Boh Geh Uncle Canteen
It feels like we are seeing one too many familiar places bid farewell this year. From Singapore’s oldest public library in Queenstown closing for a revamp to HarbourFront Centre having already closed its doors for a makeover, more of the city’s old-school spots are slowly disappearing.
Like many of these places, Boh Geh Uncle Canteen in Seletar has been a familiar haunt for taxi uncles, aerospace workers, and NS men for years. Unfortunately, it is now time to say goodbye to this kampung-style canteen. We headed down for a last look before its last day on 18th September 2026.
What is Boh Geh Uncle Canteen?
A former mess hall operating since 1969
Path leading to the canteen.
Boh Geh Uncle Canteen, otherwise known as Canteen 398, has been in operation since 1969. Originally serving as a Corporal’s Mess for the British army during the colonial era, the canteen was also once part of Seletar Camp after its handover to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Now, the canteen is a favourite amongst aerospace workers and taxi uncles in the area.
When we headed down for a visit, we noticed several cyclists as well, some of whom were at the canteen for a quick break after cycling through Yishun Dam and the Seletar West Park Connector.
The story behind the canteen’s quirky name
“Boh geh” means “toothless” in Hokkien.
Image credit: Eatbook
For those wondering where the canteen got its quirky name, it’s actually a loving nickname inspired by its owner, Mr William Toh. Mr Toh is missing a few teeth, but that has never stopped him from greeting customers with a wide smile. The affectionate nickname eventually stuck, giving the canteen its distinctive name.
Why & when is Boh Geh Uncle Canteen closing?
After 57 years of serving customers in the area, Mr Toh will be retiring this September. This means that the canteen’s last day of operations is on 18th September, with the grounds closing completely on 19th September 2026.
What to expect at Boh Geh Uncle Canteen?
One of the last Kampung-style canteens in Singapore
Arriving at the canteen felt like being transported into a kampung of the past. The plastic chairs were noticeably worn out, loose tiles could be found all over the premises, and the grounds outside were unpaved, meaning you’ll be walking on dirt as you make your way around.
There’s both indoor and outdoor seating, with the latter feeling slightly cooler thanks to the shade from the trees and tents. Even indoors, however, we didn’t feel too warm as plenty of fans kept the air circulating.
If you’re heading down in larger groups, you’ll want to consider grabbing a seat outside as the tables are bigger. You’ll also be able to dine amongst greenery for that true rustic vibe. We even saw a couple of roosters running around the premises.
The crowd situation in the morning, on a weekday.
When we reached around 10.30am on a Monday, the canteen was pretty busy, but queues moved fast and the stores only really got packed as the clock inched past 11am. Despite the crowd, getting a seat wasn’t difficult as most of the canteen’s customers were there to dabao food. That said, expect to be queuing for at least 10 minutes if you’re heading down during the lunch hour.
Photography used to be off-limits
A “no photography” sign.
Image adapted from: Leon Kwang via Google Maps
Fun fact: Photography in the canteen used to be off-limits, but since the canteen is closing, they’ve gotten a lot more relaxed with the rules. For those who have wanted to take photos of the interior in the past but were chided by the eagle-eyed aunty, here’s your chance to grab a picture before the place disappears for good.
Only has 3 stores
The queue as lunchtime rolled around.
Boh Geh Uncle Canteen has a modest number of just 3 stores: a nasi padang store, a cai png store, and a drinks store. Both the drinks and cai png stores are operated by Mr Toh himself. After seeing glowing reviews of the canteen’s food online, we got a couple of dishes to try them out for ourselves.
From Mr Toh’s cai png store, we got bean sprouts, curry potato and chicken, as well as steamed egg. At $5.30, it wasn’t the cheapest cai fan meal around, but the quality made it worth the price. I was particularly impressed with the chicken, which was tender and slipped away from the bone easily. The steamed egg was also filled with bits of meat.
The nasi padang store sported a much longer queue, with options like mutton ($3-$4), chicken wings ($1.70), and mee goreng ($1.50) available. The ayam penyet ($5) and briyani ($5) are popular options, but take note that these are only available on Wednesdays and Fridays, respectively.
We chose to get servings of lontong, fried ikan kuning, begedil, and a fried egg. Our total came up to $6.20, which is pretty average for a plate of nasi padang these days.
Taste-wise, everything had a home-style quality to it, while the communal dining setup added to the experience. The prices may not be the cheapest, but the portions were generous enough to leave us feeling satisfied.
How to get to Boh Geh Uncle Canteen?
Getting to Boh Geh Uncle Canteen can be a little tricky, as bus stops nearby only service a handful of buses.
The Aft Battersea Rd and After Mornington Cres bus stops both service buses 103, 117, and 117M, while the Opp Seletar Camp bus stop services just bus 102. It’ll be a 3-minute walk to the canteen from these stops.
If you’re up for a longer walk of around 10 minutes, the Bef Piccadilly Circus/TPE bus stop services buses 39, 86, 102, 103, 117, 117M, 168, 168A, 858, and 858B.
For those planning to drive down to the canteen, there’s a parking lot onsite with plenty of spaces available. However, the carpark closes at 1.30pm, which is the same time the canteen shuts its doors for the day.
Or choose to cycle down to Boh Geh Uncle Canteen and enjoy the views of Lower Seletar Reservoir or Hampstead Wetlands Park en route.
There’s plenty of space on the premises for you to park your bikes, and even a vending machine for you to fuel up on energy drinks.
Be transported to a simpler time at this kampung-style canteen
Although the food variety wasn’t the widest, the canteen was what stood out to us. The friendly banter between patrons and stall owners gave the place a warm, communal feel that’s increasingly hard to find in Singapore. Despite the more “outdoorsy” nature of the canteen, we were also pleasantly surprised to find that there weren’t any flies around.
If you’re looking to experience one of Singapore’s last kampung-style eateries, you may want to head down ASAP before its closure. Do note that the canteen’s operating hours are from 6am to 1.30pm only on weekdays, with the lunch hour typically drawing a sizeable queue.
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For more nostalgic places to check out in SG:
Photography by Chandelle Cheong.