People’s Park Food Centre is a cornerstone of Chinatown’s culinary heritage. What started in 1923 as a humble food shelter is now a bustling hawker haven, home to over 80 stalls. After a major renovation in 2023, the centre offers a cleaner, brighter, and better-ventilated dining environment, making it easier than ever to enjoy Singapore’s local dishes under one roof. If you’re wondering where to start, these 10 stalls deserve your attention.
1. Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo
Unit: #01-1036
Opening Hours: 10:30 AM – 9:30 PM
This stall helped put Mala Xiang Guo on Singapore’s food map. Its customisable stir-fried pot of meats and vegetables tossed in their signature garlic-heavy mala sauce delivers both fragrance and punch. While not as numbing as the Sichuan original, the spice profile and affordability keep queues long and consistent. It’s so popular, they operate two units just to meet the demand.
2. Yong Xiang Xing Dou Fu
Unit: #01-1084
Opening Hours: 12 PM – 3 PM (Closed on Mondays)
A one-dish stall that does its craft exceptionally well. Yong Xiang Xing Dou Fu offers a fixed set of handmade yong tau foo served in a clear, comforting broth. Expect springy fishballs, tofu packed with fish paste, and crisp beancurd rolls. Long queues are the norm, so go early—once sold out, shutters roll down.
3. Zhen Zhu Fang Roasted Delights
Unit: #01-1098
Opening Hours: 9 AM – 9 PM (Closed on Thursdays)
This stall carries a Michelin Plate and it shows. Their roasted duck skin is shatter-crisp, char siew is caramelised, and soy sauce chicken oozes juicy depth. Prices remain reasonable for the quality, and the stall’s prominent entrance-side location makes it hard to miss.
4. Hong Peng La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Unit: #01-1064
Opening Hours: 11 AM – 10 PM
Those craving handmade dumplings should head straight here. The Xiao Long Bao offers tender skin that gives way to savoury soup and well-seasoned pork. Their Dumpling in Spicy Sauce impresses with its chili-vinegar kick, and hand-pulled noodles like Zha Jiang Mian round out the menu.
5. Chuan Wei Fang Xiang La Xie
Unit: #01-1040
Opening Hours: 10:30 AM – 9 PM
An all-out tribute to Sichuan heat. This stall specialises in dishes that bring the fire—Chongqing grilled fish swims in a spicy mala broth brimming with lotus root and enoki. Spicy crabs, cooked shell-on with aromatic sauces, are another standout for those seeking intensity.
6. Lek Kee Authentic Teochew Braised Duck
Unit: #01-1104
Opening Hours: 11 AM – 2:30 PM (Closed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays)
Lek Kee offers classic Teochew-style braised duck soaked in a light herbal-soy gravy. The duck is consistently tender, its flavour soaked in during long hours of braising. Add-ons like pig’s ear, tofu, and egg let you customise your meal. Portions run out quickly, especially during lunch hours.
7. Loh Mei Specialist
Unit: #01-1106A
Opening Hours: 12 PM – 8 PM
A stall that keeps alive a 1950s dish rarely seen today. Loh Mei combines chicken wings, pork belly, and pig intestines in a thick, fermented soybean stew. It’s earthy, savory, and tangy—perfect over rice. Claimed by the owner to be the only stall of its kind left in Singapore.
8. Fatt Soon Kueh
Unit: #01-1012
Opening Hours: 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM (Closed on Mondays)
Traditional Teochew dumplings, handmade daily since 1999. Their Soon Kueh is filled with jicama, carrot, and dried shrimp, while Ku Chye Kueh offers a fragrant chive option. The skins are thicker than some expect but deliver chewiness that fans appreciate.
9. Chop Hean Kuan
Unit: #01-1018
Opening Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM (Closed on Mondays)
A third-generation dim sum stall with a legacy dating back to 1929. Their bao are made fresh each morning, with pillowy-soft dough and juicy char siew or pork fillings. Other staples include Siew Mai and Lo Mai Kai—simple, nostalgic, satisfying.
10. Hometown Hainan Fen
Unit: #01-1100
Opening Hours: 10 AM – 7 PM (Closed on Sundays)
Run by two Hainanese sisters, this stall brings lesser-known dishes to the forefront. Their namesake Hainan Fen features thick rice vermicelli in a robust gravy topped with peanuts, pickled veg, and your choice of pork or beef. The Beef Brisket Noodle also earns high praise.
How to Get There
Address: 32 New Market Road, Singapore 050032
By MRT:
Take the North East Line or Downtown Line to Chinatown MRT Station (NE4/DT19). Use Exit C, and People’s Park Food Centre is just across the road.
By Bus:
You can also reach the centre via multiple bus services stopping at Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road. Alight at People’s Park Complex or Chinatown Point bus stops (Bus Services: 2, 12, 33, 54, 143, 147, 190, 851, 961).
Each stall above reflects a chapter in Singapore’s culinary story, written with family recipes, morning prep routines, and loyal queues. People’s Park Food Centre isn’t just a meal stop—it’s a cultural checkpoint. Whether you’re hunting spice, slurping noodles, or grabbing a fluffy bao, this centre delivers on every front.
