Best Bak Chor Mee in Singapore

A visitor's guide to bak chor mee

Bak chor mee in Singapore is a bowl of noodles with minced pork, sliced pork and a sour, spicy sauce. It is a classic hawker dish and a favourite for a quick, cheap meal. This guide explains what is in the bowl, how to order it and where to find it.

What is bak chor mee?

The dish comes from Teochew cooking, which has its roots in southern China. Cooks boil the noodles briefly, then toss them in a sauce of black vinegar, chilli and lard. The black vinegar gives the dish its tangy taste. Toppings vary from stall to stall, but often include:

• Minced pork, cooked quickly in hot water so it stays soft.
• Sliced pork and pork liver, which many stalls cook to order.
• Pork balls or fish balls, in the noodles or in a small bowl of soup.
• Crispy bits, such as fried lard, or fried dried sole fish at some stalls.
• Mushrooms, often braised in soy sauce.

The dry version is the most common. The sauce coats the noodles, and a bowl of soup comes on the side. Many stalls also sell a soup version, with everything served in a clear pork broth.

How to order bak chor mee

Ordering takes a few quick choices. Stall owners often ask them fast, so it helps to know your answers before you reach the front.

1. Choose your noodles. Mee pok is a flat, springy egg noodle and the classic choice. Mee kia is a thin egg noodle. Some stalls also offer flat rice noodles, called kway teow.
2. Dry or soup. Say "dry" for noodles tossed in sauce, or "soup" for noodles in broth.
3. Chilli or no chilli. The chilli can be strong. Ask for "less chilli" if you are not sure.
4. Pick a size. Many stalls sell two or three sizes at different prices.

A bowl usually costs around S$4 to S$8 at a hawker stall. Well-known stalls may charge more for larger bowls. Prices change, so check the menu board. Bak chor mee contains pork, so it does not suit diners who avoid pork.

Where to eat bak chor mee in Singapore

Most bak chor mee is sold at hawker stalls in food centres and coffee shops. Our list includes two well-known names:

• Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle is a hawker favourite in the Bugis & Kampong Glam area.
• Tai Wah Pork Noodle is a hawker stall in the Marina Bay & CBD area.

Popular stalls can have long queues, especially at lunch. Go early or in the mid-afternoon if you can. Some stalls close once they sell out, and many close one day a week. Check the opening days before you cross the city for a bowl.

Hawker centres near the city centre, such as Hong Lim Market & Food Centre and Maxwell Food Centre, are easy places to try other local dishes. Like Teochew food? See our Teochew restaurants too.

Tips for eating at a hawker stall

• Find a seat first. A packet of tissues on a table means someone has saved that seat. Locals call this "chope".
• Pay at the stall. Many stalls take QR code or card payments, but carry some cash just in case.
• Share tables. It is normal to sit with strangers at busy times. Just ask if a seat is free.
• Return your tray. Take your tray and bowls to the tray return point when you finish.

Read Hawker Centre Etiquette in Singapore: 9 Simple Rules for more.

Similar noodle dishes to try

If you enjoy bak chor mee, try these hawker noodles next:

• Wanton Mee: thin egg noodles with dumplings and sweet roast pork, called char siu.
• Prawn Noodles: noodles in a rich prawn broth, or dry with the soup on the side.
• Char Kway Teow: flat rice noodles fried in a hot wok with dark soy sauce.

For more ideas, browse our Hawker Favourites list or the full Must-try dishes guide.

FAQs about bak chor mee

What does bak chor mee mean?

It means "minced meat noodles" in Hokkien. The dish is noodles with minced pork, other pork toppings and a vinegar and chilli sauce.

Is bak chor mee spicy?

It can be. The dry version is usually tossed with chilli. Ask for less chilli, or none, when you order.

Which noodles are best for bak chor mee?

Mee pok, a flat egg noodle, is the classic choice. Mee kia, a thin egg noodle, is also popular. It comes down to your taste.

How much does a bowl cost?

Most bowls cost around S$4 to S$8 at hawker stalls. Famous stalls and larger sizes cost more. Prices change over time.

Is there a soup version?

Yes. Many stalls sell bak chor mee soup, with the noodles and toppings in a clear pork broth.