Nestled among the historic shophouses of the Tiong Bahru neighbourhood is its namesake wet market and hawker centre, Tiong Bahru Market.
The spacious two-storey building has been through quite the journey since it was first erected as Seng Poh Road Market back in 1951, functioning then as not just a food centre for itinerant hawkers to gather and peddle their nosh, but also as a nexus for the local community.
Tiong Bahru Market earned its name in 1993, when the existing food centre and market was revamped, though it underwent an even bigger change from 2004 to 2006, when it was torn down and replaced by the charming building we know today.
Key to that charm, beside the Art Deco elements and playful murals adorning its exterior, is the market’s impressive retinue of over 200 hawker stalls, many of which have withstood the test of time — and multiple renovations — and remain to this day. Read on for the hawker stalls that most impressed our MICHELIN Guide inspectors with their time-worn recipes and strict adherence to culinary tradition.
Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee
Bib GourmandMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Third-generation hawker Manfred Lim mans Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee, a consistent recipient of the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand recognition since 2016 for its one and only dish of Hokkien mee — a bona fide Singaporean plate featuring yellow noodles, thick bee hoon, squid, and prawn, doused in a rich prawn stock and stir-fried in a wok until slightly charred. The resulting deliciously smoky mess can be had as is, though customers can also choose to jazz it up with a squeeze of lime or a healthy splash of spicy-savoury sambal chilli.
Koh Brother Pig's Organ Soup
Bib GourmandMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup is a family-run operation with almost 70 years of history. It was founded in 1955 by the late Koh Kee Teo and his brother, both itinerant hawkers operating out of a pushcart who eventually settled into Tiong Bahru Market. The MICHELIN Bib Gourmand awardee is now in the hands of Koh’s grandson, Thomas, who continues to sell not only their signature soup — a clear, but punchy broth of pig’s offal and salted mustard greens — but also its hard-to-find specialty of pig’s large intestine, laboriously hand-stuffed with glutinous rice, pork belly, and chestnuts. Come early if you want a taste of the latter, as it often sells out quickly.
Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Bib GourmandMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
There is no shortage of great chicken rice in Singapore — after all, it is one of the country’s most recognisable dishes. But what makes the humble pairing of fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock and silky-smooth poached chicken at Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice stand out from its competition? Well, according to owner Cheong Weng Wah, who founded the stall in 1988, it is part-adherence to time-tested “secret techniques”, like soaking blanched chicken in ice water to maximise its tenderness and succulent skin, and part-inventive twists like the addition of onion to the usual mix of garlic, spring onion, and ginger when cooking the dish’s signature fragrant rice. The proof is in the eating, as the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand recipient now counts multiple outlets outside of Tiong Bahru Market.
Jian Bo Shui Kueh
Selected RestaurantMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Jian Bo Shui Kueh is another longstanding hawker brand with roots in Tiong Bahru Market, home of its first outlet since 1958. It has since grown into a massive operation with more than 20 outlets scattered across Singapore — including the Jian Bo Tiong Bahru Shui Kueh in Jurong West 505 Market & Food Centre, which has been recognised with a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand since 2021. The delightfully simple dish at the centre of the hawker empire? Shui kueh, also known as chwee kueh — essentially steamed rice cakes that are topped with preserved radish and sesame seeds. Be sure to enjoy the hearty rounds with the accompanying house-made chilli, which boasts savoury notes along with the spice thanks to dried shrimp.
Lor Mee 178
Selected RestaurantMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Long queues are almost guaranteed at Lor Mee 178, regardless of when you’re visiting during its opening hours of morning to the early afternoon. The popular hawker stall is well-regarded for its bowls of thick yellow noodles drenched in a full-bodied, viscous gravy — known as "lor" — with accompaniments like braised pork belly, crispy battered shark nuggets, and a boiled egg. Feel free to balance out the flavours with some spice à la raw garlic and chilli, or the sharp tang of Chinese black vinegar.
