Categories > Guides and Tips
Hawker Heaven: A Tiong Bahru Market Guide
- How to Get There
- Best Hawker Stalls in Tiong Bahru Market
- Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup
- Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo
- Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
- Tiong Bahru Pao
- The CoCo Rice
- Skirt & Dirt
- Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted
- Jian Bo Shui Kueh
- Hwa Yuen Porridge
- 7 Original Tiong Bahru Fishball
- Qing Yuan Fish Soup
- Tian Tian Yuan Dessert House
Tiong Bahru Market is a bustling culinary destination, renowned for housing both a wet market and a vibrant hawker centre on its second floor. It’s a top pick in Singapore thanks to its multiple Michelin Bib Gourmand Award recipients.
So, if you’re new to the wonders of Singaporean cuisine, Tiong Bahru is a good place to start. Use this Tiong Bahru Market guide to help you discover where to eat first!
How to Get There
By Bus: The bus lines that serve Tiong Bahru Market are 63, 123, and 175. The nearest bus stations are located along Zion Road, Havelock Road, Tiong Bahru Road, Link Hotel, and Bef Outram Flyover.
By Train: To get to Tiong Bahru by train, take the MRT to Tiong Bahru Station (EW17) on the East-West Line (Green Line). The market and food centre is about a 5–10 minute walk from the station.
By Car: You can drive to Tiong Bahru Market via any major road to Tiong Bahru Road or Seng Poh Road.
The nearest car parks are the Tiong Bahru Market Car Park, Outram Road Car Park, and the public car park located across from D’Hotel Singapore.
Best Hawker Stalls in Tiong Bahru Market
Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-29, Singapore 168898
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
If you have a gut of steel, you must try the pig innard soup from Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup. The stall’s signature dish earned them the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023.
This hawker’s speciality is Teochew-style clear soup, prepared fresh daily and simmered for hours to perfection. The salted mustard vegetables contribute a robust flavour, and there’s no unpleasant odour, as the innards are cleaned before cooking.
Toppings include pigs’ liver, tripe, intestines, and lean meat, so a bowl packs a lot of protein for the day. A bowl of this meaty soup starts from only $4, so it offers good bang for the buck!
| Pro Tip: You can get soup refills for free if you run out! Just ask the hawker uncle to get you an extra bowl of hot soup. |
Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-44, Singapore 168898
Operating Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday, 5:30 am to 2:30 pm
Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo is considered to be one of the OG hawker stalls in Tiong Bahru, serving classic fishball noodles and stir-fried tofu (yong tau foo) for just $3 a bowl.
The dish features a medley of handmade fish balls, fish dumplings (her kiao), thinly sliced fish cake, and tender pork slices, all cooked in a savoury clear broth.
All these toppings are paired with springy noodles and a sweet-savoury sauce, making a hearty meal for anyone who wants something filling and cheap for lunch or dinner.
| Pro Tip: The stall only accepts cash, so make sure to have some spare change or cash with you before dropping by for a bowl! |
Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-82, Singapore 168898
Operating Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice may be the most iconic hawker stall in Tiong Bahru, as they gained worldwide recognition over the 30 years they’ve been in business. They’re a proud recipient of the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award too!
Their fluffy, flavorful rice complements steamed or roasted chicken, both seasoned with sesame oil. The steamed chicken option is popular, and there are various side dishes like bean sprouts and soy sauce vegetables available.
The stall now has multiple branches across the island, but the original hawker stall in Tiong Bahru remains the most popular spot to get a bowl of this fragrant and hearty chicken dish!
| Pro Tip: Lines tend to be very long at the stall, but they do serve dishes pretty quickly. If you need to reserve a table nearby, practise the chope-ing method locals use! |
Tiong Bahru Pao
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-18/19, Singapore 168898
Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday, 5:00 am to 7:00 pm, Sunday, 5:00 am to 3:00 pm
For decades, Tiong Bahru Pao has been serving patrons with its fluffy, handcrafted bao (steamed filled buns) and is widely regarded as one of Tiong Bahru’s culinary gems.
The menu offers a diverse selection of steamed buns and dim sum choices. The char siew (cured meat) pau boasts succulent pork with just the right balance of sweetness and savoriness, while the generously sized siew mai (dumplings) is a standout.
Each order only costs about $1.20, which offers pretty good value for a hearty and quick snack. If you’re looking for sweet bao, the stall offers dou sha pau (red bean paste bun) and lian rong pau (lotus paste bun)!
| Pro Tip: This is one of the few stalls that open very early in the morning (5:00 am!), so if you’re heading out for an early run or an early turn-in for work, drop by this stall for some hearty buns. |
The CoCo Rice
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-58 Food Centre, Singapore 168898
Contact Details: +6588238282
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Nasi lemak is a beloved dish in Singapore, and at The CoCo Rice, they put a unique spin on this local favourite. This stall serves authentic blue pea nasi lemak, rice cooked in coconut milk and blue pea flowers.
The result is a blue-coloured cup of fragrant rice, paired with crispy anchovies, fried chicken, and spices. Other toppings you can include in your meal are fried eggs, cucumbers, peanuts, and okra, for a total of $10 a set.
If you’re looking for chicken-free options, the stall also offers tofu, prawn, and fish to pair with your nasi lemak. Price points may not be hawker-level (plates can go up to $15!), but it’s a halal-certified stall that’s worth sampling!
| Pro Tip: Drop by the stall on a weekday morning for fewer customers and shorter waiting times. |
Skirt & Dirt
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-66, Singapore 168898
Contact Details: +6584340119
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:30 am to 8:00 pm
Singaporean dishes aren’t the only food that people look for at Tiong Bahru’s hawker centres. Skirt & Dirt, founded by Fabian Tan, specialises in gourmet cheese skirt burgers.
Each burger is served with a flat and fried cheese patty under the beef patty. This gives you a little crunchy and cheesy flavour in every bite!
Their menu also features options like the cheesy chicken katsu burger and Western dishes such as BBQ chicken. The fish crisp with tropical salsa burger is also noteworthy, boasting a delightful blend of sweet and savoury flavours.
| Pro Tip: A cheese skirt burger costs roughly $8, but add an extra dollar and you get a bowl of fries to pair with it. An extra two dollars gives you an upgrade of fries with toppings and sauce! |
Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-60, Singapore 168898
Operating Hours: Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
At Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted, you can get all sorts of meat from pork to duck roasted. Your choice of meat is served with rice or noodles, and the stall generously drizzles your dish with its distinctive sauce, completing the meal.
You also have the option to mix and match your meat selections or add extras like tofu or braised eggs. For a delightful taste of everything, the three-kind combo is an excellent choice, featuring char siew (barbecued pork), roast pork, and roast duck.
Alternatively, you can opt for a single meat type at $5 per plate. The char siew, in particular, is highly acclaimed, being tender and rich in flavour and best paired with plain rice.
| Pro Tip: Drop by in the evenings, around 7:00 pm and later, to avoid crowds and enjoy shorter waiting times! |
Jian Bo Shui Kueh
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-05, Singapore 168898
Contact Details: +6567537588
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 6:00 am to 8:00 pm
Jian Bo is undeniably one of the most sought-after stalls at the food centre, primarily renowned for its exceptional chwee kueh (steamed cake), which remains the top choice despite other tempting options like yam cake, and Nyonya dumpling (rice cake).
The chwee kueh is generously topped with chye poh (preserved radish) and chilli. The preserved radish topping is the bestseller, but you can also order other toppings like shrimp and pork lard.
Although Jian Bo has expanded with several outlets across town, the original one in Tiong Bahru retains its timeless charm and remains a beloved favourite.
| Pro Tip: Jian Bo’s chwee kueh is mostly eaten for breakfast by locals. The stall is open by 6:00 am, so it’s a good place to get your early morning kueh fix if you drop by right before opening, as people start lining up for their orders by then! |
Hwa Yuen Porridge
Address: 19 Lim Liak St, Singapore 161019
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 7:00 am to 3:00 pm
A beloved choice among patrons at Hwa Yuen Porridge is their pork porridge. For just $3, you get porridge that is exceptionally aromatic and far from bland, defying the expectations of an average bowl of porridge.
It carries a subtle hint of sesame oil, elevating its overall flavour profile. Furthermore, the porridge offers a well-balanced assortment of pork components, including thinly sliced pork liver, lean meat, and small pork balls.
Since Hwa Yuen Porridge serves Cantonese-style porridge, expect the consistency to be a lot denser and thicker than the average congee (Chinese porridge). Fret not, it’s the signature texture of the stall that many locals have loved for decades.
| Pro Tip: Hwa Yuen Porridge is run by two elderly owners, so the stall often closes early when stocks start to deplete. It’s best to come here in the morning to have a better chance of getting more than one bowl of porridge! |
7 Original Tiong Bahru Fishball
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-20 Market, Singapore 168898
Operating Hours: Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday, 7:00 am to 3:00 pm
With over fifty years of experience under their belt, 7 Original Tiong Bahru Fishball has been serving delectable fish balls using fresh wolf herring fish, known locally as ikan parang or sai tor her.
What sets their fish balls apart is the absence of added flour during the cooking process, resulting in a delightful texture and chewiness. They offer a variety of fishball and fishcake options, as well as side dishes like otah and ngoh hiang (fried meat rolls).
One of their standout items is the fried fish balls (S$1 per four pieces), although other popular choices include the fried bean curd roll and the four-colour roll.
| Pro Tip: If you want to order from home or self-pickup via the website, the daily cut-off time for orders is 3:00 pm. If you order beyond the cut-off, you can pick up your orders after two working days! |
Qing Yuan Fish Soup
Address: 30 Seng Poh Rd, #02-49, Singapore 168898
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 7:30 pm
Qing Yuan Fish Soup, led by former head chefs from Naked Finn and Perch seafood restaurants, specialises in high-quality yet affordable Teochew-style (braised) blue cod and Spanish mackerel (Batang) soup.
The menu offers choices like Batang fish head soup, deep-fried pomfret with soy sauce, New Zealand blue cod soup, and homemade ngoh hiang (fried five-spice meat roll).
Customers can customise their order with add-ons like prawns, bitter gourd, tang ou, assorted vegetables, and their choice of rice, porridge, or bee hoon (noodles) as a side. In total, a bowl with sides will cost you around $8 to $9, so it’s good value for money!
| Pro Tip: Unfortunately, Qing Yuan Fish Soup currently doesn’t offer delivery or pre-order services. You can, however, drop by before peak hours (around noon) to avoid long lines! |
Tian Tian Yuan Dessert House
Address: #02-15 Tiong Bahru Market, 30 Seng Poh Rd, Singapore 168898
Operating Hours: Monday to Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday, 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
Even with the abundance of savoury meals at Tiong Bahru, you shouldn’t stop yourself from indulging in sweet local treats like iced red bean and jelly from Tian Tian Yuan Dessert House.
Their signature offering is the cheng tng, a traditional Singaporean dessert brimming with a medley of ingredients including red bean, green bean, chestnut, barley, tapioca balls, dry longan, persimmons, and winter melon.
Additionally, don’t miss out on the random jelly bowl. For just $3, you get a colourful assortment of pearls, jellies, tapioca balls, and beans (basically, almost everything) over ice!
| Pro Tip: Not feeling the iced desserts? Tian Tian Yuan Dessert House also offers warm treats like red bean soup, split mung bean soup, and ginkgo nut barley soup for $3 to $5 a pop! |
