Chinese hawker food in Singapore
The relationship between Malaysia and Singapore is an amicable one for the most part, considering the proximity of the countries and the many similarities our culture holds. We often dub ourselves “cousins”, if you will. And with all cousins, there’s bound to be some cordial rivalry – especially when it comes to food.
This prickly war about culinary superiority goes way back, with internet feuds surrounding both countries’ similar hawker dishes constantly raging on. Malaysians would argue that they won this culinary battle – a fact which a decent handful of Singaporeans will gruffly accept.
Having said that, we Malaysians can appreciate a good dish when we taste one. With inputs from both Malaysian and Singaporean foodies, we have compiled 10 Chinese hawker food in Singapore that have our nod of approval.
1. Lor Mee at Keng Heng Whampoa Teochew Lor Mee
Image credit: Keng Heng Whampoa Teochew Lor Mee via Facebook
Easily the most busiest and popular stall in Golden Mile Food Centre, Keng Heng Whampoa Teochew Lor Mee sees a consistent snaking line no matter the time of the day. Helmed by the second generation of family owners, the stall is known for its classic Teochew-style Lor Mee, which is a loaded bowl of noodles coated in gooey, luscious gravy.
Priced at S$3-S$5 (~RM9.94-RM16.56) depending on the size of a bowl, the dish has a melange of condiments and ingredients that are doused in their ultra starchy gravy, making it a real winner.
Image credit: @comeandeatlah via Instagram hawker dishes in Singapore
A bowl is generously embellished with a heap of various crispy goodness burying the bed of noodles beneath. There are fried wantans, golden fishcakes, crispy pork belly, and ngoh hiang or fried pork rolls. But a magnetic ingredient here is their fried fish skins, which are so addictively crispy, they retain their crunch even when swimming in the silky, thick sauce.
You can get more of these fried goodness for an additional charge of S$2-S$3 (~RM6.62-RM9.94).
Image adapted from: @twofishtums via Instagram & @twofishtums via Instagram
Love or hate the signature thick sauce of Lor Mee, Keng Heng does theirs well with a phenomenally smooth sauce that clings easily onto the springy noodles instead of a mushy mess. The addition of some sauce condiments – raw garlic, vinegar, and chilli sauce – add that much-needed oomph to the dish.
Address: Golden Mile Food Centre 01-63, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7.30am-1.30pm (Closed on Sundays)
Contact: +65 9844 4853 | Keng Heng Whampoa Teochew Lor Mee Facebook
2. Char Siew Rice at 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist
Image credit: @chiaraang via Instagram
The numerous 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist outlets in the Little Red Dot is definitely a testament to how heavenly their food is. A famous go-to spot in Singapore for when those deep cravings for beautifully caramelised and succulent roasted meats hits, the success of this stall started in 2012 when a former restaurant chef opened a simple roast meat hawker stall.
Patrons will be delighted to know that they recently opened up their newest air-conditioned restaurant at the CBD. It is a fancier space that accommodates up to 110 seats, hence you won’t have to be deterred by crowds that usually swarm their other outlets.
Image adapted from: @chiaraang via Instagram & @cher.cooks via Instagram
Don’t just let those glistening mahogany meats tease you from their hooks behind the glass window. Watch them make way to your plate by ordering the Char Siew Rice (S$5.50/~RM18.23). It stars luscious slivers of pork meat with honey-glazed edges that’s a perfect crusty contrast to its tender insides, and paired perfectly with the mound of rice that soaks up the smoky-sweet dark soya sauce.
Their Roasted Pork Rice (S$5.50/~RM18.23) has thick hunks of juicy pork belly cuts, each wearing crowns of crispy crackling skin and all layered alluringly atop a bed of rice. You can opt to pair them with stringy egg noodles instead for S$60 (~RM19.88).
Image credit: @todayeatwad via Instagram hawker dishes in Singapore
While their pork meats reign supreme, the Roasted Duck Rice (S$5.50/~RM18.23) is not to be overlooked. The meticulously cooked duck meats are melt-in-your-mouth tender, liberally slathered with an intensely flavourful sauce, and finished with a “secret” seasoning.
If you simply cannot choose, opt for the 3 Meat Platter (S$30/~RM99.42) for an ideal meat feast of roasted pork, char siew, and duck meat.
88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist @ CBD
Address: 19 China Street, Far East Square, Singapore 049561
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm (Closed on Sundays)
Contact: +65 9844 4853 | 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist Facebook
88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist @ Lavender Street
Address: 308 Lavender Street, Singapore 338814
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10am-8pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: +65 8225 2495
88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist @ Tyrwhitt Road
Address: 153 Tyrwhitt Road, Qinan Building, Singapore 207566
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9.30am-7.30pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: +65 8225 2495
3. Bak Chor Mee at Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee
Image credit: Eatbook
Among the bedrock of hawker delights in Bedok 85 is Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee, which epitomes a bowl of minced-meat-noodles perfection. Run by a pair of siblings, the stall has been around since the ‘80s and is in a daily duel of bowls with its neighbouring stall that happens to also be selling the exact same dish.
The basis of Bak Chor Mee seems simple – a blissful blend of noodles in a clear broth that’s stippled with minced meat. With such straightforward ingredients, the combination of every component in the bowl has to shout loud and the flavour of the soup should sell – all of which Seng Hiang delivers and more.
Image credit: Eatbook
Priced at S$2.50-S$3 (~RM8.28-RM9.94) depending on the portions, the Bak Chor Mee soup is palatably pleasing with slurpy noodles that come with a bouquet of toppings. These include fragrant pork balls, shreds of red chilli for a punch, and heapings of minced meat that clouds the broth and clings onto every strand of the noodles.
The soup is the champion here – it’s extremely garlicky with mixed aromas of garlic oil, deep-fried pork lard, and marinated minced meat.
Image credit: Eatbook
This stall offers dry Bak Chor Mee (S$3.50/~RM11.60) as well, where the noodles are in their house-made chilli paste of sambal and pork lard, and flourished with more deep-fried pork lard and spring onions. A bowl of meatball soup is served alongside the dry version of the noodles.
Address: Blk 85 Bedok North Street 4, #01-05, Fengshan Centre, Singapore 460085
Opening hours: Thu-Tue 4pm-12am (Closed on Wednesdays)
Contact: +65 9018 9846 | Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee Facebook
4. White Carrot Cake at Chey Sua Carrot Cake
Image credit: Eatbook
While cafes have their sweet and fluffy carrot cakes with velvety cream cheese frosting, hawkers have their own rendition too – but gloriously fried, greasy, and marvellously savoury.
Malaysians may be familiar with fried radish cakes, or lo bak go, that are typically thick rectangular or cubed wedges of fried indulgence, but Chey Sua Carrot Cake has theirs in flat pancake-like pieces.
Image credit: Eatbook
Yes, the differences in the fried snacks may trigger Malaysians into their fight stance – but wait till you bite into these crispy darlings. The White Carrot Cake (S$3-S$5/~RM9.94-RM16.57) is the only item on this stall’s menu – think sumptuous fried pieces of minced white radish and red carrots with chunks of chye poh, all bound together with eggs and rice flour, and meticulously griddled on both sides.
Image credit: Eatbook
The ravishing charred patches serve their purpose excellently – you’ll taste and feel every crisp and crunch of the exterior and the tenderness within, as well as the subtle smokiness of the wok hei that lingers.
To up the dish a notch, ask the stall’s owners to include their house-made chilli with your order. The hint of tangy sweetness from the condiment goes seamlessly well with the salty pancakes – it’ll taste like a party in your mouth.
Address: 127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, #02-30, Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre, Singapore 310127
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 6.30am-1pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: +65 6254 6323 | Chey Sua Carrot Cake Facebook
5. Wantan mee at Ji Ji Wantan Noodle Specialist
Image credit: @feliciaayumm via Instagram
With a name that truly stands for what they are, Ji Ji Wantan Noodle Specialist is a treasure at Hong Lim Market and Food Centre that whips up bowls of top-notch wantan mee that tantalises the taste buds. The highlight here is their seven types of noodle options, from the classic egg noodles to bouncy flat noodles.
It’s no surprise that it is a Michelin-recommended stall, having been around for nearly five decades and now helmed by third-generation hawkers.
Image credit: @diningcompanion via Instagram
Served in a deliciously dark and fragrant sauce, along with noodles of your choice, the Ji Ji Signature Char Siew Wanton Noodles (S$4.50-S$8.50/~RM14.91-RM28.17) are exceptionally moreish. The noodles disappear fast with easy slurps, the juicy wantans are succulent with generous pockets of pork fillings, and the thick fillets of char siew are simply satisfying.
Image adapted from: @taroxtaco via Instagram & @pineapple.petcorn.eats via Instagram
Slurp away to food ecstasy with their other star dishes, such as Braised Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles, Chicken Cutlet Noodles and Mom’s Curry Chicken Noodles, with each bowl priced between S$4.50 (~RM14.91) and S$8.50 (~RM28.17).
Address: 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-48/49, Singapore 051531
Opening hours: Fri-Wed 9.30am-7pm (Closed on Thursdays)
Contact: +65 6532 2886
6. Xiao Long Bao at Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Image credit: Eatbook
What better food to feast on in Chinatown than comforting pouches of soup dumplings, or xiao long baos, nestled enticingly in their steamy bamboo baskets.
Often heralded as one of the best XLB stalls in Singapore that could rival those by the iconic Din Tai Fung, Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao is a Michelin Plate-awarded eatery that’s located in Chinatown Complex Food Centre.
Image credit: @holidayinnexpresscq via Instagram
It goes without saying that the Xiao Long Baos (S$7/~RM23.20) are the knockouts here. The plump beauties hold fresh minced meat within their delicate skins that have been lovingly pleated to encase the treasure inside. The burst of warm soup and hearty bites of tender meats are enlivened by a generous douse of malty Chinese vinegar and the addition of ginger strips.
Image adapted from: @lyneatsss via Instagram & Eatbook
Expect the classics including Hong You Chao Shou or Szechuan Spicy Wantan (S$6/~RM19.88), which are boiled melt-in-your-mouth dumplings drenched in a spicy scallion sauce, and finished with a generous sprinkling of fresh cilantro and chopped scallions.
Their La Mian with Black Bean Sauce (S$4-S$5/~RM13.26-RM16.57) is another showstopper here – doughy hand-pulled noodles are coated in fermented bean sauce, with ground pork that studs its depths.
Address: 335 Smith Street, #02-135, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 089152
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 11.30am-9pm (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Contact: +65 9743 5287 | Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao Facebook
7. Bak Chor Mee at Macpherson Minced Meat Noodles
Image credit: @adibeevince via Instagram
Macpherson Minced Meat Noodles is something of a national treasure, with local big names like actor Jack Neo and political figure Tan Chuah Jin frequenting the stall every now and then.
Helmed by the cheery Uncle Yap for over 30 years now, the stall opens as early as 7am daily and all the ingredients are prepped fresh and cooked from scratch.
Image adapted from: @foodietwoshoessg via Instagram & @hungermanaged via Instagram
Churning out thin and thick mee pok and mee kia, the stall pleases bak chor mee (S$5/~RM16.57) fans with the tangle of noodles in its signature braised mushroom sauce, which truly brings the dish to life.
They never skimp on the portions of the adornments either – there’s always enough sliced pork, minced meat, pork liver, braised mushroom, and slices of fishcake for every terrific bite.
Each bowl is served with a creamy broth infused with old hen, soya beans, and anchovies, a perfect complement to wash down the grease in between bites.
Image credit: @george.kooi via Instagram
While you’re there, do try other noodle dishes on the menu as well. Fish Ball Noodles (S$3/~RM9.94), Chicken Feet Noodles (S$4/~RM13.26), Pig’s Trotter Noodles (S$6/~RM19.88) and Xiao Wan Mian (S$7/~RM23.20) are all hearty choices that’ll appease your belly just as well.
Address: 41 Opal Crescent, Singapore 328428
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 6.30am-1.30pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
Contact: +65 9152 4414 | Macpherson Minced Meat Noodles Facebook
8. Katong Laksa at The Original Katong Laksa – Janggut Laksa
Image credit: Janggut Laksa
The number of Janggut Laksa outlets scattered throughout Singapore attests to the popularity of this particular Katong laksa stall. With a history dating back to the 1950s, Janggut Laksa is the OG Katong laksa – a fact they make clear with their name – that’s named after its founder who was popularly nicknamed Janggut.
Their outlets at Roxy Square and Queensway Shopping Centre always have a throng of patrons patiently waiting for their comforting bowls of creamy laksa.
Image credit: @sgastronoms via Instagram
Many Malaysians may be more familiar with the tamarind-based tangy assam laksa, but try to keep an open mind and give Singapore’s creamier counterparts a try.
With a broth that’s thick, creamy, and spiked with coconut milk, Janggut’s katong laksa (S$5.50/~RM18.23) is a smorgasbord of cut-up noodles that are scoopable instead of slurpable, and swimming in a rich-and-milky soup instead of a clear one.
Armed with prawns, fishcakes, cockles, and bean sprouts as garnishes, the dish is robust in its flavours but still light on the palate, with just a slight kick from the spice – a taste that’s wistful to many Singaporean citizens.
Janggut Laksa @ Roxy Square
Address: 50 E Coast Rd, Roxy Square, Singapore 428769
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10.30am-4.30pm | Sat & Sun 9am-4.30pm
Contact: +65 9622 1045 | The Original Katong Laksa – Janggut Laksa Facebook
Janggut Laksa @ Queensway Shopping Centre
Address: 1 Queensway, #01-59, Singapore 149053
Opening hours: 11am-9pm, Daily
Contact: +65 9669 6010
Janggut Laksa @ Chinatown Point
Address: 133 New Bridge Rd, B1-49A Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413
Opening hours: 9.30am-8.30pm, Daily
Contact: +65 9658 6133
Janggut Laksa @ Paya Lebar
Address: 331 Upper Paya Lebar Rd, Singapore 534949
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 10am-9pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
Contact: +65 9658 6133
Janggut Laksa @ AMK Hub
Address: 53 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 #03-12 AMK Hub, Singapore 569933
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6753 9000
9. Kueh Chap at 284 Kueh Chap
Image credit: @eatingwithegg via Instagram hawker dishes in Singapore
If you find your tummy whining for food at absurd hours in the night – and simply begging for some comforting local fare instead of a burger from a 24-hour McDonald’s – 284 Kueh Chap is a stellar supper option that makes it worth the effort to get out of those pyjamas.
Reasonably-priced, filling, and most importantly, delicious – this stall is tucked within KPT Bishan 284, a kopitiam and stays open till the wee hours of the morning.
Image credit: @yolkyardbakery via Instagram
Similar to ordering a Subway sandwich, the service follows the pick-and-point style – where customers pick out their choices of braised ingredients to be served on a plate.
You’ll find the usual kueh chap miscellany here, including Pig’s Tongue (S$1/~RM3.31), Innards (S$1-$2/~RM3.31-RM6.63), Pork Belly (S$2/~RM6.63), Preserved Vegetables (S$1/~RM3.31), and many more.
Along with this medley of fresh ingredients, you’ll also be served a bowl of rice sheets – the signature kueh in every kueh chap dish – that makes for silky-smooth vessels of the soya sauce-based broth.
Address: 284 Bishan Street 22, Singapore 570284
Opening hours: 8.30pm-3.30am, Daily
Contact: +65 9856 3117
10. Hokkien Mee at Tian Tian Lai Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee
Image credit: @taroxtaco via Instagram hawker dishes in Singapore
A dish that can rile Malaysians and Singapore up is none other than Hokkien Mee. The dish is a prickly topic not just between us neighbours, but also amongst cities in Malaysia.
For the uninitiated, KL’s version of hokkien mee is a stir-fried noodle dish heavily smothered in dark soya sauce, whereas in Penang, it refers to the fiery red soup base prawn mee.
Taking on yet another persona in Singapore, their Hokkien Mee is a gooier and saucier affair. For the best of the best, you’ll want to head to Tian Tian Lai Fried Hokkien Mee – which translates to “Come Daily Fried Hokkien Mee” in English.
Image credit: @dumfoodtrail via Instagram hawker dishes in Singapore
One taste of the dish and there’s no need for their name to urge you to come daily.
Tuck into a stir-fried melange of rice noodles and succulent prawns drenched in thick gravy that’s bespangled with egg, crispy lard crackles, and pork belly strips. Mildly sweet, with a slight tang and subtle smokiness from the wok hei, nudge up the flavours and spice factor by adding in lashings of sambal.
They offer portions priced at S$4 (~RM13.26), S$5 (~RM16.57), S$8 (~RM26.51), and even a S$18 (~RM59.65) platter that’s meant for sharing.
Address: 127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, #02-27, Singapore 310127
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 8am-2.30pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: +65 9671 7071 | Tian Tian Lai Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee Facebook
Hawker food in Singapore that Malaysians will love
One thing that Malaysians will fight to their deaths about is the superiority of our food and hawker fare. And as much as it ruffles their feathers, the majority of Singaporeans will agree with this – evident by the gaggles of Singaporean tourists crowding the streets and stalls of hawker places in our country.
That isn’t to say that the Lion City do not have their fair share of good hawker dishes. So, if you’re planning a trip there, bookmark this list for some amazing hawker fare that will be worth spending your Singapore dollars on – who knows, you might even have a new favourite hawker haunt that isn’t just from Malaysia.
For more budget meals in Singapore, here are 8 Halal cafes and restaurants there for under-RM60 meals.
Cover image adapted from: @holidayinnexpresscq via Instagram, @taroxtaco via Instagram, @cher.cooks via instagram & Eatbook