7 Best Hawker Centres in Singapore: Yummy Local Food

Written by Sarah Ong | October 02, 2024

Where can travelers have good local foods at reasonable prices in Singapore? The answer is simple – hawker centres (also known as food courts). Those down-to-earth culinary destinations are where you can find a wide variety of local dishes, from Chicken Rice, Fried Kway Teow, Hokkien Mee, Bak Kut Teh, Satay, Laksa, and Chilli Crab to the healthy Yong Tau Fu dish.

Despite the cheap prices (from S$3.00 to S$5.00), the quality of food is good. A lot of food connoisseurs in Singapore frequently visit the best food courts in town for their favorite indulgence. Who can resist the lure of the delicious satay at Chomp Chomp Food Centre or the tasty chicken rice at Maxwell Road Hawker Centre?

There are hundreds of food courts with thousands of food stalls in Singapore that you shouldn’t miss. We have picked the 7 worth trying hawker centres with hundreds of food stalls for you to eat like a local while staying in our city.

1. Chinatown Complex Food Centre: Yummy Hawker & Street Food

Image: Chinatown Complex Food Centre

Best for

• Xiao long bao
• Fish cake
• Steamed fish head
• Pork porridge

Prices

From S$2 per dish

Nearest MRT

Chinatown

Address

335 Smith Street, Singapore 050335

Opening hours

Daily 08:00 - 21:00

If you are spending the day in Chinatown, stop over at Chinatown Complex Food Centre to be totally inundated with wonderful dishes. Conveniently located in the heart of Chinatown, this food court is a great place to get local traditional dishes with varied menus and cheap prices.

Highlights:

All the yummy must-try local foods under one roof: Being the largest hawker centre in Singapore with over 260 food stalls, Chinatown Complex Food Centre offers foodies a full range of local dishes from chilli crab, black pepper crab, BBQ stingray, BBQ chicken wings, satay, carrot cake, char kway teow, Hokkien mee, chicken rice, bak kut teh, frog porridge, dim sum, lor mee, prawn noodles to kway chap as well as popular desserts like ice kachang, chendol, tau suan, and soya beancurd.
Foods are offered at the cheapest prices: Food prices at Chinatown Complex Hawker Centre are very reasonable and competitive because there are many stalls selling similar foods. Diners can enjoy a plate of chicken rice or a bowl of laksa at prices from S$2.00 to S$3.80.

RECOMMENDED FOOD STALLS
1. Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu (#02-88)

Recommended dishes: Fried fish cake, Ikan Bilis bee hoon, brinjal, yong tau fu
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5
Opening hours: Tue to Thu from 05:45 to 15:00

2. China La Mian Xiao Long Bao (#02-135)

Recommended dish: Steamed dumplings
Price: S$5 for 10 pieces
Opening hours: Tue to Fri 11:00 – 21:00; Sat & Sun 09:00 – 21:00

3. Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodles (#02-127)

Recommended dishes: Soya sauce chicken rice, soya sauce chicken noodles
Price/pax: S$2.5 – S$4
Opening hours: Daily 10:00 – 20:00 (Closed on Weds)

4. Jia Ji Mei Shi (#02-166)

Recommended dishes: Fried bee hoon, yam cake
Price/pax: S$3 – S$4
Opening hours: Daily 07:30 – 22:00 (Closed on Weds)

5. Hong Kong Mongkok Tim Sum (#02-97)

Recommended dishes: Hong Kong-style dim sum dishes
Price: S$2 – S$4
Opening hours: Wed to Sun 11:00 till sold out

6. Cheng Ji (#02-190)

Recommended dish: Steamed fish head
Price/pax: S$4 – S$10
Opening hours: Mon to Sat 12:00 – 21:00

7. Hai Sing Ah Balling (#02-59)

Recommended dish: Teochew-style dumplings
Price/pax: S$2.5 – S$3
Opening hours: Tue to Sun 12:00 – 21:00

8. Zhao Ji Clay Pot Rice (#02-53)

Recommended dishes: Claypot rice dishes
Price/pax: S$3 – S$6
Opening hours: Daily 12:00 – 19:00 (Closed on Weds)

9. Yue Ping (#02-65)

Recommended dish: Fried pumpkin cake
Price/pax: S$2 – S$4

10. Terry Katong Laksa (#02-04)

Recommended dish: Laksa
Price/pax: S$2.5 – S$3

11. Shi Xiang Satay (#02-79)

Recommended dish: Satay
Price/pax: S$1 – S$3

12. Tian Tian Porridge (#02-185)

Recommended dish: Pork porridge
Price/pax: S$3 – S$4

GETTING THERE:

Buses: 2, 12, 33, 54, 63, 124, 143, 147, 190, 851, 961, 961#, 970, and CT1 (Walk 1 min from bus stop B05039)
Nearest MRT station: Chinatown MRT (NE4) (Walk 1 min from Exit B)

2. Old Airport Road Food Centre

Image: Matti Leppanen

Best for

• Soya beancurd
• Hokkien mee
• Rojak
• Chee cheong fun

Prices

S$4-S$6 per dish

Nearest MRT

Dakota MRT

Address

Block 51 Old Airport Road, Singapore 390051

Old Airport Road Food Centre is a very popular place in Singapore to have wallet-friendly local favorites like char kway teow, prawn noodles, Hokkien mee, lor mee, kway chap, satay, rojak, and soya beancurd. This hawker centre has the highest number of famous food stalls in comparison with any other places.

Highlights:

Singapore’s iconic hawker centre: Old Airport Road Food Centre, one of the oldest and largest food courts in the island city, serves authentic yummy local food to many generations of Singaporeans. Absolutely, you will find all the popular Singaporean dishes there.
Offering the best soya beancurd in Singapore: The food court is home to some of the best soya beancurd stalls including the renowned Lao Ban Soya Beancurd and 51 Soya Beancurd. These two stores always have long queues in front of them. The beancurd is offered at S$2.90 per bowl for the original flavour and S$3.60 per bowl for the almond flavour.

RECOMMENDED FOOD STALLS:
1. Albert Street Prawn Noodles (#01-10)

Recommended dishes: Prawn noodles, pork ribs noodles
Opening hours: Daily 08:30 to 23:00
Price/pax: S$4 – S$5

2. Lucky Char Kuey Tiao (#01-30)

Recommended dish: Char kway teow
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5

3. Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow (#01-12)

Recommended dish: Fried kway teow
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 11:30 – 12:00; Sat & Sun: 10.30 – 12:00
Price/pax: S$3

4. Nam Sing Hokkien Mee (#01-32)

Recommended dish: Hokkien mee
Opening hours: Daily 07:00 to 20:00
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5

5. Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee (#01-116)

Recommended dish: Lor mee
Opening hours: Daily 09:30 – 15:00 (Closed on Thu)
Price/pax: S$4 – S$6

6. Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun (#01-155)

Recommended dish: Chee cheong fun
Opening hours: Daily 07:00 – 21:00
Price/pax: S$3 – S$4

7. Blanco Court Kway Chap (#01-135)

Recommended dishes: Kway chap, pork intestines
Opening hours: Tue to Sun 08:00 – 15:00 (Closed on Mon)
Price/pax: S$4 – S$5

8. Katong Ah Soon Fried Oyster (#01-07)

Recommended dish: Fried oyster
Price/pax: S$4 – S$5

9. Holy Grill (#01-27)

Recommended dishes: Western/American grilled food
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 12:00 – 21:00 (Closed on Wed)
Price/pax: S$7 – S$12

10. Toa Payoh Rojak (#01-16)

Recommended dish: Rojak
Opening hours: Daily 12:00 – 20:00 (Closed on Sundays)
Price/pax: S$2 – S$3

11. Chuan Kee Satay (#01-85)

Recommended dish: Satay
Opening hours: Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat 18:30 – 23:00, Sun 01:00 – 23:00
Prices: 40 – 50 cents per stick

12. Lao Ban Soya Beancurd (#01-127)

Recommended dish: Soya beancurd
Opening hours: Tue to Sat 11:30 – 20:00; Sun: 01:00 – 20:00
Price/pax: S$2.90 – S$3.60

NOTE: There are only a few stalls offering Indian and vegetarian food at this food court.

GETTING THERE:

Buses: 10, 16, 30, 30E, 31, 32, and 33 (Walk 2 minutes from bus stop B81171)
Nearest MRT station: Dakota MRT (CC8) (Walk 3 minutes from Dakota MRT (CC8))

3. Maxwell Road Hawker Centre

Image: William Cho

Best for

• Chicken rice
• Local sausages
• Raw fish
• Prawn fritters

Prices

S$3-S$6 per dish

Nearest MRT

Tanjong Pagar

Address

1 Kadayanallur St, Singapore 069184

Maxwell Road Hawker Centre’s reputation as a place for delicious foods is spread all over Singapore. This food court has been featured on many television channels for offering excellent authentic local food at reasonable prices.

Highlights:

Home to many famous food stalls: They are Zhen Zhen Porridge (#01-54), China Street Fritters (#01-64), Marina South Delicious Food (#01-35), and Hoe Kee Porridge (#01-45) just to name a few.
Most-loved chicken rice in town at reasonable prices: The famous Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is among the star food stall at this hawker centre, drawing in both locals and tourists. A medium size plate of chicken rice cost us S$5 while the big size plate cost S$7.80.
Great location in Chinatown: Strategically located in Chinatown and opposite the beautiful Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, this hawker centre is an ideal place for visitors to have a rest and enjoy tasty local food while exploring Chinatown.

RECOMMENDED FOOD STALLS:
1. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-10)

Recommended dish: Hainanese chicken rice
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5

2. Zhen Zhen Porridge (#01-54)

Recommended dishes: Pork congee, pork intestine congee, slice fish congee, raw fish
Price/pax: S$3 – S$6

3. China Street Fritters (#01-64)

Recommended dishes: Deep fried prawn fritters, ngoh hiang (local sausages), fish cake
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5

4. Marina South Delicious Food (#01-35)

Recommended dish: Char kway teow
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5

5. Hoe Kee Porridge (#01-45)

Recommended dish: Cantonese-style congee
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5

6. Guangdong Wan Ton Mee (#01-99)

Recommended dishes: Dumplings noodles, dumplings soup, pork noodles
Price/pax: S$3 – S$6

7. Special Shanghai Tim Sum (#01-92)

Recommended dishes: Fried dumplings, steamed dumplings
Price/pax: S$4 – S$8

8. Lau Pa Sat Bak Kut Teh (#01-48)

Recommended dishes: Pork ribs soup, pork intestine soup
Price/pax: S$4 – S$6

NOTES:

It is very crowded during lunch hours on weekdays.
There are a few stalls offering Indian and Halal food at this food court.
The food court is at the corner of Maxwell Road and South Bridge Road.

GETTING THERE:

Buses: 80, 145, NR5 (Walk 1 minute from bus stop B05269)
Nearest MRT station: Tanjong Pagar MRT (Take Exit G, walk 6 minutes to Maxwell Road)

4. Newton Food Centre

Image: Wikipedia

Best for

Fishball kway teow
Oyster omelette
Teochew fish porridge
Teochew braised duck

Prices

S$4-S$6 per dish

Nearest MRT

Somerset

Address

500 Clemenceau Avenue North, Singapore 229495

Phone

+65 1111 1111

Website

Newton Food Centre

Newton Food Centre should be your go-to if you\\\’re a seafood lover. Located near the famous Orchard Road, this hawker centre in Singapore has many stalls solely focused on fresh catch from the sea. And it’s the same food court featured in the 2018 movie Crazy Rich Asians. Recently, the market has gone through some renovations, so it’s more contemporary. The atmosphere is buzzing with throngs of locals and tourists frequenting this famous market.

Highlights:

A delicious seafood galore: While you can find dishes with chicken and meat, Newton Food Centre’s most iconic stalls are all about seafood. You can find an eclectic variety of fish and crustaceans. From fishball kway teow mee to an oyster omelette, the ambitious seafood offerings at this market are tasty and Instagram-worthy.
Old stalls with iconic dishes: Newton Food Centre has been a stalwart of Singaporean street food since 1971, and some stalls have been around since the beginning. For instance, the Kwee Heng Duck Rice stall, with its four-decades-old Teochew braised duck, has been hosting guests since the food centre was founded.
Diverse crowd with people from all walks of life: This hawker centre has been popular since the beginning, especially with tourists. That means it’s often incredibly crowded. Nevertheless, you’ll find the crowd quite diverse as locals also frequent this market. From workers taking a break to families enjoying a meal together, the market offers food for all.

RECOMMENDED FOOD STALLS:

Hup Kee Fried Omelette (#01-73)

Recommended dish: Oyster omelette
Opening hours: Daily 18:00 – 01:00
Price/pax: S$6

Bee Heng Popiah and Satay Newton (#01-12)

Recommended dish: Popiah
Opening hours: Daily 12:00 – 00:00
Price/pax: S$2.2 to S$4.4

Soon Wah Fishball Kway Teow Mee (#01-69)

Recommended dish: Fishball kway teo
Opening hours: Daily 17:50 – 00:00 (Closed Wednesdays and Sundays)
Price/pax: S$4 to S$6

Guan Kee Grilled Seafood (#01-53)

Recommended dish: Sambal stingray, lala
Opening hours: Daily 17:00 – 01:00
Price/pax: S$10 to S$20

XO Minced Meat Noodles (#01-10)

Recommended dish: Handmade meatball noodles, minced pork noodles
Opening hours: Daily 24 Hours
Price/pax: S$4.5 to S$5

NOTES:

It is crowded at lunchtime and on weekdays.
Popular stalls like Hup Kee Fried Omelette can have long queues and waiting times of 30 minutes.
Some stalls also have halal certification.

GETTING THERE:

Buses: 124, 143, 48, 67, 960
Nearest MRT Station: Somerset (NS23)(2 minutes walk)

5. Ayer Rajah Food Centre

Image: Ayer Rajah Food Centre

Best for

Biryani
BBQ stingray
Satay
Indian rojak

Prices

S$4-S$10 per dish

Nearest MRT

Jurong East

Address

503 W Coast Dr, Singapore 120503

Phone

+65 1111 1111

Website

Ayer Rajah Food Centre

While Singapore offers plenty of Halal restaurants, Ayer Rajah Food Centre offers endless Halal food choices that don’t break the bank. It has undergone renovations recently, and the whole facade of the market has been painted a bright green colour. You’ll find modern fixed stool seating with round and square tables, perfect for families or friends.

Ayer Rajah Food Centre is considered one of the best because many of its hawkers have received the coveted Singapore Top Heritage Food awards. So you can rest assured that the food will be hygienic and super tasty. It’s a short walk from central Clementi, and you can also get there by bus.

Highlights:

Wide range of Halal foods from various international cuisines: Even though Ayer Rajah is a Halal food market, it’s not limited to the local dishes. Many hawkers sell dishes inspired by or based on other cuisines. You can find distinct flavours, from Japan to India, created from Halal ingredients.
Delicious Indian food at multiple stalls: Several hawkers are known for their delicious Indian food. From Indian rojak to biryani, this market is the place to be if you want the taste of Indian-Muslim cuisine at accessible pricing.
Relatively less crowded than other hawker centres in Singapore: Most food courts in Singapore are notorious for crowds, which often means struggling to find a table and waiting in long lines for food. But that is not the case at Ayer Rajah, as it’s not as crowded. So if you don’t like crowded food markets, this is the place to be.

RECOMMENDED FOOD STALLS:

Habib’s Rojak (#01-68)

Recommended dish: Indian rojak, Tepong Kelapa
Opening hours: Daily 11:30 – 21:30
Price/pax: S$1 to S$7

Hong Kong Yummy Soup (#01-06)

Recommended dish: Spareribs soup with mushrooms, Spareribs soup with lotus root
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 11:00 – 20:30
Price/pax: S$4 to S$5

Tokyo BBQ Stingray (#01-07)

Recommended dish: BBQ stingray
Opening hours: Daily 18:00 – 23:30
Price/pax: S$10 to S$18

Allaudin’s Biryani (#01-29)

Recommended dish: Mutton or chicken biryani
Opening hours: Daily 10:00 – 22:00
Price/pax: S$4 to S$7

Uncle Noodle (#01-04)

Recommended dish: Spring wanton noodles
Opening hours: Daily 05:30 – 14:30
Price/pax: S$3.30

NOTE:

Not all stalls are Halal certified.

GETTING THERE:

Buses: 188, 197, 30, 7, 963
Nearest MRT Station: Jurong East (EW24, NS1) (13 minutes walk)

6. Tiong Bahru Market Hawker Centre: Best Food Stalls to Try

Image: Alvin Khoo

Best for

• Chwee kueh
• Roasted duck rice
• Pig organ soup
• Prawn noodles

Prices

S$3-S$5 per dish

Nearest MRT

Tiong Bahru

Address

30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898

Looking for a hawker center in Singapore that offers mouthwatering local delicacies in a comfortable setting? Look no further than Tiong Bahru Market Hawker Centre!

This culinary gem serves up a vast selection of popular Singaporean dishes, including chicken rice, herbal soups, bak kut teh, wonton mee, and chee kueh, to name a few. It’s definitely a must-visit spot for foodies and tourists alike!

Highlights:

A clean and spacious hawker centre: Renovated recently, Tiong Bahru Market Hawker Centre is now one of the cleanest and most spacious hawker centres in Singapore. This food centre is equipped with the latest mechanical exhaust system for each of its stalls and smartly utilized the open air, so you will definitely enjoy the airy, comfortable and relaxing atmosphere there.
Located right above one of the best wet markets in Singapore: The hawker centre is situated on the second floor, while you will find the famous Tiong Bahru Wet Market on the first floor with fresh produce. Therefore you can at once enjoy mouth-watering Singaporean foods and experience the original feature of a typical Singapore wet market during your visit.
Best chwee kueh in Singapore available at stall #02-05: If you are a fan of chwee kueh or simply want to taste a delicious version of chwee kueh, join the long queue at food stall Jian Bo Chwee Kueh at #02-05.

RECOMMENDED FOOD STALLS:
1. Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted (#02-60)

Recommended dishes: Roasted duck rice, char siew rice, roast pork rice
Price/pax: S$4 – S$6

2. Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (#02-82)

Recommended dishes: Steamed chicken rice, roasted chicken rice
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5

3. 178 Lor Mee (#02-23)

Recommended dish: Lor mee
Price/pax: S$3 – S$4
Opening hours: Tue to Sun: 06:00 to 21:00

4. Koh Brothers Pig Organ Soup (#02-29)

Recommended dish: Pig organ soup
Price/pax: S$4 – S$5

5. Min Nan Prawn Noodles (#02-31)

Recommended dishes: Prawn noodles, pork ribs noodles
Price: S$4 – S$6
Opening hours: Daily 09:30 – 14:30

6. Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Noodles (#02-30)

Recommended dish: Wanton noodles
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5
Opening hours: Sat to Thu 10:30 – 15:00

7. Jian Bo Chwee Kueh (#02-05)

Recommended dish: Chwee kueh
Price: S$3 for 5 pieces

8. Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo (#02-44)

Recommended dishes: Yong tau foo, fishball noodles
Price/pax: S$3 – S$4

9. Tiong Bahru Fishballs (#02-20)

Recommended dishes: Fried fishballs, fried fish cakes, ngio hiang
Price/pax: S$1 – S$3
Opening hours: Tue to Sun 07:00 – 15:00

10. Tiong Bahru Pau (#02-18)

Recommended dishes: Char siew bao, big bao, siew mai
Price/pax: S$1 – S$3
Opening hours: Daily 06:30 – 21:00

NOTE: There are a few stalls offering Indian and vegetarian food at this food court.

GETTING THERE:

Buses: 5, 16, 33, 63, 123, 195, 851, and NR5 (Walk 1 minute from bus stop B10141)
Nearest MRT station: Tiong Bahru (EW17) (Walk 8 minutes from Exit B)

7. Chomp Chomp Food Centre

Image: Chomp Chomp Food Centre

Best for

• Satay
• BBQ stingray
• BBQ chicken wings
• Oyster omelette

Prices

S$4-S46 per dish

Nearest MRT

Lorong Chuan

Address

20 Kensington Park Road 557269

Opening hours

Daily 18:00 until late

Chomp Chomp Food Centre, also known as Serangoon Gardens Food Centre, is a well-known food court in Singapore. This food court has many different menus filled with awesome local dishes such as Hokkien mee, satay, carrot cake, bbq chicken wings, grilled stingray, popiah, fried oyster, and prawn mee.

Highlights:

A hawker centre catering for late-night diners: Unlike other food centres opening from morning to evening, Chomp Chomp Food Centre starts from 18:00 until late every day. So if you are hungry and want to have good hawker food at late hours, head to Chomp Chomp Food Centre.
Serving some of the best satay in Singapore: To many Singaporean foodies, Chomp Chomp Food Centre is a satay mecca. Pork, beef, chicken, and mutton satay are all available.

RECOMMENDED FOOD STALLS:
1. Ah Hock Hokkien Noodles (#01-27)

Recommended dish: Hokkien mee
Price/pax: S$4 – S$5

2. Ang Mo Kio Carrot Cake (#01-24)

Recommended dish: Carrot cake
Price/pax: S$3 – S$5

3. Lucy BBQ Seafood (#01-06)

Recommended dishes: BBQ stingray, BBQ squid
Price/pax: S$6 – S$12

4. Chia Keng Fried Hokkien Mee (#01-11)

Recommended dishes: Traditional Hokkien mee, Hokkien fried prawn mee
Price/pax: S$4 – S$5

5. Hai Wei Yuan Seafood BBQ (#01-01)

Recommended dish: BBQ chicken wings
Price: From $S1.20 onwards

6. Ang Sa Lee Fried Oyster (#01-33)

Recommended dish: Oyster omelette
Price/pax: S$4 – S$6

NOTES:

Due to poor maintenance of the ventilation system, the atmosphere at the food court can be quite stuffy and uncomfortable.
It is usually crowded at night.

GETTING THERE: