11 best stalls in Alexandra Village Food Centre that’ll win you over
So… you’ve wrapped up a furniture shopping spree at IKEA and you’re looking to grab a bite. Not feeling their in-house bistro? The Bukit Merah vicinity has plenty of great eats to offer, and you can find many of them in Alexandra Village Food Centre.
I’m cautious about using the words ‘hidden gem’, but I’d stake out a case for this food centre. It’s located slightly off the beaten path, stowed away in a HDB estate behind some hardware shops. Still, all it takes is a breezy 5-minute walk from IKEA and you’re there — where you can find a huge variety of stalls dishing out delicious local fare. A good handful of these are even Michelin-recognised!
Not sure where to begin? Here are 11 best stalls in Alexandra Village Food Centre that’ll win you over.
1. Zhang Ji Shanghai La Mian Xiao Long Bao (#01-56)
Zhang Ji Shanghai La Mian Xiao Long Bao is, dare I say, the best la mian and handmade dumpling stall in Singapore. Don’t believe me? Let their yearly spot on the Michelin Guide do the talking.
This famed stall is run by a humble husband-and-wife duo that hails from Nanjing, and not only is their fare authentic — each item is freshly handmade on the spot. Think: fresh baskets of xiao long bao and warm bowls of chewy hand-pulled noodles… I don’t think it gets better than this!
Of the variety of Chinese dumplings they offer, the crowd favourite has got to be the Steamed Mini Buns (xiao long bao) (S$6 for 6 pieces). Encased in each delicate morsel is a tasty chunk of minced pork and a savoury soup that explodes with flavour in your mouth.
While most flock towards the xiao long bao, my personal favourite is the Szechuan Spicy Wonton (S$6.50 for 10 pieces). These silky dumplings are laden with a tangy, fragrant mixture of chilli oil and vinegar, and adorned with bits of chilli crisp, spring onion and coriander. Chock-full of mouthwatering pork and chive filling, these flavour bombs are seriously addictive.
Dumplings aside, the stall offers hand-pulled noodle dishes such as Zha Jiang Mian (S$5), Beef Noodles (S$6) and Dan Dan Mian (S$5), a creamy and nutty la mian dish that I also gravitate towards.
+65 9880 6276
Wed to Fri: 10am – 8pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 8pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
2. Lye Bo Toss Noodle (#01-27)
Here’s another top pick of mine: Lye Bo Toss Noodle. Don’t be fooled by the stall’s limited online presence; they’ve got their fair share of devotees, seeing that it often sports a queue. It’s also not difficult to understand why — their specialty of tossed noodles, or lao mian, makes for an ultra-satisfying meal. It’s a huge plus that their stall is incredibly well-kept, too.
Lye Bo Toss Noodle offers 3 simple types of lao mian: Minced Pork Noodle with Onsen Egg (S$4), Honey Glazed BBQ Pork Noodle (S$5) and Pan-fried Grill Pork Belly Noodle (S$5). Whichever you opt for, you must add an Onsen Egg (S$1) — thank me later.
Each bowl features low-carb noodles, which are clean-tasting and possess an al dente bite. They pair well with the accompanying umami sauce mixture, while the jammy onsen egg imparts a creamy, velvety richness that truly binds the whole dish together. If you enjoy spice, don’t forget to zhng your noodles with some chilli oil and chilli powder.
I have to give a special shout-out to their char siew which, fun fact, is oven-baked rather than charcoal-roasted the traditional way. Very on brand with their stall’s apparent focus on healthier choices! The meat is succulent and has a sweet flavour profile with pleasant notes of honey and five spice in its glaze.
Fri to Wed: 9am – 2pm
Closed on Thu
3. Zi Jin Cheng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (#01-15)
You know a stall’s good when you see a queue start to form way before its shutters are rolled open. Well, that’s a regular affair for Michelin-recommended Zi Jin Cheng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice. And guess what? Their chicken rice is priced from just S$3.50! An absolute steal and a half.
Zi Jin Cheng keeps its menu straightforward, offering only their signature steamed Hainanese chicken rice. A 1 person Set Meal sets you back S$3.50 and fetches you a plate of fragrant rice accompanied by a generous portion of chicken and a bowl of soup. Tender, juicy and doused in tasty sauce, the chicken was some of the best I’ve ever had.
If you’re looking to share, the 2- and 3-person sets cost S$10 and S$14.50 respectively. Alternatively, you can get a Half or Whole Chicken at S$12 and S$24 respectively.
Wed to Sat: 10.30am – 2.30pm
Closed on Sun to Tue
4. The Old Stall Hokkien Street Famous Prawn Mee (#01-58)
If you’re a fan of prawn noodles, you might just be having a bowl from the stall that started it all. With humble origins harkening back to the 1940s along Hokkien Street, The Old Stall Hokkien Street Famous Prawn Mee is said to be Singapore’s first hae mee stall. You know, the OG of all OGs.
The wall of newspaper clippings plastered across their stall front sure makes a strong case for that — and their standards, too.
Their signature Prawn Noodles are priced at S$6, while the heartier Pork Rib Noodles with Prawn goes for S$6 and S$8 for a regular and upsized portion respectively, with both soup and dry options available.
My go-to order of the S$8 portion of dry Pork Rib Noodles with Prawn includes a bowl of noodles adorned with 2 plump prawn halves, 3 pork ribs and a dollop of sambal, along with a bowl of soup on the side.
While the prawns are sweet and juicy, I always look forward to sinking my teeth into those fall-off-the-bone pork ribs, so tender they’re nearly melt-in-the-mouth. The star of the show, however, is hands-down the soup. Simmered at length with prawn heads and pork ribs, it’s aromatic and utterly savoury.
+65 9824 8868
Tue, Wed & Fri to Sun: 8.30am – 2pm
Closed on Mon & Thu
5. Xiang Jiang Soya Sauce Chicken (#01-77)
One of Alexandra Village’s most popular stalls, the legendary Xiang Jiang Soya Sauce Chicken is run by Mr Fung Shu Sun, an ex-Raffles Hotel chef who specialised in a variety of roasted meats.
Here, he offers wantons, dumplings and soya sauce chicken made with a recipe he learnt in Hong Kong at just 12 years old.
The most popular choice is the Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles ($6), which features your choice of noodles and a hefty serving of that glorious soya sauce chicken — tender and embellished with a gelatinous layer of skin. Each piece is marinated in savoury soy sauce, with every bite giving way to a satisfying burst of flavourful juices. The noodles are springy and chewy, pairing well with the moreish gravy.
Can’t get enough of the chicken? Xiang Jiang Soya Sauce Chicken offers Quarter, Half and Whole Chicken options for S$11, S$17 and S$32 respectively. Or, if you’d like to try the stall’s other offerings, you can opt for the Shrimp Dumpling Soup (S$6) or the HK Style Dry Dumpling (S$6).
+65 9185 7756
Tue: 8am – 2pm
Wed to Sun: 8am – 2pm & 4pm – 8.30pm
Closed on Mon
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6. Hor Fun Premium (#01-30)
I’ve never been too fond of hor fun, but Hor Fun Premium has certainly changed my mind on it. I mean: huge plates of wok-kissed hor fun blanketed by a luscious gravy… What more could one ask for?
One taste of Hor Fun Premium’s Beef Hor Fun (S$5.50) and you’ll understand why the stall has ‘premium’ in its name. The rice noodles are silky and lightly charred, with a satisfying smokiness that elevates the velvety and peppery egg gravy. The cherry on top is the beef slices, which are soft and toothsome. And did I mention its remarkable value for money?
Of course, the stall offers a variety of other hor fun dishes, including the likes of Sliced Fish Hor Fun (S$5.50) and Mixed Hor Fun (S$5.50) topped with prawns, fish and pork. They’ve also got Beef Mui Fan (S$5.50) and Sliced Fish Hor Fun (S$5.50).
+65 9325 9339
Tue: 10.30am – 2.30pm
Wed to Mon: 10.30am – 2.30pm & 5pm – 8.30pm
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7. Wei Min The Famous Wanton Noodle (#01-37)
Wei Min The Famous Wanton Noodle is the more ‘modern’ of the food centre’s two wanton mee stalls, and it’s definitely a force to be reckoned with. Overly alkaline noodles and cheap, dry char siew? No such things here.
Describing the Char Siew Wanton Noodles (S$4.50) as simply tasty would be a gross understatement. The noodles are springy and QQ, thoroughly tossed in umami-rich shallot oil and a light, savoury dark sauce. The char siew, honey-like and tender, is equally outstanding, while the meaty wantons pair well with the comforting, peppery soup.
Another popular item on their menu is the Curry Fried Chicken Cutlet Hor Fun (S$5.50), which stars thin hor fun noodles doused in a creamy, aromatic curry gravy and topped with a crispy fried chicken cutlet.
Daily: 9am – 8pm
8. Mr Avocado Exotic Juice (#01-19)
I’ve always found it interesting that Alexandra Village is home to many avocado juice stalls, and make no mistake, Mr Avocado Exotic Juice is the best of them all. They were, after all, the first to sell the creamy drink in the food centre since the stall’s establishment in the 1990s. You wouldn’t expect anything less from the pioneer!
The Avocado Juice (S$3.50/S$4.50/S$7) is bound to convert even the most hesitant avocado sceptics. Fresh, high quality avocados are blended with milk and gula melaka, resulting in a rich, delightfully creamy drink lifted by smoky, caramel-esque notes. It’s so good, I can’t resist splurging on the largest cup every time.
Poster child aside, Mr Avocado offers Durian Juice (S$4/S$6/S$8) and Soursop & Strawberry Juice (S$3.50/S$4.50/S$7) — a refreshing blend of sweet-tart strawberries and tangy soursop, perfect for when you’re craving something light and fruity.
+65 9663 1648
Tue to Fri & Sun: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Closed on Mon & Sat
9. AJ Delights (#01-82)
AJ Delights should be no stranger to anyone who loves baked goods. Kickstarted by a couple of home bakers, this popular hawker bakery is best known for its delicious freshly baked muffins — with this stall in Alexandra Village being their first brick-and-mortar venture.
They’re halal-certified, too, making their bakes all the more accessible and easily enjoyable.
AJ Delights serves up what might just be the fluffiest muffins in Singapore, so cottony soft you’d almost mistake them for cupcakes. These treats come in an impressive total of 29 flavours and are priced from S$2.75 to S$4.90 a pop.
Classic flavours you won’t go wrong with include the decadent Double Chocolate (S$2.75), crowd-favourite Cookies & Cream (S$3.30) and nutty Banana Walnut (S$2.95). They’ve also a variety of unique streusel muffins in the likes of Vanilla Streusel (S$3.30), Blueberry Streusel (S$3.85) and the apple-studded Apple Streusel (S$3.30), which are all topped with buttery chunks of streusel.
Some other noteworthy must-tries are the fragrant Green Tea Monster (S$3.85), local-inspired Ondeh Ondeh (S$3.85) and the oh-so-sinful Biscoff Pillow (S$4.90), which oozes biscoff spread.
+65 8821 2157
Mon to Sat: 11am – 6pm
Closed on Sun
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10. Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa (#01-75)
Have you ever had claypot laksa? If your answer’s no, Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa is a great spot for your first try. A four-time Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee, this famed stall doles out piping hot bowls of creamy laksa in hefty claypots.
Fun fact: they briefly discontinued the claypot version of their laksa back in 2022 and plastered a strip of red duct tape over the word ‘claypot’ on their signboard. I was pretty amused when I came across old pictures of it, LOL.
The Claypot Laksa is priced at S$6 and S$8 for a Small and Large portion respectively. Feel free to jazz yours up with extra Gravy for S$1, Cockles for S$3 and Chicken, Fishcake and Tau Pok for an additional S$1.50 each.
Each dish features your choice of noodles bathed in thick laksa gravy, which is aromatic, coconutty and downright addictive. It leans a little light on the spice than spice lovers would prefer, though. Accompanying the noodles are chicken shreds, fishcake slices, prawns and pillowy tau pok puffs that you can use to sop up every last drop of zhup.
Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa also offers a non-claypot version of their Laksa, which is a little more wallet-friendly at S$5.50 and S$6.50 for a Small and Large portion respectively.
+65 9088 9203
Mon, Tue & Thu to Sat: 9am – 3pm
Closed on Wed & Sun
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11. The Thunder Tea Story (#01-55)
Veggie lovers, The Thunder Tea Story’s gotcha. Drawing regular long queues at lunchtime, this stall whips up a mean lei cha that’s every bit worth the wait.
For the uninitiated, lei cha — also known as thunder tea rice — is a traditional Hakka dish that features rice topped with a medley of chopped vegetables, herbs and nuts. It’s served with a bowl of green tea-based soup on the side that’s meant to be poured over the rice or sipped on its own.
The Brown Rice Set (S$5.50) features a bowl of healthy brown rice blanketed by a heap of ingredients, along with an accompanying bowl of green-hued tea soup.
Start by giving the bowl of rice a good mix and enjoying it on its own. Every component — from the chye sim and mani cai to the chye poh, long beans, tofu and peanuts — comes together to give you spoonfuls of earthy, nutty goodness. Then, have a sip of that refreshingly herbal tea soup before dousing it over the rest of your rice.
Many also recommend paying an additional S$1.20 for a serving of Chai Poh Egg, which lends the dish a touch of savoury balance.
Mon to Fri: 11am – 3pm & 5.30pm – 8pm
Sat: 11am – 3pm
Closed on Sun
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