Our Ultimate Compilation Of Hawker Centre Guides In Singapore: Part 2 – I to Z

Remember when we attempted to compile all our past hawker guides into one article, but realised that we had too many entries and had to split it into two parts?

Part 1 was out already, so here is Part 2, which covers all our guides on local hawker centres named I-to-Z, including some pretty famous ones like Marine Parade Central Market And Food CentreMaxwell Food Centre, and so many more.

Here is our ultimate compilation of hawker centre guides in Singapore (Part 2 – I to Z). We’ve sorted it alphabetically so you can find your favourite hawker centre with ease—but this list isn’t exhaustive. If you’d like us to cover a particular hawker centre, let us know and we’ll check it out!

1. Jurong West Hawker Centre & Market

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Jurong West Hawker Centre & Market was one of the first few to introduce roving smart tray-return robots, as well as tray-return points that reimbursed patrons S$0.20 for every tray returned. They introduced these concepts in early 2018, way before anybody else actually did.

If that doesn’t impress you, its mouth-watering hawker fare will. Make a short tour around the hawker centre and you’ll find that most people are ordering from June Kee Noodle House. Its Lor Mee (S$2.80) is incredibly popular and it’s easy to see why. For just S$2.80 a bowl, you’ll get a wide range of ingredients: braised pork belly, braised egg, ngoh hiong, fried fish chunks, and bean sprouts.

If you really want value-for-money hawker dishes, try Tenderfish Mee‘s Salmon Head Beehoon Soup (S$4.80). It’s quite rare for hawker stalls to even sell salmon head nowadays, let alone charge less than S$5 for it, but Tenderfish Mee piled our bowls with fried salmon head, egg floss, bee hoon, and vegetables, and we devoured all of it easily.

Jurong West Hawker Centre & Market: 50 Jurong West Street 61, Singapore 648202 | Opening Hours: 6am – 10pm (Daily)

2. Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre

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Located right next to Kovan MRT, Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre is such a hidden gem because of its affordable prices and wide variety of stalls.

Just like Bedok 85’s two rivalling bak chor mee stalls (I still swear by the one on the right which only sells the soup version), Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre has a similar pair of stalls too. Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle and Chun Fu Fishball Minced Meat Noodle are located side by side, sport equally long queues, and sell the same type of dishes.

What we absolutely loved about Fa Ji’s Minced Meat Noodle (S$3.50) was how juicy its plump mushrooms were, as if it had been soaked overnight. Chun Fu, however, won us over with its super shiok Curry Chicken Noodle (S$3.50), which was creamy, rich, spicy, and fragrant.

Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre: Blk 209 Hougang Street 21, Singapore 530209 | Opening Hours: 24hrs (Daily)

3. Marine Parade Central Market And Food Centre

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I grew up along Marine Parade, so Marine Parade Central Market And Food Centre was my favourite haunt when I was in secondary school and needed to find something cheap for lunch.

It’s located right beside Parkway Parade, and while it’s undoubtedly not the most accessible hawker centre around (the only way to get there is by car or bus), it still sees a decently-sized crowd no matter the time or day. It must be stalls like Apollo Fresh Cockle Fried Kway Teow‘s uniquely wet Char Kway Teow (S$4/S$5) or Tip Top Western Food‘s three generation-long recipes that produce dishes like old school Fish & Chips (S$6.50) that draw people to this classic hawker centre.

While you’re there, be sure to give Neptune Hong Kong Dim Sum a try. This traditional dim sum stall has been there for the past 23 years and dishes out affordable, fresh, and juicy dim sum from S$0.90 per piece.

Marine Parade Central Market And Food Centre: 84 Marine Parade Central, Singapore 440084 | Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm (Daily)

4. Maxwell Food Centre

Maxwell Food Centre Ah Tai Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice Chinatown 48

Maxwell Food Centre is famous for a lot of things—tourists, the infamous lunch crowd and insane queues, and of course, chicken rice.

We all head to Maxwell Food Centre for Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice 天天海南鸡饭 for its Steamed Chicken Rice (S$5), but you might not be aware that a close competitor is located just two stalls away. Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice‘s Steamed Chicken Rice (S$3/S$3.50) took us by surprise—the chicken was supple, juicy, and soft. It was only after chatting with the stall owner, Ah Tai, did we realise that he used to be the head chef for Tian Tian. No wonder!

Yi Jia Chao Zhou Yu Zhou is another famous stall, known for its fresh and affordable fish porridge, and it only took one sip of its Batang Fish Soup (S$3) for us to realise why. The soup was light and sweet, and allowed the natural freshness from the fish slices to come through.

Maxwell Food Centre: 1 Kadayanallur Street, Singapore 069184 | Opening Hours: 8am – 2am (Daily)

5. Mei Ling Market & Food Centre

Mei Ling Food Centre 1

Nestled in Queenstown, Mei Ling Market & Food Centre is a two-storey hawker centre that has a wet market on the first floor and a hawker centre on the second floor.

For those who love a good ol’ breakfast meal, try He Li Cooked Food 合力熟食, which sells economic bee hoon for a really cheap price. We ordered three ingredients with our Bee Hoon: egg, vegetables, and an egg, and it only cost us S$2.30. The noodles weren’t too oily and it was smoky and savoury, which was super nostalgic and reminded us of traditional economic bee hoon stalls.

Looking for award-winning stalls that have stood the test of time? Go for Shi Hui Yuan Hor Fun Speciality 实惠园驰名香滑河粉, which was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand four years in a row. Its Mushroom With Chicken And Duck (S$4) was accompanied with a thick and rich gravy, which had a tinge of fragrant Chinese wine, and came with tender chicken and duck meat.

Mei Ling Market & Food Centre: 159 Mei Ling Street, Singapore 140159 | Opening Hours: 6am – 9pm (Daily)

6. Old Airport Road Food Centre

Pasta Risotto Old Airport Road 14

Old Airport Road Food Centre has been around since 1973 and it houses a ton of amazing stalls, all of which have earned its own fair share of followers over the years. I remember visiting this famous hawker centre since I was young, indulging in bowls of piping hot frog porridge, turtle soup, lor mee, and seafood soup with loved ones and friends.

While it’s safe to say that majority of the stalls from Old Airport Road Food Centre are sure winners, some highlights would be Roast Paradise‘s 300g Char Siew (S$15)Xin Mei Xiang Zheng Zong Lor Mee‘s Lor Mee (S$3/small, S$4/medium, S$5/large), and Yan Ji Seafood Soup‘s Signature Seafood Soup (S$10/medium, S$15/large).

Not to mention, before you leave, be sure to tapau Wang Wang Crispy Curry Puff‘s Crispy Curry Puff (S$1.40). I absolutely love how crispy and delicious its curry puffs were. It’s all freshly baked on the spot, so you can look forward to flaky pastry shells, piping hot curry filling, and spicy chunks of potato.

Old Airport Road Food Centre: Blk 51 Old Airport Road, Singapore 390051 | Opening Hours: 6am – 11pm (Daily)

7. Pek Kio Market & Food Centre

pek kio hawker guide

If someone mentions Pek Kio Market & Food Centre, I’ll immediately think of its old-school charm, traditional stalls, and affordable eats. This iconic hawker centre has been around for 35 years, and lots of local foodies have fond memories of dropping by Pek Kio for a hearty breakfast.

When you step into Pek Kio, it’s as if you’ve gone back in time. The dishes are all nostalgic and traditional, and it’s priced super affordably too. Take for example Heng Leong Carrot Cake 兴隆菜头粿‘s Carrot Cake (White/Black), which is being sold for S$2 only. Despite being so cheap, it doesn’t scrimp on the ingredients and serving size—its carrot cake comes with a ton of chye poh, egg, and radish cake chunks.

If you’re feeling peckish, try Yean Heng Pancake‘s Peanut Pancake (S$0.60). This stall makes its mee chiang kueh fresh on the spot, so it’s always served warm. The shell on the outside is extremely thin and crispy, while the pancake itself was chewy, with a mochi-like consistency.

Pek Kio Market & Food Centre: Blk 41A Cambridge Road, Singapore 211041 | Opening Hours: 6am – 7pm (Daily)

8. Redhill Food Centre

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Redhill Food Centre is hidden by tall HDB blocks, but it’s a fantastic hawker centre because of the variety of things that are available there. I’ve personally been there three times (and counting) to satisfy three different cravings: xiao long baosatay bee hoon, and curry rice, and I can already tell that I’ll be back in the next month or so to try more dishes.

If you love xiao long baos and guo ties, try Rong Xing La Mian Xiao Long Bao. Its Xiao Long Bao (S$4 for a basket of six) is freshly steamed on the spot, and each xiao long bao is filled with sweet broth and juicy minced meat. If you some quick division, that means that each xiao long bao is only S$0.60. What a steal!

Hong Seng Curry Rice sells one of the messiest and most delicious plates of curry rice we’ve ever had—imagine a heap of white rice that’s surrounded by Cabbage 包菜 (S$0.70)Dong Po Pork 东坡肉 (S$2.50), Char Siew 叉烧 (S$1), and Boneless Curry Chicken 咖喱鸡腿 (S$2), and drenched in a ton of starchy curry gravy. Mmmmm.

Redhill Food Centre: 85 Redhill Lane, Singapore 150085 | Opening Hours: 8am – 9pm (Daily)

9. Sembawang Hills Food Centre

Sembawang Hills Food Centre 2

Millennials might visit Thomson for hipster cafes, freshly brewed coffee, and Instagrammable brunches, but foodies in the heartlands will know Sembawang Hills Food Centre for its yummy hawker food.

My colleague swears by Yummy Noodle House‘s Curry Meatball Noodle (S$3). A bed of silky thin bee hoon is slathered with a creamy and rich curry gravy—which is almost reminiscent of laksa gravy, and resting atop is a handful of crispy meatballs that is crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

If it’s raining and you’re looking for something soothing and comforting, you need to try Jia Jia Xing Pig’s Organ Soup. Its Pig’s Trotter With Black Vinegar (S$4.50) is filled with so much porky goodness that it’s bound to hit the spot. Not to mention, every piece of pork is stewed until it is gloriously soft.

Sembawang Hills Food Centre: 590 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574419 | Opening Hours: 6am – 9pm (Daily)

10. Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre

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Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre is located right next to Chomp Chomp Food Centre and while most will flock to Chomp Chomp for a hearty plate of hokkien mee, Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre is actually home to lots of hidden gems that only locals in the area know about.

When I dropped by to try Chuan Heng Fish Ball Minced Meat Noodle, I was immediately blown away by its Beef Stew Noodles (S$5), which instantly reminded me of Japanese curry. The orange-brown gravy was smoky, rich, and meaty, just like beef stew, and the beef cubes were so tender that I couldn’t stop popping them in my mouth non-stop.

On a budget? Poh Poh Roasted Chicken Rice‘s got you. It flashes discounts periodically on its screen, which is right in front of its storefront, so a plate of Roasted Chicken Rice + Egg (S$4) can go for as cheap as S$3!

Serangoon Garden Market & Food Centre: 49A Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555945 | Opening Hours: 6am – 9pm (Daily)

11. Shunfu Mart Food Centre

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Shunfu Mart Food Centre is just a short walk from Marymount MRT, and you absolutely can’t miss it—there’s a bright yellow grill spanning across the top of the whole building. This humble hawker centre has been there for over 20 years, dishing out good food to nearby residents.

Char kway teow and minced meat noodle dishes dominate this hawker centre. Almost immediately, you’ll notice the long queues at Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle 来兴香菇肉脞面 and Lai Heng Fried Kuay Teow & Cooked Food 来兴炒果条 • 熟食.

If you noticed that they both share the word “Lai Heng” in their stall names, that’s not a coincidence. These two stalls are owned by the same person and its yummy Fried Kuay Teow (S$2.50/Small, S$3/Large) and Minced Meat Noodle (S$3.30) are crowd favourites, and definitely worth a try.

Shunfu Mart Food Centre: 320 Shunfu Road, Singapore 570320 | Opening Hours: 6am – 6pm (Daily) 

12. Tampines Round Market & Food Centre

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Tampines Round Market & Food Centre is probably the only hawker centre in Singapore that’s shaped like a doughnut. I’ve been patronising this hawker centre since I was a kid, and recall fond memories of grocery shopping at the dry and wet market sections with my grandmother.

Located at the outer rim of the hawker centre, Song Han Carrot Cake is the only carrot cake stall in Singapore to use curry powder in its dish. For just S$2 a plate, I’d consider Song Han’s carrot cake to be one of the cheaper ones around. I loved how the curry powder added a tinge of spice and heat to the dish, and how generous the stall was with the chye poh and prawns.

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Yummy Sarawak Kolo Mee opens as early as 5am, which is great for people who want to grab a quick breakfast before doing some grocery shopping. Its Sarawak Kolo Mee (S$4) comes with springy egg white noodles, a dollop of spicy chilli padi, roasted char siew, dumplings, and vegetables.

Tampines Round Market & Food Centre: 137 Tampines Street 11, Singapore 522137 | Opening Hours: 6.30am – 3pm (Daily)

13. Tiong Bahru Food Centre

Tiong Bahru Food Centre-1

Tiong Bahru is a foodie lover’s dream. There are a ton of hipster cafes, hidden gems—like Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh—and of course, Tiong Bahru Food Centre.

This massive hawker centre spans two stories and is incredibly popular with the locals. Take for example Tiong Bahru Hwa Yuen Porridge, which has been in business for many years, and whips up a delicious bowl of Pork Porridge (S$3). Its texture is silky and not overly starchy, and the porridge itself is fragrant and comforting, with a hint of sesame oil.

Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand three years in a row—2016 to 2018—and its famous Prawn Mee comes in three different sizes (S$4/S$5/S$6). The portion is super generous, the prawns are fresh and sweet, and the noodles are packed with smoky wok hei flavours. Be sure to wash it all down with a cup of homemade Soya Milk (S$1) from Teck Seng Soya Bean Milk!

Tiong Bahru Food Centre: 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898 | Opening Hours: 9am – 8pm (Daily)

14. Whampoa Hawker Centre

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Whampoa Hawker Centre is one of the most underrated hawker centres in Singapore. It’s hidden away in Balestier and is split into two blocks: Block 91, which houses the wet market and breakfast stalls, and Block 90, which is where the rest of the lunch, dinner, and supper stalls are located.

One of the knockout dishes from Whampoa Hawker Centre was the Chendol (S$2) from Nyonya Chendol. Its chendol was made in the traditional style—just a tiny mound of shaved ice, drenched with coconut milk and gula melaka, and piled with homemade green jelly worms and stewed red beans on the side. It was simple and indulgent, with a gratifying salty and smoky kick from the gula melaka.

Don’t leave without stopping by Balestier Road Hoover Rojak. Its Rojak (S$4/S$5) comes with crunchy cucumbers, crispy you tiao, and is drenched in a sticky peanut sauce that will make you want to polish off the entire plate in minutes.

Whampoa Hawker Centre: 90/91 Whampoa Drive, Singapore 320091 | Opening Hours: 6am – 10pm (Daily)

15. Yishun Park Hawker Centre

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Despite its infamous reputation, Yishun actually has a ton of good eats, most of which are conveniently located within Yishun Park Hawker Centre.

Fifty50 Empire‘s Beef Rendang Nasi Beringin (S$5) is a traditional Malay dish that used to be served to Johor Bahru royalties in the late 1890s, and is best described as a mix between nasi briyani and nasi lemak. Its short-grain basmati rice is fragrant and light, with a tinge of lemongrass and coconut. It paired well with the braised rendang, which fell apart easily when I prodded at it with my fork.

If you love min jiang kuehs, try Munchi. It adds a modern and creative twist to our favourite Chinese pancake dessert, and churns out innovative flavours like Mao Shan Wang Durian Munchi Pancake (S$2.80) and Cream Cheese Munchi Pancake (S$2.80).

Yishun Park Hawker Centre: 51 Yishun Ave 11, Singapore 768857 | Opening Hours: 6am – 10pm (Daily)

16. Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre

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My colleague, who has stayed in the West all his life, swears that the best hawker centre in the West is Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre.

From CAI (财)‘s Beef Hor Fun (S$4.50) to Heng Heng Cooked Food‘s Laksa (S$3), this hawker centre has plenty of powerful contenders all fighting to see who has the longest queue, who sells out the fastest, and whose dish is the most delicious.

Our Porridge 我们粥品 is one of the more unique stalls within the hawker centre. It’s a family business that serves up Frog Leg Porridge (S$6.50) cooked with love. For just S$6.50, the portions are incredibly generous, and you can even choose to add dried chilli to your bowl of claypot porridge for a spicy kick.

While you’re at it, drop by Mei Wei Snacks 美味糕点 for some traditional kuehs and dessert, such as Soon Kueh (S$0.60), Ji Dan Gao (S$0.60), and my colleague’s personal favourite, Ondeh Ondeh (S$0.60).

Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre: 254 Jurong East Street 24, Singapore 600254 | Opening Hours: 7am – 11pm (Daily)

17. Zion Riverside Food Centre

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Sandwiched between Singapore River and Great World City, Zion Riverside Food Centre is a humble hawker centre with only 32 stalls. However, to cater to locals working in the area and tourists strolling along Singapore River, Zion Riverside has lots of hidden gems that are worth checking out the next time you’re in the area.

Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle‘s storefront is plastered with numerous accolades, and if that isn’t enough to convince you of how delicious its Prawn Mee (S$6) is, my colleague said its prawns are larger than usual, sweeter, fleshier, and really fresh.

Selling traditional Western fare, all of Seng Huat Western‘s dishes come with baked beans, a sunny side up, and fries. The Chicken Chop (S$5) is juicy and tender, and slathered with a yummy black pepper gravy. It also sells burgers and other Western dishes, like good ol’ Fish And Chips (S$5), perfect for any day or occasion.

Zion Riverside Food Centre: 70 Zion Road, Singapore 247792 | Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm (Daily) 


And there you have it, our ultimate compilation of hawker guides is complete.

But of course, the search for the next best hawker centre or hidden gem will always go on. If you have a hawker centre you’d like to recommend, drop us an email at [email protected] or DM us on Facebook or Instagram and we’ll check it out. Who knows, your recommendation might even make it to this list!

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