Top 12 Hawker Food in Singapore That Locals Love
It took some time to come up with this guide, as my colleagues’ tummies and mine had a bit of an argument about what “the best hawker food in Singapore” really means.
But after some to-ing and fro-ing (and dozens of takeaways later!), we’re proud to present some of the must-try hawker fare that we all swear by when it comes to taste, satiety, and wallet-friendliness.
Ban Mian at Madam Leong Traditional Ban Mian
Address: 7 Maxwell Rd, #02-109, Singapore 069111 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6592217303
Hours: Monday to Friday, 10.30 AM – 3 PM
Price: $
One of our favourite ban mian (flat noodles) dishes can be found at Maxwell Food Centre. Madam Leong Traditional Ban Mian offers freshly made noodles cooked to order, providing a delightful texture that’s firm and springy.
Its signature dry chilli ban mian includes a perfectly fried egg, elevating the flavour with a powerful chilli and black sauce combination. From the al dente noodles to the flavourful meatballs and umami-packed sauce, it’s a satisfying experience in every bite.
Pro-tip: You can ask for less chilli if you don’t want your ban mian too spicy.
Nasi Padang at Hajjah Salbiah
Address: 2 Changi Village Rd, #01-04 Village Hawker Centre, Singapore 500002 (Google Maps)
Contact: +65 1800 225 5632
Hours: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10.30 AM – 8 PM; Friday to Saturday, 10 AM – 9.30 PM
Price: $
There’s a classic nasi padang stall at Changi Village Hawker Centre that serves flavourful dishes like sambal (chilli sauce) chicken and mutton rendang alongside black ink squid and deep-fried egg omelette!
Hjh Salbiah’s nasi padang (steamed rice served with an array of side dishes and chilli) is burp-worthy and features delightful textures.
It also offers a diverse range of breakfast options like nasi rawon (beef soup and rice) and transitions to evening delights like mee soto (yellow wheat noodles) and satay (grilled, skewered meat).
Pro-tip: Lunchtime queues can get long, but service is pretty fast at this place.
Biryani at Mama Recipe Biryani Rice
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Address: 51 Old Airport Rd, #01-18, Singapore 390051 (Google Maps)
Contact: +65 6471 2841
Hours: Daily (except Saturdays), 11 AM – 8 PM
Price: $
Mama Recipe Biryani Rice is a Chinese-owned hawker stall at the Old Airport Road Food Centre. Even though it’s not run by an Indian chef, it still offers authentic chicken and mutton biryani dishes.
The meals are served with a choice of biryani or white rice, accompanied by tasty rendang sauce. The stall also provides a selection of sides like raita, papadums, and chutneys for burp-worthy dining.
Pro-tip: This stall is easily spotted at the back of the first row of stalls facing the road.
Bak Chor Mee at Seng Kee Bak Chor Mee
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Address: 17 Upper Boon Keng Rd, #01-10, Singapore 380017 (Google Maps)
Contact: [email protected]
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 7.30 AM – 1.30 PM
Price: $
On rainy days, we love trekking over to the Upper Boon Keng Market and Food Centre for a bowl of hot bak chor mee (minced meat noodles). The one at the Seng Kee stall is sure to be fresh, as each bowl is prepared individually upon order.
We recommend the fish maw noodles with pork liver, minced pork, and braised mushrooms swimming in the hot broth. Even the mushrooms are slow-braised for hours for maximum flavour!
Pro-tip: The owner has a signature gesture while making bak chor mee. Check out his bowl-tossing move!
Crispy Curry Puff at Wang Wang Crispy Curry Puff
Address: 51 Old Airport Rd, #01-126 Food Centre, Singapore 390051 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6590907009
Hours: Daily (except Mondays), 10 AM – 5 PM
Price: $
In our unabashed opinion, the most perfect snack in terms of form and taste (and budget) can be found at the Old Airport Road Food Centre. It’s the crispy curry puff, and it can be bought at the Wang Wang Crispy Curry Puffs stall.
The stall is a pioneer in Singapore’s crispy curry puff scene. All puffs are handmade on-site and batch-fried to order. Its signature laminated pastry is inspired by Teochew-style mooncakes and attracts long queues during peak hours.
Pro-tip: Patience is key, as the lady boss assigns queue numbers and serves customers accordingly.
Nasi Lemak at Sinar Bahru
Address: 378 Clementi Ave 5, Singapore 120378 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6581651752
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 7 AM – 4 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, 7 AM – 3 PM
Price: $
A hawker experience won’t be complete without eating some cheap but delicious nasi lemak (coconut milk-infused rice with meat and chilli). Should you find yourself on Clementi in the morning, we suggest visiting Sinar Bahru for a filling brekky.
This long-standing family-run stall maintains high customer service standards and consistently delivers quality nasi lemak. The fragrant, fluffy rice pairs perfectly with flavorful, crispy chicken and a balanced chilli that’s equally sweet and spicy.
Pro-tip: For added crunch, ask for a generous sprinkle of deep-fried batter on top.
Hainanese Chicken Rice at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Address: 1 Kadayanallur St, #01-10/11 Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6596914852
Hours: Daily (except Mondays), 10 AM – 7.30 PM
Price: $
Running out of ideas for dinner in Singapore? How about a dish that even Anthony Bourdain approved of at Maxwell Food Centre?
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is perhaps Singapore’s most renowned chicken rice stall. While most stalls use a standard soy sauce and oyster sauce mix, this one uses a secret recipe sauce to enhance the flavour and depth of the poached chicken rice
Its fragrant rice, paired with poached chicken and spicy chilli sauce, is the result of decades of perfecting a family recipe.
Pro-tip: 20 minutes is the average time for queueing up at Tian Tian, but it’s worth it!
Fried Oyster Omelette at Hup Kee Fried Oyster Omelette
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Address: 500 Clemenceau Ave N, Newton Circus, #01-73 Food Centre, Singapore 229495 (Google Maps)
Contact: +65 9879 7359
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 6 PM-midnight
Price: $
Newton Food Centre houses a legendary stall in its depths. Hup Kee Fried Oyster Omelette’s signature dish is fried to golden perfection with crispy edges, balanced with a soft, non-greasy interior.
The oysters are decent-sized and ample in quantity. Fresh Chinese parsley adds a refreshing touch, balancing the richness of the dish while the sour and spicy chilli elevates the taste.
Pro-tip: No need to queue; the stall uses a buzzer system.
Popiah at Fu Cheng Popiah
— Media from eatstastyhojjuchew
Address: 51 Old Airport Rd, #01-94, Singapore 390051 (Google Maps)
Contact: +65 6756 0266
Hours: Daily (except Mondays), 9 AM – 8 PM
Price: $
Another Old Airport Road Food Centre must-try is the popiah (fresh spring roll) at the Fu Cheng stall. It features homemade spring roll skin that no commercial wrapper can replicate.
The popiah here has well-portioned peanuts and crispy bits, tightly wrapped in a slightly crispy, thin skin. If you want more flavour, ask for extra chilli to balance out the sweetness of the nuts.
Pro-tip: Fu Cheng is a halal-certified stall.
Fried Kway Teow at Hill Street Fried Kway Teow
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Address: 335 Smith St, #02-32, Singapore 050335 (Google Maps)
Contact: +65 6372 0478
Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 AM – 6.30 PM; Saturdays, 10 AM – 5 PM
Price: $
What do Singaporeans eat for lunch? Off the top of our heads, we’d say anything and everything!
But when we’re at the Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre, Hill Street Fried Kway Teow is a must-try. It’s listed in Singapore’s Michelin guide for its intense flavours and has been a staple since its establishment as a pushcart stall in 1961.
Its fried char kway teow undergoes a two-step frying process, resulting in a flavourful dish. Thin slices of Chinese sausage and crispy pork lard add to the dish’s appeal.
Pro-tip: Try to arrive at 11 AM for a relatively shorter wait.
Claypot Rice at 132 Claypot Rice
— Media from cailing
Address: 51 Old Airport Rd, #01-132 Food Centre, Singapore 390051 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6596178996
Hours: Daily (except Tuesdays), 12.30 – 9.30 PM
Price: $
When we’re extra peckish, we visit 132 Claypot Rice for a generous serving of tender chicken, savoury lup cheong (Chinese pork sausage), and optional toppings like salted fish or salted egg yolk.
We find its clay pot rice offerings have the ideal balance of sweet and salty flavours. Even the charred bits at the bottom of the clay pot don’t stand a chance with us and our scraping spoons!
Pro-tip: You can call the stall in advance for your clay pot rice orders.
Sotong Prawn Mee at Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee
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Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-01, Singapore 168898 (Google Maps)
Contact:
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10.30 AM–2.30 PM and 4.30–6 PM
Price: $
Hong Heng is one of our go-to hawker stalls at the Tiong Bahru Market for sotong prawn mee (yellow noodles). It was awarded the Bib Gourmand in 2016, 2017, and 2018 for high-quality, affordable food.
The stall sells made-to-order noodles stir-fried with fish, squid, and prawn, served with homemade chilli sauce. The dish includes four prawns and notably tender squid—enough to sate a craving for both seafood and noodles.
Pro-tip: The fried sotong prawn mee is available in three sizes: S$3, S$4, and the largest, S$5.