A guide of the Best Food in Yishun Worth The venture Into Singapore’s Twilight Zone
Maybe a bit out of the way, but Yishun is perhaps one of the most underrated areas in Singapore for food. From classic hawker places to an upswing of trendy IG-worthy cafes, this list covers them all.
Who better to introduce you to the crazy and character-filled hood of Yishun than yours truly, Son of Yishun, and one of the crazy people who inhibit the hellhole that is Yishun? Here are the best places in Yishun with delicious food worth going to hell and back for.
618 SIM Carrot Cake
This might be proof that Yishun dwellers are crazy. Why? We are willing to queue for more than an hour for carrot cake ($4). 618 Sim is well worth the wait though.
An outstanding rendition featuring a substantially crispy and eggy exterior that blanketed the moist but fluffy innards. It was supplemented with a lavish heap of cai poh that gave it a further sweet-savoury punch. Genuinely think it’s one of the best I’ve had in Singapore.
618 SIM Carrot Cake
- Address: 618 Yishun Ring Rd, Singapore 760618
- Hours: (Wed–Mon) 6:30am–1:30pm
Yishun 928 Laksa
This legendary establishment’s Laksa ($2.80/$3.30) has never disappointed since my secondary school days. Tasteful touches of sweetness and coconut fragrance permeated the lightly creamy broth, which just gently caressed the tongue without being too heavy.
The fragrant sambal also added some spicy nuance to it, whilst flavours still remained eloquently balanced. Not a laksa that screamed with heavy flavours, but one that comfortingly serenaded the soul with wholesome warmth.
A delightful take on Laksa —a reason this is considered one of the must-try stalls whenever someone dares to venture into Yishun for a food adventure.
Yishun 928 Laksa
- Address: 928 Yishun Central 1, #01-155, Singapore 760928
- Hours: (Mon–Sat) 7.30am–7pm
Old World Bak Kut Teh & Fried Porridge
The hood known for cat murderers and psychopaths are experts at cooking organs. Who knew? Old World is a new kid on the block but I’ve eaten this Mixed Organ Fried Porridge ($5) more than my blood sodium levels would be comfortable with.
It was rich and heavy-hitting in profile with a gratuitous dose of smoke from being wok-fried with a wealth of pork and organs. This would scratch all the itches of wok hei lovers as the char even found its way onto the ingredients, which surprisingly helped soften the taste of offal.
Pair it with a side of Braised Intestines ($4) or even the Fried Intestines ($4), which sported a crazy crisp skin and heavy five-spice flavour quite reminiscent of chewier sio bak.
Old World Bak Kut Teh & Fried Porridge
- Address: 732 Yishun Ave 5, #01-380, Singapore 760732
- Hours: (Tues–Fri) 10am–2:30pm, 5pm–8pm, (Sat–Sun) 8:30am–2:30pm, 5pm–8:30pm
Ah Tan Wings
This famous Har Cheong Gai is probably Yishun’s greatest food export and has gone on to open more branches around Singapore. This Atas Wing Meal ($5.30) is one of my must-orders at Yishun Park Hawker Centre.
It’s quite a sensual experience to de-robe the airy double-fried layers and expose the succulent flesh, which overflowed with prawn paste umami. Served with fragrant, non-greasy chicken rice and supplemented by a potent but piquant blend of chilli, it always makes for a pretty satisfying meal.
Ah Tan Wings
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- Address: Yishun Park Hawker Centre #01-40, 51 Yishun Ave 11, 768867
- Hours: (Daily) 11am–8pm
Munchi Delights
Min Jiang Kueh is a sweet memory from many people’s childhoods, and Munchi Delight is here to make it cool again. Soft and chewy with gluts of ingredients, their Min Jiang Kueh ($1.20) are nice little treats for your sweet tooth.
For their more modern offerings, you can try out their matcha red bean variation, basically like the classic red bean Min Jiang Kueh with just the faintest matcha notes to keep it interesting. A bit reminiscent of matcha azuki.
Munchi Delights
- Address: Yishun Park Hawker Centre, 51 Yishun Ave 11, #01-43, Singapore 768867
- Hours: (Daily) 8am–-9pm
Hainan Zi
In 2021, Yishun finally got on the world food map — Hainan Zi, a wok-fried hawker stall at Chong Pang was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award. If you asked me whether they deserved it? My answer would be “maybe”. For one, I grew up eating this and their standards have never waned.
While they aren’t one of the best in any of their signature items including Char Kway Teow ($3.50/4.50), Carrot Cake ($3/4/5), and Fried Oyster ($5/8/10), I’d say their renditions are comparable to many popular stalls out there — and the copious amounts of wok hei is a huge bonus.
My pick here at Hainan Zi? Possibly the best Char Kway Teow in Yishun — controlled dark sauce sweetness and rich sausage umami made it a robust party in the mouth. Definitely a very well-balanced plate of Char Kway Teow, which many places in Singapore can’t seem to nail.
Hainan Zi 海南仔
- Address: 105 Yishun Ring Road, Chong Pang Market and Food Centre, #01-129, Singapore 760105
- Hours: (Daily) 8.30am–9pm
Chef Kin HK Wanton Noodle
A 1-hour queue for wanton mee? Yishun’s newest food craze has been cajoling streams of people lining up for a promised bowl of piping hot HK wanton mee, made with sincerity and authenticity by a former Crystal Jade Head Chef.
I’d say for its wallet-friendly price, the HK Wanton Mee ($5) was pretty enjoyable. Fans of lighter profiles would enjoy the comfortingly clean broth. However, it’s a tad too mellow for me, and I also found the noodles sporting that alkaline funk I’m not fond of. The wantons though were generously engorged and exploded in a wealth of ingredients.
The Dry Beef Brisket Noodles ($5.50) impressed me more with its aromatic medley of quality soy sauce and oyster sauce, clung so snugly onto the crunchy noodles specially imported from HK. Good choice if you’re hunting for something more familiar to the local palate.
cHef KIN HK Wanton Noodle
- Address: Block 632 Yishun Street 61, #01-14 Stall 6, Singapore 760632
- Hours: (Daily) 7am–8pm
chuan kee boneless braised duck
Yet another Michelin-affirmed food gem in Yishun’s oldest hawker centre. Well not quite, this is a branch of the actual Chuan Kee at Ghim Moh which received the Michelin Bib Gourmand, but they are quite on par.
I’ve eaten this Braise Duck Rice ($3/4/5) since secondary school. Standards dropped slightly but it’s still pretty good for the price, especially with the generous portions.
Rice was generally fluffy, though with mild dry spots, and paired beautifully with the flavourful braise sauce. Finished with an abundance of peanuts, bouncy tofu and tender duck meat scant of gameyness — it was an enjoyable and filling lunch
chuan kee boneless braised duck (Chong Pang)
- Address: Chong Pang Market & Food Centre, 104 Yishun Ring Rd, Singapore 760104
- Hours: (Tues–Sun) 10am–8pm
No Horse Run Gelato
What could suit Yishun more for gelato flavours than wacky nostalgic takes on many childhood favourites? It’s the craziest heartland in Singapore after all, so Yishun’s gelato gotta maintain that level of craziness to match its reputation.
Quite honestly, not many “local-influenced” gelatos can tickle my fancy, often feeling overdone and cliche. But No Horse Run nails it by leaning all in on that angle, serving not only quirky retro flavours but also Pandan Gula Melaka Waffles ($6.50) that you can elevate with Childhood Milo Syrup.
As far as the flavours go, the Muah Chee gave a real blast to the past with its strong peanut-forward profile and chunks of chewy mochi, while Smoked Milk provided a nice smoky kiss that enamoured me as a wok hei fanatic. Best of all, they are open till 2am daily for night owls with sweet tooth!7
No Horse Run Gelato
- Address: 160 Yishun Street 11, #01-216, Singapore 760160
- Hours: (Daily) 2pm–2am
51 Noodle House
If Mazesoba was Japanese BCM, their Signature Minced Meat Noodles ($5.50) would be the Singaporean re-translation. With an onsen egg to jazz up the texture, it’s the familiar blend of vinegar spice but heavier and silkier in texture.
The usual suspects of BCM were there — liver, minced pork, lard. They were all cooked proficiently but it was the tender slices of Chashu that really set it apart from your average BCM. A very solid bowl of BCM at heart but its charm lay in it subtly cosplaying as Mazesoba.
51 Noodle House
- Address: Yishun Park Hawker Centre, 51 Yishun Ave 11, #01-27, Singapore 768867
- Hours: (Thurs–Tues) 7.30am–9:30pm
Feng Food
Fried rice is one simple homely dish that everyone loves, and this Taiwanese eatery’s fried rice with pork chop ($12.30) is up there with the most beloved places like DTF and my favourite King of Fried Rice .
The pork chop was juicy, oozing with umami and tender with just the right bite to round it off. The fried rice was a tad lacking in wok hei but it’s a nice fluffy plate that wasn’t greasy at all. Definitely one for the fried rice bucket list.
Feng Food
- Address: Northpoint City, 930 Yishun Ave 2, #B1-156, Singapore 769098
- Hours: (Daily) 11am–9:30pm
Chong Pang Nasi Lemak
If there’s one iconic food stall synonymous with Yishun, it’s Chong Pang Nasi Lemak, as can be seen from the constant snaking queues. Admittedly standards have slipped but the rice is still quite fragrant and the sambal chilli is still vibrantly sweet and spicy.
My must-orders here are the insanely crispy Chicken Wings and their sweet and Sour Fish with its glorious piquancy and sweetness, underscored by a mildly crunchy skin.
Chong Pang Nasi Lemak
- Address: 447 Sembawang Rd, Singapore 758404
- Hours: (Daily) 5pm–6.30am
Hai Xian Zhu Zhou (Ke Kou Mian)
The famed Bukit Panjang Ke Kou Mian actually has a stall in Yishun too! Renowned for its remarkably flavourful broth, this is not just your average bowl of instant noodles.
The Pork Ke Kou Mian ($4) came with a generous amount of tender pork and pork liver, and more importantly, the koka noodles were cooked to a perfect springiness whilst soaking up the broth really well. There’s also the Spicy Ke Kou Mian ($4) that imbues an addictive heat to the robust base.
Some may find the overall profile too salty, but I think it’s a wholesome burst of umami that is perfect for those days you need some help perking up.
海鲜煮粥 HAI XIAN ZHU ZHOU
- Address: 233 Yishun Street 21, Singapore 760233
- Hours: (Thurs-Tues) 6am–3pm
Huat Kee Kway Chap
Maybe those psychopath memes weren’t baseless, because here’s another great organ dish in the list of the best food in Yishun. This old school Kway Chap ($4.50) stall has shifted around Yishun but its popularity hasn’t waned yet.
Every component on the platter was tender and tasted stunningly clean. The sweetness of the herbal braise sauce was very enjoyable, and in particular, went really well with the soft intestines.
Delicate chewy sheets of rice noodles soaked in a daintily light soup also gave a nice complement to the heavier flavours. The entire dish was gentle on the palate and I might have even liked it more if the braise sauce was slightly richer.
Huat Kee Kway Chap
- Address: 171 Yishun Ave 7, Singapore 760171
- Hours: (Thurs–Sun) 6:30am–-1:30pm
Heng Hua Restaurant
Everyone loves Michelin-starred Putien, but it’s not very affordable. Luckily for Yishun residents, Heng Hua is a great alternative that serves Pu Tian cuisine at wallet-friendly price points.
The must-orders are the signature Lor Mee ($4.50) and Stir-Fried Yam ($10). In particular, the yam is sweeter than Putien’s rendition, sporting a bit more caramelisation. Not as airy in texture, but still very fluffy. Simple but so satisfying.
Heng Hua Restaurant
- Address: 748 Yishun Street 72, #01-212, Singapore 760748
- Hours: (Daily) 11am–11pm
Slow Bakes
Slow Bakes is perhaps one of the best-known food spots in Yishun since its idyllic setting and magnificent view of the Yishun Pond made it a viral sensation on social media. But the quaint bakery’s strengths don’t just lie in their ambience, since they also churn out affordable and solid bakes.
If popular artisan bakeries are a little far from you, you can try their Kaya Butter Toast ($2.50) which comes with a crusty slice of sourdough toast and a nice spread of fragrant kaya, then finished with creamy dollops of butter. That said, I found the toast nicely crispy but slightly dry inside.
Who knew Yishun had one of the best places to get bougie kaya toast in Singapore?
Slow Bakes
- Address: 30A Yishun Central, Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, Singapore 768796
- Hours: (Daily) 7am–2pm
Moin Moin Gelato
It took a while, but Yishun finally has its own IG-Worthy minimalist white cafe. You’ll find yourself at home here with the simple whites underscored by earth tones, along with a nice chic pop of green.
They’ve got a rather interesting selection of flavours on display that include Yuzu Champagne, Osmanthus Lychee, and Strawberry Biscoff. with a single scoop starting from $3.90. The gelato is generally good with pleasant flavours like in the Yuzu but you can skip the Waffles ($5).
Moin Moin Gelato
- Address: 930 Yishun Central 1, #01-125, Singapore 760930
- Hours: (Tue–Thu) 2pm–10pm, (Fri) 2pm–12am, (Sat–Sun) 12pm–12am
Legend Scissors Cut Curry Rice
Finally decent curry rice in Yishun! Legend Scissors Cut brings one of the best ugly foods in Singapore to Yishun, as you see people queue up for gravy-doused plates of sinful goodness.
Its key component, the Hainanese curry, is the sweet and fragrant kind with only the slightest hint of spice. So it’s naturally a great companion with the well-seasoned slices of Fried Pork Chop and the rich, fatty morsels of Braised Pork Belly.
Legend Scissors Cut Curry Rice
- Address: 732 Yishun Ave 5, #01-380, Singapore 760732
- Hours: (Daily) 10am–7:30pm
Jing Si Books & Cafe
Located right beside Slow Bakes, Jing Si is another place where you can unwind over some food & relaxing tea while revelling in the best view in Yishun.
Granted, the menu mainly boasts of a diverse multitude of drinks ranging from hot Chinese teas (with a pot starting from $4.50) to smoothies, but they give some small crackers to go with their brews while you relax in the serenity of the cafe.
Jing Si Books & Cafe
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- Address: 30A Yishun Central, #01-07 Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, Singapore 768796
- Hours: (Mon–Fri) 11:30am-7pm, (sat) 11am–7pm, (Sun) 11am–6pm