The top 10 best food neighbourhoods in Singapore, ranked by SethLui readers
One of the greatest local debates of all time is the age-old question: Which part of Singapore has the best food? While some netizens believe that the East side is the best side, others believe in the superiority of the West. Some argue in favour of smaller neighbourhoods in the North and the city area— it is evident that Singaporeans are very vocal when it comes to deciding which part of the country is the most gastronomically enticing.
Hence, we decided to put this debate to a vote. We put up a poll allowing for netizens to pick 3 neighbourhoods that they believed to have the best food in Singapore, including over 40 neighbourhoods from all over the country.
After amassing a total of 716 votes from 284 participants, it is time for us to reveal the 10 best food neighbourhoods in Singapore, according to SethLui readers.
10. Hougang (22 votes, 3.07%)
Hougang makes residents of the North East proud with its diverse selection of delicious hawker food and cafes. Hougang is home to several famous cafes, with a notable one being Flavour Flings, a halal-certified brunch cafe with IG-worthy raclette cheese steaks and salted egg croissants. Denzy Gelato, which was named Singapore’s Best Gelato in 2019, is another cafe to check out if you’re in need of an icy sweet treat.
Hougang also has a wide range of hawker stalls and coffeeshops for you to feast without burning a hole in your wallet. Head over to the neighbourhood bakery Happy Oven for some old-school cakes and pastries, or indulge in all sorts of classic Asian dishes at eateries like Sin Heng Kee Porridge and the famous Hougang Oyster Omelette & Fried Kway Teow. Ming Fa Duck Rice is another well-known stall that even sells out by 12pm!
Hougang food spots to check out:
Nadeshiko
Ming Fa Duck Rice
An Shun Seafood Soup
5dot7 Western
Rui Heng Braised Duck
9. Bugis / Jalan Besar (24 votes, 3.35%)
2 highly popular neighbourhoods tie for 9th place on this list— Bugis and Jalan Besar each scored 3.35% of the vote, with 24 votes each.
The Bugis neighbourhood is where you’ll find famous places like Arab Street, North Bridge Road and Haji Lane, each of which house the most incredible restaurants and cafes. Those who frequent Bugis are likely familiar with popular spots like Twenty Grammes, a boutique cafe selling artisanal gelato and waffles, and Whiskdom, which stuns with its delicious chunky brownies and cookies.
Huevos is a Mexican restaurant that often sees long queues— with good reason too, as their birria tacos and loaded nachos are to die for. If you’re craving some Middle-Eastern or Mediterranean cuisine, the streets of Bugis are lined with a multitude of authentic restaurants for you to peruse.
Bugis food spots to check out:
Sabar Menanti
NestCha
Umai Artisanal Udon Bar
Huevos
Steakville
Jalan Besar is similarly recognised for its incredible selection of food. You’ll be spoilt for choice when you walk through this neighbourhood, as fantastic restaurants and cafes lie around every corner. The famous Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant is one of Singapore’s most well-known dim sum places, while the famed Beach Road Scissors Cut Curry Rice can be found here too.
Cafe hoppers will love exploring Jalan Besar— check out spots like The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie, Moonchild, Asylum Coffeehouse and Chye Seng Huat Hardware.
Jalan Besar food spots to check out:
Northern Thai
Xiao Di Charcoal Roasted Delights
Tsuzuku
8 Degrees Taiwanese Bistro
Lao Liang Pork Trotter Jelly & Shark Meat
8. Yishun (27 votes, 3.77%)
While many people may make jokes at Yishun’s expense, you can’t argue that this seemingly “cursed” part of the country is home to some pretty great food.
As a resident of Yishun, Yishun Park Hawker Centre is one of my personal favourite places to get a delicious meal. This modern hawker centre houses acclaimed stalls like Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang, Munchi Pancakes, Ah Tan Crispy Chicken Har Cheong Gai and Smokin’ Joe.
Yishun is also home to iconic stalls with years of legacy— 928 Yishun Laksa and Yishun 925 Chicken Rice are both highly-praised and well-known by Singaporeans from all over.
For a respite from the hustle and bustle of life, you can also head over to Slow Bakes, an idyllic bakery cafe that overlooks the Yishun Pond.
Yishun food spots to check out:
Slow Bakes
One Mouth Noodle
Hao Bang General Wholesales Trading
Munchi Pancakes
Ipoh Curry Mee
7. Ang Mo Kio (36 votes, 5.03%)
Ang Mo Kio is a culinary gem— this neighbourhood in the heartlands is known for having some of the most impressive affordable eateries and hawker stalls.
You’ve probably heard of the incredibly famous Bánh Mì Saigon, which is largely touted as one of Singapore’s best banh mi spots— these authentic, loaded Vietnamese baguettes can be found in Ang Mo Kio. Magic Kitchen is another unique spot to check out, with its interesting laksa chee cheong fan and gorgeous thick toasts.
Brave the endless queues at Xi Xiang Feng Yong Tau Foo, or satisfy your organ cravings at Lao San Kway Chap. Yunos N Family is another stall to drop by when in Ang Mo Kio— many have touted this the best mee rebus in Singapore!
Ang Mo Kio food spots to check out:
Bánh Mì Saigon
Magic Kitchen
Gu Zao Rojak
Malaysian Hup Kee Fishball Noodle
Yunos N Family
6. East Coast / Tanjong Pagar (40 votes, 5.59%)
Another tie makes it on to the list of best food neighbourhoods in Singapore. The East Coast and Tanjong Pagar both amassed 40 votes each, putting them both at 6th place.
The East Coast is known for more than just its beaches— plenty of delicious restaurants line the shores of East Coast Park, while nearby hawker centres house famous hawker stalls.
Drop by East Coast Lagoon Food Village to get your fix of hawker dishes from Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake, Geylang 29 Charcoal Fried Hokkien Mee, Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken Wings and more— this iconic seaside hawker centre will fill your stomach while offering you a scenic view of the beach.
Even if you’re not dining at East Coast Park itself, East Coast Road is full of fantastic options— Beach Road Prawn Noodle House, for instance, has delighted diners since it moved to East Coast Road in 1986.
East Coast food spots to check out:
Bei-Ing Dimsum Club
Beach Road Prawn Noodle House
Leng Heng Chicken Rice
Micro Bakery
Grandfather Carrot Cake
Tanjong Pagar, on the other hand, is a food haven for both CBD workers and regular visitors alike. During lunch time, you’ll see hoards of office workers and tourists lining up at hawker centres like Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market & Food Centre, Amoy Street Food Centre and Maxwell Food Centre. Even if you’re not working in the area, the food in Tanjong Pagar is worth making the trip for. Famous hawkers in Tanjong Pagar include Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, Danlao, Mr Appam, Kueh Ho Jiak and more.
If you’re not in the market for hawker food, the streets of Tanjong Pagar are littered with all sorts of enticing restaurants to visit. Just take a stroll around this neighbourhood and you’ll pass by popular spots like Pura Brasa, Lucha Loco, Pastaria Abate and many, many, many Korean BBQ restaurants.
Tanjong Pagar food spots to check out:
MenboLah
Mul Gogi Korean BBQ
The Little Red Hen
Lian Hup Heng
Ri Xin Snack Delights
5. Toa Payoh (47 votes, 6.56%)
Count us lucky as the SL office is located in Toa Payoh. Sure enough, the food options here are aplenty. Coffeeshops and hawker centres are all over Toa Payoh, with large hawker centres being found all over. Our personal pick is Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Market & Food Centre, with its assortment of bak kut teh, wanton mee, carrot cake and more.
You’ll easily find plenty of food options right outside Toa Payoh MRT Station— popular eateries include Biang Biang Noodle, Xi’an Famous Food and Soon Heng Rojak.
Toa Payoh also has many underrated hidden gems. Il Piccolo Pizzeria is one such example— this coffeeshop stall stuns with its restaurant-quality Italian dishes and expansive menu.
Toa Payoh food spots to check out:
Il Piccolo Pizzeria
Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo
Old Long House Popiah
Fiie’s Cafe
Xi’an Famous Food
4. Geylang (48 votes, 6.7%)
Geylang is known for its night culture, with plenty of eateries coming alive when the sun sets. Those who enjoy late-night hangouts will adore the Geylang neighbourhood and its myriad of fascinating food spots.
Geylang Bahru Market & Food Centre is the go-to location for a cheap meal while in the area. This convenient hawker centre is home to stalls that often amass long queues, such as Hui Wei Chilli Ban Mian and Mei Ji Fishball Noodle.
The streets of Geylang are also filled with MICHELIN-recommended eateries— check out places like Eminent Frog Porridge & Seafood, Sik Bao Sin and Sin Huat Seafood Restaurant if you take the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand ratings seriously.
Head over to 24/7 eateries in Geylang to continue your food adventure into the wee hours of the night. Dim Sum Wen Dao Shi and Imam Banana Leaf Restaurant are some places to drop by.
Geylang food spots to check out:
Five Star Hong Kong Style Handmade Dim Sum
Garden Pastry & Cake
Cheok Kee Boneless Braised Duck
Tai Dong Teochew Duck Rice
Kwong Satay
3. Chinatown (67 votes, 9.36%)
We have finally made it to the top 3 food neighbourhoods in Singapore! Coming in 3rd is Chinatown with 67 votes— Chinatown is one of my personal favourite food spots in the country as you’ll find a famous stall or shop with every few steps you take.
People’s Park Food Centre is home to plenty of famous stalls, such as Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo and Zhen Zhu Fang Roasted Delights. My personal favourite hawker centre is Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, with stalls like the ever-popular Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee and Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee offering outstanding dishes.
As for restaurants and cafes, Chinatown is chock full of options, including plenty of authentic Chinese haunts. Head over to Yum Cha Chinatown for dim sum, or go for Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine if you’d like something with more variety.
Chinatown food spots to check out:
Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice
Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap
Ma Li Ya Virgin Chicken
Heng Ji Chicken Rice
Hong Peng La Mian Xiao Long Bao
2. Bedok (68 votes, 9.5%)
Bedok takes the runner-up spot as the best food neighbourhood in Singapore with 68 votes— Easties are certainly rejoicing. So many iconic hawker stalls hail from Bedok— even if you’ve never stepped foot in this neighbourhood, you’ve probably heard of some popular food joints here.
Some of these famous stalls include Hock Hai (Hong Lim) Curry Chicken Noodle, Chai Chee Pork Porridge, Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian and Mei Xiang Lor Mee. Bedok Chwee Kueh is a well-known stall with multiple outlets around the country, and to nobody’s surprise, the original stall can be found in Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre.
Bedok is also home to traditional dessert shops like Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery and Borobudur Nonya Pastries Pte Ltd, perfect for lovers of old-school desserts. For a cafe pick-me-up, head over to relaxing spots like Refuel Cafe and Percolate.
Bedok food spots to check out:
Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian
Good Good Bird
Chai Chee Pork Porridge
Marie’s Lapis Cafe
Ye Lai Xiang Cheng Tng
1. Joo Chiat (72 votes, 10.06%)
Finally, the title of the best food neighbourhood in Singapore goes to none other than the cafe capital of the country, Joo Chiat, which amassed 72 votes.
Some of the most popular cafes and restaurants in Singapore are found along Joo Chiat Road— regardless of your taste preferences, you’ll definitely find something that you’ll enjoy. Plus, new eateries are always opening in Joo Chiat, ensuring that you’ll never get bored of eating here.
Enjoy a fantastic meal at places like Papi’s Tacos, Forma, Dickson Nasi Lemak, La Bottega Enoteca, Cafe Natsu and Two Men Bagel House. As for dessert, be spoilt for choice when you peruse bakeries and creameries including Petit Pain, Apiary and Tiong Bahru Bakery. The options are endless!
Joo Chiat food spots to check out:
Joo Chiat Banh Mi Ca Phe
Forma
Traditional Joo Chiat Prawn Mee
Sha Zah Confectionery
808 Eating House
When it comes to popular food neighbourhoods in Singapore, the East seems to take the cake. Did your neighbourhood make it into the top 10?
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