With a history that dates back eight centuries, Singapore serves as an excellent example of racial and religious harmony, and its educated population has roots in the Chinese, Malaysian, and Indian mainlands. In recent years, Singapore has become an increasingly popular destination for Indian tourists, and several new initiatives have been introduced to enhance the travel experience for visitors. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PhonePe to improve the travel experience for visitors. Additionally, the STB is working towards streamlining the visa application process and making it easier for Indian tourists to apply. One of the reasons to visit Singapore is its famous culinary scene. It is a unique blend of diverse cultures, offering visitors a wide range of experiences from award-winning restaurants to famous hawker fare. In Singapore, the hawker-style street food scene offers a unique blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and other cuisines, creating an unforgettable gastronomic experience for food lovers.
Singapore is famous for its legendary hawker culture, with open-air stalls selling dishes like Char Kway Teow, which features the best of the wok's charred flavors. This isn't just a Singaporean favorite but also struck a chord with the late Anthony Bourdain when he visited. In addition to Char Kway Teow, there's Siamese mee, delicious prawn noodles, Hainanese chicken, satay, carrot and rice cakes, and fragrant curries. These dishes are just a few of the many different flavours that can be found in the general chaos of a hawker center. The chaos of the Singapore hawker centres was recently awarded UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage status, though it was already well-known and loved by locals and visitors alike. Here are five hawker centres to visit in Singapore.
Situated in the heart of Singapore, this place has gained even more popularity after being featured in the Crazy Rich Asians movie. The hawker centre boasts a vibrant culinary hub that showcases a diverse array of delicious local eats. It has close to 100 hawker stores that offer a tempting variety of menu items, each bursting with flavours representing Singaporean cuisine's rich flavours. You can try the barbeque sambal stingray from the Halal-certified Guan Kee Grilled Seafood or savoury duck noodles from Kwee Heng, among other mouth-watering dishes.
Address: 130A Clemenceau Avenue, Newton Circus, Singapore
Located on Smith Street, in the heart of Chinatown, this newly renovated hawker centre aims to provide the most authentic dining experience of Singaporean cuisine, for both locals and tourists. Whether you crave a tantalising plate of Char Kway Teow or some mouth-watering Satays, CFS offers a diverse range of local delights. The street is home to a variety of iconic foods from local cultures, all represented in one place. Read more on their website.
Address: 41 Smith St, Singapore 058953
Amoy Street Food Centre is a hidden gem located in Singapore's central business district. The food centre serves a delightful blend of traditional and contemporary fare, making it a popular spot for office workers and food connoisseurs alike. This unassuming gastronomic haven holds historical significance that dates back to the post-war era. It boasts a diverse array of local dishes that reflect Singapore's multicultural heritage, from Teochew Fish Ball Noodles and Hokkien style Bak Zhang to handmade burgers.
Address: 7 Maxwell Rd, Singapore 069111
This hawker centre houses over 100 stalls and is visited by both locals and tourists throughout the day, who come here to enjoy traditional Singaporean beverages such as kopi and teh, and bottled beers. Make sure not to miss China Street Fritters, which is famous for its handmade sausages, and ngoh hiang (fried meat roll). You must also visit Tian Tian Chicken Rice and Hum Jin Pang.
Address: 1 Kadayanallur St., Singapore 069184, Singapore
Lau Pa Sat, also known as Telok Ayer Market, is a fascinating place where history, stunning architecture, and mouth-watering local cuisine come together to create a unique experience. Built in the 19th century, Lau Pa Sat has been a landmark in Singapore for a long time and was declared a national monument in 1973. The market's distinctive octagonal shape and ornamental columns were designed by George Coleman, a prominent Irish architect who also designed many of Singapore's colonial-era buildings that still stand today, including the Old Parliament House. When the market had to be relocated from its original waterfront location and reconstructed in 1894, the Municipal Engineer of Singapore, James MacRitchie, retained its essential shape but added a clock tower and a new cast-iron supporting structure. The frames were cast in Glasgow before being shipped to and assembled in Singapore. The market has been converted into a hawker centre offering a wide variety of local cuisine. You can enjoy a plate of Hainanese chicken rice while sipping an ice-cold beer, and revel in the elegant old-world charm of Singapore's most beautiful food court.
Address: 18 Raffles Quay, Singapore 048582