Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
For those who haven’t visited Tekka Centre before, one might assume that just because the food centre is located at Little India, it only offers Indian-centric eats such as roti prata, briyani, and thosai — that was me once (shamefully). But hey, half the fun is exploring — you never know what surprises you’ll run into, and wow, was it an eye-opener!
I was gobsmacked by the sheer variety of makan options it houses — over 100 hawker stalls! With sections split between non-Muslim and Halal-certified/Muslim-owned food, you can experience the full spectrum of Singapore’s diverse culinary culture in one go. Honestly, this is one of the best places to bring tourists to explore our local cuisine.
Without further ado, here’s a guide on the 11 must-try hawker stalls at Tekka Centre whenever you visit Little India.
1. 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles (#01-326)
Have you heard of the saying, ‘the ruder the stall owner, the tastier the food?’ Well, they weren’t exactly rude, but let’s just say the stall assistant didn’t give me the warmest first impression when I missed out a certain detail in my order. This prawn mee spot never fails to have a long snaking queue formed up. and I joined the line to see what the hype was about.
This heritage stall started as a street food vendor in the 1950s before establishing its permanent home at Whampoa Market in 1973. The menu features 3 noodle options: yellow mee, kway teow, and thin bee hoon with a single regular size going at S$5. Of course, if you have a huge appetite, you can top-up Noodles (S$0.50/S$1), Prawns (S$2), and even Fried Shallots & Lard (S$0.50).
My S$5 bowl bowl of kway teow–mee came with 4 prawn halves, pork slices, tau geh, fried pork lard and shallots. It was also accompanied by a bowl of prawn broth that’s rich and umami with robust notes of prawn shells simmered down to their very essence. I could taste the hours of dedication simmered into this bowl of liquid gold. I also loved how well-balanced and tasty the noodles were when tossed with the chilli and seasonings, along with the fresh ingredients.
Mon to Fri: 7am – 1.30pm
Closed on Sat & Sun
Facebook | Instagram
2. Grandma Mee Siam (#01-311)
When I approached the ‘grandma’ at Grandma Mee Siam, though she was swamped with plenty of orders, she managed to maintain her calm and friendly demeanor. Though the name of the 45-year-old stall clearly states Mee Siam (S$3.50), you can also enjoy a plate of wu xiang xia bing (five-spice prawn fritters) here.
6 decades ago, her dad spent 15 years selling five-spice prawn fritters along the streets of Singapore. This explains today’s unconventional pairing with mee siam, a combo you’ll rarely find elsewhere. While you wait, there are even sweets and jelly displayed at the stall front for you to help yourself, though I speculate they’re meant for small kids.
My plate of mixed fritters had a Water Chestnut Egg Cake (S$1.30), Fried Prawn Fritter (S$1.60), Fishcake (S$1.50), Ngoh Hiang (S$1.30), and Otah Roll (S$1.60), amounting to S$7.30. It came with a generous amount of sauce, including the pink one. Every ingredient was tasty and not oily, pairing well with the sauces. The aunty even told me to return to get more sauce if I needed. Awww… my heart melted.
+65 9634 1228
Wed to Sat: 8am – 3pm
Closed on Sun to Tue
Facebook
3. Zham Zham Muslim Food (#01-217/218/244)
Not to be confused with Zam Zam Restaurant at North Bridge Road, Zham Zham Muslim Food at Tekka Centre is an Indian-Muslim establishment that occupies 3 shop units, located across from each other. Over on one side (#01-217/218), you can find mains like Fish Briyani (S$6.50), Mutton Curry (S$5.50), and Chicken Masala (S$5). Pair them with some Curry (S$1), Rasam (S$1), and Pappadam (S$1).
The stall also offers special dishes on certain days. Come over on Thursdays for the Duck Rendang (S$7.50), or Fridays for its Mutton Kofta (S$6.50).
If you’re looking for lighter bites that won’t make you feel stuffed, pop over to the other side (#01-244). Here, the menu features Onion Rava Thosai, Egg Appam, Samosa & Vadai, and so much more. At just S$2.50, my Poori Set was a steal! It consisted of 2 pieces of deep-fried bread, served with a side of luscious potato and dhal curry filled with mustard seeds, and yoghurt. It was value for money and the heavenly combination got me thinking about it the entire week.
+65 8776 5006
Daily: 6am – 4pm
4. Yi Jia Teochew Fish Porridge Fish Soup (一家潮州魚粥 ● 魚湯) (#01-330)
Yi Jia Teochew Fish Porridge Fish Soup, which has another branch at Maxwell Food Centre, has consistent long queues over at Tekka Centre. This stall offers authentic Teochew-style fish soup with your choice of mee sua, thick/thin bee hoon or rice. If you’re a fried fish lover, you’ll be disappointed as only boiled fish and clear soup options are available. Instead of the usual tofu and lettuce, you’ll get the pricier garland chrysanthemum leaves (tang oh), which has a distinct flavour and it also happens to be my favourite veggies when I have steamboat.
Choose from sliced Batang (S$4/S$5/S$6), Batang Head (S$4/S$6/S$8) or a combination of Fish & Prawn (S$5/S$8/S$10). There are more premium fish options like sliced Pomfret (S$10/S$13/S$15) and sliced Grouper (S$8/S$10/S$12).
Do remember to pair it with the condiments to give it some vibrance and personality. Help yourself to the tau cheo (savoury bean paste), pickled ginger, minced garlic, and the red chilli with soya sauce.
Mon to Fri: 10.30am – 3pm
Closed on Sat & Sun
5. Yong Ji (#01-296)
If you’re craving traditional Cantonese-style breakfast, pay Yong Ji a visit and you’ll be greeted with a whole array of old-school eats. The menu boasts 3 kinds of Nasi Lemak sets, ranging from Ikan Kuning Set C (S$3.90), Chicken Wing Set B (S$3.90), and the classic Set A (S$2.90) with just ikan bilis, peanuts, boiled egg, cucumber, and sambal.
You can enjoy Economic Bee Hoon and top-up with your favourite ingredients to make it more indulgent such as chicken wings, fried sunny side-up, otah, etc. There’s also Peanut Porridge, and the rarely-seen Glutinous Rice, paired with earthy mushrooms and peanuts. Forget about trendy HK-style char siew-stuffed rice rolls and go back to the basics. The Chee Cheong Fun here is served with the traditional savoury-sweet sauce.
Mon to Sat: 7am – 3pm
Closed on Sun
6. Poona Punjabi Dhaba (#01-302)
Poona Punjabi Dhaba has a high Google rating of 4.9 stars with 167 reviews (at time of writing). This stall specialises in true-blue North Indian food. The stall offers various dishes that will go perfect with Plain Rice (S$2), Veg Briyani (S$6) or Veg Fried Rice (S$5).
You can indulge in savoury dishes that pack a punch, such as Mutton Keema (S$6), Chilli Chicken (S$7), and Fish Curry (S$5). If you prefer something drier with tons of flavour, then explore its tandoori options like Pomfret Fish (S$15), Paneer Tikka (S$5), and the crowd-favourite Tandoori Chicken (S$4).
Who doesn’t love Indian breads? You must try their Stuffed Kulcha (S$5), Cheese Naan (S$3.50), Chapati (S$1.50), or the Makki Di Roti (S$3).
+65 8792 0786
Mon to Fri: 9am – 10.30pm
Sat: 9am – 11pm
Sun: 8am – 11pm
Facebook
7. Jasmine Pork Rib Prawn Noodle (#01-316)
If you don’t have the patience to queue for spot #1, no worries. Just head behind and look for Jasmine Pork Rib Prawn Noodle, the less-popular but truly an underdog (in my humble opinion) prawn mee spot. Manned by a duo of friendly ladies, this stall offers Prawn Noodles (S$4), Prawn Noodles w/ Pork Ribs (S$5), and Prawn Noodle w/ Pig’s Intestine (S$5).
The Prawn Noodles are served with 2 whole prawns cut in half, pork slices, pork lard, and fried shallots. If you require more pork lard, don’t be shy and request for more when ordering. The prawns here are naturally sweet and firm, a testament of their quality and freshness. The pork slices are also tender and the noodles are flavourful without the off-putting alkaline taste.
Sensitive with the gaminess of pig’s intestines? The version served here is delicious and executed perfectly, with the intestines being exceptionally well-cleaned. The pork ribs literally encapsulated the term ‘fall-off-the-bone’, with the whole chunk of flesh sliding off the rib bone effortlessly. The meat-to-fat ratio was perfect, containing just the right amount of fat to enhance the flavour, while the meat fibres disintegrated in my mouth like melted butter.
Tue to Sat: 7am – 3pm
Closed on Sun & Mon
8. Lim Kee Cooked Food (#01-323)
Before I started approaching the aunty at Lim Kee Cooked Food, she was busy wrapping dumplings for the day’s operations. Having been around for over 20 years, this lady who used to sell youtiao now sells a variety of noodles such as Chicken Feet Noodle (S$4/S$5), Chicken Chop Noodle (S$5), and Shredded Chicken Hor Fun (S$4/S$5).
You can also feast on a hot bowl of Dumpling soup (S$5), or enjoy her Fried Dumpling (S$5) as a snack.
My S$4 plate of Wanton Noodle consisted of mee kia, slices of char siew, 2 fried wantons, and green vegetables. By the side, there was also a bowl of soup with a strong and tasty ikan bilis profile, filled with 2 pieces of boiled wantons. The mee kia has an old-school, traditional taste with a springy texture and the char siew is ideal for those who dislike fatty and charred renditions.
My favourite part of the meal were the wantons, which were tasty and silky smooth.
Daily: 6am – 4pm
9. Chuan’s Ladle (#01-317)
Chuan’s Ladle at Tekka Centre sells ladle cake, a snack stuffed with turnips, bean curd and meat. We learnt that the recipe for these cakes originated from the owner’s ah ma (grandmother). During a huge gathering, their grandfather craved for a Hokkien dish called hei pia (prawn fritter). Prawns were pricey then, and ah ma had to find a cheaper alternative, which resulted in the creation.
If you wish to have a try, head to the stall early as the ladle cakes tend to sell out fast. Choose between the Original Ladle Cake (S$2.50) and Coriander Ladle Cake (S$2.50). For a kick of heat, give the Spicy Ladle Cake (S$2.50) a try. It’s laden with flavourful sambal. You can also pair the cakes with flavourful Scallion Oil Noodle (S$1.50) that are springy and savoury, topped with lots of fried shallots and spring onions.
Mon to Sat: 8am – 2pm
Closed on Sun
Facebook | Instagram
10. Generation Coffee (#01-321)
Swing by Generation Coffee for your daily dose of coffee as this home-grown coffee roaster does both traditional and specialty coffee, depending on what you’re in the mood for. Their coffee beans are sourced from various regions of the world, and they roast it in a way to bring out its greatest potential, balancing its body and sweetness.
For the senior folks and those who love our local brewed coffee, choose from hot cups of Kopi–O (S$1.80 for hot, S$2.30 for iced), Kopi-C (S$2 for hot, S$2.50 for iced). If you’re more of a tea person, you can find Teh–O (S$1.80 for hot, S$2.30 for iced) and Teh (S$1.90 for hot, S$2.40 for iced) options here, too.
Frequent cafe hoppers can slurp on a hot cup of Flat White (S$3.90), Iced Latte (S$4.40), and Iced Mocha (S$4.80). Those missing the coconut coffee from Vietnam can temporarily curb their cravings with the Iced Coconut Latte (S$4.80). There’s also Iced Dirty Matcha (S$5.80) and Spanish Latte (S$4.30 for hot, S$4.80 for iced).
Since Generation Coffee roasts their coffee beans every Monday, you may also wish to purchase them for home usage. Some options include Ethiopia Masha (from S$22) and Peru Alto Pirias (from S$24).
+65 8891 2911
Mon to Sat: 7.30am – 10.30am & 11.15am – 3pm
Closed on Sun
Facebook | Instagram | Website
11. Delhi Lahori (#01-266)
The Muslim-owned Delhi Lahori specialises in Indian and Pakistani cuisine and has been recognised by the Michelin Guide for the past two consecutive years. It was also listed under the Singapore Best Foods award in 2024. It has been been operating at Tekka Centre for the past 7 years. You can indulge in aromatic Tandoori Chicken (S$5 for 1 piece), Fish Tikka (S$7 for 2 pieces), Cheese & Garlic Naan (S$3.50), and Aloo Paratha (S$3).
My non-spicy Butter Chicken Naan Set (S$6) came with 2 large pieces of fluffy naan bread and a bowl of creamy and rich butter chicken. The bread was soft and aromatic, tearing apart easily to soak up the luscious curry. The pieces of boneless chicken were tender and well seasoned, too.
+65 8177 7929
Daily: 11am – 7pm
Facebook
10 best stalls at Woodleigh Village Hawker Centre you must try
