and the slight bitterness from the herbs is rather refreshing. The mutton ribs themselves are extremely tender and any unpleasant gaminess is non-existent.
I highly recommend this version of mutton soup to those who prefer their mutton soup a little less heavy and jelak.
Order Delivery: foodpanda
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 8pm
Closed on Sun
4. Leng Kee BBQ (龍記) (#02-127)
If you come by Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre with a few people, you have got to get the BBQ Chicken Wings (S$1.40 per piece) from Leng Kee BBQ (龍記). The wings here are superb and it’s really nice getting a platter to share with a group of friends.
Just look at the tantalising golden-glazed caramelised skin of the wings. You can actually taste the honey on the skin, and the sweetness pairs really well with the charred taste of the juicy meat.
The chilli sauce has plenty of lime, making it rather tart. It packs a punch! Overall, it complements the taste of the chicken.
Daily: 3pm – 10pm
5. Living Wholesome Vegetarian Food (生活天然健康素食) (#02-188)
Vegetarian hawker food and leicha go hand in hand and Living Wholesome Vegetarian Food (生活天然健康素食) makes a great one.
You can choose between rice and bee hoon to go with your leicha and if you’re not feeling thunder tea, Living Wholesome Vegetarian Food (生活天然健康素食) has Vegetarian Bee Hoon (S$3.60), too.
I love the Thunder Tea Brown Rice Set (S$7/S$9) here; it comes with brown rice, long beans, cashew nuts, cai xin, shredded cabbage and fried tofu cubes. “Tea” wise, it’s on the thicker side with lots of coriander and kiam chai.
The rice is surprisingly firm, with a tinge of sourness that the owner attributes to his secret ingredient. The portions are rather generous and the dish is really tasty and filling. It’s extremely flavourful, so don’t judge a book by its cover!
Order Delivery: foodpanda
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, refer here.
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6. Xie Kee Hokkien Mee (謝記福建面) (#02-174)
Selling only one dish, Xie Kee Hokkien Mee (謝記福建面) has firmly established itself as one of the more popular stalls in this hawker centre. The waiting time can get a little long as the owner makes the noodles in big batches to keep up with the demand.
The Hokkien Mee (from S$3) is well worth the wait. The one here is on the wetter side, with a prominent taste of cuttlefish. The stall also uses flat noodles, which was a refreshing change in texture from the more commonly used yellow noodles. The sambal here is on the sweeter side but goes well with their hokkien mee.
Order delivery: foodpanda
Daily: 11.30am – 11pm
7. Terry Katong Laksa (#02-194)
Terry Katong Laksa prides themselves on their all-natural bowls of goodness: no MSG, added sugar, pork, lard or creamer.
Most of the better Katong laksa stores are in the East, so this was a nifty find in Bukit Timah.
Each bowl of the Katong laksa is priced at S$4 for small, and S$5.50 for the bigger portion. While the Katong laksa here isn’t the most lemak, it is flavourful and tasty, and loaded with fresh cockles and prawns.
If you want to try a Katong laksa that’s slightly lighter on the palate, this one fits the bill.
Order Delivery: foodpanda
Fri to Wed: 9.30am to 5pm
Closed on Thu
12 beautiful food gems to cover all your Beauty World cravings
8. Nyonya Chendol (#02-147)
Nyonya Chendol sells the dessert in four different variations: Original Chendol (S$2), Red Bean Chendol (S$2.50), Sweet Corn Chendol (S$2.50) and D24 Durian Chendol (S$3.50). Most recently, the stall received a mention in the Singapore Michelin Guide, making it the very first Chendol joint to be featured in it.
Although the queue is rather long and intimidating, the Auntie churns out bowls of chendol by the minute.
Hands down, my favourite from the stall is the Red Bean Chendol. The shaved ice is perfectly shaped and topped with the tender red beans, pandan jelly, white coconut milk and golden-hued gula melaka. I love how the pandan jelly here is not too firm and pairs very well with the sweetness of the gula melaka and red beans.
Nyonya Chendol doesn’t skimp on the coconut milk, making each spoonful creamy and indulgent. Truly the perfect dessert for our tropical climate!
+65 9827 4818
Daily: 10am – 9pm
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9. He Zhong Carrot Cake (合眾菜頭粿) (#02-182/185)
He Zhong Carrot Cake (合眾菜頭粿) is my entire childhood. They’ve been around for forever, and seeing people seated with a steaming plate of Carrot Cake (S$3) is a common sight.
The shop also sells larger portions at S$4 and S$5, but the S$3 will more than suffice. Served in two chunky blocks, this carrot cake has plenty of egg and makes for an extremely hearty breakfast. I like that the exterior of the chunky blocks are crispy but hide a moist, tender interior.
Each bite starts with a nice kick of spice from the chilli atop the cake, which slowly gives way to savoury goodness from the chai poh.
+65 8498 9211
Sat to Tue: 6am – 8pm
Wed: 6am – 1pm
Thu & Fri: 6am – 8.30pm
10. 118 Beancurd.Soya Bean Drinks (#02-118)
In the morning, you’ll see an exceptionally long queue at 118 Beancurd.Soya Bean Drinks. The stall sells freshly made soya bean and grass jelly-based drinks and desserts.
Notably, the stall does not use any preservatives or gypsum gum powder to make their tau huay.
I especially love getting a cup of their Soya Bean Drink (S$1) to go with my carrot cake from He Zhong Carrot Cake (合眾菜頭粿).
Do you like Michael Jackson (S$1.50)? The drink, not the singer (for obvious reason) made from a mix of soya milk and grass jelly is another great pick. The stall usually opens till they’re sold out for the day, so stall hours are not really fixed.
Daily: 7am – 1pm
11. Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon (#02-162)
You cannot talk about Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre without mentioning Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon. This stall has been around since 1956 and always has long queues.
The family-run stall apparently sold fishball noodles at first but later switched to the satay bee hoon business.
This dish may not be the prettiest looking appearance-wise, but it sure hits hard in flavour and portion. The bee hoon of the Satay Bee Hoon (S$4.50) is smothered in thick satay sauce. Ingredients like pork and prawn bulk up the dish.
Be sure to give it a good mix to coat the bee hoon evenly in the creamy, peanut-filled goodness!
+65 9826 0782
Wed – Thu & Sat – Sun: 11am to 2.30pm & 5pm to 8.30pm
Closed on Mon, Tue & Fri
12. Leng Kee 龍記 (#02-192)
Now, Leng Kee (龍記) shares the same name as the BBQ Chicken Wing stall but the dishes served are quite different indeed.
What I liked about the Fish Soup (S$5/ S$6/ S$8) is that they’re really generous with the fish slices. You could practically have a fish slice in each spoonful from start to finish!
However, the taste of the soup might be a little mellow for some, and there’s only a faint taste of the savoury fish sauce. To bring on a little heat and give the soup a much-needed boost in flavour, I suggest adding a teaspoon of chilli sauce.
Order Delivery: foodpanda
+65 9685 6138
Thu to Tue: 9am – 6pm
Closed on Wed
13. Seng Heng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (#02-177)
If you’re craving chicken rice, Seng Heng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice makes a mean one. Unlike other stores in this list where the queue you see is the queue you get, this stall also takes phone orders concurrently. The cheat code? Order in advance through their hotline!
If you do still decide to queue in-store, I recommend going down early to beat the lunch crowd. The chicken rice here ranges from S$4 to S$5 and they typically sell out by 2pm.
I think one of the most important things in chicken rice is, well, the rice. The one here is very fragrant, without being too oily. Be it roasted or steamed, their chicken is also decently thick.
Also, brownie points because they have ginger and a great chilli!
+65 9662 4263
Mon to Sat: 11am to 3pm
Closed on Sun
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14. Zhong Zhong Fine Spice (牛車水中中五香酥蝦餅) (#02-148)
Last but not least, another hot favourite at this Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre is none other than Zhong Zhong Fine Spice (牛車水中中五香酥蝦餅).
While Zhong Zhong Fine Spice (牛車水中中五香酥蝦餅) sells a large variety of ingredients, regulars would usually go for the Fried Shrimp Cracker (S$2), Fried Beancurd Skin (S$1.30) and Wu Xiang (S$1.50).
While Wu Xiang may refer to the entire plate of fried stuffies you see above, in this case, we’re talking about ngo hiang in particular.
What I found rather special was that the owner got all the fried ingredients piping hot and crispy by lightly frying them again right before serving. The portions are pretty generous and people usually go for a sharing platter, along with a plate of Bee Hoon (S$1.30).
Wed to Fri: 10.30am – 7pm
Sat & Sun: 10.30am – 6pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
Ye Tang Chendol: Penang-style chendol with pandan jelly, silky coconut milk & luscious durian
Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588172
Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588172
