The Geylang Serai Market lies in the heart of the Singapore Malay community and has been recently remodelled to embrace the rustic quality of the old Malay kampong houses. This famous market has two levels, with a wet market selling all sorts of fresh produce on the ground floor, from live fish to spices, and a food centre on the second.
Fantastic food awaits at the food stalls, featuring predominately Malay and Indian cuisine. Hajjah Mona Nasi Padang and Geylang Briyani Hall are some of the well-known stalls to check out, dishing out mouth-watering dishes including Asam Pedas stingray (spicy stingray) and chicken Briyani (Indian-style chicken rice). If you happen to be there during breakfast, GS Oli Thosei & Food Stall is a great place to enjoy Appom (Indian rice dish), Thosai (Indian pancake) and Masala chicken (spiced chicken). Be sure to go early for these dishes often sell out before noon.
OPENING HOURS: Daily 8am – 10pm
CUISINE: Malay, Indian
BUDGET: $3 – $10
STYLES: Hawker
ADDRESS: 1 Geylang Serai
Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre Singapore 402001
At the Geylang Serai New Market in Singapore, you can try a variety of Malay and Indian foods and goods. Geylang Serai Market was finished in 1964. It was built as part of the Geylang Serai Redevelopment Plan from 1962. Blocks 2 and 3, Jalan Pasar Baru, and Taj Cinema all surrounded the market. The original market, which was called pasar baru, was split into three parts: the wet market, where people could buy fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish; an area set aside for cooked food stalls; and a mall area with shops selling clothes, other items, and services.
Geylang Serai Market has been there for more than forty years, serving the people of Geylang Serai. It was the place where people and business came together. As part of a plan to improve the area, the old market was torn down in 2006 and replaced with a newer one that opened for business in 2010. The cooked food part of the new Geylang Serai Market has more places to sit and is easier to get to. The wet market section is also cleaner and easier to get to.
Shopping in Geylang Serai
The original Geylang Serai Market was part of a bigger commercial complex that included the ground-floor shops of Blocks 1, 2, and 3, as well as markets and shops along Geylang Serai (Road), Geylang, and Changi Roads. The first group was made up of places like the Kah Wee Restaurant, the Tong Sang Goldsmiths and Jewellers, and a coffee shop with no name but the name “Liverpool Square.” These included Haji Hashim Enterprise, Toko Wijaya, S Omar Alkhatib, Million Goldsmiths and Jewellers, and the two-story Lian Tai Mohamadan Restaurant, also known as the Hawa Restaurant.
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Leisure and Entertainment
As Geylang Serai grew as a place for people to live, the number of fun things to do grew to meet the needs of the growing neighborhood population. From the early 1930s, “talkies” (movies with sound) were shown in theaters and open-air theaters that had been built to put on bangsawan shows.
Geylang Serai residents also go to Happy World Amusement Park, which opened in 1937 and has a wide range of entertainment choices, as well as the movies. Happy World was like other entertainment parks in Singapore, like New World at Jalan Besar and Great World at River Valley, which opened before World War II and did well for a long time afterward.
After World War II, Geylang Serai people had more and more ways to have fun and relax. In the 1950s, an entertainment park was built where the Geylang Serai Market is now. This brought rides and games closer to the people of Geylang Serai. The old movie theaters were fixed up, and new ones were built. There were also open-air movie theaters in Joo Chiat and near the kampungs along Jalan Alsagoff that were less expensive.
Ramadan Bazaar and Hari Raya Puasa
Geylang Serai is probably best known for its yearly Ramadan Bazaar, which started in the 1950s when seasonal traders and itinerant peddlers staked out plots along the road to sell food and goods during the month of Ramadan. Since its beginnings, the market has mostly been for Malay/Muslim shoppers. They buy food to break their fast at sunset and new clothes and goods for Aidil Fitri, also called Hari Raya Puasa.
The market is on the part of Geylang Road between Joo Chiat Road and Paya Lebar Road. It has a festive feel because there are lots of people there, vendors are shouting, and holiday music is playing loudly. Customers come back to the market every year because of the variety of things they can buy and how cheap they are. They can buy traditional Malay dishes and cookies, as well as fashionable clothes made of batik, baju Melayu, and kebaya.
Geylang Serai Market, Singapore Overview
Geylang Serai is one of Singapore’s biggest and most popular wet markets. The market is in the middle of the Malay community and is known for having some of the best deals in Singapore on everything related to Malay food and how to make it. Geylang Serai New Market is also known for its Indian and Malay food. The market has two floors. On the ground floor is the famous wet market, where you can buy fish, herbs, and everything in between. On the second floor, there are a lot of food stalls selling all kinds of tasty food.
At Geylang Serai Market, you can try all kinds of local food and get a taste of the delicious Malay cuisine. The place was made and fixed up in a way that makes it feel like an old market and gives it its own historic charm. Many people who come to the market are amazed by how much it looks like the old Kampong House. The market’s history is also very beautiful and complex. During Ramadan, there are a lot of people at the Geylang Serai Market.
After the Ramadan Bazaar, here are 10 places to eat at Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre
Most of us think of the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar when we think of food in the Geylang Serai area. The hipster food and party-like setting make it a unique place to eat in Singapore.
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1. Kueh Talam Asli
If you like traditional kuehs as much as I do, you should stop by Kueh Talam Asli when you’re at Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre. They are known for having many different kinds of kueh talam, a Malaysian dessert with two layers. It is made by hand and has a lot of pandan in it. This gives the kueh a nice avocado-green color and a wonderful pandan scent.
2. Otak-Otak Kampung
It’s too bad that not many places still make otak-otak the old way. Otak-Otak Kampung is one of the few places that still uses the old ways, which is a good thing. They only have one kind of Otak-Otak, which costs S$2 for three pieces and S$3 for five pieces and has big, juicy bits of fish. They also don’t use flour like most people who make otak-otak. So, their otak-otak doesn’t taste at all like starch.
3. Alhambra Heritage & Original Satay Club
One of my favorite street food items is satay. Alhambra Heritage & Original Satay Club is a popular place to get them at Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre.
There are also a lot of crushed peanuts in satay sauce. It puts a thick layer of crunchy peanuts and rich gravy on each stick.
4. Geylang Briyani Stall
In Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre, there are many places to get a good plate of nasi biryani. But Geylang Briyani Stall has more good reviews than any other place.
The small family business has been around since 1964, and it is now run by the third generation of the family. This plate of Nasi Briyani Kambing (S$6) may look pale and tasteless, but the basmati rice was so fragrant it was hard to believe. The most noticeable things about it were the sweet smell of cinnamon and the sharp taste of cloves.
5. Alrahman Kitchen
I love to soak my carbs, like rice or noodles, in a thick, delicious sauce. Lucky for me, Alrahman Kitchen serves a range of traditional Malay rice and noodle dishes.
The Mee Reebus (S$3) is one of their most famous dishes. It comes with a nice, rich sauce that goes well with the thick yellow noodles.Not only that, but they also add a lot of different toppings to make the dish full. Think of fried bean curd that is juicy and crunchy, as well as shallots that smell good. You can also add S$0.50 for a tasty Begedil, which you should definitely do.
6. Nasi Ayam Sambal
I’m sure that every Singaporean knows about chicken rice cooked in a Chinese way. But the Malay version of Nasi Ayam Sambal at Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre has been winning many people over. Their Nasi Ayam, which cost $4, came with a very tasty chicken wing. The crunchy skin and juicy leg meat made a sinful bite that was well-rounded.
7. Cendol Geylang Serai
Cendol Geylang Serai opened in 1952 and has moved three times before settling in Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre.
But for the past 67 years, they have stayed in business by selling just one dish: their famous cendol. The green jelly in their Cendol, which costs $2, is made from scratch, and it is served with gula melaka and coconut milk. To keep the dessert classic, they don’t add fancy toppings like red bean, attap seeds, or durian.
8. Rojak & Mee Siam
Indian Rojak is the food that most people think of when they think of Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre. Rojak & Mee Siam is one of the best places to get it there.
The thing that sets this stall, which has been around for a long time, apart from the others around it is their special dipping gravy. It’s made with sweet potatoes! All of their rojak costs between S$0.80 and S$1.50, which is not too much. The Tepong Telur, which costs $1 and has a soft, chewy batter, was one of our favorites.
9. Iqbal Soup Kambing
If you want to warm your soul with a bowl of mutton soup, Iqbal Soup Kambing makes a good one. Since there is a huge cooking pot right in front of the stall, it’s not hard to find.
Here, you can get many different Indian Muslim meals, but most people come back for the Mutton Soup (S$6). To our surprise, the chunks of mutton didn’t taste at all like game. But what really stood out to us was how thick and creamy the soup was. It had a rich taste of herbs and spices that was hard to resist, so we didn’t waste a single drop.
10. Warung Solo
If you want mee soto and you get up early, you should go to Warung Solo.They serve a wide range of Muslim foods, like many other stands. But people keep coming back here because the prices are so cheap.
We heard that for S$3, they serve a big bowl of Mee Soto that isn’t too hot. I think it’s great for those of you who can’t handle spicy foods.
Places to go in Geylang in 2023 that will make you fall in love with the city
When you plan a trip to this place, it’s best to have a detailed plan of what you want to do. Make sure you check out the following places in Geylang, Singapore, if you want to experience the real culture there.
1, the Intan
It won the Singapore Tourism Award for best tour experience in 2016 for its Intan Signature Tea Experience. The Intan, which means “rose-cut diamond,” is the smallest museum in Singapore. It gives visitors a glimpse into the local Peranakan culture, which came about when Chinese refugees married locals from the Malayan straits.
2. Sri Sivan Temple
It is a Hindu temple, and it was built in the name of Lord Shiva, who is the main god. It also shows how many Indians have moved to Singapore and gives an idea of their religious views and style of building. The temple has been fixed up more than once. One of those times was because of damage from the Second World War.
3. Malay Village
If you want to know where to go in Geylang, Serai, this is the place! The Malay Village of Geylang, Serai was built in 1989. It is a display site that looks like a museum and shows how local Malays lived before the 1960s, also known as Kampung Days.
4. Rumah Bebe
This shophouse was built in 1928 and is now owned by Bebe Seet. It is a great example of how good Peranakan building is. She is an expert at making slippers with beads, which is a traditional Peranakan skill. Traditional kebayas are shirts in the Nonya style that have pretty lace on them.
5. Peranakan Houses
The Peranakan Houses, which are on Joo Chiat Road, are a strange mix of local and British styles from the early 20th century. As you walk down Joo Chiat Street, you can enjoy a beautiful, colorful view of them. Most of them are two-story terrace houses with beautiful decorations and clay tiles on the outside.
One more
The market just got fixed up, and now it looks a lot like the traditional Malay kampong homes. Hajjah Mona Nasi Padang and Geylang Briyani Hal are two of the most popular food stands at the Geylang Sarai New Market. The Geylang Sarai New Market has two stories and is a great place for food lovers. You can buy fish and spices on the ground floor. On the second floor, there is a food center where you can get both Malay and Indian food.
