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Growing up, I had the fortune of enjoying my Peranakan grandmother’s mee siam, so much so, that I even asked her for the recipe. That’s why this dish has never been on my radar whenever I go out to dine… until now. Yup, she no longer has the ability to cook. So here I am travelling around Singapore to savour Chinese-, Malay-, and even Nyonya-style mee siam.
Initially, I was repulsed by this dish, but over time, I learned to appreciate its merits and eventually fell completely in love with its light, appetising flavour. There’s just something about the bee hoon and tangy gravy combination that makes it so irresistible. Without further delay, here are 10 best mee siam spots in Singapore to slurp to your heart’s content.
1. Old Teochew
I’m not sure about the multiple branches of Old Teochew popping up at most of the Hawkers’ Street food courts around Singapore, but what I’m referring to is the OG stall located at 20 Ghim Moh Road Market & Food Centre. I remember coming here for their satay bee hoon initially on a Thursday, but they only sell mee siam on this particular day. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise instead as I absolutely loved it.
The stall has been in operation for the past 7 years by 65-year-old Mr Quck and his wife. Before this, they had a business for 3 decades which dealt with photo printing.
The Mee Siam (S$4) comes with a boiled egg cut into 2, tau pok, tau geh, ku chye, a dollop of sambal and bee hoon doused in a thick reddish gravy. For an extra umami kick, tiny fried sakura ebi are added on top. Each bite of bee hoon has varying textures coming from the tau pok and tau geh.
The homemade sambal has a multitude of tastes — slightly sweet, salty, smoky and gently spicy. Its subtle spiciness doesn’t steal the limelight of the main dish but complements it like a team player instead. The sauce has the right balance of sweet and sour and the bee hoon is the perfect vessel to absorb all of its flavour.
20 Ghim Moh Road, #01-18, Singapore 270020
+65 9893 1948
Thu to Mon: 6.30am – 1.30pm
Closed on Tue & Wed
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2. Marie’s Lapis Cafe
Named after the 82-year-old owner, Mdm Marie, Marie’s Lapis Cafe is situated within the sleepy neighbourhood of Bedok North Street 3. Together with her son Chris, they established this cosy eatery in November 2020. They initially operated as a home-based business back in 2018, specialising in their renowned kueh lapis.
This is a great deal: there’s no GST or service charge, and you can even use your CDC vouchers here!
Class 95 FM regularly has its Foodie’s Choice awards, hosted by DJ Yasminne Cheng. In May 2024, Marie’s Lapis Cafe took the trophy for being the best mee siam establishment; nominated and voted by its listeners. Truth be told, 8 months earlier, I had tried the Tok Kong Mee Siam (S$14) before the voting, and I had already become a fan.
It consists of bee hoon soaked in gravy and crowned with luscious peeled prawns, halved hard-boiled egg, and tau pok cubes, then garnished with chives and a calamansi.
The rich gravy infuses the dish with a medley of sweet, sour, spicy, and umami notes; exquisitely balanced in flavour. The dried shrimp in the gravy provides a pleasing textural contrast, while the subtle spiciness from the chives mellows down the richness.
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537 Bedok North Street 3, Kaki Bukit Mall, #01-575, Singapore 460537
+65 6970 8556
Daily: 10am – 10pm
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3. Indonesian Food House
Indonesian Food House at Geylang East Market & Food Centre is an 18-year old business that’s currently run by Chef Tan Mei Ling and her husband. Previously, this food business was established by Chef Tan’s mother, Mdm Lai, who had opened her stall at Orchard Midpoint. Being a seamstress with no prior experience in cooking, the Jakarta-born–turned–Singaporean Mdm Lai picked up her culinary skills from the helpers who had worked in her home. These days, she has more or less handed over the reins to her daughter.
Though the stall opens at 6.30am, the couple only starts selling the noodles from 7am only. Another hidden talent that Chef Tan possesses is her phenomenal S$1.70 Curry Puffs, which she freshly preps at 6.30am. When we got there, the sardine wasn’t available, so we went with the potato variety instead. The skin was flaky and crispy and had a lovely curry potato filling which was better than most popular brands.
Alright, back to the main affair — the Mee Siam (S$4). When the bowl of noodles first arrived, the light reddish-orange gravy seemed more diluted than usual. The calamansi was already squeezed for us so there wasn’t a need to do it ourselves. The Mee Siam was served with tau geh, ku chye, a whole boiled egg cut into 2, and tau kwa instead of tau pok.
Though the gravy has a watered-down consistency, its flavour is perfectly balanced. It has the right amount of acidity and savouriness, and drinking multiple sips of the broth feels like a breeze (not jelak at all!). The subtle twist of switching it up to tau kwa was a great idea. They were softer and served in big pieces, as compared to the usual tiny cubes of tau pok that’s used in other places. In hindsight, the tau kwa is a much better accompaniment. I’m now wishing that all mee siam places will do the same (major hint).
117 Aljunied Avenue 2, #01-06, Singapore 380117
Daily: 6.30am – 10.30am
4. 401 Hougang Delights
With no huge social media presence, this under-the-radar stall called, 401 Hougang Delights is located at the iconic KPT Kopitiam opposite Punggol Park at, you guessed it, 401 Hougang Ave 10. This stall may seem like just another run-of-the-mill economical bee hoon spot that also offers chee cheong fun, pau and kueh. However, pay closer attention and you’ll spot Nonya Mee Siam (S$4) on the signboard as well.
Because it isn’t a speciality stall selling just mee siam, I, honestly, wasn’t having high expectations. Dang Aaron, why are you so judgmental? It turned out to be quite impressive!
Served with or without tau geh (yes, you can choose), the mee siam comes with mini cubes of tau pok, a hard-boiled egg, a dollop of sambal, chives, and something quite peculiar — grounded peanuts. Yes, the addition of peanuts had made me think of rojak (I must be craving it at that point). I mixed everything up and I was blown away by the refreshing tanginess of the broth. It was seasoned to a tee and the flavours were all on point. I didn’t mind the addition of peanuts, which gave the dish a little texture while chewing through the silky strands of bee hoon. In case you’re wondering where’s the calamansi, the chefs will squueze it for you before serving.
I was surprised that the sambal used had hints of anchovies instead of dried prawn, which added a special flavour combination that made me wolf everything down to the very last strand.
401 Hougang Avenue 10, #01-1158, Singapore 530401
Open 24 hours
5. 96 Kwai Luck Cooked Food
Note: Uncle is getting on in years and regularly falls sick or needs to go for medical checkup.
I feel that it’s a must to add the disclaimer in front, because, sometimes, it’s hard to determine when 96 Kwai Luck Cooked Food at Chong Boon Market & Food Centre will suddenly be closed. Trust me, we’ve encountered it multiple times. But the elderly couple here indeed dish out a solid and special plate of mee siam that truly deserves to be on this list.
This stall was established in 1979, and the current 2nd-gen owner took over from his dad who learnt the ropes from an Indian hawker back in the day. Throughout the years of operations, the couple have earned multiple accolades and received recognition in various newspapers. Even before the sun rises, the stall is already up and running at 4.30am, catering to early risers or those heading to work very early.
The plate of Mee Siam (S$3.50 for small, S$4 for medium) is a no-frills plate of bee hoon filled with sliced egg and tau pok with a calamansi for tanginess. Guess what? Anti tau geh peeps will be rejoicing as they don’t add it here.
Just as what the headline of a newspaper had stated: “It’s something different from the rest,” the gravy served here is in a league of its own. It doesn’t taste like those renditions that are made with tauco but has a rich and decadent creaminess with a refreshing hit of acidity and mild sweetness at the end. For regulars, you should be familiar with what I’ve just said. If you haven’t tried, I’ll highly recommend you to experience it yourself.
453A Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #01-20, Singapore 561453
+65 9619 0196
Wed to Fri: 4am – 1pm
Sat & Sun: 4am – 2pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
6. Shi Xian
Shi Xian at 409 AMK Market & Food Centre has been selling 2 signature dishes for the past 50 years — mee rebus and mee siam. This stall mainly caters to the breakfast and early lunch crowd, with their plates of noodles usually selling out even before lunchtime. So for those that don’t have any commitment for the day, try to come down earlier to avoid being disappointed.
Although both the Mee Siam (S$3.50/S$4) and Mee Rebus (S$3.50/S$4) are good enough to strike the right note, I do feel that the former steals the spotlight. Each plate comes crowned with sliced boiled egg, tau geh, tau pok, slices of green chilli, a halved calamansi, a sprinkling of spring onions and a dollop of sambal by the side.
Like spot #1, there’s a unique addition of crispy dried shrimp for every serving. Even though they’re small in size, they pack a ton of smoky umami-ness that adds a lot more depth of flavour. I must say that the broth here surprises me, as it possesses intense coconutty notes. It’s also much lighter than the usual ones I’ve tried before.
The special sambal is chunky due to the addition of crushed peanuts, which I find to be rather interesting. The spice gradually creeps up like the tortoise in the race— slowly but surely!
409 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, #01-24, Singapore 560409
Wed to Sun: 7am – 12.30pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
7. Hup Hup Mee Siam・Laksa・Lor Mee
For the last 15 years, 2nd-gen hawker, Joseph, has been manning Hup Hup Mee Siam・Laksa・Lor Mee at Circuit Road Market & Food Centre. Since young, he enjoys these 3 dishes that his mum had cooked at home in the past. He inherited the recipes from her and mastered the craft during his youth. He serves his customers with lots of smiles and positive vibes. Joseph also has a brother that sells mee siam at Hougang as well — talk about a family of talented chefs.
The Mee Siam comes in 3 sizes: S$3.50, S$4, and S$5. Each plate features a mound of vibrant orange vermicelli, reminiscent of the colour of Indian-style mee goreng. It’s bathed in a lightly tangy gravy with a thick, rich consistency. Following in his mum’s footsteps, ground peanuts are added to the gravy, giving it a satay sauce-like taste with a gentle tang and mild sweetness at the end.
It’s crowned with a hard-boiled egg, beansprouts, tau pok, and a cluster of tiny fried shrimp which adds a little punch of hae bi flavour. Even the dollop of sambal has a robust shrimpy flavour that gives an extra umami boost. If you’re a fan of Chinese-style mee siam, this is the place for you.
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80 Circuit Road, #02-14, Singapore 370080
+65 8011 2954
Wed to Sun: 6am – 2.30pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
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8. Kedai Salima
Kedai Salima was an accidental discovery when I had gone to Punggol Coast Hawker Centre to do my food guide. This new kid on the block sells popular Malay staples like Nasi Lemak Set (S$4.50), Lontong (S$4.20), Mee Rebus (S$4.20), and Mee Soto (S$4.20). And since it operates as early as 6am, this stall is the ideal destination for breakfast!
The Mee Siam (S$4.50) is served with half an egg, a generous dollop of sambal, and mini cubes of tau pok. The gravy here isn’t as sweet as other stalls. It’s more savoury and tangy due to the assam, with a hint of sweetness coming from the sambal. Since they are under the radar, I feel that more people should check out this underrated stall and give them your support.
Order delivery: foodpanda
84 Punggol Way, Punggol Coast Hawker Centre, #02-K80, Singapore 829911
Daily: 6am – 5pm
9. Grandma Mee Siam
Fancy a 68 year old ‘grandma’ tending to a 45-year-old business all by herself? Yes, Grandma Mee Siam at Tekka Centre is run by a solo friendly aunty, who started selling mee siam with her grandmother at the young age of 8. She uses the same recipe that dates back to 1963. 6 decades ago, her dad spent 15 years selling five-spice prawn fritters along the streets of Singapore. This explains the unconventional pairing with mee siam, (in case you’re wondering).
She uses the ladle to drench the plate of mee siam in gravy for a few moments, while tilting it sideways towards the piping-hot cauldron, letting the excess flow back before showering it again. I guess this is her method of allowing the ingredients to fully soak up the broth before it’s served.
There’s no calamansi served on the side, as aunty takes care of that herself before handing the dish over. She finishes it off with a sprinkle of ku chye and a smear of sambal. The mee siam is a no-frills plate of bee hoon drenched in a light and slightly sourish gravy, filled with the usual suspects. It’s comforting and the sambal somehow reminds me of the ones used for chwee kueh, slightly sweet and spicy.
665 Buffalo Road, Tekka Centre, #01-311, Singapore 210665
+65 9634 1228
Wed to Sat: 8am – 3pm
Closed on Sun to Tue
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10. Aziz Jaffar Muslim Food
A pioneer in the hawker industry, Aziz Jaffar Muslim Food at Chinatown Complex Food Centre has been around since 1968. The menu at this stall is equivalent to a Malay food starter pack, selling almost every classic Malay dish, like Nasi Lemak (S$3.50), Mee Rebus (S$3.50), Nasi Sambal Goreng (S$6), and of course, Mee Siam (S$3.50). It even has nasi padang with different side dishes.
The Mee Siam is served with bee hoon covered in a watery reddish gravy. It’s topped with cubes of fried tofu, chopped chives and of course, a boiled egg. There’s also sambal and lime on the side. If you like your mee siam a little sweet, the version here leans towards that. The gravy’s moderate spice balances the sweetness of the gravy, so you won’t feel jelak so easily.
335 Smith Street, #02-70, Singapore 050335
+65 8608 1206
Tue to Fri: 7am – 2pm
Sat & Sun: 7am – 12pm
Closed on Mon
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