# Zi Char in Buona Vista

Zi char stalls cook Chinese dishes to order for sharing, mostly in coffeeshops and hawker centres where prices are nett. Seafood such as chilli crab is often priced by weight at 'market price' – ask for the per-kg rate and the weight before it is cooked. Each stall holds its own SFA licence and SAFE grade.

## Key facts
- Listings: 30
- Matched to a government licence/register: 2
- Median years in business: 19

## Licences
- **Food Shop Licence (SFA)** (Singapore Food Agency (SFA), required): Every restaurant, cafe, bakery, stall and food court outlet selling food to the public must be licensed by SFA. Since 19 Jan 2026 the licence carries a SAFE grade (A, B, C or NEW) based on the outlet's food-safety track record; scan the QR code on the displayed licence to see it. Check: https://go.gov.sg/sfa-track-records

## How to choose
- Ask for the per-kg price and the actual weight of crabs, lobster or fish before cooking; 'seasonal price' disputes are a common complaint.
- Order dish sizes (small/medium/large) to match the group – a small usually serves two to three.
- Check the stall's own SFA licence and SAFE grade; the coffeeshop and each stall are licensed separately.
- Coffeeshop zi char is usually nett; seafood restaurants in air-conditioned premises often charge "++".
- Return trays and crockery or leave them at the stall as instructed – table-littering rules apply in coffeeshops too.

## Red flags
- Seafood priced as 'market price' without a stated per-kg rate.
- Refusal to show the live weight of crab or fish before cooking.

## Listings (top 30)
- [Peach Garden](https://lookup.sg/biz/peach-garden-buona-vista), Buona Vista · 9 N Buona Vista Dr #02-02 The Metropolis · 1 min walk from Buona Vista MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2002
- [Canton Paradise 樂天小香港 at The Star Vista](https://lookup.sg/biz/canton-paradise-at-the-star-vista), Buona Vista · 1 Vista Exchange Green #B1-45 The Star Vista · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT · SFA licensed
- [Beauty in The Pot](https://lookup.sg/biz/beauty-in-the-pot), Buona Vista · 1 Vista Exchange Green #02-24 · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Shi Li Fang Hot Pot](https://lookup.sg/biz/shi-li-fang-hot-pot), Buona Vista · 1 Vista Exchange Green #02-09 · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [The Boiler](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-boiler), Buona Vista · 1 N Buona Vista Link, #01-03 Elementum · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Master Crab Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/master-crab-seafood-restaurant), Buona Vista · 19 Ghim Moh Rd · 7 min walk from Buona Vista MRT · registered 2007
- [Segar Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/segar-restaurant), Buona Vista · The Star, 1 Vista Exchange Grn · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT · registered 2005
- [Chen's Mapo Tofu](https://lookup.sg/biz/chens-mapo-tofu), Buona Vista · 1 Vista Exchange Grn, #02-08 The Star Vista · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT · registered 2017
- [New Lucky Claypot Rice](https://lookup.sg/biz/new-lucky-claypot-rice), Buona Vista · 44 Holland Dr, #02-19, Holland Drive Market & Food Center, 44 Holland Dr · 4 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Lao Huo Tang](https://lookup.sg/biz/lao-huo-tang-buona-vista), Buona Vista · 1 Vista Exchange Grn, #B1-31A The Star Vista · 4 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck](https://lookup.sg/biz/chuan-kee-boneless-braised-duck), Buona Vista · 20 Ghim Moh Rd, #01-04 · 7 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Ru Ji Kitchen 如记小厨 (Main)](https://lookup.sg/biz/ru-ji-kitchen-main), Buona Vista · Holland Drive #02-28/29, #44 Market & Food Centre · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Cheng Heng Kway Chap and Braised Duck Rice](https://lookup.sg/biz/cheng-heng-kway-chap-and-braised-duck-rice), Buona Vista · 44 Holland Dr, #02-05 · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Hakka Noodles](https://lookup.sg/biz/hakka-noodles), Buona Vista · 44 Holland Dr, #02-15 Food Centre · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Congee House](https://lookup.sg/biz/congee-house), Buona Vista · 44 Holland Dr, #02-41 · 3 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Tong Fong Fatt](https://lookup.sg/biz/tong-fong-fatt), Buona Vista · 20 Ghim Moh Rd · 6 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Teck Hin Congee](https://lookup.sg/biz/teck-hin-congee), Buona Vista · Blk 20 Ghim Moh Rd · 6 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [味耕私房菜 Wei Geng Private Dining](https://lookup.sg/biz/wei-geng-private-dining), Buona Vista · 10B Rochester Park · 5 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [老潮洲](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-270025), Buona Vista · Hai Zhong Bao, 25 Ghim Moh Link · 6 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [HUI Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/hui-restaurant), Buona Vista · 10B Rochester Park · 5 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Hock Soon Carrot Cake 福顺菜头粿](https://lookup.sg/biz/hock-soon-carrot-cake), Buona Vista · 18 Ghim Moh Rd · 6 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Hin Fried Hor Fun With Prawn, Beef, Sliced Fish](https://lookup.sg/biz/hin-fried-hor-fun-with-prawn-beef-sliced-fish), Buona Vista · 20 Ghim Moh Rd, #01-56 · 6 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Sing Yi Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/sing-yi-seafood), Buona Vista · 29A Ghim Moh Link · 8 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [King of Crabs](https://lookup.sg/biz/king-of-crabs), Buona Vista · Holland Ave · 4 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Koipy Singapore](https://lookup.sg/biz/koipy-singapore), Buona Vista · 2 one-north Gtwy · 3 min walk from One-North MRT
- [一面之緣](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-buona-vista), Buona Vista · Dover Heights, 12A Dover Clos E · 8 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [海中宝, Ghim Moh](https://lookup.sg/biz/ghim-moh), Buona Vista · 8 Ghim Moh Rd · 2 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Tai Wah Pork Noodle](https://lookup.sg/biz/tai-wah-pork-noodle), Buona Vista · 40 Holland Dr, #01-39 · 4 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [Pontian Wanton Noodles](https://lookup.sg/biz/pontian-wanton-noodles-buona-vista), Buona Vista · Blk 20 Ghim Moh Rd · 6 min walk from Buona Vista MRT
- [九江烧腊](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-44), Buona Vista · ghim moh market · 4 min walk from Buona Vista MRT

## FAQs
### Why is chilli crab priced by market price?
Crab, lobster and live fish prices change with supply, so restaurants quote a per-kg 'seasonal' or 'market' price. Always ask for the current per-kg rate and the weight of the actual crab before it is cooked, and get the total confirmed – this avoids disputes when the bill arrives.

### What happened to the A, B, C, D hygiene grades in Singapore?
From 19 January 2026 SFA replaced the annual A–D hygiene grade with the SAFE framework. Outlets now get A (more than three years with no major lapse), B (one to three years), NEW (operating under a year) or C (a court conviction for a food-safety offence or a licence suspension under the demerit-points system). Scan the QR code on the SFA licence at the counter to see the current grade.

## Sources
- SFA – New Safety Assurance for Food Establishment (SAFE) framework: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/news-publications/newsroom/new-safety-assurance-for-food-establishment--safe--framework--to-strengthen-food-safety
- NEA – Stepped-up enforcement against table littering from 1 June 2023: https://www.nea.gov.sg/media/news/advisories/index/stepped-up-enforcement-against-table-littering-from-1-june-2023

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Source: Lookup (https://lookup.sg) · Data as of October 2026 · Listings compiled from Singapore government open data (data.gov.sg), OneMap and Overture Maps places. Free listings never show contact details; featured listings are labelled.