Skip to content 
Brian Kennett
Amateur Chef and Foodie Extraordinaire
Our Top 7 hawker stalls at East Coast Lagoon Food Village
For foodies visiting Singapore or any foodies based in Singapore, a stop at the East Coast Lagoon Food Village is a must. Located on Singapore’s Eastern shore at the wake-boarding lagoon East coast, this popular dining location serves you everything from hot seafood laksa to sweet and savoury satay.
Of course, that all gets washed down with some icy cold beers, which is a must as a bedfellow to Singapore hawker food. It is an iconic East Coast hawker.
The East Coast Lagoon Food Village’s array of delicious options is one of the attraction’s many draws. You can discover kiosks selling Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisine, so there will be options for everyone. In the food village, you may get anything from a steaming bowl of noodles to a refreshing tropical fruit smoothie or fresh coconut.
There are also plenty of Halal hawker stalls at East Coast Lagoon Food Village, still offering a huge array of food options.
Here, travelers and locals alike can sample East Coast park food, including the traditional dishes for which Singapore is famous. In the late 1960s, Singapore began transferring street hawkers to hawker centers, where they continue to this day to serve authentic Singaporean cuisine. People who value tasty food and the opportunity to dine outdoors in favourable weather flock to the hawker center, and East Coast Lagoon Food Village is up there with the very best in Singapore.
There are a select few hawker centers in Singapore other than East Coast Lagoon Food Village that is also truly exceptional, and we’ll get into more of those below for you. But, this blog is primarily focused on East Coast food, and specifically for East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
There’s a wide variety of foods available, from the national dish of Singapore, Hainanese Chicken Rice, excellent Char Siew Roast Pork, and other Malaysian specialties. You may find both sweet and savoury treats, such as Ice Kachang and Bee Hoon Soup, among the numerous food stalls in the hawker center.
The hawker center is a great place to get both familiar Singaporean dishes and more exotic options, like Gong Gong and Sambal Sting Ray, and you’ll get all those on offer at East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
East Coast Lagoon Review Content
If you are visiting, staying or living on the East Coast of Singapore, you can also try many more hawker locations. Have a read of 14 Cheap & Good food Hawkers in Siglap.
It’s also important to know that as of December 2020, the hawker culture in Singapore has been formally recognized by Unesco as part of the world’s cultural heritage. This proposal was accepted by a 24-member international committee in virtual procedures. After nearly three years of labour by the National Heritage Board, the National Environment Agency, and the Federation of Merchants’ Associations, the entire procedure took just three minutes to complete.
East Coast Lagoon Food Village FAQ's answered by ISLIFEARECIPE-dia
What are the opening hours of East Coast Lagoon Food Village?
Wednesday | 4–10:45pm |
Thursday | 4–10:45pm |
11am–10:45pm | |
Saturday | 10am–10:45pm |
Sunday | 10am–10:30pm |
Monday | 4pm–10:30am |
Tuesday | 4–10:45pm |
What is the address for East Coast Lagoon Food Village?
1220 ECP, Singapore 468960
Can I pay by credit card at East Coast Lagoon Food Village?
East Coast Lagoon Food Village used to be all cash-only, but there has been a big shift of late with Covid actually helping for once. The Singaporean Govt sponsored a focus on touchless during Covid, and that included payments. So, now a number of the stalls will accept Debit Cards, NETS, PayNow, PayLah, and so on. I’d say, have some cash just in case, especially if you are an international traveler to Singapore. There is a DBS ATM located towards the Lagoon ECP entrance of East Coast Lagoon Food Village, so any international travelers can use that to draw cash.
What are the signs with letters for hawker stalls?
You may have seen the little placards in all hawkers. The A, B, C, and D and wondered what they are for. Well, it is related to the food hygiene exams you have to pass in Singapore before you can prepare and serve food. No different from your school exams, an A is a top-grade pass mark. I have done a version of this exam myself and had a 100% pass mark. I guess that means Islifearecipe.net is officially A-Grade.
Top 7 hawker stalls at East Coast Lagoon Food Village
This is super-hard to do. How to down-select and pick the Top 7 hawker stalls at East Coast Lagoon Food Village? All the stalls are exceptional here, but let me share the family always-visit options whenever we’re here. Without fail we will get food from these stalls on every return. The stall owners are now our friends, always chatting, asking after the kids and just being so very, very friendly. Well, we have been coming here for circa 15 years now.
What is the address for 245 Beer Place?
1220 ECP, #245 East Coast Lagoon Food Village, ECP, Singapore 468960
First thing to do when you arrive is to get your drinks sorted, so we always try to grab a table next to 245 Beer Place, owned and run by our mate Anna. This is what I like to coin, my local. Everyone knows your name, they sure know what you drink, and Anna will also be over like a flash as soon as you have emptied your bottle.
Oh yeah, a bottle that is a long-neck and costs $7.50, so come on you city drinkers come to East Coast, come to Lagoon hawker, it’s beautiful and cheap. Come and meet the lovely Anna who owns and runs this stall. There’s nothing like a few pints and some hawker food with the family, on a beautiful sunny day – nice!!! Also, try their fresh Sugar Cane with Lemon, that’s a massive family favourite.
If you like cheap beers this is a must-read; Cheapest beer on the East Coast Road.
245 East Coast Lagoon is not like your typical UK local pub though. That is usually a murky room, with sport on TV, maybe a pool table, and a musty smell from when smoking was allowed indoors. No, this is Singapore, where you spend 70% of your time outdoors. So my local is thus too. I am placing this in my ‘ hawker‘ section because this is where my local is, and without a beer Singaporean hawker food would just not be the same. Have a trip to 245 Lagoon Hawker Centre, East Coast Service Road.
What is the address for Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken Wing & Spring Chicken?
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 14
15 years we have been visiting here, and it was only on our last visit that I find out that they serve BBQ Spring chicken. Oh my goodness. Spring chicken is one of my favourite things on the planet. And, following my recent dining adventure, Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken Wing & Spring Chicken is my all-time favourite Spring chicken dish. It is killer. These guys have nailed it.
It has such a crunch to the skin, then super-moist and ever-so-juicy meat await you inside. It has a delicious smokiness from the BBQ coals, and then squirt a little Calamansi lime, or dip in some homemade chilli to up the ante and make this World class umami food.
This is going on my; “I will eat this every time I visit East Coast Lagoon Food Village” list. It seriously was just so very good, and get this; the whole chicken will only cost you $8.
There are quite a few BBQ chicken wing stalls at East Coast Lagoon, but Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken Wing & Spring Chicken will be the one with the long, long queue. Husband and wife, and son run the stall, and are artisans at their craft only selling chicken wings and Spring chicken.
But boy do they do that well. I truly believe they are the best BBQ chicken wings in Singapore from my personal perspective. A close second would be the stall in Satay by the Bay Hawker.
These guys sell their Charcoal BBQ Chicken Wings at an incredible $1.30, only. That’s just incredible value, for delicious fare. It’s funny when the old Uncle is serving an/or cooking he always allows my Jude Jude to go in and turn the chicken wings in the BBQ so Jude can say he cooked them to his Mum. How nice is that?
What is the address for Han Jia Bak Kut Teh & Pork Leg?
#01-42 East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Singapore 468960
This is another massive family favourite for us at Lagoon hawker centre. Jude Jude and me usually for together here as he loves ordering the fatty pork leg, and having Mr Han and his crew all praise him on his love for local Singaporean hawker food. I am, also, very proud of him.
Click here to read our full review of Han Jia Bak Kut Teh & Pork Leg.
The Han Jia Bak Kut Teh & Pork Leg stall has been going since 1963 when it first opened somewhere over in the back streets of MacPherson. Go say to Mr. Han, the incredible chef, who is the second generation hawker to run it after his father sadly passed away. Mr. Han always saw himself as a hawker chef following in his father’s footsteps, and thank goodness for that.
His food is the stuff of hawker legends, and his Bak Kut Teh was recognized as one of the Top 10 dishes at the 2011 City Hawker Food Hunt. That should be a major cause for celebration on his part. I think he deserves that reward for the 15 years we have been visiting him.
Despite the award for the Bak Kut Teh, the pig legs are, in my humble opinion, the restaurant’s most memorable dish. They have such a high level of delectability that they almost disintegrate in your mouth. My Jude Jude always goes the fatty one, which literally wobbles like jelly in the bowl when you carry it back to the table.
For pork lovers, this should be your go-to dish. It has simmered and bubbled for hour after hour in the super-fragrant broth and is literally fall-apart not needing any chewing. It is sublime.
Our usual order is; fatty pork leg, fermented greens, Bak Kut Teh, and rice with gravy. That will set you back an astonishing $12 only.
Here is Amy sucking out bone marrow from those slow-braised, slow-cooked, marinated pig legs. This stuff is amazing, cooked for days, fall apart when you touch it with this truly unctuous gravy. Wow, it is to die for, and I think you’ll agree my kids think so too.
Ollie’s off doing the same. Straws arrived later to allow them to get every single last little drop out. Love my kids for being major foodies like me, I guarantee if we had still been in the UK they would not be doing this, and like most kids there refusing to eat anything green let alone bone marrow. Well done kids.
And then a few years later so is their brother Jude, clearly a family trait when eating this incredible pork leg.
What is Bak Kut Teh?
Bak Kut Teh is a Chinese soup that is made with pork ribs and white pepper, herbs, and spices. The dish originated in the Fujian province of China, but it is now popular in many countries in Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The name “Bak Kut Teh” literally means “meat bone tea,” and the dish is traditionally served with a pot of strong, hearty tea.
What is the address for BBQ Seafood Kitchen?
1220 East Coast Parkway East Coast Lagoon Food Village #01-04
What are BBQ Seafood Kitchen contact details;
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbq.seafood.lagoon
Telephone: 8840 4590
eMail: bbqseafoodkitchen@gmail.com
This is an absolute cracker of a traditional Singaporean Zhi Char hawker stall. Carry on reading below and I’ll explain just what Zhi Char is for you. We actually had this recommended to us by Anna, from 245 Beer Place, as a must-try.
Since then, we have been going back again and again. I think, personally (and so does Anna) that it is the best in East Coast Lagoon Food Village. Everything is just so fresh and the cook is a living legend in my humble opinion.
Check out all those dishes he has to remember, it’s insane. I will share a few family favourites that are both entry-level, mid-level, and hard-core-level hawker food at East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
Most dishes come as small, medium, or large. We usually hover around the small and medium, but order multiple dishes and go tapas-sharing style. We find this much more fun and gives you more food adventures. Plus if you don’t like something you haven’t wasted a whole dish, as someone is sure to like it.
Beginner-level hawker food;
First up, and first on the menu, would be their version of the classic Singaporean hawker seafood dish, Sambal Stingray. It’s iconic and you will find it at most, if not all, Zi Char seafood hawkers. I even like this, as long as the sambal has not had too much of the very fishy and pungent shrimp paste in it.
BBQ Seafood Kitchen’s version is a knock-out. The stingray ‘flesh’ is almost like shredded pork, as it comes off in strips, is not fishy at all, super juicy, tender, and very meaty. Then the kick of that sambal hits you in a warming fashion. To up the ante, double up with a dip in homemade chili sauces. Personally, I love it also with a squeeze of fresh Calamansi. Just sublime.
This delicacy will set you back $13, $18, or $24 based on your size choice. What a bargain for a dish you easily pay $30-40 in a restaurant.
Next up, and one with a variable ‘market price’, which you simply have to try, are their Butter Crayfish. These things are behemoths, each one about the size of a baby’s arm. They call them crayfish, but they’re actually Giant Tiger Prawns.
They butterfly them, and then apply copious amounts of garlic butter and BBQ them until pink and puffed up. Squeeze a little Calamansi and you’ll be dining on the best prawn dish you’re likely to ever eat.
Mid-tier hawker food level;
This is a relatively new find I spotted on the menu is the deep-fried Silago. I say mid-tier because I have found that visitors to Singapore from overseas are sometimes thrown by the fact that we tend to eat fish whole. Yes, it is filleted and de-scaled, but that little head and tail are still there, plus it is packed with little bones, which sometimes can freak out the less-traveled.
(Apologies; the photo is not ‘the’ dish from BBQ Seafood Kitchen @ East Coast Lagoon Food Village, and I had to borrow a similar looking version.)
This dish will cost you a measly $15, $20, or $25 depending on the size chosen. Even a small one gives you a huge pile of these delicious, deep-fried, crunchy fish snacks. A must with some Calamansi and homemade chili sauce.
Hard-core hawker food level;
And then to, what I class as, hard-core hawker fare, and my wife’s absolute favourite. Simply known as Gong Gong. Priced at $13, $18, and $24 based on sizing. If you have not ventured into these bad boys before, I’d recommend a small. Start at the bottom and work your way up. If you thought eating a whole fish, with head and tail on it still was a challenge have a look at that thing in my wife’s hand.
What is Gong Gong?
Gong Gong, commonly known as sea snails, is a type of shellfish that is quite popular in Singapore hawkers and Zi Char restaurants. This seafood packs a lot of protein, which is one of the reasons why it is a popular choice.
It is certainly not on my Christmas card list though. The last time I saw something like this, Sigourney Weaver was trying to shoot it on a spaceship. Hence, I view it as hardcore.
Gong Gong, also known as the Pearl Dog Conch Sea Snails, is one of the most unique shellfish and one of the Southeast Asian favourites, hence you see it everywhere in Singapore.
How to cook Gong Gong?
Brush the Gong Gong shells while rinsing them in flowing water to remove any dirt or debris. Put some water in a steamer, turn the heat up high, and steam the Gong Gong for around ten to fifteen minutes. This method tends to retain its unique sweetness. You can also drop the cleaned Gong Gong in lightly salted boiling water for about the same time.
How to eat Gong Gong?
You just need to draw the tender, juicy spiral body of the Gong Gong out of its tough shell. After a number of practice runs, you’ll have the necessary skill to pull the delicate, soft coiled meat out in one piece with a light tug and twist. The meat is usually served with a chili dipping sauce.
What is Zi Char?
BBQ Seafood Kitchen at East Coast Lagoon Food Village is a great example of the morphing stages of Singaporean cuisine, and this is one of thousands of similar hawker stalls across Singapore.
There would have been street food arts initially, very much how I remember Satay Street 20 years ago. These would evolve to being physical hawker stalls over time (if successful of course), which is still open-air dining. But what if your diners want air-con, and/or ceiling fans in an enclosed environment?
The term used is “Ze Char,” which can also be romanticized as “Zi Char.” This is a Singaporean Singlish colloquialism that originates from the local Hokkien dialect. It is used to describe an inexpensive food stall that offers a wide selection of traditional and inexpensive dishes that are comparable to home-cooked meals. Yep, hawker food.
The bulk of stalls selling Zhi Char can be found in hawker centers and Kopitiams all over Singapore. These restaurants offer dishes that are representative of the incredible cuisine that is served in Singapore. As a direct result of this, the majority of them are often situated in settings that do not contain air conditioning, the open-air hawker.
However, there are a few Zhi Char stalls and restaurants that also have their own air-conditioned dining area. Additionally, the government regulates the installation of ceiling fans in those Zhi Char shops that do not have air conditioning.
Great examples of the final stage of Zi Char evolution would be;
– Hua Yu Wee
– Sin Hoi Eating House.
Both restaurants are on the East Coast, and both offer air-conditioned dining areas within the restaurant as well as outside dining that is covered, and has fans.
What’s the address for Ahmad Spring Satay & BBQ Chicken Wings?
1220 ECP, #01-58, Singapore 468960
What are the contact details for Ahmad Spring Satay & BBQ Chicken Wings?
WhatsApp; http://onwhats.app/ahmadspringsataynbbq
Telephone; 9018 2706
Satay is a dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a peanut sauce. It originated in Indonesia, but it is popular in many countries in Southeast Asia and around the world, including of course Singapore.
The meat, which is usually chicken, beef, or lamb, is cut into small pieces and marinated in a mixture of spices and coconut milk before being grilled on a barbecue or over hot coals. The skewers are often served with a spicy peanut-based dipping sauce, and the dish is traditionally served with rice cake and vegetables such as raw onion and cucumber.
Just 80c for this incredible stick of flavour, be that mutton, beef, chicken, tripe, or beef liver. Served with rice cake and punchy peanut dipping sauce. This is beer food on steroids, believe me.
You want satay with little bits hanging off because that’s the marinade, and that means umami flavour. If they’re too uniform, it likely means machine-made, and then you will be missing out on the best experience, believe me.
My personal favourite is the mutton satay. These are killer, just the best sheepy, candied, meaty little popsicles ever. So delicious.
What’s the address of Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake and Popiah?
1220 ECP, #40 East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Singapore 468960
Somewhere near MacPherson Lane was the original location of the business that Mr. Ang’s father established. In the East Coast Lagoon Food Village, the stall is now run by Mr. Ang, who is a hawker of the second generation. For the better part of 55 years, customers have been able to purchase fried carrot cake at this hawker stall.
After discovering a recipe from a mutual acquaintance 13 years ago, Mr. Ang also started selling the Singaporean classic hawker dish of Popiah. The Popiah that Mr. Ang makes came in first place in the City Hawker Food Hunt that was held 3 years ago or so, beating out hundreds of other submissions. Tick in the box for that fella. This stunning Popiah is being sold for a breathtaking cheap $2.20.
But my daughter, Amy, keeps on coming back to this place for the carrot cake. She has this every single time we come here.
Which side are you on? If you are unsure, choose both options. Amy tends to go for the Crispy White Carrot Cake from Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake and Popiah.
Crispy White Carrot Cake, Sweet Delicious Black Carrot Cake, and Mixed YuanYang Carrot Cake can all be purchased from Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake and Popiah, at the following prices: $4, $5, and $6 respectively.
They are also fully halal with no pork or pork lard used in the cooking.
What is Carrot Cake?
Asian carrot cake, also known as Chai Tow Kway, is a savoury version of carrot cake that is popular in Singapore and other countries in Southeast Asia. It is actually made with grated white radish (not carrots), and it is usually stir-fried with eggs and diced preserved radish.
It is often served as street food or as a side dish in Chinese restaurants or Singaporean hawkers. The dish is traditionally garnished with cilantro and chili flakes, and it can be served with a variety of dipping sauces. Some variations of the dish include the addition of shrimp or other seafood.
What is the address of Lagoon Chicken Curry Puff?
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 28
What are the contact details of Lagoon Chicken Curry Puff?
Telephone: 9781 4865
Even though he is over 70 years old, the hawker Uncle still insists on cooking curry puffs from scratch all by himself every day, regardless of whether he has covid19, it’s raining or it’s boiling hot. His wonderfully flavourful chicken curry filling, which is wrapped in exceptionally flaky, buttery, and light puff pastry, is his signature dish for his loyal and very frequent-returning clients.
He did try to do delivery, but that is one tall ask when you have a massive queue, and then have the ding-dong going consistently for deliveries. I believe he has killed that now, but will allow order and walk-in pick up.
No preservatives are used in any way. He is adamant that only high-quality and freshly prepared foods be used. Perhaps this is why they are so delicious; you can’t just have one. The return customer from our family is my son Ollie, he would order 3-4 Lagoon Chicken Curry Puff, every time we visit East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
Each individual puff is manufactured by the Uncle’s hand and fried to order. So prepare to queue and wait for that order. Also, the Uncle’s business hours are based on his whims, so there is a strong possibility that the stall will be closed when you visit if he’s not in the puff mood. But if you get your hands on a bag of these, the puffs are a delicious option for a snack to enjoy with a cold pint of Tiger Beer.
What are chicken curry puffs?
A chicken curry puff is a type of pastry that is typically filled with a mixture of diced chicken, potatoes, and onions that has been seasoned with curry powder. The filling is encased in a pastry crust, which is then deep-fried or baked until it is golden brown and crispy.
Chicken curry puffs are a popular snack in many countries in Southeast Asia, and they are often sold by street vendors and at food courts. They can be served hot or at room temperature, and they are often accompanied by a dipping sauce or chutney.
Our conclusions of East Coast Lagoon Food Village, our number 1 Singaporean Hawker Center
Why do I love going to East Coast Lagoon Food Village? I can take my kids for a lovely walk from Siglap. I can people-watch thousands of different people ambling past me as I relax, and I do so relax. We chat as a family, we relax as a family, we interact with friends, and we’re outdoors. I also get access to icy cold Tiger beers at ever so cheap prices, and some of my favourite foods from marinated pork leg, pork rib soup, buttered sunflower seeds, and much more.
The East Coast Lagoon Food Village is not just a terrific spot to eat, but also to people-watch. Tourists and locals alike can be found at one of the numerous outdoor tables, sharing a meal and having a good conversation. The bustling atmosphere makes eating at the culinary village a memorable experience.
If you’re in Singapore and you want to eat some of the best local food, you should definitely stop by the East Coast Lagoon Food Village. It’s a must-visit for any gastronome thanks to the quality of its cuisine and the energy of its crowd.
The best Singaporean cuisine can be found here, so come hungry. It’s SHIOK. Join the enormous lines that the locals have already formed, which is also a great sign that good food awaits at the end of that line.
Eat here for the best food you’ll have in Singapore and to help keep the hawker culture and food alive. Distinguished culinary traditions like the Peranakan, Nyonya, Hainanese, Makansutra, and more all have their roots in The East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
Read some of our other blogs and reviews on the vibrant Hawker Food Scene in Singapore;
The Bedok Marketplace
Modern spins on the traditional, including Wagyu beef, foie gras and sourdough pizzas.
Roxy Square Katong
Blink and you’ll miss it, but it has been there for years with some renowned dishes such as Rojak, and an incredible Laksa.
Gluttons Bay and New York’s Urban Hawker
The brainchild of KF Seetoh, and a close friend of Anthony Bourdain.
