We’ve all seen Geylang food guides featuring supper options such as 126 Dim Sum and frog porridge spots. But there’s a whole uncharted territory that hasn’t been covered—round-the-clock dining in the red-light district.
Compared to the bustling scene at night, Geylang is like a ghost town during the day, which makes it perfect for foodies to explore. Here’s a guide for people who want to explore this treasure trove of Geylang food haunts beyond just suppertime.
Table of Contents
Image credit: @yuyuarm
If you love seafood zi char as we do, head down to Penang Seafood Restaurant. The zi char eatery opens till late and serves up a wide variety of wok-fried seafood dishes. These include classic options such as Chilli Crab and Steamed Lobster, both available at market price, as well as the likes of Salted Egg Prawn (from $20), and Fermented Pork Belly (from $15). They also do a delicious Lobster Porridge (market price)!
Check out our full review of Penang Seafood Restaurant.
Address: 32 Aljunied Road, Singapore 389817
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 12am
Tel: 6841 3002
Website
Penang Seafood Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @kiripaca
If you’re new to the world of Chinese barbecue skewers, there’s no better place to get acquainted than BBQ Box. They offer a variety of meats from chicken wings to pork intestines and beef tendon. These meats are seasoned with a spicy Chinese spice rub and skewered before they are grilled to perfection over a charcoal fire. Other classic skewers you shouldn’t miss out on include enoki mushrooms, mantou, and asparagus. Skewers start at $1.50, so feast away on these affordable skewers and wash everything down with a bottle of Tsingtao!
Address: 182 Geylang Road, Singapore 389252
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1:30pm to 1:30am, Sat-Sun 12pm to 1:30am
Tel: 9234 8659
Website
BBQ Box is not a halal-certified eatery.
If you’re on the search for good yakitori, look no further than The Skewer Bar. Located at a corner of a kopitiam, this quiet joint is jam-packed with customers daily. The menu is extensive, with items such as Unagi Don ($12.90) and Bacon Wrapped Quail Egg ($2.40). They also have non-skewered dishes such as Oysters ($11 for three pieces) and, our favourite, Eggplant with Homemade Chilli Sauce ($5). Locally-inspired pasta and rice bowls are also available, with the Hae Bee Hiam Pasta ($11.90) being a hot favourite.
Address: 2 Lorong 25 Geylang, Singapore 388287
Opening hours: Daily 5pm to 12am
Tel: 9642 0837
Website
The Skewer Bar is not a halal-certified eatery.
There are two kinds of people in the world: people who love the peppery style of Teochew bak kut teh, and those who love Malaysia’s herbal version. If you’re a fan of Klang bak kut teh, Leong Kee Bak Kut Teh ($8.80) is a must-try. The soup is full of aromatic herbal notes, and the pork ribs are fork-tender and well-infused with earthy flavours.
For greater satisfaction, pile on the beancurd skin and get ready to sweat it out over this robust pork stock. Leong Kee also does a mean Stewed Pork’s Leg ($8.80), so brace yourself for a feast if you happen to find yourself on this side of Geylang. Their Dry Bak Kut Teh ($12) also comes highly recommended.
Read our Leong Kee review.
Address: 251 Geylang Road, Singapore 389309
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 11:30pm
Website
Leong Kee is not a halal-certified eatery.
Opened in 1968, Swee Guan Hokkien Mee, better known as Geylang Lorong 29 Hokkien Mee, serves one of the best hae mee I’ve ever tried. Prepared the traditional way over a charcoal fire, the noodles are laced with a wok hei aroma. Plus, they are pretty generous with the ingredients, and the prawns are juicy and crunchy. A wait is, of course, necessary, as this spot is really famous. Prices start at $6 for a plate.
Check out our full review of Swee Guan Hokkien Mee.
Address: 5 Lorong 29 Geylang, Singapore 388060
Opening hours: Mon-Tue, Thurs-Fri, Sun 5pm to 10pm, Sat 4pm to 10pm
Tel: 9817 5652
Swee Guan is not a halal-certified eatery.
Open 24 hours, Mongkok Dim Sum was my go-to supper joint when I was living in the East. On the menu are an array of dishes, priced at an average of $5. An interesting dish to order is their 3 Yolk Crab Porridge ($9.50), which can easily satisfy the bellies of three to four people. Their Custard Bun ($4.50) is done right too, and a pool of smooth, runny custard spilled out as we broke open the pillowy bao.
Check out our full review of Mongkok Dim Sum.
Address: 214 Geylang Road, Singapore 389274
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours
Tel: 8484 8829
Mongkok Dim Sum is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @annemarietrz
A taxi driver was the one who introduced me to Koung’s Wanton Mee. And you know you can trust a cabbie’s food recommendation. Around since 1964, the humble stall roasts their char siew in a charcoal oven, which boasts a good ratio of fats to tender meat. The egg noodles were firm too, and glistened with their house-made chilli sauce that packed a fiery punch! Prices start at $5.
Address: 205 Sims Avenue, Singapore 387506
Opening hours: Mon 8:45 am to 8pm, Tue-Sun 8am to 8pm
Tel: 6748 0305
Website
Koung’s Wantan Mee is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @mariabelovedchildofgod
$8 at Hong Qin Fish & Duck Porridge will get you a liberal amount of flavourful pig trotters served alongside rice. The meat could have been more tender, but the sauce was not cloying or salty. Their fish soup ($5) fared much better, with the clear savoury broth and generous slices of fresh fish. Although Piao Ji Fish Soup still ranks first in our hearts, this is an alternative that doesn’t involve a 30-minute wait!
Address: 134 Geylang East Avenue 1, #01-217, Singapore 380134
Opening hours: Thurs-Tue 5:30am to 3:30pm
Tel: 9061 4988
Hong Qin Fish & Duck Porridge is not a halal-certified eatery.
Foodies seeking one of the best ban mian in Singapore must head down to L32 Handmade Noodles. You can immediately taste the difference once you take a bite of their firm yet bouncy noodles—it is worlds apart from the factory-made noodles most stalls use. The broth is also not at all oily, and the ingredients they use are of superb quality. This bowl of ultimate comfort food is definitely worth battling the heat for! Prices go from $4.80 and they even have a dry mala version.
Check out our L32 Handmade Noodles review.
Address: 558 Geylang Road Lorong 32, Singapore 389509
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:30am to 9:30pm
Tel: 9770 2829
Website
L32 Handmade Noodles is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @burgernbacon
Having been around in Geylang since 1985, Bali Nasi Lemak is a casual dinner and supper eatery that serves “Chinese-style” nasi lemak. Pick and choose what liao you’d like to go with your coconut rice, whether it be the classic crispy fried chicken, otah, sambal petai or their special kicap manis fried chicken, which comes glazed in the sweet and sticky brown sauce. Expect to spend around $7 a person.
Address: 2 Lorong 15 Geylang, Singapore 388596
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 5:30pm to 2am
Tel: 8864 3816
Website
Bali Nasi Lemak is not a halal-certified eater.
Good banh mi is not the easiest to come by, but at Banh Mi Thit, you can rest assured that you’re getting as close to the banh mi you get in Vietnam as possible. Even the price point is wallet-friendly. Unlike the usual sub-$10 tag, all sandwiches at Banh Mi Thit are $5, filled with your choice of chicken, beef or egg, fresh vegetables and a special secret sauce. The humble eatery also has Vietnamese coffee ($1.50).
Check out our full review of Banh Mi Thit.
Address: 543 Geylang Road, Singapore 389498
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10am to 10pm
Website
Banh Mi Thit is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @that_dex
Whether you buy into the fact that Sia Kee Duck Rice makes Singapore’s best boneless braised duck rice or not, it can’t be denied that this Geylang hawker is a staple in the neighbourhood. The duck is tender and marinated well, drenched in gravy, and served along with a herbal soup made from scratch daily. Opt to have it with either yam rice or porridge. If you are dining with companions, get the Mixed Duck Platter ($18), which comes with duck meat, egg, fishcake, peanuts and beansprouts.
Address: 659-661 Lorong 35 Geylang, Singapore 389589
Opening hours: Sun-Fri 11am to 4:30pm
Tel: 9690 6606
Website
Sia Kee is not a halal-certified eatery.
If you’re looking for affordable Japanese food in Geylang, few places do it better than Donburi Maruya. Their Teishoku Pork Katsu goes for just $7.50 a la carte and $10 with rice and miso soup, while their Deluxe Unagi Toji Don ($14.50) boasts a sizable unagi that is usually plump and juicy.
Check out our full review of Donburi Maruya.
Address: 56 Lorong 25A Geylang, Food Loft, Singapore 388248
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Website
Donburi Maruya is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @crkkkaayeah
Eminent Frog Porridge is a fitting name indeed, as it is the only frog porridge stall to have formerly received the Michelin Bib Gourmand award. You can get your frogs cooked in different sauces, such as Dried Chilli, Spring Onion, and Chinese Herbal Soup, with one frog costing you $8. Of course, you’ll have to savour them with some piping hot porridge (from $2).
Address: 323 Geylang Road, Singapore 389359
Opening hours: Sun-Mon, Wed-Thurs 4pm to 3:30am, Fri-Sat 4pm to 4am
Tel: 9842 2941
Website
Eminent Frog Porridge is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @rick_leow
Another well-known BBQ spot in Geylang, Liu Da Ma BBQ offers a plethora of great-tasting skewers at affordable prices. While the usual pork and beef skewers are great, be sure to try the Lamb Skewers ($6 for 5) as well, which are said to be plenty succulent and not overly gamey. And don’t forget a bottle of Chinese beer!
Address: 26 Lorong 11 Geylang, Singapore 388718
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 12am
Tel: 6600 8646
Liu Da Ma BBQ is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @bongsteroo
Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow has earned plenty of loyal fans over the years, and it’s easy to see why. Their Beef Hor Fun ($8) comes with plenty of noodles and ingredients, so you’ll be stuffing yourself full of goopy, savoury hor fun, and succulent beef slices. Best of all, the noodles are said to have a brilliant wok hei aroma, so check this out if you’re into hor fun done the right way.
Address: 237 Geylang Road, Singapore 389296
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 12:30am
Tel: 9388 0723
Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @messyfeedeats
If you’re tired of the usual zi char fare in Singapore, then you should try some JB-style zi char instead. JB Ah Meng Restaurant offers authentic Malaysian fare, with dishes such as San Lou Meehoon (from $8) and Bittergourd Fish Head (from $20) tasting straight out of a zi char stall from Johor Bahru.
Address: 534 Geylang Road, Singapore 389490
Opening hours: Daily 5pm to 2:15am
Tel: 6741 2418
JB Ah Meng Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.
Another bak kut teh entrant in the Geylang food scene is Peng Wang Claypot Cuisine, a stall that specialises in Malaysian-style takes on the dish. The stall serves up herbal BKT in the form of their Soup Claypot Bak Kut Teh (from $9), with tender pork belly and ribs. There’s also the moreish Dry Bak Kut Teh ($9), stir-fried in a sweet, umami sauce that’s perfect alongside a bowl of rice. Plus, the eatery is open till 11pm daily—great for a late dinner or supper.
Read our Peng Wang Claypot Cuisine review.
Address: 223 Geylang Road, Singapore 389283
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 11pm
Website
Peng Wang Claypot Cuisine is not a halal-certified eatery.
Buffets are a longtime local favourite, but it’s rare to find one that’s both affordable and comprehensive. That1 shakes things up with their sprawling dual-concept buffet, priced at just $29.90+ a person. Diners choose between the seafood bucket and BBQ seafood buffet option, and then get to enjoy other food items off the menu, as well as free-flow drinks. We definitely recommend choosing the seafood bucket option, as it’s super value for money. Pick from four sauces, including their signature Mala Curry, and tuck into a generous amount of well-seasoned crayfish, prawn, crab, and various shellfish.
Read our That1 review.
Address: 99 Geylang Road, Singapore 389208
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 1am
Tel: 9091 3288
Website
That1 is not a halal-certified eatery.
If you’re not fussy about quality, and just want easy access to comfort food, try Yong He Eating House out. Open 24/7, the eatery shares its concept with the diner of the same name in Taipei—you get Taiwanese street food staples, including mee sua, Taiwanese pancake, and salted beancurd. Most of their dishes are under $5 too, so you’re not busting the bank. We’ll definitely caution you against having high hopes for solid Taiwanese food here, but if it’s 3am and you want a hot bowl of tau huay, you’ll hardly do better than Yong He.
Read our Yong He review.
Address: 458 Geylang Road, Lorong 24A Geylang, Singapore 389417
Opening hours: Tue 7am-12am, Wed-Sun 24/7
Website
Yong He Eating House is not a halal-certified eatery.
If you love cheap rosti the way we do, add Spuds Shack to your list. The Western hawker stall is all about rosti, offering both fusion and classic takes on the shredded potato pancake. Prices start from $5.50 for their OG rosti, but you definitely want to dig into some of their more unique flavours. The Torched Mentaiko Rosti ($7.80) is our favourite, where a crisp pancake is topped with mentaiko mayonnaise, torched so it’s extra smoky, and served with a fried egg. If you’re down for a full meal, get their Nacho Chicken Cutlet ($7.80), where a generous portion of fried chicken cutlet is served with fries and a drizzle of cheesy sauce.
Read our Spuds Shack review.
Address: 440 Geylang Road, FellasCube, Singapore 389400
Opening hours: Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat 12pm to 10pm, Thurs 12pm to 5pm, Sun 11am to 6pm,
Spuds Shack is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @miyuki.taji
Geylang is a hotspot for durian stalls, including Durian Culture, one of the more affordable options we’ve seen. Pay homage to the King of Fruits at this roadside stall, which offers an extensive selection of durian varietals, from Mao Shan Wang to D101. Else, you can opt to buy their pre-packaged, shelled durian portions home, so you don’t have to fuss with hacking at the thorny fruit on your own. Prices are seasonal.
Address: 77 Sims Avenue, Singapore 387419
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 11pm
Tel: 6744 5232
Website
Durian Culture is not a halal-certified eatery
With all the good Geylang food options available, it’s no wonder people from all over Singapore would take the train down for a feast.
This article was originally published on 25 May 2018.
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