Editor's Note: Some data below may or may not be accurate due to the ongoing pandemic. Before you travel, it is best to check Singapore’s guidelines to get the most updated information.

Hawker centers are an integral part of Singapore’s food culture as they reflect the city-island's creative taste. People from all walks of life contributed to the country’s food heritage where culinary skills, knowledge, and values have been passed on to the next generations.

Today, hawker centers in Singapore are dubbed as the “community dining rooms” where locals and tourists gather and enjoy the multicultural dishes that Singapore has to offer.

Hawker centers have affordable and delicious foods that will surely delight your cravings. For people who love to travel and eat, there are plenty of Singaporean foods that you shouldn’t miss. So, here are the best hawker centers in Singapore you might want to check out.

Chinatown Complex Food Center

This is considered the largest hawker center in Singapore with more than 260 food stalls placed right in the heart of Chinatown. It offers the cheapest local dishes ranging from S$2.50 to S$3.00. Diners can choose from local recipes of seafood, pork dishes, chicken rice, and cold desserts.

The best-selling dishes in Chinatown Complex are fish cake, pork porridge, steamed fish head, and xiao long bao.

Address: 335 Smith Street, Singapore

Hong Lim Market and Food Centre

Compared to other hawker centers, Hong Lim Market and Food Centre is less popular. Nevertheless, the two-storey food court is the home of the best street foods in Singapore. Whether you’re planning to have a quick lunch or dinner date, it is recommended to try the food stalls in Hong Lim.

Some of its best-selling Singaporean dishes are curry chicken cutlet, sweet potato Ondeh Ondeh, chicken wing nasi lemak, and char kway teow.

Address: 531A Upper Cross St, Singapore

Old Airport Road Food Center

You can find the most popular food stall in Old Airport Road Food Center. It remains a crowd favorite because of its authentic and budget-friendly local dishes such as Hokkien mee, soya beancurd, prawn noodles, and a lot more. You’ve also likely heard about its best-selling favorites including soya beancurd, Hokkien mee, rojak, and chee cheong fun.

Old Airport Road Food Center is also one of the oldest and largest food courts in the city with more than 150 stalls to choose from. If you’re planning to visit, it is advisable to research the opening time of your chosen food stall because each of them has different business hours.

Address: Block 51 Old Airport Road, Singapore

Tiong Bahru Market and Hawker Center

Serving traditional foods since 1970, Tiong Bahru Market and Hawker Center specializes in Chinese breakfast foods and other local delicacies such as Cantonese chee cheong fun and wu thow kou.

The food center is a two-storey building that has 255 wet market stalls on the first level and 85 food kiosks on the upper floor. The seating capacity can give access up to 1,050 diners considering that the hawker center is open late for nightlife hubs.

There is also accessible parking for everyone, as well as facilities for the disabled.

Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, Singapore

Whampoa Food Centre

For tourists staying near Balestier, it is highly recommended to swing by Whampao Hawker Center, which is also known as Whampoa Makan Place.

The food court is dubbed as the “Morning Market” and usually serves breakfast and lunch meals. It is divided into two sides: Block 91 welcomes the morning crowd and Block 90 that caters to late-night diners.

Some of its sought-after dishes are prawn noodles, fish soup, carrot cake, and Chee Kueh (steamed rice cake served with salted radish).

Address: 91 Whampoa Dr, Singapore