Feast on Hong Kong-style noodles at Lao Jie Fang, which is known for its top-notch beef brisket noodles. The standard order ($5) gets you a plate of al dente eggy noodles coated in an umami-rich and slightly spicy sauce, all topped with tender hunks of beef brisket and some leafy greens. You can choose to add some melt-in-your-mouth beef tendons, or go for the pig trotter noodles or pork rib noodles instead of – or in addition to, we’re not judging – their signature dish.

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If you’re in the mood for a comforting serving of Hainanese chicken rice, make your way to Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice. For around $5, you’ll receive a plate of fragrant rice topped with large slices of steamed chicken and some cucumber slivers, plus a small bowl of soup on the side. Do dunk the chicken pieces in their spicy chilli sauce and piquant ginger dip, and add a generous drizzle of thick dark sauce to your rice while you’re at it.

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For traditional and delicious Malay dishes at wallet-friendly prices, you can’t beat the offerings from this vendor. You can select from the likes of noodle options such as mee siam, mee goreng and mee rebus; rice-based meals including nasi lemak with your choice of protein; and other items from lontong to tahu goreng. The portions may be a little on the smaller side, but you can’t really complain when prices begin at roughly $2.

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Tuck into a scrumptious serving of fried carrot cake at this stall. But be warned: they’re immensely popular and tend to sell out well before closing time, so do arrive as early as possible to secure yourself a plate. They make both white and black versions, which boast a firm bite, punchy flavours and the requisite kiss of wok hei, though big eaters may need to order more than one portion to feel fully satiated. Prices begin at $3.

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Want to chomp down on a small snack as you wait for your main dish to arrive? Do grab one of De Li Snacks’ tasty fried treats. It offers old-school items such as you tiao, butterfly fritters, salted buns and red bean buns, all of which go for around $1 a pop. Best enjoyed immediately, they have a delightfully crispy exterior and fluffy and chewy interior. Go ahead and get a few to take home with you for an afternoon snack.

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In business for over half a century and counting, this stall began its operations at the now-shuttered Margaret Drive Food Centre and is currently in its third generation of ownership. The simple and satisfying yellowtail fish balls are ping-pong sized and perfectly bouncy. We like ours paired with noodles tossed in a savoury, vinegary sauce that includes a smattering of preserved vegetables. Expect to fork out around $5 for a meal.

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Lor mee is the name of the game at Hui Wei, where the rich herbal gravy is painstakingly simmered for over three hours. You can choose your desired noodles, and the dish comes with chunky slices of fish that are fried to golden-brown perfection, pork slivers, a braised egg, fresh beansprouts and generous dollops of garlic paste and chilli sauce. A bowl goes for around $4, and we recommend adding a few dashes of vinegar to balance everything out.

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Here for breakfast but need something a bit more filling than kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs? You Huat Cooked Food doles out hearty offerings including chee cheong fun, nasi lemak, peanut porridge and fried bee hoon that you can chow down on for a substantial morning meal. You can top your fried bee hoon with the likes of assorted vegetables, chicken and fish cutlets and a fried egg, and do anticipate forking out around $3.

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Who says you need to go to Hai Di Lao or Beauty in the Pot to enjoy a steamboat dinner with family and friends? At Ah Pang Steamboat Seafood, you can pair a steamboat feast with assorted zi char dishes for a sumptuous meal that’s sure to hit the spot on a rainy day. You’ll find all the usual fixings here: think fish, chicken, seafood, mushrooms and Chinese vegetables, alongside an array of warming broths. A meal here will set you back around $15 per person, depending on your choice of ingredients.

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Lovers of Hokkien mee can make a beeline for Newton Tan Song Heng, which – as its name suggests – used to hold court at Newton Food Centre. Each portion comes with yellow and white noodles, pork slices, fresh beansprouts and juicy prawns, and you can expect to pony up about $4. Do add a plentiful squeeze of lime and a spoonful of chilli sauce. And if you’re particularly famished, you can also sample their fried kway teow.

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