Why We Are Studying Singapore’s Hawker Centres Before We Go

Singapore is one of the few cities where the best food is also the cheapest. The hawker centre system — government-built food courts with dozens to hundreds of independent stalls — is the backbone of Singaporean dining. Michelin has given stars to hawker stalls here. You can eat three full meals a day for under 20 Singapore dollars. Before our trip, we have been doing the research on where to go and what to order.

How Hawker Centres Work

A hawker centre is an open-air or semi-covered building with rows of food stalls, each specializing in one or two dishes. You walk around, decide what you want, order at the stall, get a number, and find a seat. During lunch rush, tables fill fast. The local move is to place a packet of tissues on an empty table to reserve it — this is called choping, and it is a genuine cultural practice.

Stall prices range from 3 to 8 Singapore dollars per dish. A full meal with a drink costs less than a coffee at most Western cafes.

The Three Centres We Are Most Excited About

Maxwell Food Centre

The most famous and most central. In Chinatown, walking distance from the MRT. This is where Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice lives — the stall Anthony Bourdain put on the map that still has a line at lunch every day. The chicken rice is 6 dollars: tender poached chicken over fragrant rice with chili sauce and dark soy. Hawker Chan, the Michelin-star soya sauce chicken stall, is also here. Both are worth the wait — go before 11:30 or after 1:30.

Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre

The largest hawker centre in Singapore — over 220 food stalls. Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle is here, technically the cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world. This is the one to visit for variety without tourist crowds. The char kway teow and carrot cake stalls on the upper level get good reviews and rarely appear in guidebooks.

Lau Pa Sat

A beautiful Victorian cast-iron building in the financial district. At night the street outside closes and becomes a satay strip — dozens of vendors grilling chicken, mutton, and beef satay over charcoal. Order 20 mixed sticks, a Tiger beer, and eat outside. It is the touristy option but the atmosphere reportedly makes it worth it once.

What to Order

If you have three days, the research says to eat these at least once:

Hainanese chicken rice — the national dish. Poached chicken, rice cooked in stock, three sauces. The benchmark for the whole trip.
Laksa — coconut curry noodle soup with shrimp, fish cake, cockles. Rich and spicy.
Char kway teow — stir-fried flat rice noodles with soy, egg, Chinese sausage, and bean sprouts. The best ones have wok hei — smoky wok flavor.
Roti prata — flaky Indian flatbread with curry dipping sauce. Available 24 hours at many stalls.
Kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs — traditional Singaporean breakfast: coconut jam on toast, dipped into eggs with soy sauce and white pepper.
Chili crab — the one splurge. A whole crab in sweet, spicy tomato sauce, eaten with fried mantou buns. Budget 60-90 SGD per person at a proper restaurant.

The Splurge Meal: Chili Crab

This is the meal that is not cheap. Jumbo Seafood at Clarke Quay charges 83-185 SGD per set depending on crab size. Mellben Seafood (Michelin Plate) runs 73-91 SGD for a smaller portion. Roland Restaurant is where chili crab was invented — the sauce is slightly different from the modern version, more tomato, less sweet, and the price is lower than the famous spots. All require reservations.

Practical Notes for the Hawker Centres

Busiest from 11:30-1:30 for lunch and 6:00-8:00 for dinner. Go early or late.
Many stalls close one day per week, usually Monday or Tuesday. Check Google Maps for hours before visiting a specific one.
Some stalls are cash only. Carry at least 30 SGD in small bills.
Water is usually not free. Order a bottled water or lime juice for a dollar.

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For the full Singapore trip plan including Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, and logistics, see our Singapore trip planning post.

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Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. SafetyWing, Skyscanner, Airalo, Booking.com, Viator, Klook.

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Written by Jenna Fattah

I have visited 25+ countries across 6 continents, attended 7 Formula 1 races, and spent 4 years writing about what actually works and what I would do differently. Every recommendation on this site comes from trips I planned and paid for myself. Read more about me

Where to Eat in Singapore: The Hawker Centre Research Guide

Why We Are Studying Singapore’s Hawker Centres Before We Go

How Hawker Centres Work