Hawker Centres are an affordable place to eat in Singapore, especially if you want to try an assortment of dishes. Think of them like a food court, but not with chain restaurants. Instead. each stallholder specializes in just one or a few things only.

Singapore’s hawker centres can be a bit overwhelming, sometimes with hundreds of stall and a tight maze to navigate through. It really helps if you research online and already have a place picked out where you’d like to eat. Otherwise you might just end up wandering aimlessly trying to decide and once you do, if you go at peak time, there can be long wait times.

Hawker centres options

There are plenty of hawker centres across Singapore, you could eat at a different one every day of your trip. Some popular ones:

• Maxwell Food Centre – Open air, not enclosed, it didn’t feel as hot as other Hawker Centres

• Lau Pa Sat – Iconic for its satay street, especially busy in the evenings

• Newton Food Centre – this is the one that was in the Crazy Rich Asians movie

• Chinatown Complex Food Centre – Singapore’s largest hawker centre, this one is a bit chaotic

When I was researching for my trip I read that you can dibs a seat by placing something there such as a tissue packet or water bottle. But I just ordered my food, scoped out a place to sit while I was waiting for my food, then hoped it was still vacant when I got my food (each time it was).

I recommend Pang’s Satay at the Chinatown food centre.

If you go to Lau Pa Sat, go early in the evening and make sure you take cash, there was no option to pay via card.

The Maxwell Food Centre is opposite the Singapore City Gallery (which has a cool 3D model of Singapore… and air conditioning)

Not really a hawker centre, but Satay by the Bay is another option.

Yes I did eat satay sticks for most meals when I was in Singapore, they were that good! (and cheap)

Things to know

• Some shops only take cash, not card
• Hawker centres get extremely busy around lunch and dinner, eat early if you can (e.g. 11am and 5pm)
• Lunch rush hour is from 11am – 2pm, Dinner rush hour from 6pm – 8pm
• Don’t expect cutlery and if it’s provided it’ll likely be chopsticks. If you can’t eat using chopsticks, bring your own cutlery (I packed disposable wooden cutlery with me before I left for my trip)
• The vendors that I visited cooked the food after you placed the order, it wasn’t sitting in a hot box. So you know it’s freshly cooked. But you do need to factor in cooking time
• If you’re eating at a hawker centre for dinner, some of the meal sizes are small, you might want to order multiple dishes
• Always return the tray! (there are signs everywhere saying you’ll get a fine if you don’t)
• Take your own serviettes, hand sanitiser and bottled water
• Ventilation in the hawker centres isn’t the greatest, it can get hot and stuffy. Try and get a seat near a window or a fan
• Some stall holders won’t speak English, it helps if you have Google translate on your phone
• Singapore is generally a clean country but the hawker centre toilets (at least from my own experience), were not. Wait and use a toilet in a shopping centre instead
• Check the stall ratings, many have a sign with a hygiene rating (A is the best). Places with a long queue are usually a good sign too
• If you haven’t picked out a place beforehand, do a lap of all the stalls and take photos of the ones that interest you, otherwise you may struggle to find it again later.

Nobody in the Hawker Centres that I visited cared that I was eating solo – so don’t be intimidated if you’re traveling alone

Foods you can find a hawker centre

• Hainanese Chicken Rice – Singapore’s national dish: poached chicken, rice, and spicy chili sauce (ask the stall holder, sometimes they’re not spicy)

• Char Kway Teow – Smoky stir-fried flat noodles with eggs, prawns, and Chinese sausage

• Laksa – spicy coconut-based noodle soup with seafood or chicken

• Satay – grilled meat on sticks with a peanut dipping sauce

Satay sticks are a safe option (not spicy). Rice isn’t always available to purchase with the satay sticks. They’re usually small too, so order more than you think (e.g. 10 satay sticks per person). The satay sauce servings are generous.

How expensive is it?

Depends where you eat. The hawker centres that are less touristy are cheaper, but can be intimidating for tourists. Expect to pay around 10 SGD for a meal.

If a hawker centre is a bit intimidating, there are plenty of food courts in the shopping malls, and there’s also a small one near the Supertree Grove. You could try eating at one of those first before attempting a hawker centre. The food won’t be as cheap but ordering is easier, most stores have English menus, clearly displayed pricing and accept card payment.

Hawker Chan in the Jurrassic Nest Food Hall near the Supertree Grove

More posts to help you plan your Singapore trip

• The best stationery shops in Singapore (pens, highlighters, washi tape, stencils etc.)
• Guide to visiting Gardens by the Bay in Singapore (including the best photo spots for the Supertree Grove)

Travel planning

• Using ChatGPT to create a travel itinerary – time saver or waste of time?
• How to Efficiently Plan a Month-Long European Itinerary in Just One Week
• How to plan the best flight route: A type A traveller’s step by step guide

Plan the best holiday with my travel itinerary template!

Found this post helpful? Pin it!