Maxwell Food Centre: A Traveler’s Guide to 30 Must-Try Hawker Stalls

Located in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District and just steps away from Chinatown, Maxwell Food Centre is one of the island’s most iconic hawker hubs. It offers a diverse range of heritage dishes, Michelin-recommended bites, and modern local eats—all at affordable prices.

Top 30 Recommended Stalls

1. Ye Lai Xiang Tasty Barbecue (#01-94)

• Highlights: Old-school Hainanese-style Western dishes created using a British Navy recipe.
• Must-Try: Chicken Chop or Pork Cutlet served with crinkle-cut fries and a soft bun.

2. Danlao (#01-73)

• Highlights: Wallet-friendly scrambled egg rice bowls created by ex-Eggslut chefs.
• Must-Try: Chicken Cutlet or Char Siew Scrambled Egg Rice.

3. Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-07)

• Highlights: Run by a former head cook of Tian Tian Chicken Rice, offering short queues and exceptionally tender chicken.
• Must-Try: Steamed Chicken Rice.

4. Fish Village (#01-32)

• Highlights: Restaurant-quality steamed seafood served in individual hawker portions.
• Must-Try: HK-Style Steamed Red Grouper, Steamed Prawns.

5. The 1950s Coffee (#01-90)

• Highlights: Michelin-recognized traditional Nanyang kopi stall originating from Chinatown.
• Must-Try: Iced Milk Coffee, Kopi C Siew Dai (less sweet).

6. Mr Appam (#01-99)

• Highlights: South Indian fermented rice pancakes prepared with unique modern twists.
• Must-Try: Princess Appam (Egg & Cheese), Butterfly Pea Gula Melaka Appam.

7. 75 China Street Peanuts Soup (#01-57)

• Highlights: A 70-year-old traditional dessert stall making traditional sweet soups from scratch.
• Must-Try: Peanut Soup or Tau Suan served with glutinous rice balls.

8. Taste Of Jiang Nan (#01-62)

• Highlights: Affordable Shanghainese dishes and handmade dumplings.
• Must-Try: Xiao Long Bao, Pork Wanton in Chilli Oil with Noodles.

9. Tong Xin Ju Special Shanghai Tim Sum (#01-92)

• Highlights: A long-standing stall famous for handmade Shanghainese dumplings and potstickers.
• Must-Try: Fried Dumplings (Guo Tie), Hot & Sour Soup.

10. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (#01-10/11)

• Highlights: World-famous Michelin Bib Gourmand chicken rice loved by international celebrity chefs.
• Must-Try: Hainanese Chicken Rice.

11. Lakeview (Upper Thomson) Kim Goreng Pisang (#01-30)

• Highlights: 24-hour fritters stall offering traditional sweet and savory fried snacks.
• Must-Try: Fried Banana (Goreng Pisang), Fried Nian Gao, Sesame Balls.

12. Old Nyonya (#01-04)

• Highlights: Homely Peranakan dishes based on traditional family recipes since 1960.
• Must-Try: Rendang Chicken Rice, Laksa.

13. Sisaket Thai Food (#01-85)

• Highlights: Authentic and flavorful Thai classics alongside street-style dishes.
• Must-Try: Green Curry Chicken, Phad Thai, Basil Pork with Rice.

14. Zhen Zhen Porridge (#01-54)

• Highlights: Traditional Cantonese-style porridge cooked to a dense, creamy consistency.
• Must-Try: Sliced Fish with Shredded Chicken and Century Egg Porridge.

15. Yi Jia Teochew Fish Porridge Fish Soup (#01-66)

• Highlights: Comforting Teochew-style fish soup with fresh, thick slices of fish and sweet broth.
• Must-Try: Batang Fish Soup with Rice.

16. Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake (#01-05)

• Highlights: Rare heritage snack made of rice batter, oysters, minced meat, and cilantro.
• Must-Try: Traditional Fuzhou Oyster Cake.

17. Taste Fusion Hainanese Chicken Chop (#01-24)

• Highlights: Generous portions of local Hainanese-Western fusion platters.
• Must-Try: Hainanese Chicken Chop Set with Mantou.

18. Ri Xin Snack Delights (#01-55)

• Highlights: Traditional handmade kueh (local cakes and pastries) made daily.
• Must-Try: Handmade Ang Ku Kueh (Peanut / Salted Mung Bean).

19. Fu Shun Jin Ji Shao La Mian Jia (#01-71)

• Highlights: Highly popular roast meat stall drawing long lunch crowds daily.
• Must-Try: Char Siew & Roast Duck Noodles.

20. Hup Kee Wu Xiang Guan Chang (#01-97)

• Highlights: Traditional Hokkien-style Ngoh Hiang (deep-fried meat rolls and fritters).
• Must-Try: Handmade Meat Rolls and Crispy Fritters set with dip sauce.

21. Jin Hua Fish Head Bee Hoon (#01-77)

• Highlights: Rich, Cantonese-style milk-infused fish soup served with thick vermicelli.
• Must-Try: Fried Fish Head / Sliced Fish Noodle Soup.

22. Heng Heng Ondeh-Ondeh & Tapioca Cake (#01-31)

• Highlights: Handmade traditional Malay/Nyonya sweet snacks made fresh every morning.
• Must-Try: Ondeh-Ondeh (bursting gula melaka balls), Steamed Tapioca Cake.

23. Fu Ji Fuzhou Fish Ball Wanton Noodles (#01-06)

• Highlights: Over 30 years of serving springy spinach noodles and stuffed Fuzhou fishballs.
• Must-Try: Spinach Wanton Noodles, Fuzhou Stuffed Fishball Soup.

24. Pakistani Dum Biryani (#01-69)

• Highlights: Authentic Halal Pakistani-style dum biryani loaded with aromatic spices.
• Must-Try: Mutton Biryani, Half-Biryani Half-Pulao Rice Set.

25. Hock Lai Seng (#01-26)

• Highlights: Teochew fishball noodles cooked by the grandson of a local street food legend.
• Must-Try: Fishball Bak Chor Mee (Minced Meat Noodles, Dry).

26. Somerset Delicacies (#01-60)

• Highlights: Zi char-style fried rice and noodle dishes packed with wok hei.
• Must-Try: Belachan Fried Rice, Mixed Seafood Hor Fun.

27. Sichuan Cuisine (#01-87)

• Highlights: Authentic, fiery Sichuan dishes for fans of intense heat and spices.
• Must-Try: Grilled Fish on Paper, La Zi Ji (Spicy Fried Chicken).

28. Welcome Ren Min (#01-33)

• Highlights: Craft beer taproom serving local Singaporean and imported craft brews inside a hawker center.
• Must-Try: Rotating local craft beer on draft.

29. Sultan Kebab (#01-75)

• Highlights: Freshly shaved Mediterranean grilled meats and freshly wrapped kebabs.
• Must-Try: Chicken or Beef Kebab Wrap, Tombik Sandwich.

30. Ah Zhong Roasted Delights (#01-81)

• Highlights: Crispy roast pork belly and savory charred char siew.
• Must-Try: Roast Pork Belly (Siew Yoke) & Char Siew Combination Rice.

Visitor Information

• Address: 1 Kadayanallur Street, Singapore 069184
• Nearest MRT Station: Maxwell MRT Station (TEL – Thomson-East Coast Line), Exit 2 (Right across the road)
• Operating Hours: Daily, approx. 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Individual stall hours vary)
• Traveler Tip: Peak lunch hour is between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM on weekdays. Visit around 11:00 AM or 2:30 PM to avoid long queues!