14 must-try stalls at East Coast Lagoon Food Village for the best local favourites

Opened in the late ’70s, the breezy East Coast Lagoon Food Village, located along East Coast Parkway, is Singapore’s only seaside hawker centre.
Although there are many hawker centres scattered all over our island, the vibe for this particular one is decidedly different — there are families dining after a day at the beach, groups of friends replenishing their energy after engaging in water sports, or cyclists popping in for some much-needed hydration and a snack before continuing on their journey.

Even the decor has a resort feel, with Balinese-style architecture and seating in courtyards. The East Coast Lagoon Food Centre is often buzzing, thanks to its mix of seafood offerings, local favourites and food gems such as satay stalls.

It’s easy to fill up on a good meal here, then wash it down with fresh coconut or sugarcane juice. You can then digest your meal with a walk around the lagoon or simply watch the waves crashing in the nearby sea.

Here are 14 stalls to try at the East Coast Lagoon Food Village.

1. Geylang 29 Charcoal Fried Hokkien Mee

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 32, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (4pm to 9pm)

Why visit? The famed Geylang 29 Charcoal Fried Hokkien Mee stall was first opened by hawker Alex See more than two decades ago. The East Coast Road stall is known for its cooking its signature noodles over a red-hot charcoal stove, serving a delectable plate of Hokkien noodles that has the perfect wok hei. 

In 2016, See handed his business to his youngest daughter, Penny, who runs it with her husband. Penny’s sister, Lilian, in turn opened a same-named hawker stall at East Coast Lagoon Food Village, the outlet we’re referring to here. Using the same recipe and cooking techniques passed down by her father, you can be sure that the noodles produced here are infused with umami seafood flavour and as flavourful as the original outlet.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Needless to say, its popular Hokkien mee (from S$6), which is served with juicy prawns, chunky squid rings and lard, is a must-order. Don’t forget to squeeze the lime for extra zest. The stall also sells pork belly satay (S$1.50 each, minimum six sticks).

2. Hwa Kee Barbeque Pork Noodle 

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 45, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Thursday to Sunday and Monday and Tuesday (5pm to 12am), Sunday (12pm to 12am)

Why visit? A favourite among regulars of the hawker centre, Hwa Kee Barbeque Pork Noodle is highly sought after for its barbecued char siew (pork) that is tender and charred at the right places. 

The meat rests on bouncy and flavourful noodles, then the dish is drizzled with its housemade sauce. What’s in the special sauce? We’re not sure, but it has the right mix of sweet and savoury. Some have commented that when eaten together, each mouthful is a perfect symphony of flavours. This is a good spot for supper, as it’s open till midnight.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: You can’t go wrong with its signature wonton noodles (from S$5). You can also opt for the wonton hor fun (from S$5). Still hungry? Get some fried wontons (from S$3) to accompany your meal.

3. Han Jia Bak Kut Teh and Pork Leg

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 42, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 8.30pm)

Why visit? First opened in 1963, Han Jia Bak Kut Teh has garnered a loyal following, with some regulars frequenting the spot for more than two decades. It serves a comforting bowl of bak kut teh (meat bone tea) with rice, which you can accompany with sides such as beancurd and braised egg. There are also other types of soups, such as pig’s stomach or kidney soup, if you prefer.

The stall might serve old-school flavours but it has very successfully adapted to the 21st century, having introduced an app of its own. Download it to get information on ongoing promotions and earn loyalty points, too. 

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Its bak kut teh (S$6.50) is extremely popular, of course. If you love pork leg, the one here is cooked in a special sauce made with a blend of herbs and spices so you’ll get a rich flavour. Go for the lean option if you prefer a healthier choice but we won’t judge if you choose the fat version — both are priced at S$6.90, with extremely tender meat. Set meals, where you can enjoy a combination of favourites with rice, are available, too.

4. Soon Huat Teochew Satay Beehoon

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 17, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Daily (4pm to 10pm)

Why visit? Soon Huat Teochew Satay Beehoon has been around since 1960, and its thick, flavourful bowl of beehoon has earned it a fan base. It has another outlet at ABC Brickworks food centre in Jalan Bukit Merah, if you’re located more centrally. 

If you’ve never had satay beehoon before, it’s exactly what its name suggests — gloopy peanut sauce (the same one that usually accompanies satay) is doused over rice vermicelli and a variety of other ingredients such as vegetables, cuttlefish, pork, pork liver and cockles. With the beehoon soaking up the mildly spicy, sweet and nutty peanut sauce, and ingredients that are tender and fresh, each mouthful is a delight.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Apart from satay beehoon (from S$6), other dishes available here include satay pork rib noodle and cuttlefish kang kong beehoon. You can add extra ingredients to your dish, such as prawns, lala, pork ribs and cuttlefish. The stall also sells satay beehoon paste in packets, so you can take some home and attempt to recreate the dish on your own.

5. Song Kee Fried Oyster

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 15, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Thursday to Tuesday (4.30pm to 9pm)

Why visit? There are some dishes at hawker centres that are ideal for sharing and oyster omelette – or orh luak – is one of them. Song Kee Fried Oyster has one of the longest queues at this East Coast Park food court, and one mouthful of its oyster omelette will tell you why.

Not only does the dish have fresh, juicy oysters, it is perfectly fried to present a texture that balances both fluff and crisp. Do be prepared to wait up to 30 minutes for your plate during peak hours.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The fried oyster omelette (from S$5) is a little egg, not too starchy, and comes with a touch of crust at its edges. Enjoy it with the delicious lime-infused chilli on the side. You can also request for it to be fried more if you prefer it more crispy. The stall also sells oyster egg, which comes without starch, from S$7.

6. Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken Wings & Spring Chicken

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 14, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Monday to Thursday (3pm to 10.45pm), Friday (3pm to 11pm), Saturday (12pm to 11pm), Sunday (12pm to 10.45pm) 

Why visit? We love our chicken wings in Singapore and there’s nothing quite like getting our fingers dirty as we dig into a plate of glistening, juicy, golden brown wings. 

The secret to the delicious chicken wings at the family-run Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken Wings & Spring Chicken lies in its marinade which is made up of 20 ingredients, including five spice powder, Chinese wine and ginger. A pack of wet wipes are a must!

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The chicken wings (S$1.30 each) are tender and perfectly grilled, with a crispy skin that will make you want to keep coming back for more. If you want more flavour, dip them in the chilli that’s served with the dish.

7. Stingray Forever BBQ Seafood

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 43, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Thursday to Tuesday (4.30pm to 11.30pm)

Why visit? There are two important ways to judge a good stingray — it has to have a non-rubbery texture (soft, flaky fish that easily peels off the bone is the best!) and it has to come with a delicious sambal that has a tangy heat. Stingray Forever BBQ Seafood passes this test with flying colours. 

Regulars flock to the stall for its stingray, but you can also get other delicious seafood here, such as calamari (S$15), chilli crab (market price) and BBQ sea prawn (S$16) and crayfish with butter garlic (market price). You can also order fried rice dishes and vegetables to complete your meal.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Try its hottest stingray (S$18) or sambal squid (S$13). If you’re not big on spice, try the sweet & sour stingray T-bone, a new dish they introduced this year.

8. Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 40, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Monday, Wednesday to Friday (12pm to 10pm), Saturday and Sunday (8.30am to 10pm)

Why visit? Carrot cake is a must-order dish for sharing when you’re at a hawker centre with friends. A crowd favourite in East Coast Lagoon Food Village is Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake, which has been serving customers for more than 50 years. It is now run by the son of the original stall holder.

Fun fact: It used to be called Lagoon Carrot Cake, but added ‘famous’ to its name because, well, it’s now really well-known. It’s not just its chai tow kway that’s acclaimed though, it also serves popiah, which won the ‘Best of the Best’ accolade in the City Hawker Food Hunt.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The crispy carrot cake (from S$4) lives up to its name, with a soft interior and crunchy exterior, while the sweet delicious carrot cake (from S$4) is a black version that isn’t overly sweet and comes with prawns. You could also try black and white mixed carrot cake (from S$6) for a taste of both. The award-winning popiah (S$2.20 per roll, two for S$4.20, three for S$6) is a must-try, too — it boasts a thin skin enveloping fresh, savoury-sweet ingredients.

9. Choon Hiang

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 46, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Thursday to Tuesday (12pm to 9pm)

Why visit? This stall only serves four dishes but it does them so well, you’d be hard pressed to decide which one you want to order. Choon Hiang is run by a second-generation hawker and has been in operation for more than 40 years. Whether it is the fried Hokkien mee, fried kway teow, fried rice or mee goreng — they are all stir-fried to perfection with a charcoal fire that imbues each dish with a smoky aroma.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The fried Hokkien prawn mee (from S$4) and fried kway teow (from S$4) are this stall’s most popular dishes. The Hokkien mee is bursting with flavour and has generous servings of prawns, too. It’s more wet than dry but not too gooey, and it has a fragrant wok hei. The dish is especially delicious when you mix in its chilli. As for the kway teow, it has a nice texture, with ingredients such as cockles, bean sprouts, Chinese sausage and fish cake.

10. Lagoon Leng Kee Beef Kway Teow

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 33, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (4pm to 8.30pm)

Why visit? Lagoon Leng Kee Beef Kway Teow was first opened by a Mr Chan more than 40 years ago, and it’s now run by his son. It only serves the traditional Teochew beef kway teow, which is the soup version. 

It’s comfort food that can be a nice reprieve from the other greasier options at East Coast Lagoon Food Village. The dish’s highlight is its light, flavourful soup, which is made by simmering beef bones for hours. The beef cuts are also really tender. Make sure you dip the meat into its accompanying tangy chilli.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Regulars swear by its beef kway teow (from S$6), which they say taste exactly the same from decades ago. Do note that you might have to wait a while at peak times, as each bowl is prepared fresh.

11. Zuo Ji Duck Rice

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 29, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Wednesday to Monday (10am to 6pm)

Why visit? Often listed as one of the best duck rice stalls in Singapore, Zuo Ji Duck Rice is known for its extremely tender meat and thick soy-based sauce that’s flavoured with star anise. It often sells out fast, so go early to avoid disappointment. You can also call to place your order, then pay when you pop by to pick it up.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: For something simple, go for the duck rice (S$3.50) that comes with slivers of duck breast and cucumber atop rice, drizzled with sauce. Or go for the duck porridge (S$3.50) if you want something warm and comforting. You can add on other items, such as braised beancurd, innards, hard boiled egg and peanuts, if you’re feeling peckish.

12. Haron Satay 

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 55, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Wednesday to Sunday (1pm to 8pm)

Why visit? No meal at this East Coast Park food village is complete without satay. And Haron Satay, which is more than 40 years old, is one of the best ways to enjoy these bits of juicy chargrilled meat on sticks. The portions are generous and the meat is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Pair your satay with the fragrant peanut sauce for a sweet-savoury finish.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Regulars say the chicken and mutton satay, at 90 cents per stick (minimum 10 sticks), are must-tries, as they are tender with a slight char. Don’t forget the ketupat (rice cakes), at 50 cents each.

13. Leng Heng Chicken Rice

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 7, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Friday to Wednesday (11am to 7.30pm)

Why visit? Some might say that chicken rice is our national dish and there’s always at least one stall selling it at every hawker centre. At this East Coast Park food centre, Leng Heng Chicken Rice is known for serving meals with tender chicken and flavourful rice, at affordable prices. A plate of steamed or roasted chicken rice or noodles will set you back just S$4.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: You can try other chicken rice variations here too, such as lemon chicken rice (S$4) and Thai-style chicken rice (S$4).

14. High Kee BBQ Seafood

East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Stall 11, 1220 East Coast Parkway
Open: Tuesday to Friday (3pm to 11pm), Saturday and Sunday (1pm to 11pm)

Why visit? You can’t go to an East Coast hawker centre and not have seafood. This stall is a go-to when you think of East Coast Park seafood. It sells the usual zi char-style dishes, such as sambal kang kong and onion omelette, on top of the seafood options such as BBQ tiger prawns.

Grab a few dishes to share with your family and friends, but do be ready to queue here as it’s an extremely popular stall. The seafood dishes are fresh and the chilli paste is shiok. 

Bonus: High Kee BBQ Seafood is halal-certified.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Popular dishes include sambal stingray (from S$12), chilli crab (market price) and fried baby squid (from $15).

Still hungry? Read our guide on the best stalls to try at Chomp Chomp Food Centre or check out these spots in Singapore to indulge in the best bak chor mee.

Geylang 29 Fried Hokkien Mee, Hwa Kee Barbecue Pork Noodle, Han Jia Bak Kut Teh, Soon Huat Satay Beehoon, Haron Satay (Bedok outlet), and Leng Heng Chicken Rice are on the GrabFood delivery service and offer free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited.

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

You can also book a ride to East Coast Lagoon Food Village.