{"id":55855,"date":"2026-06-03T10:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T02:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/?p=55855"},"modified":"2026-06-03T09:21:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T01:21:33","slug":"hawkerchan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/hawkerchan\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawker Chan: Once Michelin-Starred Hawker Still Drawing Crowds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When the <strong><span style=\"color: #cc0000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/bibgourmand\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Michelin Singapore 2026: 12 Must-Try Starred and Bib Gourmand Spots\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\" rel=\"noopener\">Michelin Guide Singapore<\/a><\/span><\/strong> debuted in 2016, <strong>Hawker Chan<\/strong> shot to international fame as the world&#8217;s first hawker stall to earn a Michelin star.<\/p>\n<p>Marketed as t<strong>he world&#8217;s cheapest Michelin-starred meal<\/strong>, the brand rapidly expanded both in Singapore and overseas. However, that success took a turn when the stall lost its Michelin star in the 2021 edition of the guide.<\/p>\n<p>So what has become of the once-celebrated hawker sensation? Here&#8217;s a closer look at Hawker Chan today.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"List_TOC\">\n<li><span><a href=\"#HawkerChan\" style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Hawker Chan\u2019s Journey<\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Original\">\u2022 The Original Hawker Chan<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Outlets\">\u2022 Growing the Business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"#Foods\" style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Menu Highlights<\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Value\">\u2022 How Much It Costs Now<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#ChickenRice\">\u2022 Hong Kong\u2011style Chicken Rice<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"#FinalThoughts\" style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/bibgourmand\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Michelin Singapore 2026: 12 Must-Try Starred and Bib Gourmand Spots\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/bibgourmand\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"HawkerChan\" class=\"H2SubEng\">01<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Hawker Chan\u2019s Journey<\/h2>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"Original\">The Original Hawker Chan<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Hawker Chan<\/strong> rose to prominence in 2016 after earning a Michelin star, instantly becoming the talk of Singapore\u2019s hawker scene.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5675 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_SmithSt-600x288.jpg\" alt=\"Smith Street in Chinatown\" width=\"600\" height=\"288\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Its story began at a humble stall inside <strong>Chinatown Complex<\/strong>, one of Singapore\u2019s best-known hawker centres.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5639 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_ChinatownComplex-600x288.jpg\" alt=\"Chinatown Complex\" width=\"600\" height=\"288\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Among more than 250 stalls in the sprawling hawker centre, <strong>stall #02-126<\/strong> consistently drew some of the longest queues.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5501 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_LiaoFanStall-600x600.jpg\" alt=\"Hawker Chan stall #02-126\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This is where it all started \u2014 the <strong>original Hawker Chan stall<\/strong>, the very spot that once held a Michelin star.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"Outlets\">Growing the Business<\/h3>\n<p>After earning a Michelin star, a <strong>second outlet<\/strong> opened on <strong>Smith Street<\/strong>, right next to Chinatown Complex.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5643\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5643 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_LiaoFanBranch-600x440.jpg\" alt=\"Hawker Chan\u2019s second outlet\" width=\"600\" height=\"440\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">78 Smith Street<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>With 80 seats and full air-conditioning, this outlet feels far more like a <strong>casual restaurant<\/strong> than a hawker stall, making it especially accessible for tourists.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5640\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5640 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_ChanHonMeng-600x288.jpg\" alt=\"Hawker Chan owner-chef Mr Chan Hon Meng\n\n\" width=\"600\" height=\"288\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mr Chan Hon Meng<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The business has continued to grow since then, now operating four outlets across Singapore and expanding overseas.<\/p>\n<p>It appears the hawker-turned-owner has a real knack for business.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"Foods\" class=\"H2SubEng\">02<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Menu Highlights<\/h2>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"Value\">How Much It Costs Now<\/h3>\n<p>Back in 2016, Hawker Chan&#8217;s signature dishes \u2014 soy sauce chicken rice and chicken noodles \u2014 were priced at just $2 and $2.50 respectively, earning the <strong>title of the world&#8217;s cheapest Michelin-starred meal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5622 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_Menu-600x288.jpg\" alt=\"Hawker Chan menu\" width=\"600\" height=\"288\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As of 2026, prices have risen to $3.50 and $4, yet they remain remarkably affordable. It&#8217;s worth noting, however, that these are <strong>hawker prices<\/strong>, only available at the original stall inside Chinatown Complex.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5468 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_LiaoFan-600x440.jpg\" alt=\"Hawker Chan\u2019s signature Hong Kong-style soy sauce chicken rice and noodles\" width=\"600\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p>At the second outlet on Smith Street \u2014 a fully air-conditioned restaurant \u2014 the same dishes are priced at $6.80 and $7.80. Those expecting hawker-centre prices may be in for a surprise.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ChickenRice\">Hong Kong\u2011style Chicken Rice<\/h3>\n<p>Time to dig in.<\/p>\n<p>The chicken features beautifully glazed, golden\u2011brown skin that instantly raises expectations. Although the cut includes more bone than ideal, the meat is tender and juicy, with the roasted skin sealing in rich chicken flavour.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5469 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_ChickenRice-600x440.jpg\" alt=\"Hawker Chan\u2019s signature Hong Kong-style soy sauce chicken rice\" width=\"600\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The rice, however, is fairly plain jasmine rice. A generous drizzle of dark soy sauce tends to dominate the dish, creating more of a <strong>\u201csauce-on-rice\u201d<\/strong> impression than a layered chicken rice experience.<\/p>\n<p>Hawker Chan&#8217;s signage does make a point of highlighting its <strong>\u201cHong Kong-style\u201d<\/strong> and <strong>\u201csoya sauce\u201d<\/strong> approach \u2014 so this bold flavour profile is clearly by design.<\/p>\n<p>That said, for anyone craving the subtler, stock-infused depth of traditional <strong>Hainanese chicken rice<\/strong>, the experience here might fall just a little short.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5630 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MichelinHawker_ChickenNoodle-600x438.jpg\" alt=\"Hawker Chan\u2019s signature Hong Kong-style soy sauce chicken noodles\" width=\"600\" height=\"438\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The chicken noodles are excellent \u2014 springy thin egg noodles coated in a well\u2011balanced sauce, delivering a simple yet deeply satisfying bowl.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"FinalThoughts\" class=\"H2SubEng\">03<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Despite losing its <strong><span style=\"color: #cc0000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/bibgourmand\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Michelin Singapore 2026: 12 Must-Try Starred and Bib Gourmand Spots\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\" rel=\"noopener\">Michelin star<\/a><\/span><\/strong>, <strong>Hawker Chan<\/strong> continues to expand both locally and overseas.<\/p>\n<p>Opinions may vary on whether it still deserves Michelin recognition, but for under $5, its flavour and portion size make it undeniably good value. The <strong>Hong Kong\u2013style chicken rice<\/strong> offers a different experience from the classic Hainanese version and is well worth trying.<\/p>\n<p>That said, for those keen to savour an authentic Michelin-starred hawker fare, <span style=\"color: #cc0000;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/michelinhawker\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle: Michelin-Starred Bak Chor Mee\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\" rel=\"noopener\">Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle<\/a><\/strong><\/span> is the place to go.<\/p>\n<div class=\"card\">\n<h4>Liao Fan Hawker Chan<\/h4>\n<div class=\"infocard\">\n<p><strong>Map<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/ANgNne5yHgXjcwZk7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">335 Smith St, #02-126 Chinatown Complex,\u00a0Singapore\u00a0050335<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Website<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.liaofanhawkerchan.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">liaofanhawkerchan.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When the Michelin Guide Singapore debuted in 2016, Hawker Chan shot to international fame as the world&#8217;s first hawker stall to earn a Michelin star. Marketed as the world&#8217;s cheapest Michelin-starred meal, the brand rapidly expanded both in Singapore and overseas. However, that success took a turn when the stall lost its Michelin star in the 2021 edition of the guide. So what has become of the once-celebrated hawker sensation? Here&#8217;s a closer look at Hawker Chan today. Hawker Chan\u2019s Journey \u2022 The Original Hawker Chan \u2022 Growing the Business Menu Highlights \u2022 How Much It Costs Now \u2022 Hong&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44812,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[431],"tags":[472,489,493,586],"class_list":["post-55855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-drink","tag-hawker-en","tag-under10dollars-en","tag-bib-gourmand-en","tag-michelin-en","area-chinatown-en"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55855"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55871,"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55855\/revisions\/55871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlion-channel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}