Here’s a guide to Geylang Bahru Food Center so you don’t get lost in this food maze!
Hawker centres are a big part of Singapore’s food culture, so if you’re a tourist, you have to check out at least one of them. My ultimate recommendation is Geylang Bahru Food Center (I admit I’m a bit biased because this is the hawker of my childhood).
Located in Kallang, Geylang Bahru Food Center has been around since 1978, and it’s a favourite among locals. It houses over 70 stalls, selling all sorts of dishes—from classic Singaporean dishes like Hainanese chicken rice to Western delights.
If you’re planning to visit, here’s a guide I wrote that lists all the stalls you must try!
Things to Know
Address: 69 Geylang Bahru
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Saturday—6 am to 11:45 pm
- Sunday—7 am to 11:45 pm
Contact Number: +6562255632
How to Get Here
By MRT: Riding the MRT is the best way to get to the Geylang Bahru Food Center because the Geylang Bahru MRT station is located right opposite it. You can take either the Downtown Line, North-East Line, or East-West Line.
By Bus: Ride any of the following buses: 107, 175, 23, 61, or 853. The nearest bus stop is on Block 68 (bus stop no. 60229), which is a four-minute walk from the hawker centre.
Stalls to Check Out
Hui Wei Chilli Ban Mian
From: huiweichillibanmian
Location: #01-58
Operating Hours: Saturday to Thursday—11:30 am to 9:30 pm
I love eating ban mian (a noodle dish) when I’m in a hurry because it’s served quickly and I can also consume it just as fast. If I’m at Geylang Bahru Food Center, Hui Wei is my go-to for ban mian.
I prefer the dry chilli ban mian here. The noodles are soft with a slightly chewy texture, and the sauce definitely has a fiery kick. My taste buds tingle from the first bite! The pork meat is also tender, and it tastes extra rich, thanks to the egg yolk topping.
Cheok Kee Boneless Braised Duck
From: cheok_kee
Location: #01-35
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—12 pm to 5 pm
Contact Number: +6596922168
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The moment I step near Cheok Kee Boneless Braised Duck, I’m hit with a mouthwatering aroma! So, naturally, I have to get something here before the stock runs out.
The braised duck rice is the bestseller and also my personal favourite. The rice absorbs the savoury, umami flavours from the flavourful broth it’s cooked in, and the duck is tender and juicy. I love to add several dollops of chilli onto my dish to get that kick of spice!
Yuan Yang Spinach Soup
From: luuulutan
Location: #01-12
Operating Hours: Sunday to Friday—11 am to 8 pm
The spinach soup served at Yuan Yang Spinach Soup may look simple and humble, but I love it all the same. Its flavours are pretty mellow and subtle—salty and savoury are the standout—and it’s hearty enough that I feel full afterwards.
Another dish I recommend here is the spinach century and salted egg soup. This one is definitely more savoury and salty, and the century egg adds a rich layer of flavour that’s hard to describe. Just keep in mind that the egg is quite pungent, but it’s worth it in my opinion!
Toa Payoh 93 Soon Kueh
From: alamakgirl
Location: #01-68
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday—7 am to 9 pm
Contact Number: +6588169393
Who doesn’t love dumplings? If you’re a dumpling enthusiast like me, I recommend Toa Payoh 93 Soon Kueh.
As the stall’s name suggests, they specialise in soon kueh, a Teochew-style dumpling with bamboo shoots as the filling. I really like how the skin is thin but still mildly chewy, and inside, the bamboo filling is delicate and oozing with earthy aroma and flavour.
Spoon a generous helping of chilli sauce into the dumpling to enjoy a punch of heat!
Wen Wen Big Prawn Mee
From: wenwenbigprawnmee
Location: #01-22
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday—12 pm to 2 pm, 5 pm to 8:30 pm
Contact Number: +6580782712
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This stall isn’t exaggerating with its name—the prawns here (and crayfish too!) are really big! Plus, they’re freshly caught, so their pure taste and texture are excellent.
One interesting thing about this stall is that they don’t add herbs and other spices to the soup. The idea is to let the natural sweetness of the seafood and the savoriness of the meat shine. And I agree; the soup does taste sweet and savoury from the prawns and pork bones.
I like to add Sri Lankan crabs and crayfish to my soup for even more of that mild sweetness.
Bang Bang Mushroom Bak Chor Mee
From: jimmyfooddiary
Location: #01-25
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday—6 am to 3 pm
What I like about Bang Bang Mushroom Bak Chor Mee is that their portions are generous. They don’t skimp on the minced pork and braised mushrooms at all!
I also love the savoury and earthy flavour combination of the pork and mushrooms, and the mee kia noodles are perfectly al dente.
This stall always has a long queue during peak hours (around lunchtime), so I recommend coming earlier.
Shi De Fu Wanton Mee
From: shidefu0165
Location: #01-65
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—6 am to 8 pm
Wanton mee is one of the classic hawker dishes, and Shi De Fu is one of my favourite places to go to when I’m craving it.
The noodles here have that lovely springy texture, with a bit of firmness that gives a satisfying bite. They are also tossed in a sweet black sauce and spicy chilli, and that flavour combination just excites my taste buds.
As for the wantons, they’re generously filled and bursting with savoury flavour. They offer a nice contrast to the noodles.
Suhaime’s
From: suhaimes_
Location: #01-74
Operating Hours: Wednesday to Sunday—6 am to 3:30 pm
Another great spot if you’re craving noodles is Suhaime’s. This stall specialises in mee rebus, a noodle soup dish that’s popular in Malaysia.
What I love about Suhaime’s take on mee rebus is its simplicity. The gravy is made from sweet potatoes and spices, so it’s sweet with a hint of earthiness and spicy. It’s then poured over soft yellow noodles and topped with fried tofu, boiled egg, and bean sprouts. Such a hearty, comforting meal!
Sheng Ji Soya Sauce Chicken Rice/Noodle
From: henbaohen.bao
Location: #01-13
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Saturday—9 am to 9 pm
Sheng Ji Soya offers dishes with generous portions and affordable pricing—two qualities that will definitely make me check out a stall. The food here is quite good as well, so all the more reason to visit.
The star of the show is the black sauce that coats both the crispy chicken and springy noodles. It’s thick and savoury, with subtle notes of sweetness. The flavour can get too rich, but it’s nothing that a spoonful of chilli can’t fix.
Hock Ann Noodles
From: henbaohen.bao
Location: #01-64
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—8:30 am to 9 pm
Hock Ann Noodles is a noodle lover’s dream. This stall has all the classic options, such as wanton noodles, fishball noodles, minced meat noodles, and more!
I usually get the minced meat dry noodles with wontons and meatballs. The sauce is savoury and spicy, but it’s also slightly sour and shrimpy. The noodles soak up all that flavour, so every bite is a delight.
I also really like the meatballs. They’re so bouncy and juicy; I love eating them with the noodles.
Wan Gui Beverages
From: murphy.tay
Location: #01-71
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—9 am to 11 pm
If you’re looking for a light breakfast or a snack break, go to Wan Gui! This stall is best known for its kopi drinks, and from experience, I can tell you that these drinks will definitely wake you up!
Since I come here around breakfast time, my go-to order is kaya toast with egg and Kopi O. The kopi flavour is strong, while the kaya toast is sweet and nutty. To cut through all the sweetness, I dip the toast into the egg’s runny yolk and cherish its rich, umami goodness.
Ju Xing Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Location: #01-01
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday—10 am to 7 pm
Craving the iconic Hainanese chicken rice dish? Head to Ju Xing and your cravings will be satisfied!
I’m obsessed with how aromatic this dish is; taking in the smell, I get even hungrier! The rice is also fluffy and soaks up all the juices from the chicken. As for the chicken itself, it’s silky smooth and oozing with umami perfection.
This dish comes with a side of chilli and minced garlic sauce, both of which add a zesty and garlicky zing to every bite.
Canton Delicacies
From: eatwithroy
Location: #01-27
Operating Hours: Friday to Wednesday—12 pm to 9 pm
Contact Number: +6584590031
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Canton Delicacies is exactly what it says on the tin: this stall offers an array of beloved Canton delicacies!
There are a lot of options available on the menu, so I get overwhelmed every time I come here. That said, my go-to order is the curry fish head; the fish is flaky and moist, and the curry sauce is rich, earthy, and spicy. It’s also not too thick, which is great because I can drink it like it’s a cup of coffee instead of gravy!
Oikos Western Delight
From: henbaohen.bao
Location: #01-66
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Saturday—12 pm to 9:30 pm
- Sunday—4:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Contact Number: +6588111066
I love Asian cuisine as much as the next person, but sometimes, Western dishes hit the spot as well. Fortunately, Geylang Bahru Food Center has a stall that I can go to when I’m craving Western treats: Oikos Western Delight.
I always go for the mixed grill because it has everything I want: grilled beef, pork chop, and chicken chop. It also has other side dishes, such as baked beans, French fries, a piece of garlic bread, a hot dog, and coleslaw.
Needless to say, this dish is super filling. The meats are wonderfully grilled, so they have that smoky-savoury flavour combo. The sides are nothing to write home about, but they’re tasty enough that I’ll devour them in a few minutes.
Diem Fish Soup
From: liyenzwordpress
Location: #01-23
Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday—9:30 am to 8:30 pm
I’m not the biggest fan of fish soups in general, so the fact that I love the soup here at Diem Fish Soup says a lot.
The soup has the right levels of saltiness and umami for me, and it also has a bit of acidity and tanginess that I like. The soup has several other ingredients in it as well: the flaky fish, the juicy and fatty meatballs, and crispy fried shallots.
If you want to make the meal even more filling, you can order a side of rice or noodles with your soup.
Ole Sambala Spice
From: olesambalaspice
Location: #01-31
Operating Hours: Friday to Wednesday—11 am to 8:30 pm
Do you love rendang chicken? Then, I have the best spot for you at this hawker centre: Ole Sambala Spice.
This dish is super fragrant, so even before it’s served, you can already smell how delicious it’s going to be. The chicken thigh is juicy, and its flavour is mostly earthy, with a hint of spice.
The achar is great as well; it’s peppery and sour, enough to cleanse the palate.