15 places to eat at Tiong Bahru Market

We can’t deny that hawker centres are local icons. They are a unique aspect of Singapore culture, housing a myriad of beloved local foods under one roof. Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, in particular, is incredibly popular among locals and tourists alike, thanks to its easily accessible location — Tiong Bahru MRT station is a short walk away — and large variety of stalls. 

Situated at 30 Seng Poh Road, the historic building was previously known as Seng Poh Road Market in 1951, and was built to house the large number of street hawkers who had served the community at Tiong Bahru.

Today, it houses a market on the ground floor and a hawker centre above it. It’s not uncommon to see long queues at many of the stalls here. And Tiong Bahru Market’s Michelin recognition — many of its stalls have received a Michelin recommendation  — has given it a boost in recent years, cementing its status as a food haven.

Here’s a rundown of 15 hawker stalls at Tiong Bahru hawker centre that will keep you going back for more.

1. Min Nan Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-31
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (8am to 2.30pm)

Why visit? Why have regular prawn noodles when you can have them with pork ribs too? Each bowl from Min Nan Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle comes with fresh-tasting prawns, tender pork ribs and fragrant noodles. Fans of spicy food will love this especially, as the stall’s chilli sauce has a nice kick. You can also add extra ingredients, such as prawns, ribs, meatballs, fish cake, vegetables and noodles, if you prefer a heavier meal.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The soup version comes with an aromatic and rich broth, but the dry version (S$5 or S$6), which comes with two prawns and two ribs, is the hot choice here, for the piquant chilli sauce is best enjoyed when mixed with its dry noodles.

2. Tiong Bahru Pau

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-18/19
Open: Monday to Saturday (5am to 7pm), Sunday (5am to 3pm)

Why visit? Tiong Bahru Pau has been serving up fluffy, handmade bao (steamed filled buns) since the 1960s so you know you’re getting good quality food here. It’s also known as one of Tiong Bahru’s best food finds. 

You can get a variety of steamed buns and dim sum options. The char siew pau (S$1.20) is filled with juicy pork that is just the right touch of sweet and savoury, and the siew mai is generous in size. It’s the perfect stall to pick up a snack at the start of the day as it has one of the earliest Tiong Bahru Market opening hours, or if you’re still feeling peckish after a meal at the hawker centre.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: No surprise here, it’s the handmade buns. Apart from the char siew pau, other varieties include dou sha pau (red bean paste bun), lian rong pau (lotus paste bun) and da rou pau (big pork and chicken bun).

3. Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-01
Open: Tuesday to Friday (10.30am to 2.30pm; 4.30pm to 6pm), Saturday (10.30am to 6pm)

Why visit? Expect long queues, not just because this stall has received the Michelin Bib Gourmand for several consecutive years, but because the food is genuinely delicious. 

A big reason why the hokkien mee tastes so good is because it’s cooked to order in small batches. The third-generation owner of Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee has kept this traditional cooking method of preparing each plate separately in his wok, which means you’ll get a piping-hot fresh plate of noodles every time.

Price range: $

Crowd favourite: There’s only one dish served here, the Hokkien mee (from S$4), but that’s all it needs. The stock is full of flavour and the noodles are fried with just the right amount of char (or wok hey, as we call it). There’s a decent amount of prawns and squid, too. Accompanied by its homemade sambal, it makes for a satisfying and tasty meal.

4. Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-67/68
Open: Friday to Wednesday (8.30am to 2.45pm)

Why visit? Often named as one of the best curry rice stalls in Singapore, this stall started operating in 1946 at another location in Tiong Bahru. The fact that it still has snaking queues is a testament to its popularity. 

You won’t be waiting long though, as the queue moves quickly, but you might want to pop by early as it does tend to sell out its popular dishes quickly. Pick from a variety of items, such as curry chicken, braised pork or sotong, to add to your rice — the heap of ingredients are then drenched in its thick, days-old (yay, extra flavour!) curry.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The pork chop and sambal sotong are some of its most popular dishes. Or go for a pork cutlet, curry chicken and cabbage ensemble with rice, which will set you back just S$5.80.

5. 7 Original Tiong Bahru Fishball

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-20
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (7am to 3pm)

Why visit? More than five decades of experience means customers are getting food that has been tried and tested for many years — and much loved, too. 7 Original Tiong Bahru Fishball’s secret to such delicious fishballs is the fresh wolf herring fish it uses, more commonly locally as ikan parang or sai tor her. 

Also, no flour is added during the cooking process. Fishballs here are “QQ”, which means they come with a nice bounce. Choose from a few types of fishballs or fishcakes, plus items such as otah or ngoh hiang (fried meat rolls).

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The fried fishballs (S$1 for four pieces), of course. Other popular items include fried bean curd roll with fish paste (S$1.50 per piece) and four-colour roll (stuffed with crab stick, S$3 per piece).

6. Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-29
Open: Tuesday to Saturday (9.30am to 2.30pm; 5pm to 7.30pm), Sunday (9.30am to 2.30pm)

Why visit? This Tiong Bahru hawker has come a long way since it began in 1955, with accolades such as the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. Pigs’ organ soup might not be for everyone, but if you love it, you’ll know a good one when you taste it. Needles to say, this is one of them. 

Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup’s specialty is Teochew-style clear soup, with freshly-made broth each day that’s simmered for hours. The salted mustard vegetables provide an intense flavour and there is none of that foul smell, as the innards are meticulously cleaned before cooking. Go early as the stall often sells out before closing time.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The hearty pig’s organ soup, comprising a hearty assortment of such as liver, tripe, intestines, meatballs, and lean meat in a lightly-seasoned clear broth (from S$4.80), is the one to try. But do consider getting the glutinous rice with intestine (S$3.50), too, if it’s available.

7. The CoCo Rice

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-58
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (9am to 5pm)

Why visit? Nasi lemak is a popular dish in Singapore but The CoCo Rice serves this local favourite with a twist. Opened in 2021, it offers a range of authentic blue pea nasi lemak kukus sets, served in an Instagram-worthy presentation. 

The blue pea rice is fragrant, the anchovies are crispy and the fried chicken whole leg with herbs and spices is bursting with flavour. It’s not your usual hawker centre nasi lemak, especially in terms of price, but this halal-certified stall is certainly worth a try.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Don’t leave without sampling the signature fried chicken whole leg with spices (S$7.90), which is served with a large chicken leg that’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Seafood lovers can go for the sambal prawn with sambal petai (S$9.90).

8. Tiong Bahru Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-60
Open: Friday to Wednesday (9am to 8pm)

Why visit? Whether you love pork, chicken, char siew or duck, you’ll get to savour them all at Tiong Bahru Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted, as long as you like your meat roasted. Meats are juicy and charred well — it’s no wonder there’s always a long queue during meal times.

The meat is served with rice or noodles and the stall will drench your dish with its signature sauce to complete the meal. You can mix your meats, too, or order additional items such as tofu or braised eggs.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: For a good sampling of everything, get the three-kind combo (S$8) of char siew, roast pork and roast duck. You can also just have one type of meat at S$5 a plate. The char siew is especially well-loved — succulent and fatty, it offers a satisfying bite with white rice.

9. Skirt & Dirt

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-66
Open: Monday to Sunday (11.30am to 8pm)

Why visit? Gourmet burgers at a hawker centre? Why not! Founder Fabian Tan got his culinary training from At-Sunrice and opened this stall in 2020. 

Skirt & Dirt specialises in cheese skirt burgers, using top quality beef cuts and an in-house burger sauce. As its name suggests, a crunchy cheese skirt extends out dramatically from the bottom of its beef patty. Other offerings include cheesy chicken katsu burger (S$7 with fries), and western mains such as BBQ chicken with a choice of two sides (S$7.80).

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The cheese skirt burger (S$9 with fries), of course. The crispy cheddar crust is a sight to behold — and also very tasty, with a sharp and savoury finish. The fish crisp with tropical salsa burger (S$7 with fries) is also interesting, with a sweet and savoury finish.

10. Tian Tian Yuan Dessert House

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-1530
Open: Thursday to Tuesday (11am to 9pm)

Why visit? What better way to end your meal at Tiong Bahru food centre than with a refreshing local dessert? 

Ice kachang or ice jelly are perfect choices for sweltering days, while warm treats such as red bean soup, green bean soup, split mung bean (tau suan) and ginko nut barley will help to digest your meal. Tian Tian Yuan Dessert House serves up delicious renditions of these delights, and more.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The cheng tng (S$3) is its signature, and comes with a variety of ingredients, such as red bean, green bean, chestnut, barley, sago, dry longan, persimmons and winter melon. Also try the random jelly bowl (S$3), which comprises a colourful assortment of pearls, jellies, sago and more.

11. Tiong Bahru Tau Suan

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-55
Open: Wednesday to Sunday (7am to 1pm)

Why visit? The secret to good tau suan (split mung bean dessert) is having the right consistency. Tiong Bahru Tau Suan does it right, as its tau suan is neither diluted nor too starchy, with beans that aren’t too mushy. 

Its dough fritters are super crispy, a perfect accompaniment to the bean mixture. Only three desserts are served here — tau suan, pulut hitam (black glutinous rice pudding) and bubur terigu (white wheat sweet porridge) — so you know each bowl is of the highest quality. The desserts sell out fast, so go early to avoid disappointment.

Price range: $

Crowd favourite: Needless to say, its tau suan (S$2) is a must-try. It’s not too sweet and sticky — every bite hits the spot.

12. Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-82
Open: Monday to Sunday (10am to 4pm)

Why visit? No hawker centre in Singapore is complete without a good chicken rice stall. And this Michelin bib gourmand-recipient, which has been in operation for more than 30 years, is certainly an excellent one. 

This isn’t its only impressive accolade though – Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice is also a favourite of Hong Kong actor Chow Yuen Fatt. Run by two brothers, the stall opened in 1988 at this food centre and has since expanded to several outlets islandwide. The fluffy rice is bursting with flavour — it pairs excellently with either steamed or roasted chicken, which are fragrant with a dash of sesame oil.

Price range: $

Crowd favourite: The steamed chicken rice (S$3.50 for normal, S$4.50 for chicken drumstick) is the more popular option, with tender juicy meat under a silky, gelatinous skin — but if you want to try something different, order the chicken wing rice. There’s also an array of side dishes, such as soy sauce vegetables and bean sprouts.

13. Tiong Bahru Hot Plate Western Food

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-54
Open: Monday to Thursday (11am to 3pm; 5pm to 8.30pm), Friday (11am to 3pm)

Why visit? There’s something about Western food at hawker centres that we can’t get enough of. Tiong Bahru Hot Plate Western Food is particularly well-loved, thanks to its affordable prices, large portions and the wide variety of options.

With a uniquely Singapore mix of sides, such as baked beans, fries and coleslaw, served with meat, it’s comforting old-school food at its best.

Its meats are grilled or deep-fried and the crinkle-cut chips they come with are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. As the stall’s name suggests, most dishes here are presented on sizzling hot plates, so you know they’re served warm.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: The grilled chicken chop (S$6), served on a hot plate, is popular, thanks to its juicy meat and slightly charred exterior. For a bit of everything, the mixed grill (S$10) is a hearty option with beef steak, grilled chicken, a sausage and egg with the usual sides.

14. Jian Bo Shui Kueh (Tiong Bahru branch)

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-05
Open: Monday to Sunday (5.30am to 8.30pm)

Why visit? Yet another stall at Tiong Bahru Market that has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand — in the years 2021, 2022 and 2023 — this brand was established in 1958 and is now helmed by the third generation. You might say Jian Bo Shui Kueh is thriving, with more than 20 outlets all around Singapore. 

The secret to its awesome-tasting shui kueh (also known as chwee kueh, a Teochew steamed rice cake) is its crunchy chai poh (radish) topping and signature dried prawn chilli that’s freshly prepared in the morning. Both are rich in flavour and a whiff of their aroma as you walk by the stall is enough to get you to join the queue.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Best had for breakfast or as a snack, the only decision you have to make here is how many pieces of shui kueh (five pieces for S$3) you want to order. If you want variety, the stall also has other snacks such as chee cheong fun and steamed yam cake (both from S$3).

15. Hing Hing Soup Republic

30 Seng Poh Road, 02-48
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 7pm)

Why visit? It might call itself a “soup republic” but that isn’t the only thing on the menu at Hing Hing Soup Republic. There are some hearty soups to be enjoyed at this Tiong Bahru Market food stall, such as ABC soup (S$4.50), lotus root with peanut and pork rib soup (S$4.50) and black chicken soup with ginseng (S$6.50). 

But you can also order rice dishes such as steamed Chinese sausage rice (S$4.50), steamed minced meat rice with salted egg (S$4.50), or claypot rice with chicken (S$6.50), if you’re hoping for a more filling meal.

Price range: $

Crowd favourites: Its signature dish is a mini Buddha jump over the wall (from S$9). Otherwise, the steamed minced meat rice with salted egg (S$4.50) and any of its comforting soups are popular choices.

Still hungry? Read our guide on the best Tanjong Pagar food places to try or check out these laksa stalls in Singapore.

All stalls except for 7 Original Tiong Bahru Fishball, Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice, Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee, Tiong Bahru Pau and Min Nan Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle 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 Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre.