Image adapted from: Eatbook
If there’s one common thing all Singaporeans are fiercely proud of, it’s our local food. We frequent hawker centres not just because they have a variety of affordable dishes; lots of them are also foodie-favourites.
Hawker food can be found at nearly every corner of Singapore, and it can be a challenge to decide where exactly is the best place to eat, with many districts claiming to have the “best” dishes.
So if you’re strapped for ideas, head to these hidden gems that are famous in their respective neighbourhoods.
P.S. As we know, hawker food is best paired with beer! The folks from Tiger Beer linked us up with limited edition Tiger district bottles that were the perfect companions in our search for the best food in the ‘hoods. Read till the end to find out more about them.
Crab Bee Hoon: these 3 words together have never sounded more delicious. We’re always used to eating chilli crab as-is, but when its noodles are soaked in crab broth and topped with fresh crabs, it seems Don Signature Crab has upped its game when it comes to this sinful seafood dish.
One of their must-try dishes is the Crab Laksa ($25) which combines 2 Singaporean favourites into one dish. There’s also the Crab Cheese Beehoon ($25), which swims in a milky, spicy sauce that’s worth a try.
Address: 1008A Toa Payoh N, Food Centre II, Singapore 318998
Opening hours: 12PM-8:30PM, Daily
Telephone: 9691 6776
Situated in the heart of Tanjong Pagar at Maxwell Food Centre, the Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake ($2/piece) makes for a great snack on the go. The Fuzhou cakes are packed with minced pork, chopped cilantro, oysters and a full prawn, before they’re deep fried. You can expect a satisfying crunch as you bite into it, and a soft centre that follows.
For CBD lunches that don’t quite fully satisfy your appetite, they make for a perfect post-lunch snack!
Address: 1 Kadayanallur St, Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184
Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 9AM-8PM, Closed Sundays
Image credit: Eatbook
You can rarely go wrong with prawn mee, but Sumo Big Prawn has found a way to take this classic dish up a notch, with huge prawns and clams topping each bowl. A must-try is the staple house special Sumo Big Prawn ($8) that has juicy, fat jumbo prawns with a broth that’s made with prawn shells, pork ribs, garlic and Chinese cooking wine.
You’ll also find a variety of crustaceans to choose from here, from the Crayfish Soup ($13) to the decadent Lobster Bee Hoon Soup ($18.90).
Address: 628 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, #01-72, Singapore 560628
Opening hours: Tue – Sun: 9AM-9PM, Closed Mondays
Head to Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee at QS269 Food House and you’ll probably see its queue before you see the stall itself. This stall only sells chicken curry noodles, and you can order different sizes that cost between $5 to $7.
Each bowl comes with generous servings of taupok, poached chicken and fishcake, and the bee hoon easily soaks up all that rich curry broth that’s filled with flavour.
Address: 269B Queen St, QS269 Food House, #01-236, Singapore 182269
Opening hours: Fri – Wed: 8:30AM-4PM, Closed Thursdays
Tucked away in Tin Yeang Restaurant and surrounded by Chinese hawker staples like wan tan mee and fish porridge, you’ll find Mr and Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Prata serving up their famous pratas that live up to its name.
A plain Kosong Crispy Prata will set you back just $0.90, and you can get pratas with different fillings like Cheese Prata ($1.70), Onion Prata ($1.20), and of course, fluffy Egg Prata ($1.40). Pair these with their curries like Dalcha and Fish Curry, and you’re all set for a satisfying Singaporean meal.
Address: 300 Joo Chiat Road, Tin Yeang Restaurant, Singapore 427551
Opening hours: Thur – Tues: 6:30AM-1PM, Closed Wednesdays
Telephone: 9794 3124
Fried carrot cake may be a staple in Singaporean hawkers, but this particular one in Sembawang Hills Food Centre deserves a special mention. The Fried Carrot Cake stall here only serves one dish, and it’s this simple yet satisfying mix of soft radish cake cubes fried with egg and black sauce.
The dish is on the sweet side, but you can spice it up with their homemade chilli. A small serving costs just $3.
Address: 590 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574419
Opening hours: 6AM-9PM, Daily
Image credit: Eatbook
It’s hard to imagine how such a seemingly simple dish has topped the list of many a food guide in Singapore, but Jian Bo Shui Kueh’s Chwee Kueh has clearly made an impression. A soft and smooth rice kueh that’s topped with preserved radish and sambal, this dish costs just a mere $2 for five pieces.
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-05, Singapore 168898
Opening hours: Tue-Sun: 9AM-8PM, Closed Mondays
When a hawker stall has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand, you know you’re in for a treat when you’re queuing to order. At Balestier Road Hoover Rojak, each plate is individually mixed with rather generous amounts of sauce and chopped peanuts.
They only dish out rojak here (from $4), but you’ll find some ingredients like century egg and jellyfish that aren’t your regular rojak ingredients.
Address: 90 Whampoa Dr, Singapore 320090
Opening hours: Wed – Sun: 10:30AM-4PM, Closed Mon-Tues
Singapore has no shortage of cheap and good hawker food, but if you’re looking for something that’s really worth boasting about to your friends, try these dishes at iconic stalls that have been given foodie stamps of approval.
Don’t limit yourself to your own neighbourhood – venture out to different districts around Singapore to hunt down the best food out there. Ultimately, there’s no one best place in Singapore for local food when every district has their own bragging rights.
While we’re on the topic of neighbourhood pride, Tiger Beer has just released their new limited edition Tiger district bottles to pair with those delicious dishes. As Tiger Beer is born and brewed fresh right here in Singapore, there are 20 customised designs that brim with elements of local pride.
Each Tiger district bottle bares its most recognisable icon like the heritage shop houses in Katong, or the circular blocks in Ang Mo Kio.
You’ll be able to find and collect these bottles at all major supermarkets, bars, cafes and of course, hawker centres island-wide. Plus, they’re also great collectables if you’re into limited edition local items.
While you’re at it, check out their new card game Where Am I? and show off your knowledge of these 20 districts, be it places or food. Played in the style of Heads Up, you have to hold a card up to your forehead and guess what’s on it while your friends try to describe it to you. And if you’re not up for a game, simply use the deck to decide where to eat!
Get the card game when you purchase a 6 pack of Tiger district bottles ($19.90) on Lazada.
You can also take this quiz to see where in Singapore you really belong to, whether you’re “The Futurist” who likes things out-of-the-box and belong to Jurong, or you’re “The Hipster” who likes an alternative way of life and would fit right in Holland Village.
This post was brought to you by Tiger Beer.
Photo credit: John Lim
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