11 best stalls at Kebun Baru Market & Food Centre worth your travelling time
Having called Ang Mo Kio home for a lifetime, it’s almost surreal that I’ve only just experienced the charm of Kebun Baru Market & Food Centre. Built in 1976, this hawker centre was the very first to be introduced in the neighbourhood and houses 29 different food stalls.
Most of the hawkers here cater to the breakfast and lunch crowd, with only a handful remaining operational in the evenings.
I rose before the sun to explore the various stalls and compile a guide of the 11 best stalls at Kebun Baru Market & Food Centre worth your travelling time.
1. Hock Kee Wanton Noodle (#01-05)
Hock Kee Wanton Noodle boasts a 31-year legacy and is run by a dedicated elderly couple. Their prices are kept remarkably affordable with their small Wanton Noodle priced at just S$3.50. The friendly aunty taking orders adds a welcoming touch to the experience.
Despite the persistent long queues, the stall efficiently processes orders, ensuring a swift clearance of the line.
The char siew slices, though lean and slightly drier, were saved by the fatty corners. The noodles had a perfect bite, and the spicy kick of the chilli was noteworthy. Overall, it had a nostalgic, old-school taste which I enjoyed.
The well-seasoned, slightly peppery soup featured smooth wantons with flavourful pork filling, free from any gamey taste, totalling 3 pieces.
If Wanton Noodle isn’t your jam, not to worry. The stall also sells Mushroom Chicken Feet Noodle (S$4/S$5/S$6) and wanton soup (S$3.50).
Wed to Mon: 5.30am – 12.30pm
Closed on Tue
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2. Seletar Sheng Mian & Mian Fen Guo (#01-07)
Looking for hand-kneaded noodles? There are 2 stalls at Kebun Baru Market & Food Centre selling sheng mian. If you’ve decided to try Seletar Sheng Mian & Mian Fen Guo, be patient and get ready to queue as a long line consistently forms in front of the stall.
The noodles are available in dry or soup options, with a choice between sheng mian and mee hoon kueh, offered at 3 different price points: S$4, S$5 and S$6. The medium Sheng Mian (Soup) comes in a pork bone broth with a soft-boiled egg, 2 decently-sized fresh prawns, ikan bilis, pork slices and green veggies.
The soup is flavourful and when mixed with the soft-boiled egg, becomes extra velvety and creamy. Besides offering a crispy texture, the anchovies also provide a robust umami flavour to the whole ensemble.
The Mee Hoon Kueh (Dry) with chilli packs a mild spicy kick. As they stretch, pull, and knead the flour dough themselves, some pieces of mee hoon kueh are meant to be thicker than others and possess a chewy mouthfeel.
Sat to Thu: 5am – 2pm
Closed on Fri
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3. Shah’s Cafe Indian Muslim Food (#01-27)
Shah’s Cafe Indian Muslim Food is a recent addition to this food centre, having been here for only about a year. After chatting a little with the stall owner, I learnt that this establishment is part of a chain with other branches, including Yishun.
Nonetheless, I decided to give it a try. The menu offers favourites like Plain Prata (S$1.20 per piece), Mee Goreng (S$4.50), Mutton Briyani (S$8) and Onion Dosai (S$2.50).
I ordered the Masala Dosai (S$3) and it arrived with coconut chutney, red chutney and a bowl of dhal curry. The dosai was perfectly fluffy and nicely charred on the surface. It was filled with a fluffy and flavourful potato filling, containing chickpea bits for a scrumptious textural contrast.
The chutneys, with their spice blend and mustard seeds, complemented the rice crepe excellently. If you’re looking for snacks to have on the road, you can also purchase house-made Samosa (S$2.50 for 3 pieces) and Vadai (S$0.90 per piece).
Daily: 6am – 6pm
4. Foo Hing Handmade Fishball & Meatball Noodle (#01-01)
Mee enthusiasts, make your way to Foo Hing Handmade Fishball & Meatball Noodle, where an elderly couple mans the stall with the help of their assistant. They offer a variety of choices, from Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle (S$4) to Laksa (S$4) and Teochew Dumpling Noodle (S$4).
My Signature Noodle (S$6) came with my choice of mee pok bathed in chilli and crowned with minced pork, 1 fishball, a single meatball, fishcake, pork slices, sliced black mushrooms and garnished with grounded roasted garlic. On a separate plate was a mini plate of deep-fried goodies: 2 fried wanton, 1 tau pok and 1 beancurd skin.
The noodles were delicious, and the chilli delivered an umami punch with its dried shrimp notes. Although both the fishball and meatball were homemade, my preference leaned towards the latter’s texture and taste. The fried items were sinfully tasty, but my only gripe was the sparse meat filling in each of them.
Daily: 6am – 3pm
5. Jia Xiang Economic Curry Rice (#01-04)
Spotting a long queue which consisted mostly of elderly folks in front of Jia Xiang Economic Curry Rice piqued my curiosity. “Is it popular because it’s cheap or delicious?” I thought to myself.
The stall is operated by 2 aunties and there were no prices indicated anywhere, prompting me to conclude that the stall adopts a cai fan concept. While waiting in line, I counted a total of 20 dishes available which included chicken curry, sweet and sour pork chop and steamed egg.
I got a plate with less rice, accompanied by braised pork belly, sautéed spinach, and pumpkin, with a request for curry poured over my rice. The total cost for the plate was just S$3.60, a very reasonable price, indeed!
The pork belly was delectable, melting in my mouth like soft butter. Paired with the curry rice, it fulfilled my gustatory dreams. The spinach, stir-fried with garlic until lusciously soft, may seem like a simple dish, but it absolutely blew my mind with its incredible taste.
6. Chye Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-10)
I was torn between Chye Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice and another chicken rice stall just 2 units away. In the end, I settled on the former. Through the glass display, I spotted several pieces of roasted chicken, fried chicken cutlet, roasted pork and char siew.
The stall offers classics like Char Siew Rice (S$3.50/S$4.50), Roasted Meat Rice (S$3.50/S$4.50) and Steamed Chicken Rice Set (S$6) (includes braised egg and green vegetables).
If you have a preference for something out of the norm, you can give the Lemon Chicken Cutlet Rice (S$4.50/S$5.50) and Thai Style Beancurd (S$5) a go.
I tried the Roasted Chicken Rice (S$4), which arrived with a generous mound of rice topped with chunks of roasted chicken, accompanied by a bowl of clear soup. As with any other chicken rice stall, you can help yourself to dark soy sauce, chilli, and ginger sauce.
The rice was perfectly cooked— flavourful, with just the right texture, and not greasy. The roasted chicken was moist and tender. I didn’t have high expectations for the clear broth, but it surprised me pleasantly— it tasted like daikon soup, addictive and delightful.
+65 9337 7733
Tue to Sun: 8am – 7pm
Closed on Mon
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7. Pin’s Kitchen (#01-26)
Pin’s Kitchen is one of the few stalls at Kebun Baru Market & Food Centre that remains open in the evening. The stall is handled by a Malaysian chef who has over 30 years of cooking experience, and is assisted by his wife and children. My advice: Call ahead for takeaway to save time; I waited nearly 40 minutes for my food.
The menu offers an assortment of zi char dishes like Black Pepper Beef Rice (S$6), Pineapple Fried Rice (S$6) and San Lor Hor Fun (S$5.80). The Curry Fish Head (S$23.80) is also very popular among the regulars.
I ordered the Bee Hoon Goreng (S$5.50) and it was stir fried with egg, prawns, fish slices and onions. The strands of rice vermicelli were tasty and had a slight wok hei. I asked for sambal belacan and it came with a generous squeeze of lime, adding tangy and umami flavours.
+65 8359 7519
Wed to Mon: 11am – 1.30pm & 5pm – 9.30pm
Closed on Tue
8. Shu Heng Bi Tai Mak (#01-25)
It’s not everyday that you encounter a hawker stall which features bi tai mak (silver needle noodles) as their main dish on their signboard, unlike other establishments where it’s merely one of the noodle options.
Shu Heng Bi Tai Mak makes their bi tai mak in-house, and also offers other noodle options like kway teow and yellow noodles. The stall mainly caters to the breakfast crowd and depending on the crowd, sells out by 12 noon or earlier.
The menu has choices like Shu Heng Abalone Bi Tai Mak (Dry/Soup) (S$6.50/S$8.80), Mushroom Pork Minced Fish Ball Noodles (Dry/Soup) (S$4/S$5) and Pork Leg Noodles (Dry/Soup) (S$5.80/S$6.80).
The signature dish, Johor Bi Tai Mak (S$4/S$5) comes with mushrooms, minced pork, salted fish and shrimp doused in a viscous and starchy gravy, then garnished with fried shallots and spring onions. The handmade silver needle noodles are said to be chewy and go very well with the soup.
Wed to Mon: 7am – 12pm
Closed on Tue
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9. A1 House Of Claypot (#01-02)
A1 House Of Claypot is another stall that remains open after the sun sets at this hawker centre. As its name suggests, it offers a few kinds of claypot dishes like the good ol’ Traditional Claypot Chicken Rice (S$6/S$11/S$16), Chicken Wing w/ Beancurd Sauce (S$5.50) and Claypot Red Residue Drunken Chicken (S$5.50).
There are also an array of rice dishes and sides to complement your claypot dishes. Indulge in Har Cheong Gai (S$10), Kang Kong w/ Beancurd Sauce (S$6) or Curry Seafood Fried Rice (S$4.50).
I ordered the Cold Tofu (S$4) which came in an entire slab. It was served with a warm, brownish gooey sauce and generously covered with bits of cai poh, fried shallots and spring onions. Overall, it was a simple yet satisfying appetiser.
The Traditional Claypot Chicken Rice arrived in a sizzling claypot brimming with rice, chicken pieces, Chinese sausage, green veggies and bits of salted fish. The aunty personally delivered it to my table, already drizzled with dark soya sauce. I relished the burnt bits of rice clinging to the sides which were crispy and smokey.
Once mixed, the flavours harmonised well, with savoury notes from the salted fish complementing the tender chicken pieces and delicious slices of Chinese sausage.
+65 9750 4281
Tue to Sun: 11.30am – 2pm & 5pm – 8pm
Closed on Mon
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10. Hong Heng Beef Noodle Soup & Laksa (#01-16)
I hadn’t discovered a stall selling both beef noodles and laksa under one roof, until I chanced upon Hong Heng Beef Noodle Soup & Laksa. The stall offers Fresh Prawn Laksa (S$4++/S$5++) and a unique Mixed Beef Laksa (S$6.50++),which has beef slices and other parts.
I skipped the laksa and went straight for the Beef Noodle Dry (S$5.50 for small). I opted for thick bee hoon and it came with thin beef slices, mustard vegetables and a sprinkling of Chinese celery. It’s served with a side of beef broth and chilli with chincalok.
The bee hoon differed from the usual, smoother and slightly thinner, almost resembling spaghetti. The dark gravy, less thick than expected, complemented the tender beef, though it lacked some depth.
The mustard vegetables provided a subtle tang, combining well with the chilli for a pleasant flavour. The clean-tasting beef broth contributed to an overall decent bowl of noodles that hit the spot.
Tue to Sun: 7.30am – 3.30pm
Closed on Mon
11. Huang Fu Duck Rice (#01-20)
If you’re a lover of braised duck, then you need to visit Huang Fu Duck Rice, located at the extreme right corner of Kebun Baru Market & Food Centre. This stall has been around for almost 42 years and specialises in braised herbal duck. Each duck is braised with a lineup of Chinese herbs including dang gui, star anise, cinnamon stick and other aromatics.
The owner is very selective when it comes to choosing the right kind of ducks. Thus, what you get is moist and soft flesh and an ideal meat-to-fat ratio.
For something simple and hearty, get the Duck Porridge (S$3.50/S$4.50). Choose between options like kway teow and yellow mee for the Duck Noodles (S$4/S$5) or give the Duck Rice (S$4/S$5) a try.
Mon to Sat: 7.30am – 2pm
Closed on Sun
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