Support Our Hawkers: Accela’s Top Local Recommendations
It’s no secret that Phase Two (Heightened Alert) has hit all of our favourite dining establishments hard – from fine dining restaurants and top cocktail bars to local hawkers and independent shops. We recently shared a roundup of takeaway and delivery offerings from our Accela clients to help support them in these trying times, but we also wanted to shine the spotlight on some of the team’s favorite hawkers as another way to support the local food & beverage community.
Check out our selections below, and for more ideas on how to support Singapore’s legendary hawker scene, we’ve rounded up a few resources at the bottom of the post.
“My favourite hawker is our local Chicken Rice in Sixth Avenue, the Good Food Eating House. They are located a short walk from the Sixth Avenue MRT – the staff are always friendly and chatty, the food never disappoints, fresh ingredients, and an excellent sized portion! The whole family loves it, and you’re always sure to bump into a neighbour in the line outside!” – Alexandra Plowman, Client Lead, Accela Talent
“For me, it's TKR Yummy Chicken Wing ALL. THE. WAY. Located in Newton Food Centre, TKR has so much nostalgia as it reminds me of some of my early trips to Singapore in 2007. The second favourite is Zham Zham Muslim Food stall in Tekka market for their prata, and mutton curry, which is one of my favorites for a Saturday breakfast!” – Erin Padilla, CEO & Co-Founder, Accela Group
“My favourite stall is Ye Tang Chendol, which can be found in Beauty World Centre. They specialise in authentic Chendol and it’s one of the best Chendols I’ve tried! It’s run by two lovely women who always give great service.” – Francesca Shippey, Corporate Secretary Lead, Accela Finance & Corporate Secretary
“Any time you have a craving for local delicacies and want to try something different, do head down to 40 Beo Crescent Hainanese Curry Rice. I especially recommend their signature dish ‘Fried Crispy Pork’ and their Curry sauce – a must-try dish! Do expect a longer waiting time for the food. Also, try the Covent Garden Kway Chap at 22B Havelock Road. This is my childhood memory food, definite one of my go-to places.” – Grace Chang, Operations Administrator, Accela Group
“Back when I was cool, I lived in Tiong Bahru and would go to that Shui Kueh/Chwee Kueh stall. I now see that has become a franchise! But I love any chwee kueh stall for a delicious snack. I know it's technically a breakfast food but I think it's good at any time of day! My closest is now at Bukit Timah Food Centre and it's also awesome. This isn’t technically a hawker center, but an open-air restaurant, my favourite place for samosas is Usman on the corner of Desker and Serangoon roads. I found it the day my EP was approved in 2011 and went there to celebrate with samosas. I used to go there about once every two weeks when it was only a few stops from my place.” – Jacqui Smith, Content & Community Manager, Accela Group
“Han Kee Fish Soup from Amoy Street Food Centre! The fish is so fresh & the broth does not have the raw taste!” - Jeevika Ganapathi, Senior Finance Associate, Accela Finance
“I’ve picked up a few favourites from different neighborhoods around the island – I’d say my top choices (that I know the names of!) are Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken Wings at East Coast Lagoon for incredible chicken wings – they’re cooked perfectly and the chilli sauce is on point; L32 Handmade Noodles on Geylang Road for delicious ban mian (pro tip: always add the Mala paste!); Wan Jia Ma La Tang at People’s Park for a DIY mala soup with your favorite meats and veggies, and Mr. Vadai at Ting Yeang Restaurant along Joo Chiat for super crispy prawn and ikan billis vadai – they’re like savory donuts, yum!” – Jess Slevin, Senior Communications & Marketing Director, Accela Communications
“My favourites would be: Yunos N Family at 724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6, Singapore 560724 for life-defining gado gado and satay – definitely worth the long queue; Western Barbeque at Old Airport Road Food Centre 01-53 – unique sauce and great portions, always very well-prepared; Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Chinatown Complex 02-135 – freshly made, affordable XLBs with no frills and amazing filling.” – Lydia Lee, Senior HR Administrator, Accela Talent
“Five Star Fast Food – I love Indian cuisines! It used to be located near the Malaysia checkpoint but moved closer to my place and it still tastes the same. Their mee goreng combo will be always on my list, with fried noodles, beef and fries – all topped with a thick spicy gravy.” – Munirah Hanim, Finance Associate, Accela Finance
“My favourite place is the Indian eatery (there is no name for this shop!) at International Plaza. The place is quite small but the dishes are so delicious. My next favourite is the Only Vegetarian outlet at Amoy Street Food Court. This is one of the very few Chinese outlets where I can enjoy vegetarian Chinese food.” – Savitha Raman, Finance Manager, Accela Finance
“I have a few favourites… Sari Bistari Changi Village Famous Nasi Ayam Penyet at Changi Village Hawker Centre. Nothing beats the original Ayam penyet in Singapore! Their sambal is to die for and the chicken is cooked and smashed to perfection. It’s an institution for the east side surely! Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice at Bedok Corner Food Centre – fragrant rice, check! Juicy and tender roasted chicken, check! The queues for the place can be insane (unless you time it right - there will be no line at all). The average price for a plate of chicken rice is S$4 which is worth the time and money, if you ask me. I would argue that this one the top chicken rice stalls in Singapore - you can’t go wrong with TFF’s. Goreng Pisang King at Bedok Corner Food Centre – if you are looking for a quintessential Malay snack like goreng pisang, this is the spot! With sweet banana fritters and many other deep fried goodies, Goreng Pisang King is a great place for your cheat day! XO Minced Meat Noodles at Newton Food Centre – I know it’s pretty cliché to pick a spot from Newton but these noodles are so good, it is a shame that were not in the Crazy Rich Asians film. They make their own meatballs which are packed with so much flavor! The noodles are cooked to al-dente perfection and you pay less than S$6 for this bowl of goodness. Can’t go wrong with this place if you are looking for a good noodle spot!” – Shiona Raj, Communications Executive, Accela Communications
For more recommendations, check out these links:
· S'porean man, 28, creates map of digitally-disadvantaged hawkers to bring them customers (via Mothership)
· Been thinking where to 'dabao' daily? These 3 sisters run an Instagram page that links you up with elderly hawkers (via AsiaOne)
· Want To Support Struggling Hawkers? Here Are 5 Ways To Help (via 8DAYS)
