We understand that everyone may feel a little concerned over the cost of living in Singapore. Fret not, the government has rolled out the Assurance Package to provide support to Singaporeans, with more support given to lower- and middle-income households. These include cash payments, CDC Vouchers, rebates for utility bills and more, and are meant to help offset the additional costs we’ll incur with inflation and the GST rise.
Take, for example, the CDC Vouchers. In 2023, the government disbursed $300 worth of CDC Vouchers to all Singaporean households to help with daily essentials, from shopping at supermarkets to dining out at hawker centres. This January, the government is increasing that amount to $500 per household, to better manage the cost of living. Of that $500, $250 can be used at participating heartland merchants and hawkers, while the remaining $250 can be used at participating supermarkets.
Beyond helping you save money, these CDC Vouchers also enable you to support all your favourite local hawkers and stalls! If you’re looking for some hawker centres or food stalls to spend your vouchers at, check out our guide below.
P.S.: If you have elderly grandparents, keep them informed on their CDC Vouchers, and take them out to these hawkers for a meal to show them how to spend their vouchers, if they’re not yet aware. If you’re not sure how much your household has been provided with the Assurance Package, click here to find out.
Chinatown Complex is one of our favourite hawker centres in Singapore, and for good reason. The multi-storey food centre is home to a plethora of hawkers serving up a range of cuisines that best flaunts the diversity of food culture we have in Singapore. If you’re here for snacks, Chef Leung’s Authentic Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls (#02-096) sells silken, hand-milled cheung fun rolls from $4, as well as hearty bowls of congee.
If you’re looking for legit briyani, try Knight’s Kitchen (#02-226), which sells the perfumed rice dish with different proteins, from traditional mutton and chicken to prawns. Another must-try is Nasi Padang Mami Fita (#02-22). It flies under the radar, but for no good reason—the beef rendang here is a standout amongst regulars thanks to its tenderness and the full-flavoured rempah.
Address: 335 Smith Street, Singapore 050335
Image credit: @drunkkpiano
Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre is a historic food centre in the Buona Vista neighbourhood. Home to a fresh market and a food centre, as well as other smaller businesses, Ghim Moh Market is truly a one-stop shop for using your CDC Vouchers. There are a variety of fruit stalls in the area that accept the vouchers, including Ah Seng Durian (#01-119 to #01-112), one of Singapore’s most prominent durian suppliers. If you’re planning a family gathering, grab some fresh durians here for dessert!
The food centre is also home to the famous Hock Soon Carrot Cake (#01-29), which sells both white and black carrot cake for a super wallet-friendly $2.50. Another hidden gem in the food centre is Mohd Faisal Seeni Eating House (#01-37), a 40-odd-year-old Indian-Muslim prata stall that serves up delicious crispy prata.
Address: 20 Ghim Moh Road, Singapore 270020
ABC Brickworks Food Centre makes a strong case for West side, best side. The Bukit Merah food centre is home to a fair few renowned hawker stalls, including the likes of Dong Ji La Mian (#01-19), a popular handmade dumpling and la mian stall that has garnered a reputation for their juicy xiao long bao.
For sweets, check out Mohd Zaid Kueh Mueh (#01-11), which serves up handmade kueh from just $0.60 a piece—great for breakfast or a snack! If you’re looking for comfort food, then swing by Skeikh Indian Pakistani Food (#01-12) for fragrant briyani and fluffy naan.
Address: 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 150006
Geylang Bahru Market is situated in the Bendemeer and broader Kallang neighbourhood. This heartland food centre may not get the same buzz as Singapore’s more popular food centres, but rest assured that the hawkers here are top tier too—trust us, our office is nearby and we dine here all the time! In fact, Geylang Bahru is home to Wan Gui Beverages (#01-12), a stall that we think makes some of the best coffee in Singapore, so swing by and use your CDC Vouchers to lim kopi with your loved ones.
Canton Delicacies (#01-27) is another stall we really enjoy. Run by an ex-Marriott Hotel chef, the stall specialises in affordable and homely Cantonese zi char dishes, including curry fish head, steamed fish, and salted egg pork patties. Another under-the-radar gem is Ole Sambala Spice (#01-31), which serves up hearty rendang dishes, spiced fried chicken, and barbecue seafood! You must get their house-made otah, prepared with mackerel.
Address: 69 Geylang Bahru, Singapore 330069
Bedok has a few hawker centres that are popular with residents in the area, with 216 Bedok Food Centre & Market being one that’s lesser-known, unless you live in the ‘hood. Show the food centre and its hawkers some love by spending your CDC Vouchers here—TBH it’s quite the treasure trove. Grab a cuppa of artisanal coffee from local roastery Generation Coffee Roasters (#01-32). A hot latte here, for instance, is only $3.60, compared to $6 or more in the heart of town.
For lunch, visit Prawn & Mee (#01-54), a prawn noodle joint by young hawkers serving up delicious hae mee.
Also, good things must share: The Summer Acai—which we recommend for affordable acai bowls—has an outlet at Blk 217, just a minute away. While they’re not technically in the food centre, they accept CDC Vouchers too, and make for a great place to get a healthy sweet treat on a sweltering day!
Address: Block 216 Bedok North Street 1, Singapore 460216
Nasi lemak isn’t all Chong Pang Market has to offer. This Yishun institution is beloved by Northies for good reason, with plenty of food stalls serving up familiar favourites, including the likes of Al Safaz Makan Stall (#01-172), popular for their murtabak. Another must-try is Super Penyet (#01-170). The stall is where it’s at for delicious ayam penyet. They’ve been in operation for 10 years now, and are famed for their ultra-crispy fried chicken and mouthwatering chilli.
Guan Heng Cooked Food (#01-146) is also worth checking out. They remain custodians of satay bee hoon—they’re one of the last few hawkers selling the dish. They tend to sell out early, so swing by before lunch if you really want to bag a plate.
Address: 105 Yishun Ring Road, Singapore 760105
Image credit: @eat.until.toh
505 Jurong West is a magnet for Westies. There are days where the food centre gets so crowded during meal times, you’ll have to wait a while for a seat. But all good things are worth the wait, and this food centre has a fair few to offer. Curry Papa (#01 20), for example, is a cai png stall that also makes their own moreish curry chicken in-house. If you’re someone who adds curry gravy to your economic rice order, this stall is worth checking out. There’s also the Michelin-approved Traditional Hakka Lui Cha ( #01-12), which serves up the nutritious Hakka staple with brown rice and a range of wholesome toppings.
Those hankering for a quick snack can pop by Ah Guan Pancake (#01-52), a min jiang kueh hawker serving up all the traditional flavours of the Chinese pancake, from coconut to red bean.
Address: 505 Jurong West Street 52, Singapore 640505
Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre reopened after a revamp just last year. Within, you’ll find over 70 different stalls, with something for every craving. Arabica Kebab (#01-38) is definitely worth checking out if you feel like having kebabs. The stall is quite the hidden gem and serves up restaurant-level Mediterranean fare at wallet-friendly prices. Jirawat Authentic Thai Cuisine (#01-71) is another stall Marsiling residents love. The dishes here are praised for tasting like what you’ll find in Thailand, with a menu starring classics such as green curry, tom yum, pad thai and the like.
Bhai’s Chapati & Briyani (#01-43) brings on the heat with a variety of briyani dishes alongside handmade chapati! The satay here is also highly recommended.
With your CDC Vouchers, you won’t have to reach for cash when dining at your local hawker centres. What’s more, the CDC Vouchers are available for use at other heartland merchants, from butchers and fruit sellers to traditional snack stalls, mama shops, coffee roasters and plenty more! If you’re not sure which establishments accept CDC Vouchers, you can check out the link below.
Note: the CDC directory can change. All vendors here accept CDC Vouchers at the time of writing.
This post is brought to you by the Ministry of Finance Singapore.
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