Feasting by Postcode: The Best Hawkers, Delis & Bars in your Neighbourhood

Moving to a new ‘hood or looking to explore more of Singapore? Local residents from all over the island share their foodie faves

We don’t always want to travel far to shop and eat out, so Ghillie James asked her foodiest friends to give their top recommendations on where to buy great food or dine (or drink) out close to home. From the best hawker stalls to must-visit delis and butchers, these answers reveal some great finds (and some who are happy to travel a little further afield to get the best, too!).

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Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
The food court at Junction 8 Bishan.

Best shopping for groceries?
FairPrice Finest in Junction 8 (cheaper than Cold Storage and has a great organic section for veggies and dairy products).

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
I really shop around! Meat I buy from Sasha’s Fine Foods online, Fish and Bacon from the Fishwives at Cluny Court. I make my own bread! Deli items from Culina at Dempsey or deli counters at FairPrice Finest, Waitrose products from Cold Storage, and Hubers Butchery at Dempsey for some items.

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you
For breakfast with a view the veranda at the Polo Club, Mount Pleasant Road.

Favourite place to go for dinner?
Siam Society (Thai) or La Pizzaiola (Italian) on Jalan Riang, which is just off Braddell Road.

Great drinks spot?
My veranda!

Any additional local foodie intel?
Two great cake shops on Jalan Riang: Bakersworld and Wimbly Lu Café.

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
We have Adam Road Food Centre just around the corner which has some great stalls, but I will often head to Empress Market on Farrer Road for the best roast duck noodles for Saturday lunch.

Best shopping for groceries?
I love to get as much as possible from Empress wet market early in the morning. There’s a stall selling organic veg, and Joe the pork guy sells incredible Australian baby back pork ribs and will supply me with large roasting joints with great crackling if I send him a message a few days ahead. For everyday groceries I head to Giant at Turf City for great value and FairPrice finest for variety and quality.

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
We love walking to shops when possible, especially now we have a dog so we will often wander over to Cluny Court. For deli bits, and the best quality steaks or salmon I head to The Fishwives (we’ve recently tried their porterhouse roasting joints which are great marinated and cooked on the barbecue too). I also love Simply Bread for the closest to a British sliced sandwich loaf and their sticky buns are a big hit! Island Creamery in Serene Centre is a great place to buy local ice cream (and amazing ice cream birthday cakes).

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
Kith has recently opened near us and their smashed avocado on sourdough toast (with some crispy bacon on the side) is amazing – as well as their coffee!

Favourite place to go for dinner?
Our entire family loves tapas so My Little Spanish Place on Bukit Timah is a favourite for early evening croquetas and churros! Capri or Caruso for homey Italian, Esarn (a bit further away at Ridgewood) for Thai takeaways or a Friday night BYO and delicious Thai food. Or Blu Kouzina in Dempsey for the best taramasalata and lamb chops.

Great drinks spot?
I would travel for that as Smoke and Mirrors has, in my opinion, the best view in Singapore.

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
We eat at the hawker stalls in Sunset and we also love ESarn Thai at Nexus – then we all pedal home!

Best shopping for groceries?
A mix of places — Tiong Bahru wet market, OpenTaste, RedMart, Cold Storage & Marks & Spencer, mainly.

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
The Butcher in Holland Village, Marks & Spencer, Baker & Cook, The Cheese Artisans.

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
Baker & Cook, Plain Vanilla.

Favourite place to go for dinner?
New Ubin Seafood in Bukit Batok.

Great drinks spot?
Como Cuisine in Dempsey, or at our house!

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
Mr & Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Roti Prata on Crane Road in Joo Chiat, or Beach Road Prawn Mee along East Coast Road.

Best shopping for groceries?
Nearby we have Fairprice or Cold Storage

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
Oh Deli in East Coast Road, or Foodie Marketplace on Tanjong Katong.

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
Local Place: Chin Mee Chin Confectionery (their kaya buns are legendary); Western: Oh Deli.

Favourite place to go for dinner?
A great Japanese Restaurant in Roxy Square called Wahiro, or Beauty in the Pot in OneKM Mall.

Great drinks spot?
Fresh Coconut Juice anywhere, or Grass Jelly drink in Min Hiang (can be found in the old Golden Shoe hawker place).

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
Ivins at Binjai Park does tasty homestyle Peranakan food at price points suitable for daily visits. When friends are in town, we visit Violet Oon across Bukit Timah Road, where the setting is fancier

Best shopping for groceries?
Jelita Cold Storage.  Not the cheapest but I like the variety and the fact that it’s open 24 hours! Also love Ghim Moh Market; it’s got a fresh selection of fish, meats and vegetables along with Southeast Asian herbs and spices.

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
Dempsey Hill.  Hubers is good and they also carry more exotic meats like rabbit and suckling pig.

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
Home is the best!  Jewel does coffee the way I like it, but I need to drive down to Claymore Road for it.

Favourite place to go for dinner?
Ristorante da Valentino at The Grandstand.

Great drinks spot?
That’s a secret!

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
First Street Teo Chew Fish Soup near my house.

Best shopping for groceries?
Well I love to shop, though my wife absolutely forbids it as I will buy everything. The wet market at Lor Ah Soo sells good crabs and seafood.

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
Foodie Marketplace and Meat Collective at Tanjong Katong.

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
Beef Noodle at Ang Mo Kio Block 226, Hong Heng Beef noodles and my Teo Chew fish soup at Upper Serangoon. And my favourite mince pork noodles at Lor Ah Soo Market.

Favourite place to go for dinner?
Canopy at Bishan Park. Easy atmosphere.

Great drinks spot?
Could be an iced tea in the park, or a cocktail in a swanky hotel bar….For my beer fix and a very relaxing atmosphere, I go to Wheeler’s Estate, at the old Seletar Air Base where they converted the Old English Black and White Bungalows into a F&B place.

Any additional local foodie intel?!
KAZU at Cuppage Plaza (4^th floor). The best yakitori in town — better than some in Tokyo. Also New Ubin Seafood.

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
Al Mahboob for Indian Rojak or Mee Goreng. It used to be just a little stall in a food court but they’re SO GOOD they started their own place now.

Best shopping for groceries?
I use RedMart as I don’t love any of the other options around my neighbourhood!

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
Nothing much in the area, I’m afraid.

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
Chock Full Of Beans at Changi Village! Or The Coastal Settlement, also at Changi Village.

Favourite place to go for dinner?
Din Tai Fung at Tampines Mall, Sushi Tei at Tampines One, or Penang Culture at White Sands.

Great drinks spot?
The Bark Cafe on Upper Changi Road! Love this place — wonderful ambience, outdoors, lush trees all around.

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
Sadly, Sentosa Cove doesn’t currently have any great local Singaporean restaurants or food stalls which is a huge gap.  Personally, I would love to see anything from Violet Oon to a really great local food court open in the area. Done properly, I feel some authentic local fare would be an absolute winner with tourists and residents alike.

Best shopping for groceries?
Tiong Bahru wet market!  In the ten years I’ve lived in Singapore this is most definitely my favourite wet market and I now try and get there as regularly as I can for fresh flowers, vegetables and fruit.  My sister is also a huge fan of the fish there, which I fully intend to start buying.  Not only is the produce fresh and reliable, but the atmosphere in Tiong Bahru is always fantastic, making it one of my favourite places to take visiting friends and relatives for a little wet market and coffee shop outing.

On Sentosa itself I use the newly renovated Cold Storage in the marina for general items I need to top up on, or Jasons for dinner party or weekend treats.  Otherwise most of our grocery shopping comes from Vivo City or RedMart.

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
Jason’s at Quayside Isle is a little local luxury when it comes to buying meat, fish, fresh breads or deli items, but the luxury comes at a ridiculously high price so you definitely have to brace yourself before reaching the check out!

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
We used to have a wonderful Kith coffee shop in the marina which was immensely popular and hard to replace, but Joe & The Juice is a nice little place to stop by for a morning coffee or freshly squeezed juice.  Service can be a little slow but who can complain when the view is so great?

Favourite place to go for dinner?
Blue Lotus Chinese Eating House is our definite favourite in the marina and ticks all the boxes for us in terms of great food, great service and fabulous views.  It’s always full and we never get bored of eating there. The Earl of Hindh upstairs also has great food and over time has become our number one takeaway choice, despite the price!

Great drinks spot?
I’m tempted to say gin and tonics on our balcony are usually the best, but we also love nipping into the marina for a quick beer and a glass of wine at eM Bar from time to time, or walking along to Tanjong Beach for a more indulgent cocktail at FOC.  The latter tends to be a rare treat with guests but it’s great to have the option.

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
Satay by the Bay at Gardens by the Bay.

Best shopping for groceries?
Online at Opentaste.

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
Oh Deli.

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
Stamping Ground Coffee for coffee and Penny University for breakfast.

Favourite place to go for dinner?
Wine Revolt (RVLT) in Carpenter Street. In the East we like: Carver & Co and Zaffron Kitchen.

Great drinks spot?
Our balcony! Otherwise Birds of a Feather on Amoy Street.

Best local Singaporean market or food stall?
My family’s favourite is East Coast Lagoon Food Village – love the BBQ chicken and satay from Haron’s!

Best shopping for groceries?
Admiralty wet market and Vista Point wet market in Woodlands have really good and fresh seafood. A little pricier than some other places but very good quality.

Favourite place to buy meat, fish, bread, deli items etc?
Bread and deli items we usually get from Cold Storage.

Where can you get a great breakfast/coffee near you?
I’m a true local so Ya Kun Kaya Toast will always be my fave!

Favourite place to go for dinner?
So Pho just opened at Causeway Point, it’s a great place for hanging out in the evening. Bali Thai is good too. I personally have never been, but Al-Ameen in Woodlands always looks super packed when I drive past! Another fave is Hajjah Mariam in Westgate, Jurong East. Delicious Nasi Ambeng platters for sharing.

Great drinks spot?
Any neighbourhood coffee shop that does a mean teh tarik!