Eat Like a Local: Singapore’s Best Hawker Stalls

From silky Hainanese chicken rice to smoky char kway teow, some dishes define Singapore’s culinary identity. These hawker stalls are legendary for perfecting the classics — and they’re essential stops on any foodie itinerary.

1. Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (Photo by Michelin Guide)

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee, a legendary stall nestled in the Hong Lim Market and Food Centre, is consistently ranked among Singapore's best hawker stalls and has been recognized with the Michelin Bib Gourmand. The stall is celebrated for its wet-style Char Kway Teow (CKT), a stir-fried flat rice noodle dish distinguished by its intense wok hei (smoky aroma), a perfect balance of sweet and savory dark soy sauce, and a generous coating of moist, creamy beaten egg. Operating since the 1950s by a family who mastered the art of frying large batches to perfection, the stall’s reputation is so strong that customers routinely endure queues of 30 minutes to over an hour.

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee

Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

2. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (Photo by Michelin Guide)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle is arguably Singapore's most distinguished hawker stall, holding the extraordinary distinction of being one of the first two street food vendors in the world to be awarded a Michelin Star in 2016. Operating since the 1930s, this iconic stall is revered for its signature dry Bak Chor Mee (minced pork noodles), where springy noodles are meticulously tossed in a powerful, perfectly balanced sauce of black vinegar, chili, and rich lard oil. The bowl is further elevated by premium ingredients like high-quality minced pork, tender pork liver, handmade dumplings, and, crucially, a garnish of crispy, addictive fried sole fish (tee poh).

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

3. Ah Heng Curry Chicken Mee Hoon Mee

Ah Heng Curry Chicken Mee Hoon Mee (Photo by eatbook.sg)

Ah Heng Curry Chicken Mee Hoon Mee, a Michelin-recommended stall operating since 1967, is revered for serving one of Singapore's most comforting bowls of Curry Chicken Noodles. What sets it apart is its unique, Nyonya-influenced curry broth that is rich and creamy, yet surprisingly light, fragrant, and drinkable without being overly lemak (rich with coconut cream). The bowl is generously filled with tender, moist Hainanese-style poached chicken, spongy tau pok (fried beancurd) that acts as a sponge for the curry, and firm potatoes.

Ah Heng Curry Chicken Mee Hoon Mee

Queen Street

4. Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle (Photo by Daniel Food Diary)

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle is globally famous for offering the world's cheapest Michelin-starred meal, having received the coveted star in 2016 (though it later transitioned to the Bib Gourmand). The owner, Chef Chan Hon Meng, mastered his recipe in Hong Kong, creating a signature dish of incredibly tender, succulent, and glistening Soya Sauce Chicken served over fragrant rice or springy noodles. The secret lies in the chicken's long, careful braising in a proprietary sauce made with over 15 herbs and spices.

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle

Chinatown Complex Food Centre

5. Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang

Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang (Photo by Michelin Guide)

Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang is a popular, MICHELIN-recommended hawker stall celebrated for its innovative, cross-cultural fusion of two iconic Southeast Asian dishes: the classic Singaporean Nasi Lemak and the Indonesian Ayam Taliwang (grilled chicken from Lombok). The stall’s signature is the tender, grilled quarter-leg chicken smothered in a fiery, homemade Taliwang-style chili sauce that masterfully blends sweet, sour, and intensely spicy notes, providing a unique kick not found in traditional Nasi Lemak. This specialty chicken is served alongside fragrant coconut rice and a separate, classic, slow-cooked sambal.

Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang

Lau Pa Sat

6. Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee

Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee (Photo by Daniel Food Diary)

Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee is a Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized stall famed for its traditional, "old-school" style of Hokkien Mee that has been perfected since the 1960s. The stall is distinguished by its drier texture and its intentional omission of dark soy sauce and pork lard, allowing the pure, intense umami flavor of the prawn and seafood stock to dominate. The noodles, a blend of yellow noodles and thin bee hoon (rice vermicelli), are painstakingly fried with fresh prawns and squid, achieving a coveted, subtle wok hei (smoky breath of the wok) that is characteristic of expertly cooked hawker food.

Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee

Old Airport Road Food Centre

7. To-Ricos Kway Chap

To-Ricos Kway Chap (Photo by Miss Tam Chiak)

To-Ricos Kway Chap is a long-standing, Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized Teochew hawker stall celebrated for its masterful execution of kway chap (braised flat rice noodles and pork offal). The stall's enduring reputation stems from its meticulous and time-consuming cleaning of the pig offal (intestines, stomach, trotters, etc.), ensuring every piece is tender and free of unpleasant odors. Served with silky smooth rice noodle sheets (kway) in a light, fragrant, herbal-soy broth, the dish is a complex balance of flavors and textures, with a unique highlight being their rich, torch-braised pork trotters that add a smoky, melt-in-your-mouth richness.

To-Ricos Kway Chap

Old Airport Road Food Centre

8. Haig Road Putu Piring

Haig Road Putu Piring (Photo by Haig Road Putu Piring)

Haig Road Putu Piring is a globally recognized, multi-generational Malay dessert stall that gained international fame after being featured on Netflix's Street Food Asia and is also Michelin-recommended. Operating since the 1930s (with its current iteration since 1985), the stall specializes in Putu Piring—steamed rice flour cakes—distinguished by its use of high-quality, pure Gula Melaka (palm sugar imported from Java) that melts into a warm, gooey lava center when steamed. Served piping hot with a generous side of freshly grated, slightly salted coconut.

Haig Road Putu Piring

Geylang Serai Food Centre