Hawker Centres of Singapore 18.5.2011

Wherever you go in Singapore, you’ll most certainly be able to find an eatery, as the locals simply love eating. If you want to taste various cultural delicacies all in one place, you can head to open-air food centres such as Lau Pa Sat, Maxwell Road Food Centre and many more, while for more comfortable dining choices, there is a whole selection of cuisines to choose from – French, Italian, Japanese, Indian and more. A sumptuous dining experience awaits. For those of you who are new to Singapore food, Hawker Centres are some of the best and cheapest places where you will ever eat; and for those who have been around for a while, let this be a reminder of what you have available to you! Let me give you a teste of just a few of the many many Hawker Cs. The ones I’ve been to.

Newton Circus – Clemenceau Ave.Newton Circus (500 Clemenceau Ave) is the most famous and one of the largest hawker centres in Singapore and is designed to give tourists and locals a view of what this historic place was like 40 years ago now that it has been refurbished. The range of food available here is fantastic, perfect for visitors interested in sampling traditional Singaporean specialties, like the legendary Chili Crab. 

Chinatown Complex Food Centre – 335 Smith Street. Having done some budget shopping or just finished up work on a Friday, Chinatown Complex Food Centre (335 Smith Street, Chinatown Complex) makes a great stop. Many say it is the best hawker centre in Singapore. This is a great place to start a night before moving on to the bars and clubs on Clarke Quay, or just for an alternative lunch break. The most popular dishes here are “Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle” and Char Kway Teow (a noodle dish fried with fresh cockles). On top of this, the area is relatively clean and not at all intimidating- great for beginners as well as old-timers.

Maxwell Food Centre – 50 Market Street. Located close to one of Singapore’s favourite places to go out (Club Street), the Maxwell Food Centre (50 Market Street, Off Maxwell Road) is priced great and tastes even better. People all over the world are raving about the Tian Tian Chicken Rice that comes from this place. The seats may be hard but the atmosphere will have you distracted enough (and why not grab a Tiger beer while you’re there!). If you’re looking to miss the queues, head up there for an early lunch on the weekend.

Lau Pa Sat – 18 Raffles Quay. Lau Pa Sat (18 Raffles Quay) is not only a Food Centre, it is also a heritage sight. It was opened in 1825 as Singapore’s first market. It now sits in the middle of the Central Business District so is great for a lunch break as well as anything else. The food is cheap and the place has a continuous buzzing atmosphere. The food selection here is enormous, and delicious. This is our favourite.

Rasapura Masters – Canal Level, Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Ok, before I start, Rasapura Masters (Canal Level, Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands) is not a cheap food option in the sense of the other mentioned above. But where else in the world can you find a hawker centre inside one of the world’s most prestigious hotel/casinos? Right here. “Rasa-pura” means “taste-city” and that’s exactly what you’re going to get. Here you’ll find fine-dining restaurants serving up their most famous dishes “hawker style”. This is a great place to start or finish if you’re doing some designer shopping, going to the theatre or having a cocktail at Piano Bar.