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Over the past few years, Yishun has somehow shot to infamy. If people on the Internet are to be believed, the area abounds with cat killers, murderers and drug dealers. As a true-blue Yishun person, I take offence to that!
Yishun isn’t only known for the crazy folks who live here, but our food too! Yishun Park Hawker Centre is where you will find the best of the best of Yishun’s hawkers. Here are 15 must-try stalls in Yishun Park Hawker Centre that’ll have you going “shiok ah!” and you’ll forget why you were hesitant to come here in the first place.
1. One Mouth Noodle (#01-12)
Topping our list is One Mouth Noodle. No, they aren’t just number one because they have one in their name. They have a straightforward, no-nonsense menu that features handmade wanton mee and char siew noodles.
These Char Siew Wanton Noodles (S$5.80 for Small, S$6.80 for Large) come in either dry or soup varieties. True to their name, each strand of noodles is handmade, none of them sticking to each other like store-bought noodles would.
The dumplings that come in their Hong Kong Style Dumpling Noodles (S$5.80 for Small, S$6.80 for Large) will shock you with their size, then wow you with their bursting juiciness.
One Mouth Noodle is the complete package when it comes to good wanton mee; you won’t be let down when you visit.
Tel: +65 9775 2770
Tue to Sun: 9am – 8.30pm
Closed on Mon
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2. Ah Tan Wings (#01-40)
When it comes to zi char, there’s no dish more iconic than har cheong gai, otherwise known as prawn paste chicken wings. The siblings behind Ah Tan Wings brought us piping hot chicken wings that are an instant hit.
If you think you’ve seen this place before, it’s because you have! Ah Tan Wings is a successful hawker franchise with 3 outlets around Singapore, but their roots are firmly planted here in Yishun!
Highly popular, Ah Tan Wings is worth the wait. Their Prawn Paste Wings (S$4.40 for 2 Wings and 2 Drumlets) were incredibly crispy.
Each bite resulted in such a satisfying crunch that you can’t help but chow down on the plate of wings. The shrimp paste flavour was so strong that it permeated the whole wing.
Marinated for two days in the har cheong gai paste, it’s no wonder that the flavour seeps into the meat too. Despite the crispy crust, the chicken meat was still really succulent. The juices just burst in my mouth when I sank my teeth into it.
I also tried the Atas Cutlet (S$7), which is a chicken cutlet marinated with shrimp paste. Like the wings, this cutlet was also super crispy. It came with a lemon wedge that you could squeeze over it, cutting through the rich har cheong gai taste.
All the sets came with a seaweed salad and shaker fries. Drizzled with miso dressing, the seaweed salad really helped to undercut that unhealthy feeling of indulging in too much fried food. The skinny fries also added some carbs to a meat-heavy meal; I especially enjoyed dipping them in the chilli sauce.
Highly satisfying, Ah Tan Wings is a stall you can visit when you’re craving for har cheong gai but don’t have enough people to share from a zi char stall.
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
Daily: 10.30am – 9pm
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3. Munchi Pancakes (#01-43)
A traditional Chinese pancake dessert, min jiang kueh, is the childhood favourite of many Singaporeans. Similar to Ah Tan Wings, Munchi has since expanded across Singapore but started its humble journey here.
Fluffy and moist on the inside, yet with a crispy outer crust, this simple pancake usually comes in flavours such as peanut or red bean. At Munchi Pancakes, tradition meets innovation.
I tried the Peanut Traditional Pancake (S$1.60), and it was everything I expected. Homely and comforting, the fluffy pancake brought back memories of family dinners at hawker centres and desserts for sharing. The grainy peanut filling also complemented the spongy honeycomb texture of the min jiang kueh. Nutty and sweet, this is the authentic taste of the past.
Another interesting flavour combination is the Cream Cheese Munchi Pancake (S$2.20). I tried this one with the green tea skin. Although the slightly sweet cream cheese flavour was quite prominent, the green tea flavour of the skin was very subtle. If you’re getting this flavour, I would recommend sharing because it can get quite jelak halfway through.
Bringing together the old and the new, Munchi is definitely where you’ll go to get your min jiang kueh fix after a good meal in the hawker centre.
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
Tel: +65 8312 6203
Daily: 8am – 8.30pm
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4. Salad & Cream (#01-19)
It’s never too late to fulfil your New Year’s Resolution to live healthier, because Salad & Cream is here serving up quality salads in a hawker centre. This stall stands out with its unique pastel vibes and design, and feels very modern compared to the stalls around it.
The stall obviously serves salads, and serves them in 2 sizes. The Classic Bowl (S$6.90 for 1 base, 1 protein, 3 sides) and Deluxe Bowl (S$9.90 for 1 base, 2 proteins, 3 sides). Their gallery of vegetables rotates every day, but there are a few staples like broccoli, pumpkins, and corn.
You’re also free to add as many salad dressings as you like with a cart on the stall’s side, which is super convenient.
We’ve talked about the salad part of their name, but what about the cream? For S$4.50, you can buy their sweet Parfaits that come in 5 different flavours: Grape, Peach, Strawberry, Mango, and Blueberry.
While I know some may scream foul that cafe food is being served in a hawker centre, I feel like these prices are much more affordable compared to cafes that serve similar options. This variety of food is why we love hawker centres, right?
Daily: 11am – 8pm
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5. Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang (#01-33)
When you put two beloved dishes together, you just might get a winning combination like Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang. In fact, it wins so hard that the stall is featured on the Michelin Guide for Singapore!
A blend of Malay nasi lemak and the Indonesian ayam taliwang, the Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang (S$7.60) has the fragrance of lemak rice together with the unique spice mix of ayam taliwang.
Served in a rather large portion, the spices atop the chicken were glistening with oil (and the promise of heat in my mouth).
I liked how the sambal that came with the dish wasn’t too spicy, so I could really appreciate the mix of flavours. Sweet and spicy with the slightest hint of shrimp flavour, the sambal paste added much-needed bite to the dish.
Although the top layer of the chicken was incredibly flavourful, the spices were not fully infused into the chicken meat. Which was a pity, because I can imagine a proper seasoning of the chicken would result in spicy mouthfuls bursting with flavour and juice.
The rice was fragrant enough that my mouth started watering just from the smell of it, though it was a tad too salty for my liking.
It could be just a couple of hiccups because the stall was quite busy when I was there. If I’m ever in the area again, I’d come back to give it another try.
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
Tel: +65 8089 1465
Sat to Thu: 6.30am – 9pm
Fri: 7.30am – 9pm
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6. Nanyang Curry (#01-27)
Sometimes, we need a comforting bowl of curry to drown in after a tough day. Nanyang Curry offers just that. Run by a sweet old aunty and her son, this stall sees long queues on the regular.
It has quite a history as well. In 2023, the stall closed due to the owner’s poor health. But the fire in her could not be stifled so easily, as they soon reopened in Anchorvale Village Hawker Centre.
Nanyang Curry only recently reopened where it all began for them, here in Yishun Park. Their stall is also located right next to their old stall’s slot, which was taken over by another hawker.
Their signature dishes are the simple yet lovely: Chicken Curry Wing (S$5) and Curry Chicken Whole Leg (S$6). The richness of the curry will warm your soul, while the spiciness perks you up. Neither flavour overwhelms the other.
Any curry enthusiast worth their salt knows that French Bread is the best bread to dip into curry, and Nanyang Curry sells 5 slices at S$1. If you prefer rice, they sell a bowl at S$0.70 too.
Sat to Thu: 11am – 2pm, 5pm – 8pm
Closed on Fri
7. Smokin’ Joe Western Charcoal Grill (#01-37)
When you order barbequed chicken, you’ll expect it to have the charred taste from, well, barbequing. And that’s exactly what Smokin’ Joe Western Charcoal Grill promises, and delivers.
Served with an artful spread of mashed potato, the BBQ Boneless Chicken Leg (S$10) is exactly what you’d expect. Succulent and smoky, the lingering flavour clings to your tongue even as you polish off the sizeable portion.
Creamy, rich mashed potatoes accompany tender chicken thigh meat. Mingled with the special brown sauce, a spoonful of mashed potato just slides smoothly down your throat.
I quite liked the underlying charred flavour in the chicken; it really added to the authenticity of the barbequed food.
And the smoky rustic flavours arise from the cooking method: using 100% charcoal, the meats are cooked in a Josper charcoal grill and oven. Talk about back to basics!
Smokin’ Joe Western Charcoal Grill brings a taste of yard barbeques to Singapore, with the acclaimed Josper grill and oven. Give them a try if you like your meat smoky and your mashed potatoes thick and creamy.
Tel: +65 +65 9006 5004
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 9pm
Closed on Mon
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8. 838 Hainanese Beef Noodles (#01-42)
Who wants to try beef noodles cooked by an ex-Air Force engineer? 838 Hainanese Beef Noodles is run by Jerry Loh, a former Air Force engineer who put down the wrench and picked up the ladle.
He was inspired to cook after watching Old Taste Detective on Channel 8, and adopted several recipes passed down from his mother into his menu.
Among these recipes is this Beef Honeycomb Tripe Noodles (S$6.80). I’m not too familiar with Hainanese cuisine outside of Hainanese Chicken Rice, so this was very much a surprise to me. You’d expect something with honeycombs in it to taste sweet, but that’s not the case here. The broth had a flavour similar to miso soup.
This is also true for the honeycombs themselves, which have a beancurd-like texture. It’s soft and chewy, absorbing the soup very well. While I was a bit disappointed that the honeycombs were not sweet, I can still see why this place has received such fanfare.
Wed to Mon: 12.30pm – 2.30pm, 5pm – 8.30pm
Closed on Tue
9. Bismi Biryani (#01-05)
Bismi Biryani is a stall that survived against all odds when the cards were stacked against it. The day the owner signed the contract for his stall was the same day the infamous Circuit Breaker of 2020 was announced. Talk about bad timing.
The Circuit Breaker allowed the owner to refine his recipe and eventually let him reopen his stall with a renewed fervour.
Their Lamb Chop Biryani (S$8) contains a beast of a lamb chop that falls apart with a mere poke of the fork. According to the owner, the lamb chops weight up to 250 grams, which is quite a statement.
This Kabsa Rice with Chicken (S$7) is positively heart-stopping too. The sheer size of the chicken leg is something to behold.
Tel: +65 9661 1870
Tue to Sun: 11am – 8pm
Closed on Mon
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10. Jinggho Shokudo (#01-17)
What’s with hawkers starting in Yishun, then expanding outward? Jinggho Shokudo is yet another hawker stall with such a story. The chain was started by a Malaysian named Alexander Kong, who wanted to share his passion for Japanese food.
The stall sells a variety of rice bowls (or dons), with their Unagi Ju Don (S$16.80) having quite a famous reputation for the lengthy slab of eel layered on a tamagoyaki.
I opted for something slightly simpler but equally flavourful. Their Toji Tonkatsu (S$6.50) is a classic bowl of Japanese rice accompanied by fried katsu chicken and a watery egg. The egg has some sweetness to it, which coats each rice grain and enhances every bite.
I love the katsu chicken they serve, too. The breaded crunch is unparalleled, with the meat itself being tough enough to chew and let the juices seep out, but not so much that it’s a hassle.
Order Delivery: foodpanda deliveroo
Tel: +65 8510 2979
Tue to Sun: 11am – 9pm
Closed on Mon
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11. JJ Prawn Noodles (#01-21)
JJ Prawn Noodles has been a staple of Yishun Park Hawker Centre, firmly planting its foot down ever since it opened all the way back in 2017. Their prawns are caught fresh and delivered in the early hours of the morning every day, before the owner opens for service at 7am.
Their signature Pork Rib Big Prawn Mee (S$6.80 for small, S$7.80 for large) is an absolute treat. The broth is clean and clear, with a little bit of MSG. The pork ribs are slightly smaller than usual, but you receive more of them in total.
I will admit, their advertising is a little deceptive, as I only had 2 prawns in my bowl instead of the 4 illustrated on their menu. No matter, there are still other options like their Pig Tail Noodles (S$5.80) and 3-in-1 Big Prawn Noodle (S$11).
Wed to Mon: 7am – 3pm (Wed to Mon)
Closed on Tue
12. Ming Su Vegetarian (#01-02)
Every hawker centre needs its token vegetarian stall, and Ming Su Vegetarian not only serves that role here in Yishun Park Hawker Centre, but excels at it. This stall sees snaking queues every day, and is usually sold out before closing time.
They offer an Economical Bee Hoon or Kway Teow Set at S$3.80, with the option to add curry cabbage, vegetarian char siew, and my favourite crispy zai er. Their Kway Chap (S$5) is fantastic too, but I couldn’t try it because it was all sold out when I arrived.
If anything, that’s just a testament to how good it is.
Wed to Mon: 6am – 2.30pm
Closed on Tue
13. Flavourful Fish Soup (#01-14)
Fish soup is one of the simplest dishes in all of existence. It’s fish in a soup. Even so, hawkers have still found countless ways to innovate on this simple bowl. Flavourful Fish Soup might have a generic name, but there’s no need to overcomplicate things when you’re serving good food.
This Sliced Fish Bittergourd Soup (S$5) seemed unappealing at first glance. I won’t blame you, I thought that too. But don’t let the dish’s name stop you from trying it!
The bitterness from the bittergourd isn’t all that strong, despite the rather comical amounts of bittergourd slices in the soup. I counted close to 20 slices, a sure win for bittergourd lovers. In fact, the acidity of the tomatoes in the soup helps to soften the bitter blow, so I think this dish is a good entry point for trying bittergourd!
If you’re still unconvinced, then Flavourful Fish Soup also offers other options like Tom Yam Fried Fish Soup (S$5.50), Dry U Mian (S$5.50), and Xin Hua Lor Mee (S$5.50).
Daily: 6.30am – 10pm
14. Mo Mo Shi Guang (#01-09)
Any good dish needs an equally good drink to wash it all down with, and I can’t think of anything better than this fruit juice stall named Mo Mo Shi Guang!
You can immediately tell what the stall specialises in with these two giant bags of shredded sugar cane stalks. This is one of two sugar cane drink stalls in Yishun Park Hawker Centre, but I feel like Mo Mo Shi Guang is the superior one.
Why do I think so? Well, feast your eyes upon this Jumbo Sugar Cane Drink (S$4) that’s the size of an adult human’s hand. My little brother could barely grasp the cup as he was holding it up for my photo.
There are other drinks with unique flavour combinations like their Avocado+Milk+Coconut Sugar Drink (S$4.50) and Green Apple+Celery Drink (S$3.80 for Small, S$4.80 for Large).
Daily: 8am – 10pm
15. Summer Dessert (#01-23)
Why not enjoy some desserts to end your harrowing expedition to Yishun? At Summer Dessert, you can enjoy various Chinese desserts that will freeze your brain but warm your heart.
My favourite is their Mango Ice Kachang (S$3.20). This chilling sweet goodness will distract you from all the screams and funny things happening around Yishun, even if for just a moment. Jokes aside, they also offer a Durian Ice Kachang (S$3.20) and a Gula Malacca Ice Kachang (S$2.80).
This stall also sells bowls of Cheng Tng at an affordable S$2, and Bo Bo Cha Cha at S$2.50.
Daily: 10am – 9pm
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