Singapore's Hawker Food Culture: What to Eat & How to Eat

Hawker centres are a popular dining option for Singaporeans and tourists alike, as they offer a wide variety of food at affordable prices. There are over 110 hawker centres in Singapore, located in all parts of the island. In this video I'll share with you everything you need to know about how to eat in a Hawker centre in Singapore and what are some of the must eat dishes that you need to try. Hawker centres are an important part of Singapore's culture and history. They are a place where people from all walks of life can come together to enjoy delicious food at affordable prices. If you are visiting Singapore, be sure to experience the unique dining experience that hawker centres have to offer.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
00:00 Singapore's Hawker Food Culture
00:53 History of Hawker Centres in Singapore
01:47 Food Quality
02:10 Why is the food at Hawker Centres So Cheap?
02:50 Alternative Options
03:27 How to Get Food at Hawker Centres
04:37 Drinks at Hawker Centres
05:20 Chicken Rice @ Lau Pat Sat
07:36 Singapore Hawker Centre Etiquette
07:48 Tian Tian Chicken Rice @ Maxwell Food Centre
09:01 Roast Pork Rice @ People’s Park
10:11 Hawker Chan @ Jurassic Nest Foodhall
11:36 Fried Prawn Hokkien Mee @ Albert Food Centre
12:17 Prata @ Tekka Centre
13:31 Laksa
13:50 Carrot Cake @ Food Opera
14:34 Indonesian Cuisine @ Food Republic
15:21 Cendol @ Chinatown Hawker Centre
15:59 Bobo ChaCha @ Singapore Zoo

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[evetimothy]

Thanks for sharing the etiquette too. It’s important to understand the culture and etiquette. Many tourists ignore this aspect of travel.

[fbrfkrk]

I love Singapore. People respect one another.

[jameslangschied]

An outstanding video: informative, funny, packed with good info, and mostly correct pronunciation.

[mikiewifnoe]

Your videos are always enthusiastically presented. It's always thoughtfully presented by a handsome man with a great smile. Very well done.

[jimmyjames]

Definitely on our bucket list of places to visit. Thanks for the info + video!

[andrewburgemeister]

I was in Singapore just last week visiting again for the first time since my Pa took my family when I was a kid, I pretty much exclusively ate at Hawker Centres where the food was amazing and very cheap!!

The Hainanese Chicken Rice is delicious along with the fish ball soup with noodles with a bit of chilli sambal mixed in, the Newton Food Centre had Michelin-starred Satay which was probably the best dish I had in Singapore along with spicy Hokkien Mee, and the Tekka Centre had amazing Indian, great curries and naan breads along with refreshing yoghurt lassis!!

[marooki]

Very KooL video. This food looks delicious!

[jameshiga]

Hi Chris. Thanks for the great foodie video. 20 min for the chicken rice is well worth it. I also love the roast pork and rice as well. Take care.

[VesaJay]

Thanks for going to Hawker Chang's finally someone has gone to it. It's the best also that's a new place wasn't there when I went

[thomassaw]

As a Singaporean foodie, I approve this video 😁

[TerriGreene-dy]

nice video promoting local street food . more videos like in this in near future . looks tasty and delicious hope to visit there someday and try your country street food .

[Jasmine_DD]

From hawker centers to fine dining restaurants, the city-state is a paradise for food lovers.

[ragsoh]

Hi Chris. Another great video from you. For the dessert, it is Chendol (pronounced as chen-dole). Hope to see more of your videos.

[stevenelson]

Just back from our latest regular pilgrimage to Singapore. The only regular restaurants we ate at were Song Fa Bak Kuh Teh (Chinatown Point and Feng Ji (along River Valley Rd near Fort Canning) for chicken rice. In terms of our impressions:

-Best hawker center is Chomp Chomp in Serangoon Garden. Great satay, chicken wings and Rojak
-Our favorite chicken rice is at a small food Centre on Balestier Road, ironically pretty much next door to Boon Tong Kee, the well known chicken rice chain. Moist chicken and excellent rice that’s not nearly as expensive as some.
-Best laksa for me is Jangutt Laksa inside Roxy Square in Katong, quite near 328 Laksa made famous by Gordon Ramsey. It’s more traditional laksa. My wife prefers the laksa at Koran Food Market, which is a more modern take. Biggest disappointment this time around was Sungei Road laksa, which was a lot more watery and with far less charcoal flavor than before.
-Mee rebus (a Malaysian dish) is one of my favorites. Best I’ve ever had is in Kim Keat Palm Market in Toa Payoh. Huge portion and very friendly folks who recognize this tall, bald white guy when he shows up.
-We used to enjoy the Char Kuay Teow at Outram Road CKT in the Hong Lim Center next to Chinatown Point. It’s incredibly popular, with 30-60 minute waits the norm. But a CKT stall in People’s Park in Chinatown is a lot better to our taste, maybe because it’s a little less oily.

Been to Newton once…..the first time I was ever in Sing and my wife’s relatives brought us there as kind of a right of passage. Too many touts and way, WAY overpriced. If you want stingray, Chomp Chomp or East Coast Food Lagoon is a lot better.

[anthonychong]

Wow impressive, you went to so many hawker centers in how many days?? I would have melted away, and I'm a local.. haha. Thanks for your recommendations, and I have not even been to the hawkers at MBS. Will visit soon and thanks to you. Keep it up

[lawrenceyea]

Very nice video 🎉. Hope that you enjoy your food 🎉.

[JM-fimf]

Hi! Thanks for your videos! Are toilets clean and stocked with paper and soaps in hawker centers?

[tietan]

Omg. How much did you eat. I am impressed you stay fit. Thank you for sharing. I am visiting Singapore soon 😊

[watericed]

Lau pa sat has a cool architecture but because it’s right in the CBD, prices are higher than the heartlands (which are equally as enjoyable to visit - especially towards East Coast. Old Airport Hawker Centre is a popular favourite and reasonably near to the beach but East Coast Beach has its own hawker centre right by the beach. Marine Parade is near the shop houses on Joo Chiat and East Coast Road which might be nice to walk and see after eating or go the other way and walk by the beach) whereas quality not necessarily exceptionally worth the stomach space.

8 SGD for that chicken rice looks quite dismal lol.

Maxwell Hawker Centre is probably better for chicken rice at Tian Tian (just saw you tried that next while commenting as I watch lol)

See that one looks better and fuller chicken.

[wazuyumi]

lau pa sat (the first hawker center) is very touristy and pricier than others so if u want a more local(ish) experience if u go to the more neighbourhood ones like old airport road (not as touristy+near stadium) the experience will be more local. the further away from the cbd/downtown, the more local but the downtown ones are also good if u want convenience