Quick answer: Jian Bo Shui Kueh for old-school steamed rice cakes that open at 7am, Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice for silky poached chicken that regularly sells out before closing, Tow Kwar Pop for charcoal-grilled rojak you cannot find elsewhere, and PastaGo when your group wants something other than hawker staples.
The market’s second floor hums with the same rhythm it has for decades, where Teochew rice cakes meet a newer generation of hawkers rethinking lunch. For the Singaporean tracing their grandparents’ breakfast, or the curious visitor seeking a taste anchored in memory, deciding where to queue comes down to one thing: which stall still does it the old way, and which brings something quietly surprising.
Not sure this is the right list? Best Food in Central Singapore & the City has 69 others alongside it.
Jian Bo Shui Kueh
Up on the second floor at stall #02-05, this Teochew breakfast stalwart has been at it since 1958. The set-up is simple: steamed rice cakes, a practised hand doling out cai po, and a queue that moves fast because they know what you are here for.
Five pieces of chwee kueh will set you back $3.50. The rice cakes come out pillowy, each one holding a generous heap of chopped preserved radish with just enough sambal to wake you up. They also do steamed yam cake and chee cheong fun, both threaded with dried shrimp, from $3. The chwee kueh is the reason the stall earned its Michelin nod—and the reason people tapau extra for the office.
This stall suits the early riser who wants a taste of what their elders might have eaten—rice cakes that land soft on the tongue. The queue moves quickly, and the sambal brings a gentle lift, just enough to wake you up. Go before 10am on a weekday, when the market is quieter and the light falls just so through the shutters.
Address: Stall #02-05, Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre, 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898
Hours: Daily, 7 AM – 8 PM
Price: Chwee kueh from $3.50 for five
Website: jianboshuikueh.com
This is the stall for anyone who needs a gentle start to the morning. Bring your parents for a taste of breakfast the way it used to be, or come alone with a newspaper and let the morning fill up around you. Their Tiong Bahru Food Gems reputation is well-earned.
Related: Best Restaurants on Club Street Singapore — for dinner in the CBD after work.
PastaGo
Tucked into the basement at 302 Tiong Bahru Road, this stall does something most hawker centres never attempt: proper pasta at prices that make you do a double take. The Spicy Aglio Olio is $5.50, the Truffle Mushroom Pasta is $6.50, and both come out al dente with sauces that lean into local heat and aroma without trying too hard.
It is the wildcard pick for mixed groups where half the table wants chicken rice and the other half wants something familiar but different. The truffle version gets the most buzz—earthy, a little indulgent, and still under seven bucks. Nobody paid to appear here. If you think there is a gap in this list, we would rather hear about it than not.
When mixed groups can’t agree, this basement stall offers pasta that feels like a treat without straining the wallet. The aglio olio carries a local heat that surprises, and the truffle mushroom pasta comforts. It’s the stop for a late lunch after the wet market closes, when the basement is quieter and you can savour every al dente bite.
Address: 302 Tiong Bahru Rd, B1-123, Singapore 168732
Hours: Daily, 11 AM – 8 PM
Price: Pastas from $5.50
Website: pastago.sg
If your lunch kakis cannot agree on Western Food in Singapore versus hawker fare, this stall solves the argument before it starts.
Tow Kwar Pop
Stall #02-42. Over 50 years at the market, Michelin-recommended, and still one of the quietest legends in the building. What sets their rojak apart is the charcoal grilling—you tiao, tau pok, and mango hit the flame before meeting the hae ko dressing, so you get smoke woven through the sweet-tangy shrimp paste.
A plate goes for $3 or $5 depending on size. The textures run from crisp to chewy, the fruit brings a clean finish, and the whole thing tastes like someone bothered. Opening hours change across the week—Tuesday to Friday 9 AM to 7 PM, Saturday 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM, Sunday a shorter 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Plan accordingly; this is not the stall you squeeze in at the last minute.
Swing by in the afternoon, when the charcoal is fully stoked and the you tiao gets that proper char. The hae ko dressing is thick and glossy, coating each piece with a smoky-sweetness that brings the fruit forward. This is rojak that tastes like it did when your parents were dating—unchanged, unapologetic.
Address: Stall #02-42, Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre, 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898
Hours: Tue–Fri 9 AM–7 PM, Sat 9:30 AM–7:30 PM, Sun 9:30 AM–3:30 PM
Price: Rojak from $3
Email: [email protected]
This is the stall for the friend who insists they have tried every rojak in Singapore. Bring them here, watch them take the first bite, and enjoy the silence that follows. For more Restaurants in Tiong Bahru for an Unforgettable Dining Experience, this market is just the start.
Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Stall #02-82 has been turning out boneless chicken rice since 2002, and the formula is beautifully restrained. A plate costs $4.80: tender steamed chicken draped in light soy, rice fragrant with ginger and garlic, and a side of tangy preserved vegetables that cuts through the richness.
The chicken is consistently silky, and the boneless prep means you can eat the whole thing with a spoon without once looking down. They open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM, and close on Mondays. By 2 PM on a weekend, do not be surprised if the sign says sold out.
Those who recall the wet market’s older layout may remember when stall #02-82 started serving its silky boneless chicken. The method was restrained—light soy, fragrant rice, tangy preserved vegetables to cut the richness. The queue still forms just before lunch, and it moves quickly. This is the spot for a solo diner who wants a calm, spoon-friendly plate that tastes like a family meal.
Address: Stall #02-82, Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre, 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898
Hours: Tue–Sun 10 AM–4 PM (closed Mon)
Price: Chicken rice from $4.80
Contact: Instagram DM
Come here on a Tuesday morning when the market is quiet and you want one good thing to anchor the week. The chicken rice is the kind of meal that makes you put your phone away and just eat. Nobody paid to appear here. If you think there is a gap in this list, we would rather hear about it than not.
How to choose
Time of day dictates a lot at Tiong Bahru Market. Lor Mee 178 (#02-23), in the game since 1946 with a Michelin Plate, serves only until 1:45 PM and closes Wednesdays—so that is a morning mission. Jian Bo Shui Kueh runs 7 AM to 8 PM daily, making it the most flexible breakfast-to-teatime option.
If you are feeding a group with different cravings, PastaGo hands you a Western card to play alongside the hawker classics. For pure hawker heritage, the stalls in the market building itself—Jian Bo, Tow Kwar Pop, Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken, and Lor Mee 178—form a tight circuit on the second floor. Lor Mee 178 does a thick, garlicky lor mee for $4.50, and you can add deep-fried shark nuggets for an extra dollar. That stall alone can anchor a whole morning if you get there before the lunch crowd descends.
Price-wise, everything here sits between $3 and $7 a plate. Kampong Chicken Eating House over on Outram Road and Hong Kong Jin Tian Roast Meat at Havelock Road are nearby alternatives if the market queue sian you out. Kampong Chicken does Hainanese chicken rice from $4.50 until 10 PM daily—useful when the market stalls have all pulled their shutters down. Hong Kong Jin Tian sells roast duck and char siew from 7:30 AM Tuesday through Sunday, so that works as an early option too. If you are navigating a group where everyone wants a different thing, split up and reconvene: one person queues for Jian Bo, another for Tow Kwar Pop, and someone grabs a table while the morning is still cool. Keep a few Must-Try Food Stalls at Lau Pa Sat in your back pocket for days you are nearer the CBD.
A fair meal for one person runs about $5 to $8 if you grab a main and a drink. Bring cash in small notes—not every stall accepts digital payments, and fumbling with a fifty-dollar bill at 8 AM is not the way to make friends. Mornings are calmer, especially on weekdays, and the light through the market windows makes the whole second floor feel like a place that has been doing this for decades and sees no reason to change.
| Stall | Dish to order | Price from | Closes | Closed on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jian Bo Shui Kueh | Chwee Kueh | $3.50 | 8 PM | None |
| PastaGo | Truffle Mushroom Pasta | $6.50 | 8 PM | None |
| Tow Kwar Pop | Rojak | $3 | 3:30 PM (Sun) | None |
| Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice | Steamed Chicken Rice | $4.80 | 4 PM | Mon |
| Lor Mee 178 | Lor Mee | $4.50 | 1:45 PM | Wed |
| Kampong Chicken Eating House | Hainanese Chicken Rice | $4.50 | 10 PM | None |
| Hong Kong Jin Tian Roast Meat | Roasted Duck Rice | $5 | 4 PM | Mon |
Summary
Tiong Bahru Market gives you four solid reasons to turn up hungry: 60-year-old chwee kueh that costs less than a kopi-and-toast set, charcoal-grilled rojak you will not find anywhere else, boneless chicken rice that quietly sells out before 4 PM, and pasta that keeps the whole table happy. Pick your timing, bring your cash, and let the market sort out the rest.
Disclaimer: Details can change, so please confirm directly with the business before heading down.
Frequently asked questions
Which stall at Tiong Bahru Market opens earliest?
Jian Bo Shui Kueh and Lor Mee 178 both open at 7 AM. Jian Bo stays open until 8 PM, while Lor Mee 178 closes by 1:45 PM and is shut on Wednesdays.
Is there Western food at Tiong Bahru Market?
PastaGo serves pasta dishes like Truffle Mushroom Pasta and Spicy Aglio Olio, priced from $5.50. It is located at 302 Tiong Bahru Road, B1-123.
What is the most affordable meal in this guide?
Tow Kwar Pop’s rojak starts at $3, and Jian Bo Shui Kueh offers rice cakes at $3.50 for five pieces. Both are inside the market at stalls #02-42 and #02-05 respectively.
Which stalls have received Michelin recognition?
Jian Bo Shui Kueh is Michelin-approved, Tow Kwar Pop is Michelin-recommended, and Lor Mee 178 holds a Michelin Plate. All are on the second floor of Tiong Bahru Market.
Is Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice open on Mondays?
No. It operates Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM, and is closed on Mondays. Stall #02-82.
Where can I find roast duck near Tiong Bahru Market?
Hong Kong Jin Tian Roast Meat at 22A Havelock Road, #01-03, sells roasted duck rice from $5 and char siew rice from $4.50. Closed Mondays, open 7:30 AM to 4 PM.
