Not every hawker centre is equal — some are tourist-facing showcases, some are genuine neighbourhood institutions with a 40-year-old queue. Here's where to go for each.
Maxwell Food Centre
Central, easy to reach, and home to Tian Tian Chicken Rice — expect a queue, and expect it to be worth it. A good first hawker-centre experience if you want maximum food variety with minimum travel.
Chinatown Complex
The largest hawker centre in Singapore by stall count, and a working local institution rather than a tourist stop — includes a Michelin-starred soya sauce chicken stall that still charges hawker prices.
Old Airport Road Food Centre
Consistently ranked among locals' favourites, further from the centre and rarely crowded with tourists — a good pick if you want the experience without the queue theatre.
Lau Pa Sat
A striking Victorian cast-iron structure in the CBD, best visited at night when the adjoining street closes to traffic for satay stalls — more atmosphere than culinary depth, but worth an evening visit.