15 stalls you cannot miss at Whampoa Food Centre

Whampoa Food Centre is a place that is loaded with history – and good food. Formerly a wet market that opened in the 1950s, Whampoa Food Centre came to be in the 1970s, comprising two blocks: Block 90 and Block 91. 

Also known as Whampoa Makan Place and Whampoa Market, the food centre is home to a plethora of close to 150 stalls, including some that have been awarded coveted spots in Singapore Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand. Not bad for a humble hawker centre, huh?

The beauty of food havens like Whampoa Food Centre is that your options seem endless. To make your next trip there a little easier, whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned visitor looking for something new, we’ve got you covered.

From fish head steamboat to carrot cake sticks, here’s 15 stalls that we think you absolutely cannot miss when you’re at Whampoa Food Centre.

1. Beach Road Fish Head Bee Hoon

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-46, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday (9am to 2pm)

Why visit? While it has “Beach Road” in its name, this Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019 listee is indeed nestled in Whampoa Food Centre. Fish bee hoon is a simple dish in theory, but the version at Beach Road Fish Head Bee Hoon packs a punch. Think springy noodles in a fish broth that is steeped in flavour, completed with pieces of fried fish with the perfect amount of crisp and no sogginess. Given that it is only open four times a week and only for a few hours, it’s not hard to see why it receives long queues at lunch time.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The fried fish bee hoon soup (S$4.50) trumps the sliced fish option, but don’t forget to order it with a dash of milk. Those seeking bolder flavours can order the special tom yam soup (S$4.50) that features a spicy-sweet taste.

2. Liang Zhao Ji Duck Porridge

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-07, 90 Whampoa Drive
Open: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday (10.30am to 2pm)

Why visit? A must for braised duck fans, Liang Zhao Ji Duck Porridge was listed on the Singapore Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand in 2017 and 2016. The offerings here are straightforward, with the firm yet tender duck served in a thick, mildly herbal sauce.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: It goes without saying that braised duck leads the way here. To really enjoy the duck in all its tender, saucy glory, go for the duck porridge (S$3), which is made more like a Cantonese-style congee. If porridge is not your cup of tea, go for the duck rice (from S$3) that is served with yam rice.

3. Huat Heng Fried Oyster

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-26, 90 Whampoa Drive
Open: Wednesday to Sunday (1pm to 10pm)

Why visit? The Michelin Plate awardee only has one dish to offer – their oyster omelette or orh luak. Huat Heng Fried Oyster’s version boasts just the right balance of egg and gooey, starchy bits — good for those who aren’t big fans of the latter, but still enjoy the dish. It comes topped with plump oysters that keep their juiciness even through the frying process. The highlight, of course, is its citrusy homemade chilli sauce that goes perfectly with the crispy, brown finished product. 

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The fried oyster omelette (from S$5), of course!

4. Balestier Road Hoover Rojak

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-06, 90 Whampoa Drive
Open: Wednesday to Sunday (10am to 4pm)

Why visit? Not only is Balestier Road Hoover Rojak a multi Bib Gourmand listee, it is the only rojak stall in Singapore with such an accolade. With its humble beginnings in the 1960s as a food cart before finding its home in Whampoa in 1978, this stall’s take on the beloved rojak is as unique as it gets. 

The rojak here is made Penang-style with the usual suspects like shrimp paste, cucumber, turnip and tau pok, but it also comes with uncommon ingredients such as jellyfish and green mango. Each plate is freshly made to order and topped with a generous shower of crunchy ground roasted peanuts before it reaches your table.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The rojak (from $5) is the only dish on the menu, with diners often adding the optional century egg for an extra boost of umami flavour and texture.

5. Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-32, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Monday to Sunday (3.30pm to 1.30am), closed on Wednesday

Why visit? Taking up two stalls at the food centre with consistent queues to boot, it’s hard to miss Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee. Its version of the iconic noodle dish is less soupy than most, though it’s mostly because the noodles are cooked until they’ve soaked up most of that delicious, umami-filled seafood broth. Paired with a lovely wok hei flavour, a squeeze of lime and a formidably spicy and chunky housemade sambal that packs a real punch, it is easy to see why this well-loved stall made it into the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand 2023 list.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The hokkien mee starts from S$5, but those big on ingredients may want to size up.

6. China Whampoa Home Made Noodles

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-24, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (7am to 2pm)

Why visit? Lauded by fans as one of the best ban mian stalls in Singapore, China Whampoa stands apart from the rest in more ways than one. For starters, their soup is light on the palate, allowing the flavours of the other ingredients to come through. Made from soybeans and ikan bilis, its equal parts flavourful and savoury with a hint of sweetness. 

Second, instead of the usual minced meat and egg, accompanying ingredients here are more elevated, ranging from prawns to abalones to even pig kidneys. (Eggs are not served here as well, unlike what you’d expect of a ban mian stall.) Their abalone homemade noodles (S$14) even borders on the luxurious, with abalone, abalone clams, prawns, meatballs and fish maw served alongside the chewy noodles. 

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: All dishes feature the supple handmade noodles (from S$4), which you can have either with the soup or dry, alongside different ingredient combinations. Apart from the Abalone option, the homemade noodle with prawns (S$7) is also popular. If you’re going for the dry version, the noodles are served with dark sauce and their fiery homemade chilli.

7. Robert Mee Siam

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-43, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday (7.30am to 2pm)

Why visit? At just S$3 a plate, Robert Mee Siam is perfect for those looking for an unpretentious, affordable, nostalgia-inducing and simply delicious plate of mee siam. The sweet-sour gravy has a lighter taste here, leaning a little more towards the sweet side. The beancurd cubes are served crispy, a plus in our books.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The Mee Siam ($3) hits all the spots and has all that you look for in the classic dish, but don’t forget to top your noodles off with a hard boiled egg ($0.50).

8. Amoy Street Lor Mee “Best Lu Mian In Town”

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-19, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Monday to Sunday (8am to 2pm)

Why visit? While the title of ‘Best Lu Mian In Town’ is debatable, there’s no denying the popularity of Amoy Street Lor Mee, what with its snaking lunch hour queue and multiple branches across the island. 

Starting at S$4 a bowl, the portion sizes here are generous. Each bowl is customisable, beginning first with your choice of noodles — either bee hoon or yellow noodles — followed by starchy, gooey brown sauce and ample toppings of braised pork, prawn roll, fried fish and batang fish. The toppings are not an afterthought, with each component brimming with flavour. For further customisation, you’re also welcome to add garlic, chilli and vinegar to your taste.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The only main dish on the menu is their lor mee (from S$4, with prices varying slightly among its branches) though those feeling a tad more peckish can also order additional portions of the toppings and even an onsen egg.

9. Mat Noh & Rose Authentic Ginger Fried Chicken Rice

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-27, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Monday to Saturday (9am to 3pm)

Why visit? If you’re looking for regular chicken rice, then Mat Noh & Rose probably isn’t it. But don’t skip out on them because the version served by this halal stall is still one for the books. 

Picture this: a plate of basmati rice with hints of lemongrass, topped with a generous serving of fresh, crispy fried chicken with an aromatic ginger taste that builds with each bite. Finally, to finish things off, a sprinkling of orange fried crispy bits for extra crunch in every bite. Sedap.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The queues of people come here for the ginger fried chicken rice (from S$4.50). Mat Noh & Rose also offer extra chicken skin (S$1) – yes, please – as well as side dishes such as soft tofu (S$0.50), stir-fried vegetables (S$1) and fried chicken organ meats (S$2.50).

10. Nyonya Chendol

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-17, 90 Whampoa Drive
Open: Monday to Saturday (9am to 3pm)

Why visit? Even with the variety of incredible food at Whampoa Food Centre, there is always room for dessert. If you can only make one choice, let that be Nyonya Chendol. You get more than what you pay for here, no matter the version you order, with each bowl delightfully drenched in gula melaka syrup and chunky pandan jelly ribbons.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The original version (S$2) comes with just chendol and gula melaka, with the red bean or sweet corn costing $0.50 more. For a truly indulgent treat to yourself, get the XO durian chendol (S$3) that comes with a hefty portion of creamy durian flesh.

11. 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-39, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Tuesday to Saturday (5.30am to 12.30pm)

Why visit? With a recipe that is three generations old, 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles keeps things traditional – and it works like a charm. There are no theatrics, just a good, hearty bowl of noodles with juicy prawns, pork strips, bean sprouts, shallots and a ladleful of full-bodied prawn soup. The soup has that all-important umami flavour with a hint of sweetness, and it is light enough for you to slurp it all to the last drop. 

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: Whether you’re going for the dry or soup version of the noodles (from S$4) — with your noodle of choice tossed in chilli, ketchup and ample fried shallots, always a winning combination — you’re going to be hit by a wave of nostalgia either way.

12. Deep Fried Carrot Cake

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-36, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (6.30am to 12.30pm)

Why visit? This isn’t your usual carrot cake. At the aptly named Deep Fried Carrot Cake that has over 23 years of history, you get carrot cake sticks that resemble chunky French fries. Each piece of neatly-cut carrot cake strip is placed on a metal grill before being lowered into boiling hot oil, thus ensuring that every piece is evenly fried. Decadently crunchy on the outside yet soft and moist on the inside, you’ll go through one bag in no time at all.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: The stall serves one dish only — the carrot cake sticks, affordably priced at S$2 for 14 pieces and S$3 for 21 pieces. Treat yourself and go for the latter, we won’t tell.

13. Xin Heng Feng Guo Tiao Tan

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-14/15, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Monday to Sunday (4pm to 10pm)

Why visit? Xin Heng Feng Guo Tiao Tan has been running for almost 40 years and that level of expertise shows in the cooking. Unlike the typical fishball noodle stall, the egg noodles here are handmade and are delightfully springy. Ingredient portions are generous, whether you’re ordering bak chor mee or fishball noodles. Those who love their noodles dry can rejoice as noodles are tossed in black vinegar and a homemade sambal, and served with wanton soup on the side.

Come evening, Xin Heng Feng transforms into a steamboat stall — and a wildly popular one at that with up to an hour of waiting time. Each steamboat is chock-full of fish, cabbage, yam and seafood dancing in the fish broth, and the fire is kept going by the traditional use of charcoal. All the better, as this allows the fish bones and dried fish in the mix to cook gently, giving the broth a lovely umami taste.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: There’s much to enjoy here, but it depends on what time you arrive. If you’re there for lunch, go for the mixed fishball noodles, bak chor mee or fishball noodles (from $3.50). If you’re there after 5pm, you absolutely cannot skip out on the fish head steamboat (S$28).

14. Yu Chu La Mian Xiao Long Bao

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-45, 91 Whampoa Drive
Open: Monday to Sunday (6am to 2pm), closed on Tuesday

Why visit? A basket of five xiao long bao for S$3? Yes. Yes, please. Founded in 2012, Yu Chu La Mian Xiao Long Bao’s chef believes that no one should have to overpay for delicious and quality xiao long bao.

Their dumpling skin is on the thicker side, though not at all doughy or overly chewy. Sink your teeth carefully into it and hot savoury-sweet broth oozes forth, revealing the juicy and tender ball of meat within. Quality, indeed.

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: Three words: xiao long bao (S$3)!

15. Hi Leskmi Nasi Lemak

Whampoa Food Centre, 01-24, 90 Whampoa Drive
Open: Monday to Sunday (11am to 10pm), closed on Saturday

Why visit? At Hi Leskmi, it’s all about serving up an earnest plate of nasi lemak that has all the favourites. With its fragrant coconut rice, crispy battered fried chicken, fried egg and a small variety of other ingredients to choose from, it’s hard to fault Hi Leskmi’s take on the dish. 

The cherry on top? Their homemade sambal. Slightly sweet with a good kick of spice and hints of tamarind, it pairs perfectly with everything on the plate. Don’t be afraid to ask for more — most of their regulars usually do anyway. 

Price range: $

Crowd Favourites: Hi Leskmi offers nasi lemak sets with different combinations of ingredients (from S$3.50). Apart from the fried chicken and egg, they also have side dishes like otak, fried fish, stir-fried brinjal and cabbage, and the popular tahu goreng with long beans.

Hungry for more? Check out our take on the best places to dine at Far East Plaza and new spots in town. 

Balestier Road Hoover Rojak, Amoy Street Lor Mee, 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles and Hi Leskmi Nasi Lemak are on GrabFood delivery service.

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

Or book a ride to Whampoa Food Centre.