While tourists queue at Singapore’s famous hawker centers, the city’s top chefs seek
out hidden stalls where culinary traditions remain gloriously intact. These humble
establishments, often run by the same family for generations, preserve techniques
and recipes that even five-star restaurants struggle to replicate.
From pre-dawn fish head curry to late-night Teochew porridge, these 15 locations
showcase Singapore’s true culinary soul.
Mdm Liang’s Wonton Mee, Geylang
Three generations of the Liang family have hand-pulled their noodles daily in this tiny
shophouse since 1963. Chef Malcolm Lee of Michelin-starred Candlenut makes
regular dawn visits for what he calls ‘the most perfectly calibrated chili sauce in
Singapore.’
The wontons are still wrapped by 82-year-old Mdm Liang herself, who
refuses to share her recipe even with her children.
Uncle Chua’s Fish Head Curry, Jurong
This nondescript stall hidden in an industrial canteen draws top chefs at 5 AM when
the first pot of curry is ready. The curry paste is still ground by hand daily using a
traditional stone mortar passed down through four generations.
Chef Julien Royer of three-Michelin-starred Odette claims the complexity of flavors here inspired several of his own curry-based dishes.
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Aunty Mei’s Chee Cheong Fun, Whampoa
This streetside cart operates for just three hours each morning, serving silky rice rolls
made fresh to order. The sauce recipe has remained unchanged since 1957, when
Mei’s father first started selling from a pushcart in Chinatown.
Chef Ivan Brehm of Michelin-starred Nouri calls it ‘the taste of old Singapore that’s slowly disappearing.’
Grandpa Han’s Hokkien Mee, Bedok
Operating from a weathered push cart, 89-year-old Han still wok-fries each plate of
noodles personally over charcoal. The secret lies in his decades-old wok and a
closely guarded prawn stock recipe that simpers for 12 hours.
Chef Tetsuya Wakuda regularly sends his Waku Ghin staff here to study Han’s wok hei technique.
Madam Zhu’s Teochew Porridge, Joo Chiat
This 24-hour establishment serves what Chef André Chiang calls ‘the most honest
food in Singapore.’ Each of the thirty-plus side dishes is prepared according to
recipes passed down through five generations of Zhu’s family.
The braised duck, simmered in a master sauce, reportedly started in 1952, draws chefs from across Asia.
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Uncle Tan’s Char Kway Teow, Redhill
From a tiny stall in a forgotten corner of Redhill Market, Uncle Tan creates what
many consider Singapore’s best char kway teow. His mastery of wok heat produces
the perfect ‘breath of wok’ that Chef Chan Hon Meng of Michelin-starred Hong Kong
Soya Sauce Chicken studies religiously.
Each plate is still fried over charcoal, the way Tan learned from his father in 1965.
Auntie Rose’s Roti Prata, Serangoon
Hidden in a residential block, Rose has been hand-flipping prata for 45 years using
techniques learned from her Tamil grandmother. Her curry sauce, which simmers for
six hours daily, brings Chef Willin Low of Wild Rocket fame here weekly.
The dough’s perfect elasticity comes from a precise resting time that Rose times with her mother’s old kitchen clock.
Mr. Lee’s Bak Kut Teh, Geylang
This pre-dawn establishment serves what Chef Malcolm Lee calls ‘the most complex
yet pure bak kut teh in Singapore.’ The peppery broth still follows Lee’s grandfather’s
recipe from 1940s Johor.
Every morning at 4 AM, local chefs gather here after their shifts for what they consider the ultimate comfort food.
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Mdm Tan’s Laksa, Marine Parade
Operating from a pushcart she wheels out daily at 10 AM, Mdm Tan creates laksa
that Chef Violet Oon calls ‘a masterclass in balance.’ The rempah paste is still
ground by hand using her grandmother’s stone mortar from Penang.
The coconut milk is extracted fresh each morning from the coconuts she selects personally at the market.
Uncle Ming’s Satay, Lau Pa Sat
While tourists flock to Satay Street, Singapore’s top chefs head to Uncle Ming’s
hidden stall for what they consider the city’s best satay. The peanut sauce recipe,
unchanged since 1952, includes 18 ingredients that Ming grinds fresh daily.
The marinade’s secret ingredient remains a mystery even his children don’t know.
Grandma Liu’s Soon Kueh, Toa Payoh
From a tiny stall in an old housing estate, Liu hand-makes soon kueh that Chef
Shirley Chung says ‘captures the soul of Teochew cuisine.’ The translucent skin
achieves its perfect texture through a kneading technique Liu learned from her
mother in the 1950s.
Each filling is still hand-chopped using her grandfather’s old cleaver.
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Mr. Ang’s Prawn Noodles, Upper Thomson
This hidden gem serves prawn noodles in a broth that Chef Jason Tan of Corner
House fame visits weekly for inspiration. The stock simmers for 12 hours with prawn
heads that Ang selects personally each morning at the fishery port.
His chili sauce, made fresh daily using a recipe learned from his Hokkien grandmother, draws chefs from across the city.
Madam Wong’s Popiah, Tiong Bahru
Three generations of the Wong family have been hand-rolling popiah in this hidden
corner of Tiong Bahru Market. The filling requires three days of preparation using
techniques unchanged since Wong’s grandmother started the business in 1958.
Chef Bjorn Shen calls the skin ‘the thinnest and most resilient in Singapore.’
Uncle Goh’s Chendol, Maxwell
Hidden among the famous stalls of Maxwell Food Centre, Goh creates what Chef
Janice Wong considers ‘Singapore’s most refined chendol.’ The green ‘worms’ are
still hand-pressed daily using traditional bamboo tools brought from Malacca in 1965.
The gula melaka comes from a single village in Malaysia where Goh’s family has
sourced it for three generations.
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Auntie Lucy’s Kueh, Tampines
From a simple pushcart that appears only on weekend mornings, Lucy creates
Nonya kueh that Chef Malcolm Lee calls ‘pure edible heritage.’ Each piece is hand-
molded using techniques learned from her Peranakan grandmother in Malacca.
The natural colors come from traditional ingredients like pandan leaves that Lucy grows
in her garden.
Discover the Culinary Secrets of Singapore
These hidden culinary treasures reveal that Singapore’s most profound food
experiences often lie far from the tourist spots and celebrity chef restaurants. By
seeking out these heritage hawkers, food lovers can taste living history and support
preserving irreplaceable culinary knowledge.
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