Pek Kio Food Centre, which stands under the same roof as a wet market, never fails to comfort me on a rainy day. Food at this humble complex is sold at wallet-friendly prices, by the friendliest stall owners who are usually more than happy to kick off a conversation.
Here are the best Pek Kio Food Centre stalls that will make your trip here worth it.
Table of Contents
Prawn Mee ($2.50/$3/$3.50) from Lai Hiang Pork Rib Prawn Mee is known for its fragrant broth. It is light and easy on the throat, making it a recommended comfort food. The soup version of the noodles has each strand – cooked al dente – coated with prawn-infused goodness.
Coupled with fresh prawns, crunchy bean sprouts, and a few slices of fishcakes, the bowl of steaming noodles is filled with different textures and flavours. The dry version, on the other hand, is served with springy noodles, chilli and freshly prepared shallots that bring out the flavours of the tender pork slices and savory prawn broth impeccably.
Read our Lai Hiang Pork Rib Prawn Mee review.
Unit number: #01-41
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 8pm, Sat 11am to 3pm
Website
Lai Hiang Pork Rib Prawn Mee is not a halal-certified eatery.
While everyone is experimenting on the flavours of nasi lemak in different forms, I prefer mine to be the traditional coconut rice and a spread of fried goodness – and maybe a side of greens. With well-cooked lemak rice, sambal that packs a punch, and sides that shine golden brown, Sin Kee Nasi Lemak is usually where I get my fix for my nasi lemak cravings. Prices for nasi lemak start at $2.50. This stall also offers other economical options – Fried Bee Hoon Mee and Peanut porridge from $1 each – to please different tastes and preferences.
Unit number: #01-34
Opening hours: Daily 5am to 2pm
Sin Kee is not a halal-certified eatery.
Painstakingly handmade from scratch daily, the ingredients from Cambridge Road Yong Tau Fu are the star of the show. The items, priced at $0.50 per piece with a minimum order of five pieces, are served in a clear and tasty broth that is light on the palate. This is then offset by house-made chilli sauce that has just the right amount of heat to start your day. If you love your carbs, take your pick from the range offered and have them in your soup, but the dry version is always my go-to.
Unit number: #01-47
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 7am to 2pm
Cambridge Road Yong Tau Fu is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @mapazzion
What sets the Wanton Mee ($4/$5) from Soon Kee Wanton Mee apart from the rest is not just their springy noodles, but their char siew as well. While some competitors around the island rely on supplied char siew, Soon Kee Wanton Mee roasts their own, making them stand out from the rest! Their chilli adds depth to the dry version of the dish, giving it more bite.
Unit: #01-44
Opening hours: Thur-Sun 5am to 1:30pm
Website
Soon Kee is not a halal-certified eatery.
Pin Wei had a 50-year history of selling chwee kueh , and 2011 saw a huge transformation for this humble stall as they traded in their chwee kueh for Hong Kong-style chee cheong fun with four different fillings – Plain ($3), Char Siew ($4), Prawns ($5), and Scallop ($6). Freshly handmade upon order, the chee cheong fun here is soft, silky, and showered with fragrant sesame oil and light soy sauce.
Read our Pin Wei Chee Cheong Fun review.
Unit number: #01-25
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 6:30am to 2pm
Tel: 8180 2014
Pin Wei is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @mapazzion
The queue at Sheng Seng Fried Hokkien Mee has yet to deter me from enjoying this simple yet impressive wok hei-filled dish. The classic mix of yellow noodles and bee hoon leans towards the wet and soggy version of Hokkien mee. Paired together with a few slices of fish cake, fresh prawns, and sotong, this Hokkien Mee (from $4) rarely fails to impress. The balance in ingredients amplifies the slight sweetness of the stock. Adding sambal chilli and lime adds a refreshing kick to each mouthful!
Unit number: #01-40
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10am to 3pm
Image credit: Lim Lawrence
“Snoozers, losers.” This is especially true when it comes to Heng Leong Carrot Cake which sells good, old-school carrot cake, black or white, or black and white, starting from $2.50. The food at this stall is usually sold out by lunch hour, so make sure you head down earlier or as soon as possible to secure your plate of goodness. The quality is rarely compromised as the stall owner insists on frying to order, to ensure that each plate is up to par – with the same generous amount of egg and cake, both fluffy, soft and fragrant.
Read our Heng Leong feature.
Unit number: #01-13
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 7:30am to 2pm
Heng Leong Carrot Cake is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @tommie_chen
Boasting generous amounts of tender braised duck, juicy braised pork belly and more, Double Spring Teochew Lor Duck Kway Chap serves a mean set of Duck Kway Chap from $6. The ingredients are infused in an aromatic gravy that is not too herby. Paired with silky kway teow, the meats prepared by this stall – pork innards, braised pork meat, and more – are delicate with just the right amount of chewiness.
Unit number: #01-38
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 8am to 3pm
Double Spring is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @mr_bazaar
Have a drink to wash the sinful delights down! Min Hiang has been my favourite place to get a classic cup of Grass Jelly which starts at $0.70. The affordable prices and quality drinks despite rising cost prices make Min Hiang a popular choice. Their Soya Bean, also starting at $0.70, remains gao (rich) after all these years, which is what attracts a steady stream of loyal crowd. While you are there, try Michael Jackson (from $0.70), a mix of grass jelly and soya bean milk!
Unit number: #01-21
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 8am to 6pm
Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles has been around since the 1950s, and has always drawn long queues for their prawn noodles. This Michelin Plate eatery is most renowned for their $25 Big Prawn Noodles, which stars wild-caught, huge prawns, in an umami broth. If you don’t feel like splurging, their smallest portion, with regular small prawns, starts at $5.
Read our Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles review.
Unit number: #01-15
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 9am to 2pm
Wah Kee Big Prawn is not a halal-certified eatery.
Min jiang kueh stalls are dime a dozen in Singapore, but few sell their wares as affordably as Yean Heng Pancake. This Pek Kio Food Centre stall sells freshly made min jiang kueh for just $0.80, available in four flavours: Peanut, Coconut, Red Bean, and Lotus Paste. If you prefer the pancakes with a bit of bite, they also have a Crispy option for the same price.
Read our Yean Heng Pancake feature.
Unit number: #01-32
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 8am to 4pm
Yean Heng is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @cliffordng_aapl
Tong Siew Fried Rice keeps it simple with a three-item zi char menu, with dishes priced at $3 and $4. The elderly hawker here whips up wok-hei rich Hor Fun and Fried Rice that’s great for days when you’re craving something hearty, as well as a delicious and crispy Prawn Omelette ($4). Prices here have been kept low despite recent pricing hikes—props to the hawker for catering to budgets!
Unit number: #01-23
Opening hours: Thurs-Tue 1:30pm to 10:30pm
Tong Siew is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @indianvikingsfood
Indian Vikings is a relatively new entrant to Pek Kio Food Centre, but they’ve been slaying the game with delicious briyani sets, fresh chapati, and fresh prata offerings. Come for breakfast and bag some of their crispy, fluffy pratas, or swing by at lunch and order their Mutton Briyani ($6), where aromatic basmati rice meets fork-tender sheep’s meat. They’re open from 6am, perfect for early birds.
Unit number: #01-22
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 6am to 6:30pm
Tel: 9627 9091
Website
Indian Vikings is not a halal-certified eatery, but uses no pork nor lard.
Image credit: @george.kooi
Another under-the-radar Pek Kio gem is Xin Heng Kee Chicken & Duck Rice, which serves up steamed or roasted chicken rice, as well as duck rice, from just $3.50. Fans praise how the prices here are kept affordable, and how friendly the stallowners are. The meats are also tender and flavourful, especially their roast chicken and duck. Both make for great pairings with the light, not-too-oily chicken rice.
Unit number: #01-14
Opening hours: Thurs-Tue 7am to 2pm
Xin Heng Kee Chicken & Duck Rice is not a halal-certified eatery.
For hearty nasi lemak, mee siam, and mee rebus, swing by Johan Muslim Food. Prices here start from a low, low $2.50, but they don’t skimp on quality at all. The broths and gravies for their noodle dishes are full-flavoured, while the nasi lemak stars aromatic coconut rice, as well as a jammy, sweet sambal belacan. They’re only open till 12pm, which makes them a great breakfast spot.
Unit number: #01-09
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 7am to 12pm
Johan Muslim Food is a halal-certified eatery
Pek Kio Food Centre is a stone’s throw away from Farrer Park or Little India, yet many are clueless to the existence of this hawker centre. Bear in mind that many stalls at Pek Kio Food Centre finish selling their food pretty early, thus may close earlier than the stated timings.
To discover more hawker food, check out Old Airport Road Food Centre and Newton Food Centre as well.
Address: 41 Cambridge Road, Singapore 210041
Nearest MRT Stations: Little India, Novena, and Farrer Park
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