Hawker centres are large open-air food complexes lined with dozens or even hundreds of small food stalls, where the cooks prepare food on-site. There are usually plenty of communal seating areas where you can enjoy your meal.
Best Hawker Centres in Singapore for Cheap Eats
From Hainanese chicken rice to spicy laksa, Singapore’s hawker centres are the city’s flavour halls. Pull up a seat and join the locals.
Singapore has a well-deserved reputation for being expensive. While this is largely true, it is possible to visit Singapore without breaking the bank. This is especially true when it comes to dining out. Singapore is home to over 120 hawker centres and 6,000 food vendors dishing out some of the best and most affordable food in the city.
In Singapore, hawker centres are essentially huge food courts featuring dozens or even hundreds of humble street food-style stalls specialising in Chinese, Indian, Malay, and Peranakan cuisine.
Dishes at hawker centres will generally cost around $3 to $10, a fraction of the price you'd pay at a restaurant or cafe. Not only are hawker centres unique places to experience the local culture, but you'll have the chance to sample a variety of Singapore's most famous dishes under one roof.
With so many hawker centres in Singapore, you might not know where to start. This guide will lead you to the city's most famous hawker centres, as well as some less-touristy spots that locals love.
Each hawker centre on this list is big, meaning you'll have a wide range of food options to choose from. If you're not sure what to order, you'll find recommendations of popular food stalls and dishes to try at each place to help you eat your way through Singapore's budget-friendly hawker centres like a pro.
Old Airport Road Food Centre
Located just a bit outside of the city centre, Old Airport Road Food Centre is a local favourite. Because it's removed from Singapore's main tourist hubs, you can expect to pay local prices at this recently-revamped hawker centre.
There are more than 150 food stalls here, so choose wisely. You can't go wrong with the Chicken Cutlet at Western Barbecue (#01-53), which comes with their legendary garlic sauce. For something more traditional, 97 Nasi Lemak (#01-96/97) serves up super affordable nasi lemak plates. You can also pay a bit more and get side dishes like fried chicken, fish cakes, and hash browns. For delicious lor mee (a saucy Hokkien noodle dish), it's worth waiting in line at Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee (#01-116), too.
Pro tip: In general, do as the locals do and look for the stalls with the longest lines. Chances are the cooks are dishing out something delicious.
Tekka Centre
If you’re looking for budget eats in Little India, Tekka Centre is your one-stop shop. This multi-level heritage building houses a wet market and a range of retail shops. However, you'll find all of the hawker stalls on the ground floor.
This is the heart of Little India, so you'll find vendors slinging out Indian classics, like dosas and biryanis, as well as Chinese and Malay dishes. Tekka Centre is massive, so if you're overwhelmed with choice, here are a few suggestions.
Try the Mutton, Chicken, or Fish Biryani at Allauddin’s Biryani (#01-232), the Butter Chicken Naan Set at Delhi Lahori (#01-266), and the Double Egg Onion Prata with mutton curry and spicy sambal at Prata Saga Sambal Berlada (#01-258).
Pro tip: If you're looking for a budget stay near Tekka Centre, ibis budget Singapore Selegie puts you within walking distance of all of Little India's top attractions, street food spots, and the Little India MRT Station.
Chinatown Complex Food Centre
With roughly 260 food stalls, Chinatown Complex Food Centre is the largest hawker centre in Singapore. There are multiple Michelin-rated food stalls scattered around this humble food court.
This includes Hawker Chan (#02-126), which was the very first food stall to receive a Michelin star in 2016. While it no longer possesses the coveted star, it's still well worth visiting for their famous Soya Sauce Chicken Rice.
Other must-try dishes are the Xiao Long Ba (Soup Dumplings) and the Hong You Chao Shou (Szechuan Spicy Wantons) at Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao (#02-135), the Mixed Claypot Rice at Lian He Ben Ji Claypot (#02-198/199), and the Beef Brisket Noodles at Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen (#02-84).
You should expect long queues for all of these stalls but it's worth the wait.
People’s Park Food Centre
Another one of the most popular places for street food in Singapore is People’s Park Food Centre. You'll have roughly 80 Singaporean and Chinese food stalls to choose from in this bustling Chinatown hawker centre.
Many of the hawker stalls here specialise in roast meats, yong tau foo (tofu stuffed with fish paste and ground meat), and mala xiang guo (dry hot pot). But take a look around and you'll find cooks dishing out unique Chinese delights.
The Yong Tau Foo at Yong Xiang Xing Dou Fu (#01-1084) is legendary. Their soupy version comes with fish balls and a variety of meat and fish-stuffed tofu. It's only open for three hours a day and the line will undoubtedly be long. For spicy and numbing Szechuan-style mala hot pot, Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo (#01-1152) is a must.
Maxwell Food Centre
Also located in Chinatown, Maxwell Food Centre is another one of the most famous hawker centres in Singapore. This place is home to Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-54), Anthony Bourdain's favourite spot in the city for Hainanese chicken rice.
But dig a little deeper and you'll find all sorts of scrumptious and affordable street food. A few suggestions are the Cantonese-style congee at Zhen Zhen Porridge (#01-54), the fried oyster cakes at Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake (#01-05), and the roasted meats at Fu Shun Jin Ji Shao La Mian Jia (#01-71).
Amoy Street Food Centre
You'll find even more Michelin-listed food stalls hidden away in Chinatown's Amoy Street Food Centre. Some of the most famous dishes include the Fish Soup at Han Kee (#02-129), the Curry Chicken Puffs at J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff (#01-21), the Singapore-Style Ramen at A Noodle Story (#01-39), the Braised Duck Rice at Kwee Heng (#01-13), and the Fried Fish Soup from Kwang Kee Teochew Fish Porridge (#01-20), to name just a few tempting options.
Pro tip: With so many hawker centres in Chinatown, this area is an ideal base, especially if you plan on doing some serious eating during your trip. ibis budget Singapore Clarke Quay is a wallet-friendly option that puts you within walking distance of four of Singapore's best hawker centres.
Newton Food Centre
No list of the best hawker centres in Singapore is complete without mentioning Newton Food Centre. Sure, this place is touristy and a bit more on the expensive side compared to other street food hot spots in the city. That being said, you can still find plenty of very affordable Indian, Chinese, and Malay food here that is packed with flavour.
Some standout vendors are Hup Kee Fried Oyster Omelette (#01-73), Kwang Kee Teochew Fish Porridge (#01-20), TKR Satay #01-30, Kwee Heng Duck Noodle (#01-13), and Indian Kitchen (#01-57).
Must-try street foods in Singapore
Look out for these popular foods as you make your way through Singapore's hawker centres.
Hainanese chicken rice: Lightly poached chicken served on a bed of fragrant rice. This is the national dish of Singapore.
Laksa: A spicy noodle soup with a coconut-milk-based broth and seafood.
Chili crab: A whole crab drenched in a thick tomato-based sauce. Messy but iconic, and best eaten with mantou buns.
Dim sum: Small plates of Cantonese appetisers, including dumplings, xiao long bao (soup dumplings), and bao buns (steamed buns).
Char kway teow: Stir-fried flat rice noodles usually served with cockles, prawns, or egg.
Satay: Grilled skewers of meat (usually chicken) served with a spicy peanut sauce.
Dosa: A savoury Indian crepe served with chutney and often stuffed with fillings like potatoes or paneer (cheese).
Eating at hawker centres in Singapore: your questions answered
The best hawker centres to visit in Singapore are Tekka Centre in Little India and Maxwell Food Centre, Chinatown Complex Food Centre, Amoy Street Food Centre, and People’s Park Food Centre in Chinatown. Newton Food Centre in Newton is very popular amongst tourists, while the Old Airport Road Food Centre in the Kallang area is a favourite amongst locals.
There are many dishes you should try at hawker centres in Singapore, including Hainanese chicken rice (the national dish), laksa, chilli crab, xiao long bao (soup dumplings), satay, and Indian dosas. But there are many more must-try dishes than these.
Yes, hawker centres are cheap and good value. Dishes generally range from $3 to $10, much cheaper than what you'd pay in a restaurant. Many hawker stalls are Michelin-calibre, meaning you can try some of the most gourmet food in the city for just a few Singaporean dollars.
Some helpful tips for navigating a busy Singapore hawker centre like a local are to seek out the food stalls with the longest line of locals. If locals are willing to wait in line, chances are the cook is serving up something delicious.
You should also bring a packet of tissues. Locals use them to save their table as they wait in line. Stalls don't generally have napkins, so you'll be glad you have some tissues. Another tip is to always check the hours of any hawker centre or stall you want to visit. Many centres are closed on Mondays and many food stalls have odd hours.
You generally cannot pay with a card at a hawker centre in Singapore. It's always best to bring cash with you. A good tip is to have small bills, because food vendors generally will not want to break large bills.
