Singapore best hawker food — Top 10 cheap & best hawker centres in Singapore

It is so difficult to choose the best dining places in Singapore. Because you can ask 10 different people and you will get 10 different answers. However, along with Living Nomads, we have summarized the list of 10 addresses in Singapore you can refer. By our experience, you will know what you should eat, as well as how much you will pay. Now, let’s discover top 10 best hawker centres in Singapore (or best food courts in Singapore).

For those who don’t know much, the hawker center is basically a large food court with dining stalls around, serving everything from a full meal to drinks and snacks. Often, you will find options of local dishes along with flavors coming from all over the world, including China, Malay, India, and the West. The atmosphere is lively and friendly, and the food is usually very cheap.

1. Lau Pa Sat

If you ask your taxi driver, they probably will not say that Lau Pa Sat is the best hawker center in Singapore (they would probably say it’s too crowded, and no look like the past). Otherwise, this is the most famous, crowded and also the largest place, with space 2500 seats.

Located in the center of Central Business District, a walking distance from Chinatown and Marina Bay, this 120-year-old building was erected with a large iron frame which was imported from Scotland. This place is also very large, so you can also expect to find a wide variety of food from all over the world. Prices are blown up because it is the time they have to improve this building again. But the basic price of rice and noodles is about five to seven dollars

Lau Pa Sat

Address: 18 Raffles Quay, Singapore

Opening hours: 24 hours

Telephone: +65 6276 0521
Prices: From 5 to 7 dollars

2. Old Airport Road Food Centre

In contrast to Lau Pa Sat, the Old Airport Road Food Center is not beautiful like that, it is located outside the city a bit, and it is not a place with many tourists visit. However, this food center has been recognized if the best hierarchy hawker center in Singaporean, both in price and more importantly, that is flavor.Cuisine includes satay noodles, char kway teow (a type of noodles), rojak (a type of fruit, Indonesian salad). The price here is quite cheap compared to most other hawker centers in Singapore, with simple noodles costing less than 5dollars. However, you may also have to pay more, for example, 10 dollars for meat dishes.

Old Airport Road Food Centre

Address: Block 51, Old Airport Road, Geyland, Singapore

Opening hours: From 8 am to 11 pm

Telephone: +65 6471 2841
Prices: From 5 to 10 dollars

3. Maxwell Road Food Centre

Located in Chinatown, the Maxwell Street Food Center is undoubtedly one of cheapest dining places in Singapore. Chinese dishes can not be tried here, including typical Hainanese chicken rice, as well as oyster fried eggs and many other Chinese dishes. There are available grilled meat stalls and seafood is processed in many ways.

There are more than 100 food stalls but seats are not probably spacious, so you may have to wait for seats during peak hours (during lunchtime on weekdays). You maybe do not have to pay more than 4 for a chicken rice dish or a bowl of noodles. There are also a barbecue and seafood stalls with the cost if from 8 dollars to 10 dollars.

Maxwell Road Food Centre

Address: 1 Kadayanallur Street, Singapore 069184, Singapore

Opening hours: From 8 am to 10 pm

Telephone: +65 9790 2826
Prices: From 8 to 10 dollars

4. Chinatown Food Street

Chinatown Food Street is not the most popular place to enjoy meals. This stalls rows which are refurbished are under a shining glass roof and is an extension of the famous Chinatown night market.

The focus in Chinatown is the Chinese dishes, with roasted duck rice, noodles with many options for you to choose. This place is also particularly famous for its satay grilled skewers as well as barbecue and seafood. The majority of people come here are tourists, so you must knoư one thing that you have to pay more than one to two dollars compared to the average price in other hawker centers in Singapore.

Chinatown Food Street

Address: 335 Smith Street, Singapore

Opening hours: From 11 am to 11 pm

Telephone: +65-6225-3633
Prices: From 10 to 12 dollars

5. Tiong Bahru Market

Tiong Bahru is well known as one of the best hawker centers in Singapore by breakfast as well as breakfast (a combination of breakfast and lunch). A lot of food stalls are open early at 7 am so they close early too, which means that this is the ideal place for you to enjoy your first meal in a day.

However, you maybe want to wait for lunch in order to eat the best dishes that Tiong Bahru brings to you. You can try roasted duck, pork rib with noodles or boiled chicken legs, or simple Hainan chicken rice. The price is also quite cheap, with simple noodles and rice, starting at 3 dollars.

Tiong Bahru Market

Address: 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore

Opening hours: From 7 am to evening

Telephone: +65 6438 4380.
Prices: From 3 dollars

6. Tekka Centre

This 3 floors building is located at the Little India entrance on Serangoon Road, and is one of the best hawker centers for curry steaks, along with many kinds of Biryani choices. Indian indigenous people come here to eat is a testimony to the quality of Tekka Centre’s food. Biryani dishes with rice, chicken, and sauce with the cost between 6 do 8 dollars.

Tekka Centre

Address: 665 Buffalo & Serangoon Roads, Singapore

Opening hours: From 6:30 am to 10 pm

Telephone: +65 6733 2225.

Prices: About 6 to 8 dollars

7. Singapore Food Trail

It is nestled in the shadow of the Singapore Flyer, the Singapore Food Trail is a good hawker center with a variety of decorative accessories that give Singapore feeling in the past. While there are not many food stalls for your choice as other hawker centers, this place is so great to visit because of its location and its fun atmosphere. Besides the delicious food, there is also a small antique shop as well as a pleasant garden below the Flyer.

Singapore Food Trail

Address: 30 Raffles Avenue #01-09/12, Singapore Flyer, Singapore

Opening hours: From 10:30 am to 10:20 pm

Telephone: +65 6338 1328

Prices: About 10 – 12 dollars

8. Chomp Chomp Hawker Center

Also known as Serangoon Gardens Food Center, Chomp Chomp is one of the hawker centers famous for Singaporeans. However, because of its location outside the city center, near Bishan, Chomp Chomp is often not listed as a guide when visiting Singapore.

But, it does not mean Chomp Chomp is not crowded. Coming here and try it in the evening to see how busy this place is, with chefs preparing fresh barbecue, grilled chicken wings, noodles and satay in front of you.

Chomp Chomp Hawker Center

Address: 20 Kensington Road Singapore

Opening hours: From 6 pm to midnight

Telephone: +1 212 929 2888

Prices: From 6 to 10 dollars

9. Makansutra Gluttons Bay

If you like to enjoy a meal while sightseeing, Makansutra Gluttons Bay is probably the best option for you in Singapore. Many best foods you can’t miss include spicy crabs, oyster omelettes, and roots. Located right next to the bay, the scenery overlooking the water is magical. The nearby Esplanade Theater also has street performances to make you relax while eating.

The Hawker Center is located outdoors, one of the latest open places in Singapore. So if you want to have something for your night (no later than 3 am on weekends), this is an ideal place you can’t miss.

Makansutra Gluttons Bay

Address: Esplanade Mall 8 Raffles Ave #01-15 Singapore

Opening hours: From Monday to Thursday: 5 pm to 2 am, from Friday to Saturday: 5 pm to 3 am, Sunday: from 4 pm to 1 am

Telephone: +65 6438 4038

Prices: About 15 dollars

10. Satay by the Bay

One of the most attractive places in Singapore is Gardens by the Bay, with the famous plants along with Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. If you are going that way, you should also come here at least one time to try Satay by the Bay. Of course, the feature dish here is the satay skewer. The air is filled with the aromatic scent of pork, chicken, and roasted beef, with the delicious flavor. There are also bars and other eateries if you do not like satay. You can find here by stepping into Gardens by the Bay (free of charge), follow signboard and entering the shop.

Satay by the Bay

Address: Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore

Opening hours: From 8 am to 10 pm

Telephone: +65 6538 9956

Prices: About 15 dollars

If you are a person who likes fun atmosphere, do not miss these places. In addition, if you want to save money, these addresses also guarantee you the “delicious –good- cheap” like standard.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in Singapore and from Singapore you can refer to

• Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Private Transfer
• Private City Transfers between Singapore and Johor Bahru
• Shared Changi Airport Transfers (SIN) for Singapore Hotels
• Singapore All Day Pass
• The Singapore Pass
• [Klook Exclusive] 3 Hours Singapore City Tour
• Singapore Cityscapes Tour
• [Klook Exclusive] Sentosa Island Introductory Tour in Singapore
• Singapore Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour (Open-Top)
• Sentosa FUN Pass
• Singapore City Pass (2/3 Days)
• [Klook Exclusive] Universal Studios Singapore™ 1 Day Ticket
• 4G Prepaid Sim Card (Changi Airport Pick Up) for Singapore
• 4G WiFi (SG Airport Pick Up) for Singapore
• 4G Portable WiFi for Singapore from Uroaming
• 4G WiFi (SG Pick Up) for Europe

Are you finding more top things to do in Singapore: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Read more: Singapore travel blog — The fullest Singapore travel guide blog for a budget trip to Singapore for the first-timers.