A First-Timer’s Guide to Singapore’s Hawker Centers
Singapore is arguably the best place in Asia for any foodie to visit. It may be a relatively small nation, but it packs a real punch when it comes to culinary offerings. Singapore’s food culture is about far more than just a traditional in-restaurant dining experience—its hawker centers are at the forefront of its dining offerings.
Hawker centers are semi-open-air food courts with an array of street food stalls dotted throughout the city-state. It has a long history in the country; back in the 1800s, these hawkers sold their food from makeshift stalls along the streets. As the number of hawkers increased, the government built designated centers where hawkers could cook and sell in more hygienic settings. Now recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, hawker culture is a part of Singapore’s history, supporting local businesses and contributing to the country’s tourism industry.
Hawker centers are an essential part of Singaporean culture, and a must-do authentic experience for anyone visiting Singapore. And for those traveling on a budget, hawker centers are a lifesaver, because while Singapore is the most expensive country to visit in Southeast Asia, the hawker centers are surprisingly affordable, with prices ranging from $3 to $7 per dish.
For a first-timer, visiting a hawker center can be a little overwhelming due to the sheer number of choices—there are around 120 hawker centers in total, and each one can have between 20 and 200 stalls. Here’s our guide with tips for the most seamless Singapore hawker center experience.
The Essential Info
Unless a hawker stall says “self-service,” the stall owner will deliver your food to your table, so you’ll need to take note of your table number. It’s always assumed that you’re dining in, unless you specify that you’d like a takeaway, for which there is a small charge for packaging.
It’s a good idea to have cash on hand, as this is the main payment method accepted in hawker centers. Card payments are rare, and stalls that do accept cashless payments may only provide options for local bank accounts.
Dining Etiquette
Dining at a hawker center is on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can’t reserve a seat in advance; you can, however, place a small item like a tissue packet or your umbrella to hold your spot once you find a free seat. Don’t worry if there’s someone else sitting at your table—sharing a table is common, so just ask politely if you can sit there.
When you’re finished, you are expected to bring your empty dishes and tray to a trash collection point, where a staff member will take care of the rest.
The 10 Best Dishes to Eat
Hainanese chicken rice
Considered one of Singapore’s national dishes, Hainanese chicken rice was created and brought to the country by Hainanese immigrants from southern China. A whole chicken is poached in a light broth flavored with ginger and garlic, sliced up and served with rice that’s also been cooked in the broth. It’s tender, juicy and fragrant, and is usually served with a ginger-garlic sauce, chili sauce or a sweet soy sauce.
Chili crab
Another contender for Singapore’s most-loved national dish is chili crab, and despite its name, it’s not actually a spicy dish. Chopped whole crab is deep-fried and then wok-fried together with a thick, sweet and savory chilli sauce made with plenty of tomato and garlic. It’s served with the shell on, so this is a quite messy—but fun—meal to eat. It’s often eaten with mantou (fried bao buns), which are perfect for mopping up the sauce.
Laksa
Popular in Singapore and Malaysia, laksa is a spicy and rich noodle soup. It has a creamy, coconut milk-based broth, and contains a mix of noodles (either thick rice noodles or thin vermicelli) and toppings like tofu, prawns, chicken, fish cakes, fresh bean sprouts and lime. Laksa is a typical Peranakan dish, from the descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Singapore. The cuisine is a delicious blend of Chinese, Indian, Malaysian and European influences.
Char siew
This Cantonese-style barbecued pork dish is ubiquitous in Singapore’s hawker centers—you’ll usually see it hanging up behind glass cases in each stall. Boneless pork is marinated with five spice powder, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and honey, before roasting in an oven or open fire. How you eat it depends on your preference, whether you prefer it on its own or with rice, noodles or as a stuffing in steamed buns (char siu bao).
Char kway teow
There’s nothing quite like a steaming plate of smoky char kway teow—flat rice noodles stir-fried over a high flame with oil, garlic, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and egg. Char kway teow can also include lap cheong (Chinese sausage), prawns, cockles, bean sprouts and chives. The best char kway teow is cooked with pork lard, which gives it a richer and fattier flavor, but many hawkers leave it out to keep the dish healthier.
Roti prata
Introduced to Singapore by Indian immigrants, roti prata is a type of flatbread with soft, buttery and flaky layers. It’s customizable to suit your taste, and although it’s commonly served with mutton or lentil curry, you can also choose fillings like cheese, eggs and onions. There are also sweet variations with banana, durian, honey and chocolate sauce, making it a versatile snack any time of the day.
Nasi lemak
Nasi lemak is ine of Singapore’s most popular hawker food dishes. The ingredients in this Malay dish vary from hawker to hawker, but at its most basic, it includes rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, crispy fried anchovies, fried egg, fried peanuts, cucumber slices and chili sauce made from chilies, garlic, shallots and shrimp paste. Depending on what’s on offer at the stall, you can usually add fried chicken or fish, chicken curry or rendang, which is beef slow-cooked in spices and coconut milk.
Kaya toast
Skip the hotel breakfast and head out for some kaya toast. The bread is slathered with kaya, a jam made with coconut, sugar, eggs and pandan leaves. Kaya smells fragrant and coconutty, and tastes sweet like custard. The toast is served with coffee and soft-boiled eggs topped with soy sauce. Although the traditional toast is thin and crispy, it’s now common to use other types of bread, too, such as thick, fluffy slices of French toast.
Fried carrot cake
Singaporean carrot cake is nothing like the westernized carrot cake you might already be familiar with. First, there’s not any carrot in this dish. Instead, it’s made from white Chinese radish (also known as white carrot or daikon), which is steamed with rice flour and wok-fried with eggs, garlic and preserved radish. It’s savory and salty, with a crispy exterior and soft interior. There’s also a black variation with a sweeter taste, thanks to the addition of dark soy sauce.
Oyster omelet
An oyster omelet is a classic hawker dish. Unlike the fried carrot cake, this is exactly what it sounds like—an omelet made with fresh, juicy oysters, although it looks more like scrambled eggs than a traditional omelette. The batter is made with eggs and potato starch, which gives it a thicker texture, and the resulting omelet is crispy around the edges with a soft and gooey center. It’s often served with a hot and sour dipping sauce.
The Best Hawker Centers to Visit
Maxwell Food Center
Maxwell is a great place for a bite in the CBD. It’s home to a wide variety of food stalls, and no visit here is complete without eating at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, easily Singapore’s most famous chicken rice food stall, where a small portion will set you back just $3.80. It’s so good that Gordon Ramsay and Anthony Bourdain have visited—and approved of—this spot. Maxwell is right across from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, which is also worth a visit—especially to escape the heat during lunchtime.
Lau Pa Sat
About a 12-minute walk from Maxwell, Lau Pa Sat is arguably one of Singapore’s most well-known hawker centers. Although it has a more touristy feel compared with some of the others, it’s still worth a visit. Housed in a Victorian market dating back to 1894, the architecture is a highlight, with its soaring ceilings and cast-iron frames. The choice of vendors is endless, with more international food options than other spots. From 7 p.m. onwards, the Boon Tat Street side of the hawker center becomes pedestrian-only, transforming into ‘Satay Street’, where vendors sell satay (smoky grilled skewers of meat) and other grilled foods. They’re usually sold as a set menu and prices vary, but you can typically get 20 skewers, some prawns and squid for $30.
Newton Food Center
If you’ve ever watched Crazy Rich Asians, you’ll probably recognize Newton Food Center. Just a two-minute walk from Newton MRT station, this food center is surrounded by trees and has an open courtyard layout, making it much cooler and breezier than some other hawker centers. You’ll find all your classic hawker dishes, but the barbecue stalls are particularly popular. For seafood lovers, Alliance Seafood (#01-27) offers everything from chili crab to barbecued crayfish, lobsters, stingray and prawns. Prices range between $11.50 to $19.50, depending on the dish, but you can also order set menus if you’d like to try several dishes.
Tiong Bahru Market
This two-story complex is packed with delicious food options. The ground floor is home to a lively wet market and stalls selling everything from clothing to fresh flowers, which is worth checking out once you’ve sated your appetite. The first floor contrasts with the hubbub below—it’s spacious and breezy, and there’s even an al fresco area. A must-try is the chwee kueh from Jian Bo Shui Kueh (#02-05), a steamed rice cake topped with preserved radish ($2.70 for five pieces). Elsewhere in the food center, you’ll find noodle stands and plenty of meat-based dishes like roast duck and pork leg.
Chinatown Complex
With over 200 stalls, you’re spoiled for choice at Chinatown Complex. There’s a little bit of everything here, so it’s the perfect spot if you want to try a few different dishes. Along with authentic Chinese food, you’ll also find Thai, Malay and Indian cuisine. There are even Michelin Guide-recommended stalls like Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice, in addition to the previously Michelin Star-awarded Hawker Chan. But if you only visit one stall, make it Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao (#02-135). The handmade xiao long bao ($6.20) and dan dan mian ($4.25) are the highlights, but be prepared to queue.