With Singapore National Day coming up on August 9, we wanted to bring you a round-up of one of the best ways you can tap your foot into Singaporean culture: dining in at a Hawker center!
Hawker culture in Singapore has been added to the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This means hawker culture is heavily ingrained into Singapore culture, and is reflective of its living heritage and multiculturalism as it plays a role in society. Being on this list means that Singapore has to submit a report every six years to Unesco, showing all the efforts made to safeguard and transmit hawker culture to the next generations.
The locals will say these open-air, cooked food centers hold countless childhood memories, from meals with family to hanging out with friends and having a good time. The delicious yet high-quality foods served in a casual environment reminds every Singaporean of the golden days. Though it may not be the most fancy place to eat, the quality sure makes up for it. In fact, many hawker stalls have made the Michelin Star list for gourmet cheap eats.
Here are the 7 Best Hawker Centers in Singapore for you to check out.
Amoy Street Food Centre
Located in the CBD area, the Amoy Street Food Centre serves up many local favorites such as traditional wanton noodles, fried kway teow, and fish soup. It also boasts a wide range of different cuisines such as American and Japanese. It is just a few minutes away from the Telok Ayer and Tanjong Pagar MRT stations, and are bustling when the crowds come during lunchtime hours.
Address: 7 Maxwell Rd, Singapore 069111
Opening Hours: Daily from 6:30am-9pm
Contact: 6225 5632
Maxwell Food Centre
Located in between Chinatown and Telok Ayer, Maxwell Food Centre is home to some of the best hawker stalls, such as Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake and Xing Xing Ondeh-Ondeh Tapioca Cake. The queues at some of these stalls, especially these popular ones, are lengthy, so you’ll want to get there before peak dining hours. Besides Ondeh Ondeh Tapioca Cake and Fuzhou Oyster Cake, the food center also serves amazing Popiah and Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Address: 1 Kadayanallur St, Singapore 069184
Opening Hours: Daily from 8am-2am
Contact: 6225 5632
Newton Food Centre
Featured as Gordon Ramsay’s battleground for the SingTel Hawker Heroes Challenge in 2013, and used as a signature filming location for Hollywood hit “Crazy Rich Asians”, the Newton Food Centre is one worth visiting. Boasting up to 100 stalls in its vicinity, there are plenty of options for everyone. From mouthwatering oyster omelet to fishball kway teow mee to chili crab to carrot cake, there are plenty of delicious options to go for.
Address: 500 Clemenceau Avenue North 229495
Opening Hours: Daily from 12pm-2am
Contact: 9644 2422
Tiong Bahru Market
A favorite of many Singaporeans and bustling with people during the weekends, the Tiong Bahru Market lists a wide range of yummy hawker foods. From shui kueh to prawn noodles, to fishball and fish cake skewers, there is plenty to eat. It’s open-air design allows the breeze to flow in, which makes it a comfortable, semi al fresco option for food-lovers.
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, Singapore 168898
Opening Hours: Daily from 7am-11pm
Contact: 9357 6784
Chinatown Complex Food Centre
This destination is a must-visit if you’re spending the day in Chinatown. This food court is a great place to get local traditional dishes. It is the largest hawker center in Singapore, with over 260 stalls and even contains the world’s first Michelin hawker stall: Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle. From local elderly folks to office executives to tourists, there is something for everyone.
Address: 46 Smith St, Singapore 058956
Opening Hours: Daily from 8am-9pm
Contact: 6372 0478
Lau Pa Sat
Enclosed within a monumental clock tower structure, Lau Pa Sat blends history with eye-catching architecture and yummy local foods into one amazing experience. Its expansive food selections and cuisines make it a very enjoyable experience when you’re trying to grab something while downtown. Lau Pa Sat also has outdoor and indoor shaded seating, perfect for those days where the weather is unsettled. At night, its outdoor Satay Street turns into a vibrant scene, with hungry patrons ordering beef, mutton, shrimp, and chicken satay to shellfish, among other tasty items.
Address: 18 Raffles Quay, Singapore 048582
Opening Hours: 24 Hours
Contact: 6220 2138
Hong Lim Market & Food Centre
Located just beside Chinatown Point, the Hong Lim Market is also home to a Michelin Star awardee. The Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa stall has received the Michelin Star award for a few consecutive years. Its signature Asia Delight Laksa is more succulent and sweeter than most other stalls in the neighborhood. In addition to laksa, there are desserts and sweet treats such as peanut butter pancakes. The wide range of selections will leave you with plenty of options to choose from.
Address: 531A Upper Cross St, Singapore 051531
Opening Hours: 24 Hours
Contact: 6225 5632
East Coast Lagoon Food Village
Known for its seafood and satay stalls, East Coast Lagoon Food Village is a must try if you’re around the area. Snack and dine on popular Singapore dishes while you get a breathtaking view of the sea and East Coast park, especially during sunset. Some must-try stalls include Lagoon Carrot Cake, Han Jia Bak Kut Teh, and Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken.
Address: 1220 ECP, Singapore 468960
Opening Hours: Daily from 4-10:45pm
Contact: 6225 5632
