[dropcap size=small]Y[/dropcap]es, a plate of chicken rice that costs less than $5 can earn coveted Michelin Guide recognition.

Just not the Michelin stars – those are the testing grounds of full-fledged (read: more atas) restaurants. Instead, eateries, hawker stalls and restaurants that plate up “good value” meals for less than S$45 contend for the Bib Gourmand award.

(UPDATE: If you were looking for the 2017 list, which has some additions to the list, go here.)

On Jul 14, one week before the official release of the inaugural Michelin Guide in Singapore, Michelin announced that 34 such establishments made the mark. 17 are found in traditional hawker centres, 14 are restaurants and 3 are under the ‘other street food’ category.

Michelin
The Bib Gourmand award covers what the star system does not – budget eats in Singapore at eateries or hawker stalls. (Full gallery at top of article.)

Did the list do the hawker scene justice? That’s the talk of the town – but our CEO-readers have some seriously famous hawker eats they probably wish were in this list.

In the meantime, here’s to local favourites such as Hainanese chicken rice, Katong laksa and curry puffs. Noteworthy, too:  there were a total of 19 cuisines represented in the list – quite a reflection of Singapore’s standing as a food capital of the world.

Here’s the full list.

17 Bib Gourmand Hawker Stalls

(sorted by hawker centre)

 #

Hawker Centre

Establishment

1. Alexandra Village Food Centre Claypot Laksa (Depot Road Shen Zhen Mei Shan)
2. Amoy Street Food Centre A Noodle Story
3. Amoy Street Food Centre Famous Crispy Curry Puff
 4. Amoy Street Food Centre Hong Kee Beef Noodle
 5. Amoy Street Food Centre Hoo Kee Rice Dumpling (Hoo Kee Bak Chang)
 6. Golden Mile Food Centre Wedang
 7. Timbre+ (formerly at Golden Mile) Fishball Story
 8. Hong Lim Market & Food Centre Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa
 9. 115 Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre Na Na Curry
 10. 127 Toa Payoh West M&F Centre Chey Sua Carrot Cake
 11. Maxwell Food Centre Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
 12. Mei Chin Market & Food Centre Shi Hui Yuan Hor Fun
 13. Newton Food Centre Alliance Seafood
 14. Tiong Bahru Market Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
 15. Tiong Bahru Market Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee
 16. Whampoa Market Place Balestier Road Hoover Rojak
 17. Whampoa Market Place Liang Zhao Ji Duck Rice

Trivia: The “cut-off” point for the Bib Gourmand varies from country to country – it’s usually 35 euros (S$52) for European cities, 5000 yen ($64) in  Japan, and HK$300 ($52) in Hong Kong.)

3 “Other Street Food” Bib Gourmands

#

Name

Cuisine / Speciality & Location

 1. Bismillah Biryani Biryani, Dunlop Road
 2. JB Ah Meng Kitchen Cantonese, Geylang Lorong 23
 3. Sin Huat Eating House Crab Rice Noodle, Geylang Lorong 35

14 Bib Gourmand Restaurants

#

Name

Cuisine / Speciality & Location

 1. Alaturka Turkish, Bussorah Street
 2. Hjh Maimunah Malaysian, Jalan Pisang
 3. Ka Soh Restaurant Fish Head Noodles, College Road
 4. Kok Sen Tze Char, Keong Saik Road
 5. Lagnaa Bare Foot Dining Indian, Little India
 6. New Ubin Seafood Singaporean, Sin Ming Road
 7. Peony Jade at Keppel Club Cantonese, Bukit Chermin Road
 8. Shish Mahal Indian, Albert Street
 9. Song Fa Bak Kut Teh Bak Kut Teh, New Bridge Road
 10. 328 Katong Laksa Laksa, East Coast Road
 11. True Blue Cuisine Peranakan, Armenian Street
 12. Whole Earth Thai, Vegetarian, Peck Street
 13. Yhingthai Palace Thai, Purvis Street
 14. Zaffron Kitchen Indian, East Coast Road

Like us on Facebook for instant updates and videos from the Michelin Guide Singapore 2016 – as well as for more stories and reactions concerning the Bib Gourmand Awards. 

Looking for a reliable restaurant guide? Head on to The G Restaurant Awards 2016 – we dined anonymously with our esteemed food panel to bring you the definitive list of Singapore’s best fine-dining establishments.

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