It is no secret that Singapore is a foodie destination. From Michelin-starred restaurants to street stalls, the city features an endless variety of cuisine from all over the world. So, it makes sense that hawker centers would be a major attraction for tourists and locals alike. In this blog post, we will explore the best Singapore hawker centers with reasonable prices!
If you are looking to get the most authentic Singaporean experience, then these five hawker centers should be on your list:
Old Airport Road Food Centre
Former Airport Road Food Centre, built on the runway of Singapore’s old Kallang airport, is a favourite hawker centre for locals looking for inexpensive and delicious hawker food. However, it has become increasingly popular with visitors in recent years. On the first level, there are around 150 stalls to pick from, with more assorted shops on the second level. Nam Sing Fried Hokkien Mee, Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee, and Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow are famous stalls with long queues. Each food stall has its own set of hours, so do your research before going.
Lau Pa Sat
The historic Lau Pa Sat, or ‘old market,’ in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District, is a tourist favourite hawker centre, thanks to its convenient location near the city’s attractions, as well as its unique octagonal shape and wrought iron arches, complete with its iconic clock tower in the centre. At night, the little road next to the food centre is closed off to allow satay vendors to take over, restoring the once-famous Satay Street beneath the stars.
Amoy Street Food Centre
The two-story Amoy Street Food Centre is the place to go if you are looking for some of the city’s best street art or if you’re hungry for a variety of noodle dishes. It has heritage-themed wall art as well as a cornucopia of hawker options, ranging from hot Thai dishes and hearty congee to hearty spaghetti and traditional nasi padang. Instead of your typical kopi, travel upstairs to Coffee Break for a cup of flavor-infused lattes and mochas. And when it comes to a variety of options for an inexpensive lunch hour, Amoy is unquestioned.
Maxwell Food Centre
Maxwell Food Centre is one of the prime lunch time hangouts in Central Business District (CBD), with a variety of food vendors serving anything from flavorful Hainanese chicken rice and nasi lemak to nutritious porridge and mee pok. You cannot leave this hawker centre without trying Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, which has been praised by Michelin-starred heavyweight Gordon Ramsay and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain for its version of the national dish.
Chinatown Complex Food Centre
It is easy to get lost at Singapore’s Chinatown Complex Food Centre, which houses the country’s largest hawker centre, with over 260 food stalls on the second level serving a wide variety of Singaporean street food. There is a lot to choose from, from the cheapest Michelin-starred meal at Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle to international craft beer on tap at Smith Street Taps.
