10 Dunman Food Centre stalls to try when in the area

The quaint Joo Chiat area has its fair share of charming establishments and you can be sure that Dunman Food Centre counts among them, too. Painted in faded green, this food centre may be smaller than most, but punches above its weight when it comes to delicious hawker offerings.  

From legendary rojak and comforting Taiwanese lu rou fan, to crazy spicy wanton mee and fluffy vadai, there’s something for everyone in the east at Dunman Food Centre. Don’t believe us? Delve right into our list of must-tries there!

1. Lau Hong Ser Rojak

Dunman Food Centre, 02-14, 271 Onan Road
Open: Monday (3pm to 1am), Tuesday (3pm to midnight), Thursday and Friday (3pm to 1am), Saturday (3pm to midnight)

Why visit? You’ll quickly figure out that this Dunman Food Centre rojak is one of the best in Singapore, if the hour-long queues at Lau Hong Ser Rojak aren’t already telling enough. 

The rojak uncle here has somewhat of a legendary status — like any true-blue artisan, he insists on doing everything from scratch. From toasting and grinding his own peanuts, to making his own chilli paste, everything here is executed to perfection.

Starting at an economical S$3 a plate, it’s no wonder this rojak stall is a hit.

Crowd favourites: Other than the standard set, opt for the mixed grill set B (S$5.60), which includes crispy you tiao and tau pok, with a generous serving of bean sprouts, cuttlefish, century egg, and ginger slices, doused in a rich and sticky prawn paste sauce.

2. Dunman Road Char Siew Wanton Mee

Dunman Food Centre, 02-19, 271 Onan Road
Open: Monday to Tuesday (9.30am to 4.30pm), Friday to Sunday (9.30am to 4.30pm)

Why visit? Located on the second floor of the food centre,  Dunman Road Char Siew Wanton Mee will change your mind about this often-underrated dish — it’s famous for its signature super spicy wanton mee.

Unlike other stalls, it offers thicker, handmade noodles with a springy, chewy bite and a QQ texture. Each plate comes with lean slices of char siew, plump and juicy wantons and crispy pork lard, but the real star is the chilli. We hear it’s so spicy that it sends even those with a high spice tolerance running for sugarcane juice — yes, it’s that intense but oh-so-addictive.  

Crowd favourites: The stall specialises in wanton noodles (from S$4), which you can get in different sizes.

3. Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau

Dunman Food Centre, 01-05, 271 Onan Road
Open: Wednesday to Sunday (7am to 4pm)

Why visit? You’d be hard-pressed to find tau kwa pau — or beancurd cubes — an old-school snack that’s now a rarity in Singapore. Thankfully, you can still find this nostalgic snack at Dunman Food Centre, right at Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau. The shop opened in 1959 and continues to use the same recipe and traditional method to this day. 

Traditionally served with duck rice, this dish was actually modelled after a golden purse and well-loved by Peranakan gamblers in the early days of Katong due to its lucky symbolism!

Make sure you have cash on hand as this store is traditional, even when it comes to its payment methods.

Crowd favourites: The tau kwa pau (S$2, no minimum order quantity) is soft and fresh, stuffed with ingredients such as fish cake, cucumber and egg. Upon order, it is slathered in a savoury braised duck gravy and a sweet and spicy chilli sauce dip, offering a myriad of flavours in every mouthful.

4. Gina’s Vadai

Dunman Food Centre, 01-06, 271 Onan Road
Open: Wednesday to Friday (9am to 3pm), Saturday and Sunday (9am to 3.30pm)

Why visit? With a history dating back to 1985, Gina’s Vadai has carved out a name for itself as one of Singapore’s most beloved vadai institutions. For those unfamiliar with the snack, vadai is a savoury fried fritter that is light and fluffy, with a thin and crispy crust.

Over the years, the brand has innovated to develop interesting twists on the traditional deep-fried snack, introducing unique flavours such as tofu, cheese, crabstick, and ikan bilis.

Food items here are kept affordable, with the cheapest item costing only S$1.20 a piece.

Crowd favourites: You can’t go wrong with the classic original prawn vadai (S$1.20), but if you’re gunning for something different, we’d recommend the ikan bilis vadai (S$1.50), mala vadai (S$2) and dhal vadai (S$1.20). You can also pair each vadai with various dips in flavours such as salted egg, chilli crab and rojak.

5. Fu Xing Mei Shi

Dunman Food Centre, 02-30, 271 Onan Road
Open: Monday and Tuesday (11am to 11.30pm), Thursday to Sunday (11am to 11.30pm)

Why visit? Most patrons flock to this zi char stall for its signature steamed fish, which tastes as comforting as any home-cooked version. 

You’ll be spoilt for choice with its various fish dishes, but the one to try is its special sauce steamed fish head (S$20). Regular patrons wax lyrical about the tender, flaky flesh that easily falls off the bone.

Crowd favourites: The special sauce steamed fish head is a popular choice. It’s steamed and then coated in a special sauce comprising an addictive concoction of chilli and fermented beans; it’s best enjoyed with a bowl of rice to soak up all of that good stuff.

6. Dunman Duck Rice

Dunman Food Centre, 01-10, 271 Onan Road
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (7am to 11.45pm)

Why visit? One of Dunman Food Centre’s most well-known stalls, Dunman Duck Rice has perfected the art of comfort dishes such as duck rice and kway chap (braised pig offal). Dig into the tender, braised duck that comes doused with a herbaceous braised sauce.

As for the kway chap, the soft intestines retain a satisfyingly chewy and springy texture, while the tau pok is brimming with flavour from soaking for hours in the braised sauce. 

Crowd favourites: If you’re there for the first time, head straight for its duck rice (from S$4). More in your dining part? Get its duck porridge (S$3.50) and kway chap (S$3.50).

7. Rong Ji Chicken Rice and Porridge

Dunman Food Centre, 02-13, 271 Onan Road
Open: Monday (6am to 3pm), Thursday to Sunday (6am to 3pm)

Why visit: Nothing beats the feeling of tucking into a piping hot bowl of chicken porridge on a chilly day. For these moments, we have just the spot at Dunman Food Centre. Founded in the 1970s, Rong Ji Chicken Rice and Porridge offers silky, soft porridge paired with slivers of tender chicken.

Another popular option is its chicken rice (S$3.50). With its fragrant, fluffy rice, accompanied by succulent poached chicken, this wallet-friendly dish is hard to beat when it comes to value-for-money options at Dunman Food Centre. 

Crowd favourites: Choose between fish porridge (S$4), chicken porridge (S$3) and pork porridge (S$3), all of which are topped with crunchy fried dough fritters, egg, aromatic sesame oil, and white pepper.

8. 28 Fried Kway Teow

Dunman Food Centre, 02-28, 271 Onan Road
Open: Monday to Friday (10.30am to 10pm)

Why visit? Known simply as “28” or “Stall 28”, this stall has a loyal following of regulars that swear by its wok hei-infused fried kway teow (from S$4). The store‘s motto is “food is where the heart is” so you can be sure every dish is made with the highest commitment to quality.

Starting at S$3 for a dish, this stall’s dishes are easy on the wallet.

Crowd favourites: You can’t go wrong with the classic fried kway teow, but if you want more options, you can also get oyster omelette (from S$6) cooked with plump oysters, along with fried carrot cake (from S$3) and fried Hokkien prawn noodle (from S$5) here.

9. Lin’s Braised

Dunman Food Centre, 02-29, 271 Onan Road
Open: Monday to Friday (10am to 8.30pm), Sunday (10am to 8.30pm)

Why visit? One of the newer stalls at Dunman Food Centre, Lin’s Braised is known for its signature Taiwanese braised pork rice bowl that comes in massive proportions and with a Hakka spin on it. We hear that the lady boss picked up her knowledge of cooking the dish while living in Taiwan for six years. 

The braised pork belly has been exquisitely stewed to tender perfection, while the pig intestines are flavourful and chewy. It also comes with beancurd, tau pok, hard-boiled egg, and salted vegetables, swimming in an aromatic, umami-packed soy-based broth.

Aside from the Taiwan-style braised dishes, you can also find fish soup (from S$6) here. Prices here start at S$5 for a main.

Crowd favourites: Its top sellers are the signature Hakka braised pork rice (S$6), which comes with bean curd, egg, tau pok and preserved vegetables, and the braised pig trotter rice bowl (S$9), which comes with egg, tau pok and salted vegetable. 

10. Jia Dong Shu Shi Popiah

Dunman Food Centre, 02-17, 271 Onan Road
Open: Monday to Sunday (1pm to 7pm, or till sold out)

Why visit? More than just a popiah stall, this spot had its beginnings as a pushcart outside the historic Palace Theatre cinema along East Coast Road before it moved to Dunman Food Centre in the late 1970s. 

Over time, it has made a name for itself for its freshly prepared popiah. Bite into a roll, filled with meticulously stewed vegetables and crispy pork lard, and you’ll see why this place has been well loved for generations.

The store doesn’t quite have fixed opening hours, but we reckon going after 1pm is safe, though not too late lest they sell out.

Crowd favourites: Dig into this underrated, tasty popiah at just S$1.80 per roll, with a dab of chilli.

Looking for more eats? Check out the Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2024, together with some of our must-eats from there and yong tau foo spots in Singapore you cannot miss. 

Fu Xing Mei Shi, 28 Fried Kway Teow and Lin’s Braised are on the GrabFood Delivery Service and offer free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited. 

Alternatively, book a ride to Dunman Food Centre.

Do explore the new GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.