5 Must-Visit Singapore Hawker Centres for Vegans & Vegetarians
If you want to try Singapore’s local cuisine, a hawker centre is your best bet. But the question remains, are there enough options for vegans or vegetarians? A visit to 5 popular hawker centres, proved they are indeed vegan and vegetarian-friendly.
FOODTRAVEL
7/5/20264 min read
If you want to try Singapore’s local cuisine, a hawker centre is your best bet. Hawker culture began in the 1800s, when early Chinese, Indian and Malay migrants sold meals from street-side carts to earn a living. In the 20th century, with growing concerns of food hygiene and the congestion of street carts, the Singapore government put all hawkers under one regulated food centre. Today, there are over 100 hawker centres that serve as a symbol of the nation’s one-stop spot for multicultural and affordable food.
But the question remains, are there enough options for vegans or vegetarians? A visit to 5 popular hawker centres, proved they are indeed vegan and vegetarian-friendly
1. Maxwell Food Centre
Just a 2-minute walk from the Maxwell train station, Maxwell Food Centre is Singapore’s most authentic hawker centre for both locals and tourists. As I walked around, I found plenty of vegetarian options, including fried tofu, Bee Hoon (vermicelli noodles), vegetarian laksa, and Chee Cheong Fun (rice noodle rolls).
For small but hearty vegetarian local meals, there are plenty of options (Photo: Khushi Nijhawan)
My top pick was ‘Baguette Huong Viet’, a Vietnamese stall with tofu or vegan Bánh Mì. I bought a delicious tofu Bánh Mì and a serving of crispy vegetarian spring rolls to complement the well-filled baguette.
To fill that extra stomach for dessert, I tried a serving of mango sticky rice from ‘Aoy’s Thai’, a sweet and instantly refreshing treat.
2. Lau Pau Sat
Lau Pau Sat (‘old market’), is the perfect reflection of Singapore’s city life. By day, it is a go-to lunch spot for working professionals. By night, it transforms into a bustling food haven. ‘Maya Veggie Delight’, ‘Habib’s Express’ and ‘Shree Bhaavan Pure Indian Vegetarian’ have the best Indian vegan and vegetarian food you can find. I bought soya chaap, paneer, and roti prata. All were delicious, but the roti prata served with lentil curry was the most enriching.
As I walked around to digest, I got a sugar rush just looking at the plethora of dessert stalls selling donuts, muffins and pastries. Sticking to my favourite dessert, I chose ice cream and sat indoors in ‘Creme & Cone’, perfect to beat the Singapore heat.
3. Tiong Bahru Market
With a wet market below and the hawker centre on the second floor, Tiong Bahru Market is a good place for those seeking the local way of life. To try something new, I went with rojak, a savoury fruit and vegetable salad, sold by the well-known ‘Tow Kwar Pop’.
All hawker centres have drink stalls selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments (Photo: Khushi Nijhawan)
This dish harmonizes the flavours of Malaysia and Indonesia and typically features belacan (shrimp paste) as the salad dressing. The stallholders were happy, upon request, to replace belacan with tamarind or a soybean paste. I can confirm that the change of dressing did not compromise the aromatic flavours of the local delight.
4. Old Airport Road Food Centre
One of Singapore’s older hawker centres, Old Airport Road Food Centre offers an authentic hawker charm and an array of established recipes. Most stalls such as ‘Choo Zai Zhai’ serve vegetarian and vegan nutritious plates of mock meat with vegetables, rice or noodles.
As I was craving something light, I walked around and found ‘Creative Coffee & Toast’. They had a set menu of an egg and cheese or a peanut butter sandwich with a coffee. I got the peanut butter sandwich and a strong cup of local coffee, simple but the perfect energiser for an eventful day.
5. Amoy Street Food Centre
Amoy Street Food Centre is a two-storey hawker centre with over 6 stalls in the Singapore Michelin Guide. A stall called ‘Lin Da Ma’ sold a traditional dish called Lei Cha. Translated to thunder tea rice, it is a vibrant and earthy bowl of rice, vegetables, and nuts served with a green soup made of basil, mint and tea leaves.
In the mood for something other than rice or noodles, I picked ‘James Quesadilla & Brunch’. They sold home-made vegan quesadillas and burritos perfectly filled with corn and black beans. Accompanied by friends, we shared the comfort of tasty and fresh Mexican food.
You can find vegetarian noodles and rice for just $5 for a small plate or $8 SGD for a large plate (Photo: Khushi Nijhawan)
Non-vegetarian options dominate the stalls at every hawker centre. But vegans or vegetarians are never left hanging. There is always a variety. If not, the hawkers are more than willing to tweak a dish, so you won’t miss out on Singapore’s unique flavours and warm atmosphere.
Locals enjoying custom Vietnamese Bánh Mì at Maxwell Food Centre (Photo: Khushi Nijhawan)
