Since young, a trip down to Chinatown would mean shopping for Chinese New Year goodies and decorations. However, with more and more food gems appearing in Chinatown, heading there for Chinese New Year shopping is no longer my only purpose. Here are our 20 best Chinatown food gems that are worth a visit the next time you’re in the area.
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Steamov is one supper spot you can check out for its unique conveyor belt concept. Some of the soup bases offered include Tomato Pot, Herbal Duck Pot, and Sour Vegetable Fish Pot, and they set you back $5 each. Each skewer or clipped item is priced at $1, whereas bites on sticks with a flat end are priced at $3. Also, meat lovers would be elated to know that there are Beef Rolls ($10) and Pork Bellies ($8) available. To enjoy your hot pot session even more, pair your food with some of your own sauce concoctions at the sauce counter.
Check out our Steamov review!
Address: 325 New Bridge Road, Singapore 088760
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 6am
Tel: 9380 3883
Website
Steamov is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @prettyshyeen
Another popular hotpot restaurant in Chinatown is Ding Garden Buffet. Here you can enjoy unlimited servings of grilled fish and hotpot soup at just $32.90++ per person for weekday lunch and $36.90++ for dinner or during the weekends. If you’re not a big fish eater, go for their 2-In-1 Hotpot & BBQ Buffet instead, priced from $25.90++ per person. Do note that you’ll need to top up $6++ for a single soup and $10++ for two soup flavours, for this option.
Check out our Ding Garden Buffet review!
Address: 191B New Bridge Road, Singapore 059423
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 11:30pm
Tel: 6909 2758
Website
Ding Garden Buffet is not a halal-certified eatery.
Kok Sen Restaurant, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant that has been around for over 50 years, recently moved down the street to a grander-looking space. A stalwart in the scene, the Cantonese zi char spot is most known for its hearty, wok hei-ladened dishes, including the signature Big Prawns Noodle Soup ($19), Big Prawns Horfun ($19), and Beef Hor Fun ($8.50). They’re still conveniently located along Keong Saik Road, an easy seven-minute walk from Chinatown MRT Station.
Check out our Kok Sen Restaurant review!
Address: 2-4 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089112
Opening hours: Mon 9am to 5pm, Tue-Sun 12pm to 2:15pm, 5pm to 9pm
Tel: 6223 2005
Website
Kok Sen is not a halal-certified eatery.
Indulge in dim sum with Yum Cha’s Weekday Dim Sum Buffet ($32.80++), which is available from Tuesday to Friday, 3pm to 6pm. The buffet offers over 50 types of dim sum dishes, enough for you to skip a meal for. You can expect classics such as Traditional Ma Lai Gao, Xiao Long Bao, Baked Mini Egg Tarts and many more. A little more to the special side would be their Truffle Mushroom Bun and Chilled Mini Octopus with Sesame. Don’t forget to try their Home-made Almond Tea too!
Check out our Yum Cha review!
Address: 20 Trengganu Street, #02-01, Singapore 058479
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 10:30am to 9pm, Sat-Mon 9am to 9pm
Tel: 6372 1717
Website
A quick three-minute walk from Chinatown MRT Station will get you to Hao Lai Wu, where you’ll find the best of both worlds—steamboat and BBQ. Their Steamboat And BBQ Buffet costs $26.80++ if you’re dining between Monday to Thursday, and $26.80++ on weekends. Besides sliced meat, fresh seafood, and frozen food, you can expect cooked food at Hao Lai Wu! Dishes they serve include mantou and pork dumplings. If you’re in the mood to splurge, go for their Premium Steamboat option that’s priced from $42.90++.
Check out our Hao Lai Wu review.
Address: 37 Smith Street, Singapore 058950
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 2am
Tel: 6221 0065
Website
Hao Lai Wu is not a halal-certified eatery.
Hawker stall Tang Kay Kee‘s modern lunch concept at Hong Lim Food Centre serves up delicious rice bowls that are hearty yet affordable. An all-time favourite is their Har Cheong Gai Rice Bowl ($6.50), which stars house-marinated prawn paste chicken chunks lightly glazed with a tangy chilli sauce. There’s also a Spicy Braised Pork Belly Rice Bowl ($6.50) that features pork belly that’s marinated in a house-made rempah, finished with crispy enoki and a perfectly poached egg.
Read our Tang Kay Kee review!
Unit number: #01-70
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 2:30pm, Tue-Thurs 5pm to 9:30pm, Fri-Sun 5pm to 10pm
Tel: 8157 2641
Website
Tang Kay Kee Fish Head Bee Hoon is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @thewriteofwei
For something a little different, check out Long Phung Vietnamese Restaurant, a popular Joo Chiat eatery that recently opened its second branch in the heart of Chinatown. Regulars love their Bun Thit Nuong ($11) AKA grilled pork with rice noodles and fresh veggies, complete with a refreshing sauce. They’ve also got plenty more options for a complete feast, including deep-fried Spring Rolls ($12), pho, and Milk Coffee with Ice ($5), a must-have at any Vietnamese restaurant.
Read our Long Phung review.
Address: 239/241 New Bridge Road, Singapore 059439
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 10pm
Website
Long Phung Vietnamese Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.
Those who frequent Hong Lim Complex would be familiar with Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee, a Michelin-approved stall that’s been around for more than 50 years. Get the only item on the menu, the Curry Chicken Mee ($5.50/$6.50/$7.50), starring your choice of noodles with tender poached chicken slices, doused in a rich and creamy curry gravy. The zhup is spicy enough, but if you want more kick, mix in some of their house-made shrimp- and garlic chilli for extra oomph.
Read our Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee review!
Address: 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-58, Hong Lim Complex, Singapore 051531
Opening hours: Daily 7am to 9pm
Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @_whatsuppunk
If you are a huge egg tart lover, you would have definitely heard of the famous Tong Heng Egg Tarts, priced at $2.20 per piece. What sets their egg tarts apart from the others is the use of pork lard, which makes the crust extra flaky. The custard is delicate and wobbly, and it almost collapses out of the diamond-shaped flaky crust once you bite into the tart.
Read our Tong Heng review.
Address: 285 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058833
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 7pm
Tel: 6223 3649
Website
Tong Heng Traditional Chinese Pastries is not a halal-certified eatery.
Tucked away in Hong Lim Food Centre, Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee uses a three-generation-old family recipe that’s been constantly refined until today, resulting in a loyal customer base that keeps coming back for more.
Their Curry Chicken Noodle ($6) is good comfort food, with their tasty broth accompanied by large pieces of chicken breast making for a hearty combination. For those craving a larger portion, their $9 version has a bigger serving, together with the option to choose your favourite chicken parts too.
Read our Heng Kee Curry Chicken review!
Address: 531A Upper Cross Street, #01-58, Hong Lim Food Centre, Singapore 510531
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am to 3:30pm
Website
Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee is not a halal-certified eatery.
Few fishball noodle stalls make their fish balls from scratch, unlike Dong Fang Hong Sotong Ball Seafood Soup in Hong Lim Food Centre. Despite having only a single item on their menu, they’ve steadily become a perennial favourite in the area, patronised mostly by office workers.
The Large Sotong Ball Seafood Soup ($7.50) comes packed with ingredients like their handmade fish, meat, and sotong balls, with fish dumplings too, making for a scrumptious affair. Do note that the opening hours here are unpredictable, so you might want to check out their Facebook page for the latest updates.
Check out our Dong Fang Hong Sotong Ball Seafood Soup review!
Address: Blk 531A Upper Cross Street, #01-47, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 051531
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 11am to 2pm
Website
Dong Fang Hong Sotong Ball Seafood Soup is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @xiaogegemochi
Xiao Ge Ge is a hidden Chinatown gem that’s a three-minute walk from Havelock MRT Station. This dessert kiosk offers over 30 items, including their famous XXL Snowball Mochi in a myriad of flavours such as Purple Sweet Potato ($3.80). They also have box cakes that are oh so pretty; the Purple Rice Taro Puree ($11.80) pairs the iconic flavours of pulut hitam with creamy yam. Don’t miss the trendy White Rabbit Roll (from $9), too! This White Rabbit-inspired cake comes with sweet and milky cream and a pudding centre.
Read our Xiao Ge Ge review!
Address: 5 Banda Street, #01-90, Singapore 050005
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 8pm
Tel: 9852 0727
Website
Xiao Ge Ge is not a halal-certified eatery.
Located within Maxwell Food Centre, Ah Gong Minced Pork Noodles serves $2.50 bak chor mee, adding to the list of cheap food in Chinatown. Their bak chor mee contains no MSG, and includes handmade ingredients such as meatballs and fried shallots. They also have Signature Claypot Noodles ($4.50), which comes with fried pork skin, handmade dumplings, and loads of crispy puffs of lard as a topping.
Read our Ah Gong Minced Pork Noodles review.
Address: 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01-02, Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 8am to 2pm, 5pm to 7:30pm
Tel: 9234 4445
Website
Ah Gong Minced Pork Noodle is not a halal-certified eatery.
Head to Chef Leung’s Authentic Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls for restaurant-quality rippled chee cheong fun. Go for the Original ($3.20), which comes drizzled with soya sauce and topped with toasted white sesame seeds, crispy shallots, and shallot oil. To zhng up your chee cheong fun, get the Tuna with Onion Rice Noodle Roll ($5) or the Prawn Rice Noodle Roll ($5).
For a more filling meal, also order the Pork & Century Egg Congee ($5) or Seafood Congee ($6).
Check out our Chef Leung’s Authentic Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls review!
Address: 335 Smith Street, #02-096, Chinatown Complex, Singapore 050335
Opening hours: Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 7am to 2pm (or sold out)
Website
Chef Leung’s Authentic Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @WKB
For a quick bite, visit Xiang Xiang Cooked Food, which sells affordable old-school snacks that are made fresh daily. Their popular Sweet Potato Balls ($1 for eight) sell out pretty quickly, so you need to visit early if you wish to get a taste of it. Each ball features a crispy golden exterior and a mochi-like interior with a hint of sweetness from the sweet potatoes. Another classic snack is the Ondeh Ondeh ($1 for three), which has the iconic gooey gula melaka interior.
Read our Xiang Xiang Cooked Food review.
Address: 335 Smith Street, #02-68, Singapore 050335
Opening hours: Wed-Fri 6:30am to 11am, Sat 6:30am to 9:30am
Xiang Xiang Cooked Food is not a halal-certified eatery.
If you’re craving Western cuisine, head on down to Eddy’s, where Chef Eddy offers Western-Asian fusion food in a hawker setting. The Duck Confit ($13) is a dish that is not commonly seen at a hawker stall. The tender duck has a mild, salty-spicy flavour, and is paired with your choice of either aglio olio or mashed potato. Alternatively, get the Mala Shrimp Spaghetti ($10), which features a blend of salty and spicy mala flavours, and a hint of Sichuan peppercorn for a numbing sensation.
Check out our Eddy’s review!
Address: 538 Upper Cross Street, #02-13, Hong Lim Food Centre, Singapore 050538
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:30am to 3pm
Website
Eddy’s is not a halal-certified eatery.
Whampoa Soya Bean serves good ol’ tau huay to keep you cool in Singapore’s hot weather. They have affordable tau huay and grass jelly desserts with toppings, all priced under $3. The Yam Paste Beancurd ($2.20) comes with a generous amount of housemade tau huay and orh nee. If you’re a fan of grass jelly, try their Taro Ball Grass Jelly ($2.70), or opt for the Beancurd Grass Jelly ($1.70).
Read our Whampoa Soya Bean review.
Address: 335 Smith Street, #02-14, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 7am to 4pm
Whampoa Soya Bean is not a halal-certified eatery.
After exploring all the hidden hawker gems in the area, head over to Yole Cafe for some sweet treats to round up your foodie experience. Located a mere three-minute walk from Chinatown MRT Station, this also happens to be the world’s first Yole Cafe! Treat yourself to signature desserts such as Pistachio Brioche ($18.80+), made of sweet brioche with nutty pistachio butter, topped with pistachio ice cream and mixed fruits. They also have classic frozen yoghurts, ice creams, and curated beverages that are exclusive to the outlet.
Read our Yole Cafe review.
Address: 30 Pagoda Street, Singapore 059189
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Website
Yole Cafe is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @jfoodumpsq
If you love a good cha chaan teng experience, check out Friends Kitchen HK, a new retro HK-inspired eatery opened by the same team behind Friends Cafe HK. They’ve got a whole slew of Hong Kong snacks and dishes, including the Peanut Butter French Toast ($6), which pairs a thick slab of French toast with fragrant peanut butter. Another signature is the Beef Balls Brisket Horfun ($13.60): smooth and slippery rice noodles soaked in a flavourful beef broth, topped with bouncy beef balls and tender brisket.
Read our Friends Kitchen HK review.
Address: 78 Neil Road, Singapore 088841
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 11pm
Website
Friends Kitchen HK is not a halal-certified eatery.
Another authentic pho spot near the MRT is May Pho Culture, run by a Vietnamese native who’s from Ho Chi Minh city. Their Tenderloin Pho ($17.90) is a must-try; this hearty noodle dish comes with a savoury, well-balanced broth and perfectly cooked beef strips. If you’re still peckish, snack on the Spring Rolls ($6.90): hand-rolled spring rolls stuffed with a meaty filling, and deep-fried to crispy perfection. There’s also the popular Iced Vietnamese Coffee ($3.80), perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Read our May Pho culture review.
Address: 150 South Bridge Road, #01-16, Fook Hai Building, Singapore 058727
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 11:30am to 9pm
Tel: 9646 2589
Website
May Pho Culture is not a halal-certified eatery.
Besides Clarke Quay, Chinatown is another stop along the NEL that offers awesome food. For more food places within Chinatown, check out our list of Chinatown Complex food stalls instead!
If you’re looking for more eats in the nearby CBD, check out our Telok Ayer food guide and our Amoy Street Food Centre guide.
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