The ultimate guide to Bukit Panjang

You can’t mention Bukit Panjang without someone bringing up Hai Xian Zhu Zhou, otherwise known as “that ke kou mian place”. Located at Block 163A Gangsa Road, this famous stall has a wide selection of noodle and porridge dishes – but almost everyone is in queue for its koka noodles (from $4.50). Get in line to make your order, then settle down for a 30-minute wait at the minimum. When your bowl arrives, don’t be fooled by its relatively bland appearance. The koka noodles might look like something you can cook up on your own, but the springy noodles, well-seasoned minced meat and deep, flavourful broth will keep you coming back for more. Spring for the spicy version for that extra punch.

Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant is something of an institution. Located on Upper Bukit Timah Road, it has been serving up some of the best Indian fish head curry (from $26) in Singapore since 1993. The curry has an intense, spicy aroma, but hits the tongue with less heat than you'd expect. You know you’ve got your money’s worth when you dig into the meaty, delicate flesh of the fish head, topped with curry-soaked vegetables like okra and tomatoes. It comes with two sides of vegetables and poppadum on a banana leaf, which you can top up with plain white rice or biryani.

This hidden gem close to Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant has the best prata in Bukit Panjang. The freshly made prata (from $1.20) has the perfect ratio of crispiness to fluffiness, and a good selection of fillings – from standard egg to honey or banana. There’s also an unlimited flow of their thick and yummy fish and vegetable curry, so you can dunk your prata in as much gravy as you desire.

A fairly new addition to the scene, Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre makes for a good pit stop before or after a grocery run. Managed by NTUC Foodfare, there are 28 affordable food stalls to choose from. Popular picks include Zai Lai Prawn Noodle (actually famous for its tasty and generous portion of lor mee for only $2.70), Father & Son’s Fried Carrot Cake, healthy Xin Ban Mian and the bouncy You Xiang Teochew Noodles.

Prices at De’ Beer Garden are on the steep side, but the restaurant is a good spot for a family gathering for a special occasion. Opened in 2019 at Bukit Panjang Khek Community Guild, De’ Beer is famous for dishes like its flaming chicken ($66), drunken sauna prawns ($33) and lala beehoon ($20). The flaming chicken in particular makes for a visual spectacle – it’s first smoked and steamed over a wok of mushroom and oyster broth, and then set on fire with rose wine before your very eyes. The waiters help you to carve up the chicken, and the tender meat is served with the soup.

Sam’s Cottage is a cosy pub hidden away in the quiet Dairy Farm Estate. It’s a bit of a drive from the main road, but once you get to the private condo, a purple neon sign over the main door invites you in with its intimate, rustic interior that feels like a British pub. The beer is fresh and affordable, setting you back $24 for an ice-cold jug. Kick back with your drink, an extra side of flakey fish and chips and challenge the owner Sam to a round of billiards.

You can get a taste of Bangkok right in Bukit Panjang Plaza. Situated right beside Starbucks, Dum Dum Thai Drinks sells tooth-achingly sweet Thai tea, coffee and beverages. Pronounced “durm durm” in Thai, these drinks are mixed with organic palm sugar from Indonesia and black sugar molasses, which explains its deliciously deep, malty flavour. You can never go wrong with the classic Thai milk tea of course ($4.50) but try out the coconut palm sugar Thai tea with brown sugar konjac balls ($6.80) for an alternative to the typical Taiwanese bubble milk tea.

Xing Fu Tang needs no introduction. Ever since it was founded in 2018, the brand has sprouted more than 100 stores worldwide and found its way to Singapore’s shores. The Hillion Mall outlet has to duke it out with KOI Thé at the basement level, but it seems that few can resist Xing Fu Tang’s famous brown sugar boba milk ($5.30). Drinks are made with ingredients imported straight from its Taiwanese headquarters, and the brand is constantly innovating new drinks beyond usual milk and milk tea series.

Bakers rejoice – everyone’s favourite baking supply shop has found its way to Bukit Panjang Plaza. Starting out as a small, makeshift store opposite Four Leaves bakery, RedMan has since upgraded to a spacious and fully stocked store located where Royal Sporting House used to be. RedMan has managed to pack an impressive range of baking equipment and ingredients into the space, including a chilled section of European butters, premium meats and cheeses.

Formerly located at Hillion Mall, The Seafood Market has moved to smaller premises at Bukit Panjang Plaza. Don't turn your nose up at it, though, the new locale still stocks a decent selection of fresh and frozen seafood including sashimi-grade fish, premium scallops and crab meat, whole fish and hotpot ingredients.

Before undergoing a 10-month renewal program, Bangkit Art Street was a lively and bustling, albeit cramped market in a long, narrow alley. Stall owners stood shoulder-to-shoulder, hawking fresh fruits and vegetables, clothing, hardware and religious paraphernalia. Post-renovation, the vibrancy and camaraderie of the market remains, but shoppers can now get everyday items at the same affordable prices in a cleaner, more spacious and well-ventilated space. To add a bit of cheer, the new tall roof has been decorated with colourful, handcrafted discs.

One of Singapore’s oldest nurseries with over 50 years of history, Prince’s Landscape Retail is a prime destination to fulfill all your gardening needs. Pick up potted plants to beautify your home, ready-made terrariums for a fuss-free option, and a good selection of gardening tools and supplies. Prince’s Landscape Retail has also evolved their portfolio to offer expert landscaping services and consultancy – so you know who to go to if you have any large-scale gardening projects you need advice on.