Hong Lim Market & Food Centre stands as one of Singapore’s strongest strongholds of hawker tradition. Located on the fringe of Chinatown, this two-storey food haven delivers some of the city’s most iconic dishes—from curry chicken noodles to char kway teow fried with smoky intensity. If you’re hungry and headed toward Chinatown, these are the 10 stalls that define what Hong Lim is all about.
1. Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee
Unit: #02-17
Opening Hours: 6 AM – 3 PM (Closed on Sundays)
Charred, smoky, and rich with “wok hei,” this kway teow stall is a national institution. The noodles are fried one plate at a time, combining creamy egg, crispy pork lard, and juicy cockles into something consistently unforgettable. With over 70 years of legacy, queues stretch up to 90 minutes—but the payoff is worth every second.
2. Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee
Unit: #01-58
Opening Hours: 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM (Closed on Sundays)
Serving curry chicken noodles for more than five decades, Heng Kee’s version boasts a thick, robust broth and poached Hainanese-style chicken that’s incredibly tender. It comes with curry-soaked tau pok and soft potatoes, balanced by a fragrant sambal that packs a dried shrimp punch. Michelin Bib Gourmand status just confirms what regulars already knew.
3. Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee
Unit: #02-58/59
Opening Hours: 8:45 AM – 9 PM
Ah Heng’s Nyonya-style curry is lighter and less creamy than its downstairs rival, but rich in flavor with an umami broth. Generous slices of poached chicken, fish cake, and tau pok fill the bowl, served with your choice of noodles. Their Bugis branch may serve the same dish, but regulars say the original here is unbeatable.
4. Ji Ji Noodle House
Unit: #02-48/49
Opening Hours: 9:30 AM – 3 PM, 5 PM – 7 PM (Closed on Thursdays)
Known for loaded wanton mee bowls, Ji Ji delivers a spread that includes char siew, soup wantons, fried wantons, and mushrooms. Their house-made noodles are springy, paired with a savoury-sweet sauce that binds it all together. Started as a pushcart in 1965, the business is now in the hands of two third-generation sisters.
5. Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa
Unit: #02-66
Opening Hours: 9 AM – 3 PM (Closed on Sundays)
Trishaw Laksa features a broth made from dried scallops, prawns, and oysters—rich, layered, and without being overly reliant on coconut milk. Their Fruit Juice Mee Siam swaps tamarind for fruit juice, giving it a refreshing acidity. Chef-owner Daniel Soo prepares three types of stock every morning for consistent flavor depth.
6. Cantonese Delights
Unit: #02-03
Opening Hours: 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM (Closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Lines form before 11 AM for their signature Curry Fried Chicken Cutlet Noodles—crispy, juicy chicken meets springy noodles drenched in rich curry. The Laksa Yong Tau Foo also pulls a crowd, featuring a thick, fragrant broth with generously filled ingredients. This couple-run stall keeps the output fast despite constant demand.
7. Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Hor Fun
Unit: #02-40
Opening Hours: 11 AM – 2:45 PM (Closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Their Crayfish Prawn Hor Fun comes with golden gravy made from prawn heads, chicken bones, and more, resulting in bold, peppery sweetness. Served with Ipoh-style flat rice noodles that glide down effortlessly, this dish is both comforting and rich. Crayfish portions tend to sell out early—arrive before noon for a better shot.
8. High Street Tai Wah Pork Noodle
Unit: #02-16
Opening Hours: 7:30 AM – 3 PM (Closed on Mondays)
This Teochew-style bak chor mee features al dente noodles in a blend of chili, black vinegar, and lard oil. Topped with pork slices, liver, wantons, meatballs, and crispy sole fish, every component plays a role in the dish’s complexity. It shares lineage with the Michelin-starred Hill Street Tai Hwa, but uses its own distinct recipe.
Craving more? Check out our guide to the best bak chor mee in Singapore for other stalls that serve this beloved noodle dish.
9. Dong Fang Hong Sotong Ball Seafood Soup
Unit: #01-47
Opening Hours: 11 AM – 2 PM (Open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Three sisters run this stall, crafting each fish, sotong, and meatball by hand from 3 AM every morning. The soup base is built from fish bones, chicken, crab, and dried sole fish, producing a naturally sweet, layered flavor. The result is a deeply satisfying bowl that comforts and impresses at once.
10. Granny’s Pancake
Unit: #02-39
Opening Hours: 7 AM – 2 PM
Granny’s Pancake specializes in Min Jiang Kueh—soft, chewy pancakes filled with peanut, coconut, red bean, or peanut butter. Batches are served hot off the griddle and the fillings are always generous. The coconut filling stands out for its balance of sweet and savoury, made using palm sugar.
How to Get to Hong Lim Market & Food Centre
Address: 531A Upper Cross St, Singapore 051531
By MRT:
Take the North East Line or Downtown Line to Chinatown MRT Station (NE4/DT19). Use Exit F and walk about 2 minutes to reach the food centre.
By Bus:
Buses 2, 12, 33, 54, 63, 80, 124, 145, 147, 166, 174, 190, 851, and 961 stop nearby along New Bridge Road or Upper Cross Street.
By Car:
Limited parking is available under the complex and around Chinatown Point. Plan for weekday crowds.
Hong Lim Market & Food Centre is where technique, tradition, and taste intersect. Each stall delivers something distinct—from labor-intensive soups to charcoal-sweet pancakes. Long queues are part of the experience, but the first bite always justifies the wait.
