This Hidden “Kampung” Canteen In Seletar Has Been Around Since 1969

Boh Geh Uncle Canteen has been around since 1969

The phrase “hidden gem” has been milked to death, but in the case of Boh Geh Uncle Canteen, it’s quite literally true. Located in Seletar, this canteen is hidden from plain sight, largely obscured by the overgrown greenery surrounding it. A small car park and a few signs are the only hints that there’s a historic eatery located here.

Boh Geh Uncle Canteen has been around since 1969, and can be considered a relic of our colonial past—it served as a Corporal’s Mess for the British army. It once belonged to the nearby Seletar Camp, too.

While we can’t show you the inside of the canteen due to photography restrictions, we can show you the area just outside: an open, kampung-esque dining space. It’s so rustic, you can’t help but feel transported to a simpler time.

There are three stalls in this canteen, offering cai fan, nasi padang, and drinks respectively.

Taste-wise, the cai fan here is fairly average, though not without its merits. While you can obviously pick and choose what ingredients you’d like, we went for Set B ($4), which got us braised pork belly, pea sprouts, and brinjal, all of which had that simple, home-cooked vibe.

The nasi padang stall allowed for more indulgence—we went a bit too far with our order, as it cost us a total of $7.70.

We enjoyed the crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside chicken wing, along with the fluffy begedil and sweet sambal. Unfortunately, the sotong fell short—it had an off-putting smell and was disappointingly rubbery.

While the food isn’t going to blow you away, Boh Geh Uncle Canteen is worth a visit for old-school charm. Make sure to experience it before spaces like this vanish for good.

For a look at the OG supplier behind SG’s traditional ice cream carts, read our Chip Guan Heng coverage. For SG’s oldest Western kopitiam, read our Colbar coverage.

Address: 398 Piccadilly, Singapore 798368
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6am to 1:30pm
Website
Uncle Boh Geh Canteen is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Marcus Neo.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.

Enze Kay

Enze is a Singapore-based food writer. He enjoys noodle dishes from around the world, but local classics such as bak chor mee, wonton mee, and hokkien mee hold a special place in his heart.