The best Chinese food in Chinatown is at three hawker centres, Chinatown Complex, Maxwell and Hong Lim, plus a handful of shophouse restaurants around Chinatown MRT, and this guide lists 20 of them. Hawker stalls cover Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochew and Hainanese classics such as Bib Gourmand chicken rice, claypot rice, bak chor mee, hand-milled chee cheong fun and porridge, mostly from around $4 to $10 a plate. For a sit-down meal, Spring Court (since 1929), Kok Sen's zi char and Yum Cha's dim sum cost more, roughly $30 or more per person. Many stalls are closed on Mondays and the breakfast ones close by noon or 2pm, so check the hours below before you go.
Last verified: October 2026. Hours and prices can change — we re-check our guides regularly, but do confirm before a special trip.
- Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
- Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice
- You Fu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
- Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao
- Yum Cha Restaurant
- Zhen Zhen Porridge
- Ann Chin Popiah
- Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap
- Chef Leung's Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls
- Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee
- Tong Heng
- Mei Heong Yuen Dessert
- Yuen Yeung
- Spring Court
- Kok Sen Restaurant
- Hong Kong Mongkok Tim Sum
- Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo
- Jin Hua Fish Head Bee Hoon
- Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee
- Tai Wah Pork Noodle
The list
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice Hainanese chicken rice · $
Maxwell Food Centre's best-known stall and a Michelin Bib Gourmand holder, serving poached chicken over fragrant rice. Dine-in last order is 7:30pm, and queues form through lunch.
- Cuisine: Hainanese chicken rice
- Price: $ · From around $5
- Must-try: Steamed Hainanese chicken rice
- Where: 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01-10/11, Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184
- Area: Maxwell Food Centre
- Nearest MRT: Maxwell MRT (TE18) / Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-8pm; closed Mon
- Halal: No
Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice Cantonese claypot rice · $
A Michelin-recognised Chinatown Complex stall cooking claypot rice to order with chicken, lup cheong and salted fish. Each pot takes about 45 minutes, so order first and wait.
- Cuisine: Cantonese claypot rice
- Price: $ · From around $8 (five pot sizes, up to about $20)
- Must-try: Mixed claypot rice, Old cucumber pork rib soup
- Where: 335 Smith Street, #02-198/199, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
- Area: Chinatown Complex
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Wed & Fri-Sun 3pm-9pm; closed Mon & Thu
- Halal: No
You Fu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle Hokkien mee · $
A Chinatown Complex stall frying Hokkien mee in a prawn-and-pork stock, sold in three sizes with an optional fried egg add-on.
- Cuisine: Hokkien mee
- Price: $ · From around $5 ($5 / $7 / $9)
- Must-try: Fried Hokkien prawn noodle
- Where: 335 Smith Street, #02-186, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
- Area: Chinatown Complex
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Sun 10:30am-8pm; closed Mon
- Halal: No
Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao Northern Chinese noodles & dumplings · $
A Michelin-recognised Chinatown Complex stall for hand-made xiao long bao, zha jiang mian and dan dan noodles at hawker prices.
- Cuisine: Northern Chinese noodles & dumplings
- Price: $ · Xiao long bao from around $8 for 10; noodles from around $4.50
- Must-try: Xiao long bao, Zha jiang mian, Sichuan spicy wanton
- Where: 335 Smith Street, #02-135, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
- Area: Chinatown Complex
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Wed-Fri 11am-8:30pm; Sat-Sun 10:30am-8:30pm; closed Mon & Tue
- Halal: No
Yum Cha Restaurant Cantonese dim sum · $$
A sit-down dim sum restaurant upstairs in a Trengganu Street shophouse, known for its weekday high tea buffet. It is one of the few Chinatown dim sum spots open into the evening.
- Cuisine: Cantonese dim sum
- Price: $$ · Weekday high tea buffet from around $32.80++
- Must-try: Ma lai gao, Xiao long bao, Baked mini egg tarts
- Where: 20 Trengganu Street, #02-01, Singapore 058479
- Area: Trengganu Street
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Fri 10:30am-9pm; Sat-Sun 9am-9pm
- Halal: No
Zhen Zhen Porridge Cantonese porridge · $
A Maxwell stall for smooth Cantonese-style congee that opens at dawn and often sells out before its 2pm close.
- Cuisine: Cantonese porridge
- Price: $ · From around $4 a bowl
- Must-try: Sliced fish and shredded chicken porridge with century egg
- Where: 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01-54, Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184
- Area: Maxwell Food Centre
- Nearest MRT: Maxwell MRT (TE18) / Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Wed & Fri-Sun 5:30am-2pm; closed Mon, Tue & Thu
- Halal: No
Ann Chin Popiah Hokkien popiah · $
A heritage Chinatown Complex stall hand-rolling fresh popiah to order, with kueh pie tee on the side.
- Cuisine: Hokkien popiah
- Price: $ · Popiah from around $2.20 a roll; kueh pie tee around $3.70 for four
- Must-try: Popiah, Kueh pie tee
- Where: 335 Smith Street, #02-112, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
- Area: Chinatown Complex
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Daily 8am-7pm
- Halal: No pork, no lard
Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap Teochew braised duck / kway chap · $
A Chinatown Complex stall for Teochew braised duck and kway chap in herbal braising gravy, best known for its bento-style combo of duck, egg, pork belly and offal.
- Cuisine: Teochew braised duck / kway chap
- Price: $ · Kway chap set from around $4.50; bento combo jumbo set around $10
- Must-try: Braised duck bento combo, Kway chap
- Where: 335 Smith Street, #02-156, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
- Area: Chinatown Complex
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun 10am-6pm; closed Mon & Fri
- Halal: No
Chef Leung's Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls Cantonese chee cheong fun & congee · $
A breakfast stall steaming silky rice rolls from hand-milled batter, plus Hong Kong-style congee. It closes at noon.
- Cuisine: Cantonese chee cheong fun & congee
- Price: $ · From around $3.20 (plain); congee from around $5
- Must-try: Hand-milled chee cheong fun, Pork rib and century egg congee
- Where: 335 Smith Street, #02-096, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
- Area: Chinatown Complex
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Wed-Sun 6:30am-12pm; closed Mon & Tue
- Halal: No
Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee Curry chicken noodles · $
A long-queued Hong Lim stall for curry chicken noodles in a rich, coconutty gravy with house-made sambal, a short walk from Chinatown MRT Exit A.
- Cuisine: Curry chicken noodles
- Price: $ · From around $7 (larger bowl around $9.50)
- Must-try: Curry chicken bee hoon mee
- Where: 531A Upper Cross Street, #01-58, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 051531
- Area: Hong Lim Food Centre
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Mon-Sat 10:30am-3:30pm; closed Sun
- Halal: No
Tong Heng Cantonese pastries · $
A century-old Cantonese confectionery on South Bridge Road, known for its diamond-shaped egg tarts and traditional pastries. Its tarts use pork lard.
- Cuisine: Cantonese pastries
- Price: $ · From around $2.60 per tart
- Must-try: Diamond-shaped egg tart, Coconut egg tart, Charcoal egg tart
- Where: 285 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058833
- Area: South Bridge Road
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Daily 9am-7pm
- Halal: No
Mei Heong Yuen Dessert Cantonese desserts · $
A long-running Temple Street shop for traditional Chinese sweet soups, pastes and snow ice, popular after dinner in Chinatown.
- Cuisine: Cantonese desserts
- Price: $ · From around $4
- Must-try: Almond black glutinous rice, Bubur cha cha, Mango roll
- Where: 63-67 Temple Street, Singapore 058611
- Area: Temple Street
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Sun 12pm-9:30pm; closed Mon
- Halal: No
Yuen Yeung Modern Chinese desserts · $
A Neil Road dessert shop reworking traditional Chinese sweet soups and pastes in a sit-down setting, open until late.
- Cuisine: Modern Chinese desserts
- Price: $ · From around $4.90
- Must-try: Pistachio paste, Rice mochi with red bean paste, Matcha mochi peaks
- Where: 43 Neil Road, Singapore 088825
- Area: Neil Road
- Nearest MRT: Maxwell MRT (TE18) / Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Daily 12pm-10:30pm
- Halal: No
Spring Court Cantonese restaurant · $$$
Founded in 1929 and now run by the fourth generation of the family, Spring Court is Singapore's oldest Chinese restaurant, filling a row of Upper Cross Street shophouses. It serves Cantonese roast meats, steamed fish and banquet sets, with dim sum at lunch, and takes reservations online, by phone or WhatsApp.
- Cuisine: Cantonese restaurant
- Price: $$$
- Must-try: Crispy roast pork belly, Roast chicken, Lunch dim sum
- Where: 52-56 Upper Cross Street, Singapore 058348
- Area: Upper Cross Street
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19) Exit E
- Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm & 6pm-10pm; Sat, Sun & PH lunch 11am-3pm and dinner 5:30pm-10pm in two seatings
- Halal: No
Kok Sen Restaurant Cantonese zi char · $$
A Michelin Bib Gourmand zi char restaurant at the Keong Saik end of Chinatown, where the big prawn hor fun is on almost every table. Dishes come in small, medium and large sizes for sharing.
- Cuisine: Cantonese zi char
- Price: $$ · Big prawn hor fun from around $20++ (small)
- Must-try: Big prawns hor fun, Claypot yong tau foo, Bittergourd sliced fish
- Where: 2-4 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089112
- Area: Keong Saik Road
- Nearest MRT: Outram Park MRT (EW16/NE3/TE17) / Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Sun 12pm-2:15pm & 5pm-9:15pm; closed Mon
- Halal: No
Hong Kong Mongkok Tim Sum Hong Kong dim sum (hawker) · $
A Chinatown Complex stall selling handmade Hong Kong-style dim sum at hawker prices, a cheaper alternative to sit-down yum cha.
- Cuisine: Hong Kong dim sum (hawker)
- Price: $ · From around $3.50 a serving
- Must-try: Char siew bao, Siu mai, Har gao
- Where: 335 Smith Street, #02-097, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
- Area: Chinatown Complex
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Wed-Sun 11am-5pm; closed Mon & Tue
- Halal: No
Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo Hakka-style yong tau foo · $
An early-morning Chinatown Complex stall for yong tau foo in a clear anchovy broth, topped with crispy ikan bilis. It closes at 1:30pm.
- Cuisine: Hakka-style yong tau foo
- Price: $ · From around $3.50 (five pieces); bowl with noodles around $4
- Must-try: Yong tau foo with ikan bilis soup
- Where: 335 Smith Street, #02-088, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
- Area: Chinatown Complex
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Wed & Fri-Sun 5am-1:30pm; closed Mon & Thu
- Halal: No
Jin Hua Fish Head Bee Hoon Cantonese fish soup · $
A Maxwell stall for Cantonese fish soup with sliced or fried fish, with evaporated milk added on request for a richer broth.
- Cuisine: Cantonese fish soup
- Price: $ · From around $5
- Must-try: Sliced fish bee hoon soup, Fried fish bee hoon with milk
- Where: 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01-77, Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184
- Area: Maxwell Food Centre
- Nearest MRT: Maxwell MRT (TE18) / Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Fri-Wed 11:30am-7:30pm; closed Thu
- Halal: No
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee Char kway teow · $
One of Hong Lim Food Centre's busiest stalls, frying flat rice noodles with yellow noodles from 6am; extra cockles and egg cost more.
- Cuisine: Char kway teow
- Price: $ · From around $5 (small) / $6 (large)
- Must-try: Fried kway teow mee
- Where: 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-17, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 051531
- Area: Hong Lim Food Centre
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Mon-Sat 6am-3pm; closed Sun
- Halal: No
Tai Wah Pork Noodle Bak chor mee · $
A Hong Lim stall holding a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2018, serving minced pork noodles with liver, meatballs and wanton in three sizes. Expect a queue at lunch.
- Cuisine: Bak chor mee
- Price: $ · From around $6 (three bowl sizes)
- Must-try: Dry bak chor mee
- Where: 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-16, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 051531
- Area: Hong Lim Food Centre
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19)
- Hours: Tue-Sun 7:30am-3pm; closed Mon
- Halal: No
At a glance: compare every spot
| Spot | Cuisine | Price | Area | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice | Hainanese chicken rice | $ | Maxwell Food Centre | No |
| Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice | Cantonese claypot rice | $ | Chinatown Complex | No |
| You Fu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle | Hokkien mee | $ | Chinatown Complex | No |
| Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao | Northern Chinese noodles & dumplings | $ | Chinatown Complex | No |
| Yum Cha Restaurant | Cantonese dim sum | $$ | Trengganu Street | No |
| Zhen Zhen Porridge | Cantonese porridge | $ | Maxwell Food Centre | No |
| Ann Chin Popiah | Hokkien popiah | $ | Chinatown Complex | No pork, no lard |
| Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap | Teochew braised duck / kway chap | $ | Chinatown Complex | No |
| Chef Leung's Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls | Cantonese chee cheong fun & congee | $ | Chinatown Complex | No |
| Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee | Curry chicken noodles | $ | Hong Lim Food Centre | No |
| Tong Heng | Cantonese pastries | $ | South Bridge Road | No |
| Mei Heong Yuen Dessert | Cantonese desserts | $ | Temple Street | No |
| Yuen Yeung | Modern Chinese desserts | $ | Neil Road | No |
| Spring Court | Cantonese restaurant | $$$ | Upper Cross Street | No |
| Kok Sen Restaurant | Cantonese zi char | $$ | Keong Saik Road | No |
| Hong Kong Mongkok Tim Sum | Hong Kong dim sum (hawker) | $ | Chinatown Complex | No |
| Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo | Hakka-style yong tau foo | $ | Chinatown Complex | No |
| Jin Hua Fish Head Bee Hoon | Cantonese fish soup | $ | Maxwell Food Centre | No |
| Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee | Char kway teow | $ | Hong Lim Food Centre | No |
| Tai Wah Pork Noodle | Bak chor mee | $ | Hong Lim Food Centre | No |
Your questions answered
Where is the best Chinese food in Chinatown?
Most of it is in three hawker centres: Chinatown Complex (Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice, Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao, Chef Leung's chee cheong fun), Maxwell Food Centre (Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, Zhen Zhen Porridge) and Hong Lim Food Centre (Tai Wah Pork Noodle, Heng Kee curry chicken noodles). For restaurants, try Spring Court on Upper Cross Street, Kok Sen on Keong Saik Road and Yum Cha on Trengganu Street.
How much does Chinese food in Chinatown cost?
Hawker dishes are mostly from around $4 to $10, for example Zhen Zhen porridge from around $4, Tian Tian chicken rice from around $5 and Lian He Ben Ji claypot rice from around $8. Sit-down restaurants cost more: Yum Cha's weekday high tea buffet is from around $32.80++, and Kok Sen's zi char dishes start from around $15++ for a small portion.
Which Chinese restaurants in Chinatown take reservations?
Spring Court takes bookings online, by phone (+65 6449 5030) or WhatsApp, and seats weekend lunch and dinner in two sittings. Yum Cha and Kok Sen are sit-down restaurants and are worth booking for groups. Hawker stalls do not take reservations, so arrive before 12pm or after 2pm to avoid the longest queues.
Are Chinatown's Chinese food stalls open on Mondays?
Many are not. Tian Tian, You Fu, Tai Wah Pork Noodle, Lian He Ben Ji, Zhong Guo La Mian, Chef Leung's, Kok Sen and Mei Heong Yuen are all closed on Mondays. Ann Chin Popiah, Yuen Yeung, Tong Heng and Spring Court open daily, and Heng Kee and Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee open Monday to Saturday.
Is the Chinese food in Chinatown halal?
None of the Chinese stalls and restaurants in this guide is halal-certified, and most serve pork or use lard (Tong Heng's tarts, for example, use pork lard). Ann Chin Popiah is listed as not halal but with no pork or lard. Muslim diners in Chinatown Complex can try Aziz Jaffar Muslim Food (#02-070), which Eatbook lists as halal-certified.
Which MRT station is best for Chinatown food?
Chinatown MRT (NE4/DT19) is closest to Chinatown Complex, Hong Lim Food Centre (Exit A) and Spring Court (Exit E). Maxwell MRT (TE18) is closest to Maxwell Food Centre and Neil Road, and Outram Park MRT is the nearest station to Kok Sen on Keong Saik Road.
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