I’m sure you’re already familiar with Singapore’s hawker centres (and if you’re not, go to one immediately… seriously, go for your next meal!)
Hawker centres are the heart of Singaporean food culture, offering a unique mix of cheap, delicious, and diverse eats, all under one roof. For me, there’s nothing that makes me feel more like I truly live in Singapore than grabbing a meal at a hawker centre. The buzz of the crowd, the sizzling smells from the stalls, and the endless variety of dishes—I love it!
This week, our date night took us to a hawker centre we hadn’t visited before: Maxwell Food Centre. Here’s how it went!
Where?
Maxwell Food Centre – 1 Kadayanallur St, Singapore 069184 (right next to Maxwell MRT)
What?
We visited on a Wednesday evening. Maxwell was lively, but I couldn’t help but notice many stalls were closed—probably due to it being midweek and fairly early. Still, there was enough to explore, and my husband and I stuck to our usual “first-time hawker” strategy: sampling a little bit of everything from different stalls.
What we tried:
- Chicken tombik (Sultan Kebab – Turkish): The chicken was juicy, the salad fresh, and the sauce had a spicy kick that tied it all together beautifully. A highlight of the night for me.
- Bánh mì & spring rolls (Hello Banhmi – Vietnamese): Decent, but I’ve had better versions of both. Tasty but not particularly memorable.
- Dumplings (XI YING KE 喜迎客 Dumplings & Noodles): Solidly average. They weren’t bad, but they didn’t wow us either—just okay.
- Craft beer (Welcome Renmin): Now, this was a standout! Refreshing, flavourful, and with a great selection! The guy running the stall was super friendly and happy to offer recommendations.
Noticeably absent from our meal was char siew, despite the many stalls offering it at Maxwell. After last week’s Fook Kin date night (see my previous blog: Date Night #1: Fook Kin’ great char siew!), we’ve been ruined for all other char siew. Honestly, I’m not sure if anything can top it, so we didn’t even bother trying it here.
WOW Tips
- Beware of midweek closures: Many stalls at Maxwell seem to shut during the week, so if there’s a specific dish you’re after, plan accordingly.
- Don’t skip the craft beer stall: It’s a gem. Ask for recommendations—the guy behind the counter knows his stuff!
- Make it a double adventure: Maxwell is just across the road from Chinatown, so why not take a stroll through the street market afterward? The view of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is especially lovely at night.
Worth it?
I’d rate this date night a 6/10. The atmosphere was fun, and the food was decent, but nothing truly blew me away. I wouldn’t rush back to Maxwell, especially with so many other stellar hawker centres to choose from. That said, I’m open to giving it another shot—maybe I just picked the wrong stalls?
What HE said…
“Big cheers for the beers, but the dumplings were too doughy.”
Like me, he wasn’t overly impressed by the food, but he really enjoyed the craft beer. He’d definitely return for the beer and wouldn’t mind giving it another shot with some different dishes.
He rates it a 6/10 too.
Wanna see?
For more photos, check out Instagram.
Wrap-up
The whole meal was nice enough, but nothing really wowed me. And whilst our usual routine when we try a new hawker of sampling small bites from multiple stalls is fun, it always leaves me feeling like I’ve missed out on that satisfying, full meal experience.
That said, hawker dates are never just about the food for my husband and me. They’re about the adventure, the connection, and the reminder of how much we love living here and exploring together. Maxwell may not have stolen the show, but it still gave us another night to add to our growing collection of date-night memories.
Now, I need your help—do you have any must-try stalls at Maxwell? Drop your recommendations in the comments! Maybe with your help, I can turn our next visit into a 10/10. And don’t forget to check back next week for another fun date night idea!
