Props to Hill Street Tai Wah Bak Chor Mee for claiming another honor after it was awarded a Michelin star in Singapore’s inaugural Michelin Guide last year. The hawker took top spot in the annual Top 50 World Street Food Masters list, compiled by the World Street Food Congress.
The panel — consisting of experienced commentators, writers, food celebs, and professionals — had this to say about the famous bak chor mee place: “They are the first family behind this Singapore-invented dish and the second generation, already in his sixties, have now received worldwide attention as one of the first street food hawkers to obtain a Michelin star. The sambal and black vinegar-laced pork noodle is the stuff addiction is made of, and the wait for an order is about 90 minutes.”
Judging criteria included everything from food prep and ingredient sourcing to basic hygiene and quality of food.
Twelve other Singaporean hawkers also made it on the list:
- Chey Sua Fried Carrot Cake (10) — Toa Payoh West Market and Food Court
- Master Tang Wanton Mee (16)— Kopitown Coffeeshop, 10E Sixth Avenue
- An Ji Sang Mee (24) — Chinatown Complex Food Centre
- Tan’s Kueh Tutu (26) — 22B Havelock Road
- KEK Seafood (28) — 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1
- Hoy Yong Cze Cha Seafood (30) — Block 352 Clementi Avenue 2
- Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice (33) — 40 Holland Drive
- Hwa Heng Beef Noodle (40) — Bendemeer Food Centre
- Kim’s Fried Hokkien Mee (42) — 62B Jalan Eunos
- Soon Wah Fishball Kway Teow Mee (44) — Newton Circus Food Centre
- Nasi Ambeng Dapur Ummi (48) — 430 Upper Changi Road East Village
- Ah Lim Oyster Omelet (50) — Jalan Berseh Food Centre
Beyond Singapore, a number of other Coconuts home markets came up in a big way, with Indonesia grabbing seven places on the list (including two for Bali), six entries for Malaysia, and five for Thailand. Anyone up for a hawker food spree?
