Hawker Centers are Singapore’s pride and joy, so much so that I ranked them as the number one tourist attraction in Singapore. These street food meccas were created when the Singaporean government wanted to find a way to preserve Singapore’s street food culture while also decongesting the country’s roads of vendors because of sanitation issues that arose from these outdoor markets. They came up with the first Hawker Center, and the rest is history!
There’s a reason why I ranked these food halls as the number one attraction in Singapore. To me, I felt the lifeblood of the city coursing through these establishments. I found them to be a great way to get immersed in the city’s culture, and they are my absolute favorite places in the city. Seeing locals eating in these communal spaces really helped me understand the country on a deeper level.
I also think that dining in Hawker Centers is the best way to save money on your Singapore trip as traditional restaurants will cost you a lot more money than Hawker Center stalls. This Singapore Hawker Center guide is based on my own personal experiences dining in these establishments and will tell you everything you need to know about visiting these iconic food venues. It will also give you some recommendations for what stalls and food to try. Let’s get right to it!
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Singapore Hawker Center Guide
For the first part of this guide, I will walk you through what you need to do to have the best Hawker Center experience possible! If you need a guide to what food you should have in Singapore, I have a whole separate post about that, which you can find here.
Reserve a Table
The first thing you’re going to want to do in a Hawker Center is reserve a table. After all, you can’t eat there without one! You need to do two things to do this successfully: arrive early and carry an item with you to leave on the table.
Arriving and eating outside of peak hours means it’ll be easier for you to get a table. This is especially true in the bigger and more popular Hawker Centers. Even on weekdays you’ll find that lines can be long during peak lunch and dinner times, so best to get there early.
Also, part of the culture of Hawker Centers is leaving something on a table to reserve it for yourself. You’re bound to see multiple tables with tissue packets or tote bags on them when you visit the Hawker Centers. All Singaporeans know this as a sign that a table is taken, so you would be wise to follow suit. Just don’t leave anything of value on the table.
Find the Longest Line
Now your next step is to find the stall that has the longest line. Now I know what you’re thinking: why would I waste time waiting in a long line? Well, Singapore has a very strong line culture, meaning that even if a line is long, Singaporeans will still line up for it because they know that what they’re lining up for is worth the wait. This means that you’ll know what the best stall is because people will be lining up for it. I would recommend doing the same to ensure that you’re trying the best food that, more importantly, is popular with locals.
Pay with Cash
Now you’ve lined up and ordered your food. It’s now time to pay! Unfortunately, most Hawker Center stores don’t accept credit cards. It would be good to carry a small amount of cash with you to pay for these meals. Don’t bring too much cash though as cards are accepted everywhere else and Hawker Center meals aren’t that expensive. It’s really just for the Hawker Centers that you will need cash. You can always withdraw from an ATM before you arrive at the Hawker Center to ensure you have cash.
Enjoy and Don’t Forget to Clean Up
Now head back to your table and get ready to feast! You deserve it after lining up in that long line. Hopefully your Hawker Center experience was great, and don’t forget to clean your table and place your tray on a tray retrieval cart to make sure the area is clean for the next patron.
Now you’re probably wondering which Hawker Centers you should eat at? Well good news, I’ve got some recommendations for you! Keep reading to find out which Hawker Centers you shouldn’t miss.
Best Hawker Centers (And What to Eat There)
Chinatown Complex
The original, and largest, Hawker Center that is also the site of the first Michelin-starred food stall (Hawker Chan) and the cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world. This Hawker Center is located in Chinatown and, as such, is known for its chinese cuisine. When I was here I had some Xiao Long Bao which was honestly some of the best dimsum I’ve ever had. You can’t go wrong with any of the food here, but my recommendation would be to try the Soya Sauce Chicken Rice.
Best Stalls and What to Eat
Satay at Pang’s Satay
Popiah at Ann Chin
Fried Buns at Shanghai Fried Xiao Long Bao
Kway Teow at Hill Street Fried Kway Teow
Kopi at The 1950s Coffee
Yong Tau Fu at Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis
Chwee Kueh at Bedok
Sak Kei Ma at Pan Ji Cooked Food
Beef Brisket Noodle at Fatty Ox HK Kitchen
Maxwell Food Centre
Located 5 minutes away from the Chinatown Complex, the Maxwell Food Center is another iconic Hawker Center. This is a lot smaller than the Chinatown Complex, but is home to what is probably the best Hainanese Chicken Rice you will find on the island. Feast on this classic dish in either of the two stalls that are known for serving it! I had it when I was there and it was so good that I wish I came back for seconds! This Hawker Center is also known for its breakfast options, including serving the classic Singaporean breakfast known as Kaya Toast But you can’t go wrong with any stall!
Best Stalls and What to Eat
Chicken Rice at Tian Tian & Ah Tai
Lau Pa Sat
This was one of my personal favorite Hawker Centers for two reasons: its diverse food options and its nearby Satay Street. There were stalls here selling Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese food, which you won’t really find in other Hawker Centers. When I was here I, though, I decided to have some Satay from Satay Street. If you don’t know what Satay is, it’s essentially meat skewers lathered in delectable sauces. I would recommend coming here for that alone, and the other food options are an added bonus.
Best Stalls and What to Eat
Satay from any vendor on Satay Street
Tekka Centre
The Tekka Centre is the hub for all things Indian Food. They have every Indian dish you could possibly want. Also, as someone who doesn’t like spicy food, I was glad to know that they had Indian dishes that weren’t spicy. Also, since you’re already here, be sure to check out the market that’s attached to the Hawker Center as well!
Best Stalls and What to Eat
Roti Prata at Prata Saga Sambal & Ar Rahman
Prawn Mee at 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodle
Nasi Biryani at Allauddin’s Biryani
Duck Rice at Heng Gi Goose
Chendol at Old Amoy Chendol
Hawker Centers can be overwhelming, but hopefully these tips have shown you that they can be easy to navigate! Comment down below if you have any Hawker Center food stall recommendations.
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