Back in the day, Bak Kut Teh used to be a cheap yet nutritious breakfast for laborers before they went about taking on the day. 

We say, then, it’s the breakfast for champions. This peppery, garlicky bowl of goodness, infused with a medley of herbs and spices and brewed with pork bones, is quite unlike any other bowl of soup from any cuisine. 

Enjoy it at the famous Founder Bak Kut Teh, open till the wee hours of 2am. 

347 Balestier Road

Not carrot cake cake, but this savoury Singaporean version: Chinese-style radish “cake” that’s fried with egg. 

This stall’s rendition is stir-fried till crispy with a light char on the outside, yet still soft and moist on the inside. 

Expect to queue for at least half an hour, and if the Singaporean “long-queue-means-good” mentality stands, this one’s a winner. 

#02-03, Toa Payoh West Market and Food Court, 127 Lor 1 Toa Payoh

The secret to a solid plate of char kuey teow. The distinctive wok hey — the seductive smokey flavour imparted through the wok over extremely high heat — and this Hill Street Hawker’s been nailing it for nearly half a century. 

Add in generous ingredients like lup cheong (Chinese sausage), crunchy pork lard and more, and you get a dark, decadent plate of must-try char kuey teow. 

#01-41 Bedok South Road Market & Food Centre, Blk 16 Bedok South Road

It’s hard to go wrong with claypot rice, but to do it really well is quite a mean feat. 

So, props to this hawker’s Mixed Claypot Rice, topped with waxed pork and Chinese liver sausage; mix it all in, together with the dark soy sauce, with the rice for a hearty meal. 

And of course, the best bits: the smokey, crispy rice that clings to the base of the claypot. 

CCMW Coffeeshop, 498 Jurong West St 41

There are many elements to a good dish of braised duck rice: tender duck meat, the viscous braising sauce imbued with a subtle herbal flavour, fragrant yam rice that’s not overly oily… and all of that coming together in a gratifying mouthful. 

Add a little of Chuan Kee’s spicy-sweet chili sauce for a tangy kick. 

#01-04 Ghim Moh Road Market and Food Centre, 20 Ghim Moh Road

For many, the star of the prawn noodles aren’t the prawns. 

Well, not exactly — more of the prawn brother that gives the dish its distinct umami taste. And it’s exactly the case at 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles, which began as a humble pushcart stall back in the 1950s. 

The noodles are tossed in an umami sambal seasoning, with big prawns and the twin pleasure of pieces of pork lard and crispy deep-fried shallots. 

#01-39, Whampoa Makan Place, 91 Whampoa Drive

This hawker’s laksa might not be quite what you were expecting, but if their Michelin Bib Gourmand status is anything to go by, it’s a pleasant surprise. 

Most notably, the fragrant laksa gravy, made from coconut milk and a legion of spices like chilli padi, shrimp paste, belachan, blue ginger and more, has a thicker texture, allowing it to cling onto every strand of noodle. 

Served in a claypot, to enjoy piping hot till the very last mouthful. 

#01-75, Alexandra Village, 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1

This coin prata at Sin Ming prata may be small in size, but they’re big on taste. 

Dip these buttery morsels, crispy on the outside and stretchy on the inside, in their legendary mutton curry. 

#01-51 Jin Fa Kopitiam, 24 Sin Ming Road

Nasi Lemak translates directly to “rich rice”, so there’s no guessing what’s the star of the show here. 

This stall’s nasi lemak uses basmati rice, cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, for a fluffier  texture that carries the fragrance wonderfully. 

The various meal options come with various ingredients like their crispy fried chicken wings, otak-otak (spiced fishcake), ikan billis (anchovies); we love their sambal — the nasi lemak essential — which is thicker and slightly caramelised. 

#01-02, Adam Road Food Centre, 2 Adam Road

Okay, you might know this one. This Michelin-starred hawker shot to greater fame with their Cantonese soya sauce chicken and barbecued pork when they made the list. 

It makes for a simple meal — even without vegetables to accompany your dish, like you’d find at your average hawker — but oh so satisfying. 

It’s also the cheapest Michelin-approved meal you can get in the world. Just thought we’d put that out there. 

#02-126, Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre, 335 Smith Street