Alibabar the Hawker Bar
Previously known as Ali Baba Eating House, this East-side hangout went through a major revamp and came back as a “Hawker Bar”. A coffeeshop by day and hawker bar by night, this is where you can sip on upmarket brews and a cup of milo peng, all in one place.
Bincho
Part of Loh Lik Peng’s Unlisted Collection group (Esquina, Burnt Ends), this eatery in one of Tiong Bahru’s art deco blocks leads a double life. In the day, it’s an old-school mee pok stall and at night, it transforms into a so-hip-it-hurts Japanese yakitori bar.
Bokky Curry
Young couple Lim Kim Bak and his wife Eunice Oh run this new hawker stall (opened early February) in Hong Lim Food Centre selling curry chicken, a hot local favorite. Drop by early to avoid disappointment—their main star runs out fast. How fast? Follow them on Facebook (they’re super active there) to find out.
Coocci Contemporary Japanese
This Japanese stall couldn’t feel more out of place. On offer are classic Japanese creations (like curry udon and rice bowls) as well as other random
fusion plates, including chicken tortellini.
The Good Beer Company
Daniel Goh’s great little drinks stall offers over 50 different beers and ciders, from countries like Taiwan and the US. He also owns Smith Street Taps, a stall selling craft beer on tap (which is right next door).
PasarBella
With everything from a mini wet market at Oceans of Seafood to food stalls selling artisanal products (run by passionate folks like Ai Ming Syu at The Cheese Ark and Corrine Chia at the neighboring Great Beer Experiment), PasarBella is as much upscale hawker as it is farmers’ market.
The Soup Bar
Helmed by chef Gary Lum (who spent 10 years working in the kitchens of places like The Ritz Carlton and Brasserie Gavroche), this new stall serves wholesome gourmet soups, pasta and salad.
Twoface Pizza & Taproom
Another case of split personality in Tiong Bahru. By day this spot is a kopitiam and by night it’s a self-service pizzeria (well okay, maybe the kopitiam tradition of self-service is still kept alive) serving locally-inspired grub and craft beer.
