Our Hawkers Through Time

Photo by Jun Jie Yam via Wikicommons (CC BY 4.0)

Food is a big part of life in Singapore. The city state is known for its wide variety of multi-ethnic dishes, with Malay, Indian, and Chinese food being the most common, alongside others like Peranakan and Eurasian cuisines. While Singapore has many restaurants, most people agree that the most affordable and authentic food can be found at hawker centres.

Hawker centres are generally open-air spaces with food stalls offering affordable meals. They are clean, easy to access, and popular with people from all walks of life. Many stalls are run by families and serve one or two dishes that have been perfected over time or are based on family recipes passed down through generations. Recently, more young “hawkerpreneurs” have started stalls, offering traditional dishes with a modern twist. Overall, hawker food is not only delicious but also rich in history and culture.

“Our Hawkers Through Time” presents the history of our hawker culture as documented in the resources and content from institutions such as the National Library Board, National Heritage Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority as well as those compiled or created by foodies, YouTubers and even the hawkers themselves just to name a few.

Join us on this journey of discovery by either checking out our digital story or innovative story map.