Maxwell Food Centre Singapore: A First-Timer’s Guide
If you love food, you will love Singapore. Across this beautiful city you will find what is called Hawker Markets. Collections of Market Stalls offering food. These are so cheap but taste so good, you can still be a budget backpacker and eat to your heart’s content. I was pointed in the direction of Maxwell Food Centre, which locals had assured me was their favourite in Singapore.
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My Visit to Maxwell Food Centre
I was only in Singapore for a day, and so I had to try and fit in as much as possible. I had already visited the Marina Bay Sands Observation Deck that morning, as well purchased my tickets at the Gardens by the Bay to return later that evening for the light show.
It was starting to get past lunch and I was feeling hungry. I could see a lot of options for a bite to eat, but I wanted a real taste of Singapore. With such a short time I didn’t want to sit down in a restaurant and lose some of few precious hours I had of daylight. Instead I wanted some authentic Asian street food.
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Discovering Maxwell Food Centre
I had been speaking to a taxi driver the night before whilst on the way to the Nocturnal Safari and he was recommending Hawker Centres for me. His personal favourite (and to him this market had the most authentic Singaporean Cuisine) was the Maxwell food centre.
So the next day we grabbed a taxi and were soon standing outside the market entrance. Well sort of, someone (not me) had confidently told the taxi driver the wrong location. So we had a bit of a walk My family had chosen the market we were to which by sheer luck ended up being Maxwell. Inside the market is incredibly busy. With food stalls each offering their own selection of foods and treats to try.
Tips for Visiting Maxwell Food Centre
One thing I didn’t realise before visiting Maxwell Food Centre was how useful cash would be. As I was only in Singapore for a day, I assumed I would be fine relying on card payments. However, every stall I tried during my visit was cash only. Luckily, there were ATMs nearby, but bringing some Singapore dollars with me would have made the experience much easier.
Finding a table wasn’t too difficult, even with the size of our group. One benefit of travelling together was being able to order different dishes and share them, which meant I could try much more of the food on offer. I also found the prices affordable enough that ordering several dishes to share didn’t feel excessive.
When you have finished with your meal, you must clean up your table and return your tray to a tray return station. It’s down to every visitor to keep the markets clean, and if you are caught leaving your tray behind you can be fined for it. Usually a first offence is a written warning but a repeat offence can progress to $300 fine.
What I Learned Eating at Maxwell Food Centre
Trying Food Outside My Comfort Zone
Look I have to confess, in the past I have gained a reputation as a bit of a picky eater. But as I’ve grown I’ve got more and more determined to try new food. And my trip to Asia was going to be my biggest test. I had set myself the challenge at every dinner to try one new course. That could be a new mains, new starter or new dessert (although I love chocolate so it was rare that dessert was changed).
With cash in my pocket I started to look around. The food options are overwhelming and quite frankly I didn’t know where to begin. My family had split up, each member going off and debating over their own choices. It’s hard to go by images either as often the dishes never actually look the photograph.
So I came up with a plan. I knew I would need a drink to wash it down with, but opted against the coconuts with a straw. Instead reaching for a classic Coca-Cola. I just made the mistake of getting one at the very front of a recently topped up fridge. So I stead of ice cold and refreshing it was warm. So that’s one piece of advice, always try and get your drinks from the back.
I narrowed down my list of what I was tempted to try. I then sat down with my disappointingly warm coke (always grab from the back of the fridge) and waited. My taxi driver from the night before had recommended the Chicken Noodle to me, so that was the top of my list. One of the owners was very eager to help as well, even going as far as recommending other stalls for us to try based on what we fancied. But I thought I’d wait to see what my family got, and then go for what looked the tastiest.
When they returned it all looked so good which didn’t help much. But luckily for me my Stepmum got the Chicken Noodle soup, and it looked even better than how the driver had described it. So that was settled.
Embracing the Local Cuisine
I’m usually quite fussy about my food. But during my trip in Singapore I was determined to keep an open mind. I couldn’t visit here and not try the food. I had been assured that Hawker Markets provide western food too. It seems to be dependent on the market though as I couldn’t find any in the Maxwell Hawker Market. And that’s fine with me, after a long flight to a new continent it can be tempting to reach for something that’s comforting and familiar. But when you only have 48 hours on a destination you need to cast that notion aside. The quickest way for me to embrace a new country’s culture is through my stomach.
My mind made up. I walked straight over to the stall to grab myself a bowl. It was hotter than I expected, but tasted sublime. I’m not used to chopsticks though. And chunks of chicken plopped into the soup splashing my bright white tee shirt. That’s one of my biggest tips for visiting a Hawker Market. Unless you’re a pro with the chopsticks, do not wear white. I’ve been back home a few weeks now and every method I’ve tried to remove the stains has been fruitless. Luckily the Chicken Noodle tasted so good it was worth sacrificing a t-shirt for.
Sharing Dishes to Try More
It’s good to have a walk around and check out all the stalls. A lot of them have similar dishes and it’s their own take on them. Cooked ever so slightly different from their neighbour. That can make your decision overwhelming. But when everyone comes back to their table with their own dishes there’s nothing wrong with a bit of sharing. We were all trying each other’s dishes. It’s also really affordable so you can get a few dishes and send your taste buds on a real journey.
Is Maxwell Food Centre worth visiting?
My time in Singapore was sadly, extremely limited, which meant I didn’t get to eat anywhere near as much as I wanted to. But I can honestly say this was my best, and cheapest meal in Singapore.
My family booked a sit down meal for that evening, and it cost around three times as much, and yet it didn’t come close in terms of flavour. What makes Maxwell Food Centre even better is that I only tried a fraction of the dishes available.
I could have happily came back here multiple times on the same trip, and tried something different on every visit. When I return to Singapore to explore more of the city, I will make sure I leave time to visit Maxwell Food Centre again.
Where to Stay in Singapore
For my stay in Singapore I based myself at the PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, which has been one of my favourite hotels I’ve ever been to. I had a balcony that overlooked the city, and I was within walking distance of some of my favourite attractions including Merlion Park.
The service was top-notch, and it was the only time in my life (so far) that I ordered room service — and it did not disappoint. I’d happily stay at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay again on my next visit to Singapore.
I had a balcony overlooking the city and was within walking distance of some of my favourite Singapore attractions, including Gardens by the Bay and Merlion Park.
