Food & Dining Glossary Singapore
Plain-English definitions for food, dining and hawker culture terms you’ll encounter across our Singapore food and restaurant reviews.
Jump to: Hawker Centre | Zi Char | Chope | Halal Certified | Omakase | Michelin Bib Gourmand | Supper Culture | Set Lunch vs A La Carte
Hawker Centre vs Food Court
A hawker centre is an open-air complex of individual food stalls managed by the Singapore government (NEA). Stalls are run by independent hawkers — many of whom have been cooking the same dish for decades. Prices are low, portions are generous, and the food is often extraordinary. Famous examples include Maxwell Food Centre, Lau Pa Sat, and Old Airport Road Food Centre. A food court is a privately operated, air-conditioned version of the same concept, typically found in shopping malls. Hawker centres are considered a national heritage — UNESCO inscribed Singapore’s hawker culture on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020.
Zi Char
Zi char (煮炒) literally means “cook and fry” in Hokkien. It refers to a style of casual Chinese restaurant or stall that serves a broad menu of wok-cooked dishes — think cereal prawns, salted egg yolk dishes, sambal kangkong, and claypot tofu. Zi char is eaten communally, with dishes shared across the table. It sits between hawker food and a formal Chinese restaurant in terms of price and formality. Most zi char stalls operate from hawker centres or coffee shops (kopitiam) and are best enjoyed with a group.
Chope
Chope is a uniquely Singaporean practice of reserving a seat at a hawker centre by leaving a personal item — most commonly a packet of tissue paper — on the table before queuing for food. The tissue packet acts as a social contract: the seat is taken, and other diners will respect it. The practice is so embedded in Singapore culture that it has been debated as both a practical necessity and a social nuisance. Despite occasional campaigns against it, choping remains widely practised at hawker centres across the island.
Halal Certified
Halal certification in Singapore is issued by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). A halal-certified restaurant or stall uses only ingredients and food preparation methods that comply with Islamic law — no pork, no alcohol-based ingredients, and no cross-contamination with non-halal products. In Singapore, halal certification is strictly regulated and displayed as an official MUIS certificate. Always look for the MUIS logo rather than simply a “halal-friendly” claim. See: Best Halal Certified Restaurants Singapore.
Omakase
Omakase (おまかせ) is a Japanese dining style meaning “I leave it to you.” The chef decides the entire meal — courses, ingredients and presentation — based on the freshest seasonal produce available that day. There is no menu; you trust the chef completely. In Singapore, omakase dining has grown significantly, with Japanese restaurants across the island offering omakase menus ranging from S$80 to S$500+ per person. It is one of the most intimate and curated dining experiences available. See: Best Japanese Restaurants Singapore.
Michelin Bib Gourmand
The Michelin Bib Gourmand is an award given by the Michelin Guide to restaurants and hawker stalls that offer exceptionally good food at a reasonable price — typically under S$45 for a full meal in Singapore. It is named after Bibendum, the Michelin mascot. A Bib Gourmand is not a Michelin star (which recognises fine dining excellence), but is often considered more practically useful for everyday diners. Singapore has a high concentration of Bib Gourmand hawker stalls — including several chicken rice, laksa and char kway teow stalls — making it one of the most affordable cities in the world for Michelin-recognised food.
Supper Culture Singapore
Supper is deeply embedded in Singapore’s food culture. Unlike in many countries where eating late is unusual, Singapore has a thriving late-night food scene — hawker centres like Geylang, Chomp Chomp and Adam Road regularly serve crowds well past midnight. Popular supper dishes include frog leg porridge, bak kut teh, prawn noodles, durian, and local desserts like chendol and ice kachang. Singapore’s supper culture is tied to the city’s heat (evenings are cooler), its multicultural food heritage, and a general love of eating at any hour. See: Best Supper Places Singapore and Best Late Night Dessert Spots Singapore.
Set Lunch vs A La Carte
A set lunch (also called a set meal or business lunch) is a fixed menu offered at a lower price during lunch hours — typically including a starter, main course, dessert and sometimes a drink. It is a popular way for Singapore’s restaurants to fill tables during lunch hours and for diners to enjoy quality food at a fraction of dinner prices. A la carte means ordering individual dishes from the full menu, each priced separately. For fine dining and mid-range restaurants in Singapore, set lunches can offer savings of 30–50% versus the equivalent a la carte dinner.