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In Singapore’s Chinatown, food is as much a part of the streetscape as the lanterns and shophouses. Restaurants in Chinatown range from open-air hawker stalls serving steaming bowls of noodles to long-running family kitchens that still cook from old recipes. The mix is wide: roast duck and dim sum share space with Peranakan curries, Indian breads, and modern café plates. Walk through the narrow lanes and you’ll come across small eateries that feel like hidden local secrets. Every meal in the district feels a little different, adding its own note to Singapore’s food story. Some are plain and quick, others filling, and a few carry the polish of fine dining.
Top 10 Restaurants In Chinatown
Restaurants in Chinatown show how food and history mix in Singapore. Some stick to old flavours passed down for decades, while others experiment, giving visitors plenty to explore.
1. Spring Court Restaurant
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The Spring Court Restaurant, which was established in 1929, is one of the oldest and most legendary places to eat in Singapore and has thus been ranked among the must-visit restaurants in Chinatown. Set inside a beautifully restored four-storey shophouse on Upper Cross Street, it balances heritage with flavours that have lasted through generations. The yam ring filled with prawns and mixed vegetables is the signature dish, and it often becomes the first thing people recommend here. Diners also go back for the crispy Peking duck, freshly rolled popiah, and the claypot crab with vermicelli that seafood lovers can’t resist.
Average Cost: $45 / ₹2,790
Signature Dishes: Yam Ring, Peking Duck & Claypot Crab Vermicelli
Best For: Family gatherings, banquets, festive dining
Suggested Read: Singapore Travel Guide
2. Kok Sen Restaurant
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Kok Sen Restaurant is often mentioned among the most beloved restaurants in Chinatown, and its loyal crowd proves why. Tucked along Keong Saik Road for more than thirty years, this family-run spot is known for zi char cooking that bursts with wok hei. The Big Prawn Hor Fun, drenched in a rich gravy infused with prawn head stock, is usually the first dish people order. Just as popular is the Claypot Yong Tau Foo, where stuffed vegetables simmer until they soak up a bold, savoury sauce. Prawn Paste Chicken Wings add crunch and aroma, balancing the table with something familiar.
Average Cost: $25 / ₹1,550
Signature Dishes: Big Prawn Hor Fun, Claypot Yong Tau Foo, Prawn Paste Chicken
Best For: Casual meals with family or friends
3. Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen
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Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen has built a reputation as one of the top restaurants in Chinatown for those craving true Hong Kong flavours. What started as a modest hawker stall is now a name known across the city, thanks largely to its beef brisket noodles. The brisket is slow-braised until tender, then served in a broth layered with herbs and depth, often called one of the best bowls outside Hong Kong. Another favourite is the soy sauce chicken rice, so popular that it often sells out well before closing time. Roast pork with its crisp skin and a rich pork trotter dish also feature heavily on tables, making the place a must for meat lovers.
Average Cost: $12 / ₹745
Signature Dishes: Beef Brisket Noodles, Soy Sauce Chicken, Roast Pork
Best For: Quick, authentic hawker-style meals
Suggested Read: Chinatown Food Street Singapore
4. You Fu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
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You Fu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle has become one of the rising names linked with restaurants in Chinatown, despite being a single hawker stall. Run by a young hawker who clearly knows his craft, the stall has gained steady crowds for its version of Hokkien Mee. The noodles are cooked with just the right touch of wok hei, soaking up a prawn-and-pork broth that gives every bite depth and richness. The noodles land right in the middle, not too wet and not too dry, with prawns and squid adding enough bite to make it a filling plate. Regulars mention the sambal chilli, saying its smoky heat pulls everything together.
Average Cost: $6 / ₹370
Signature Dishes: Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle with Sambal
Best For: Affordable, local hawker dining
5. Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle
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No list of restaurants in Chinatown is truly complete without Hawker Chan, better known as Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle. The stall hit headlines in 2016 after earning a Michelin star, the first ever for a hawker, and it showed the world that great food doesn’t need a high price. The dish everyone comes for is the soya sauce chicken rice: soft, tender chicken simmered in a dark soy blend, served over plain rice with just enough light gravy to keep it all together. The noodle version is just as popular, with springy egg noodles carrying the same rich sauce.
Average Cost: $5 / ₹310
Signature Dishes: Soy Sauce Chicken Rice, Char Siew, Roast Pork
Best For: Budget-friendly Michelin dining
Suggested Read: Best Foods In Singapore
6. The Food Peeps Coffee & Deli
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Breaking from the traditional flavours that dominate restaurants in Chinatown, The Food Peeps Coffee & Deli brings a café-style energy to the district. It’s a spot where brunch plates and speciality coffee replace heavy zi char spreads, giving visitors a lighter way to eat in between temple stops and market strolls. Some of the favourites are beef rendang, which is made with sourdough toast on the bottom, a rich three-cheese waffle sandwich, and a halloumi mushroom salad that is both fresh and filling. Coffee gets plenty of attention here, too, with espresso drinks and cold brews made reliably well and often enjoyed with a pastry from the counter.
Average Cost: $18 / ₹1,115
Signature Dishes: Beef Rendang Toast, Cheese Waffle Sandwich, Speciality Coffee
Best For: Brunch, light bites, coffee lovers
7. May Pho Culture
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While Chinatown already has a diverse variety of restaurants, May Pho Culture has become known for its authentic Vietnamese cooking and is located in the middle of Singapore’s heritage district. A chef from Ho Chi Minh City is behind the wheel, and they have made a name for themselves that is on par with pho in Vietnam. The beef brisket version is the highlight, with the broth simmered for hours with herbs and spices in which tender slices of meat are immersed. Fresh spring rolls filled with shrimp and vegetables have become a people’s choice, and the grilled pork with noodles is equipped with a smoky kick that is nicely balanced by the mint leaves and lettuce.
Average Cost: $15 / ₹930
Signature Dishes: Beef Brisket Pho, Fresh Spring Rolls, Grilled Pork Noodles
Best For: Lighter, non-Chinese flavours in Chinatown
Suggested Read: Best Unforgettable Things To Do In Singapore For Your Next Crazy Trip
8. Yum Cha Restaurant
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Among restaurants in Chinatown, Yum Cha has built a reputation that locals and visitors recognise instantly. It has been around for years and is still where many go when the craving for dim sum hits. The place sits on busy Trengganu Street and feels like a throwback, with round tables, bamboo baskets stacked high, and plenty of chatter. The dim sum list runs long. Har gow and siew mai are always on the table, but regulars also point out the deep-fried prawn and mango rolls. The char siew bao, soft and filled with sweet roasted pork, is another crowd favourite, and the crispy prawn chee cheong fun offers something different from the usual rice rolls.
Average Cost: $28 / ₹1,735
Signature Dishes: Har Gow, Siew Mai, Char Siew Bao, Crispy Prawn Rice Rolls
Best For: Weekend brunch, family dim sum sessions
9. Maxwell Food Centre
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Maxwell Food Centre is definitely a locals’ favourite place, just a stone’s throw from Chinatown, and they always refer to it when genuine hawker food is asked for. The place is always bustling, and that is part of the attraction: the rows of stalls, the plastic chairs, and the unmistakable aroma of frying garlic in the air. One of the longest queues can be seen in front of Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. People line up for plates of tender chicken and rice cooked in a rich broth. Besides, there are always some other great food stalls to be found.
Average Cost: $6 – 8 / ₹370 – 500
Signature Dishes: Tian Tian Chicken Rice, Zhen Zhen Porridge, Oyster Cake
Best For: Sampling multiple hawker dishes in one stop
Suggested Read: Best Food In Clarke Quay
10. En Yeoh’s Bak Kut Teh
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En Yeoh’s Bak Kut Teh is a spot known for one of Singapore’s most comforting dishes. The speciality here is the herbal bak kut teh, pork ribs simmered for hours in a broth heavy with Chinese herbs, garlic, and spices. The soup comes out dark and earthy, perfect with a bowl of steamed rice, braised peanuts, and youtiao for dipping. Unlike the lighter Teochew-style versions, En Yeoh’s is richer and bolder, the kind of bowl that hits especially well at dinner or on a rainy day. Regulars often add side plates like braised pork belly, preserved greens, or pig’s stomach soup to go beyond the classic ribs.
Average Cost: $10 / ₹620
Signature Dishes: Herbal Pork Rib Soup, Braised Pork Belly, Pig’s Stomach Soup
Best For: Comfort food and traditional flavours
Exploring the restaurants in Chinatown is like walking through Singapore’s rich history and vibrant food culture. From Michelin-awarded hawker stalls to century-old family eateries and modern cafés, each place adds a unique flavour. Enjoy hearty zi char, dim sum, or inventive takes on local dishes. Every stop brings a new memory. For more food adventures and travel tips worldwide, check out TripXL and start planning your next journey today.
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