Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu

Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu is a family-run hawker stall on the second floor of Chinatown Complex Food Centre, at units #02-87/88. It sells Hakka-style yong tau foo: tofu and other pieces stuffed with fish paste, served in a clear soup and topped with crisp fried anchovies (ikan bilis).

The business goes back to the 1960s, when it began as a roadside stall on Sago Lane. It moved into Chinatown Complex in 1987 and is now run by the third generation of the family. It was newly awarded a Bib Gourmand in the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2026.

What to order

The menu is short. At many yong tau foo stalls you pick your own pieces from a tray, but here you choose a set bowl. One version comes with noodles and a few pieces. The other skips the noodles and gives you more pieces instead.

• The stuffed pieces: a bowl usually holds fried tofu puff (tau pok), firm tofu (tau kwa) and fried beancurd skin (tau kee), all filled with fish paste, plus a fishball. The stall makes its own fish paste.
• The soup: a clear broth made with dried anchovies and fish bones. It tastes clean and light, with a gentle peppery note.
• Noodles: add rice vermicelli (bee hoon) or flat rice noodles (kway teow) to turn the bowl into a full meal.
• Extras: the Michelin Guide suggests adding stuffed bitter gourd, aubergine or fish cake.

The fried anchovies on top add crunch, so try a few before they sink into the soup. The stall's chilli sauce is garlicky and tangy. For other local dishes worth trying, see our guide to hawker dishes explained.

The setting

This is a simple stall with no frills. You queue at the counter, pay, and carry your bowl to the shared tables. Look for it in the green zone of the food centre.

Chinatown Complex Food Centre is one of the biggest hawker centres in Singapore, so it can feel busy at peak times. If you are new to this way of eating, read what a hawker centre is and our hawker centre etiquette rules.

Good to know before you go

• Go early: this is mainly a breakfast and lunch stall. Queues can form soon after it opens, and it often sells out before closing time.
• Cash only: bring small notes.
• Diet: the soup is made with anchovies and fish bones, and the stuffing is fish paste, so this is not a vegetarian meal.
• Ordering: our tips on how to order at hawker stalls will help on a first visit.

Nearby

Chinatown Complex stands on Smith Street, in the middle of Chinatown, and Chinatown MRT station is a short walk away. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and the Sri Mariamman Temple are both a few minutes away on foot. A bowl here makes a good first stop on our Chinatown cheap eats crawl or the Chinatown Heritage Walk. For more ideas, browse our hawker favourites and other restaurants in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar.