# Zi Char in Chinatown

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: 169
- Matched to a government licence/register: 12
- Median years in business: 18

## 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-chinatown), Chinatown · 133 New Bridge Rd #02-36 · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2002
- [Jing Hua Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/jing-hua-restaurant), Chinatown · 21 Neil Rd · 1 min walk from Maxwell MRT · registered 1990
- [Chicky Fun](https://lookup.sg/biz/chicky-fun), Chinatown · Stall 2 K88 Kopitiam · 1 min walk from Maxwell MRT · registered 1994
- [Spring Court Chinese Restaurant Singapore](https://lookup.sg/biz/spring-court-chinese-restaurant-singapore), Chinatown · 52-56 Upper Cross St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed
- [Kok Sen Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/kok-sen-restaurant), Chinatown · Keong Saik Rd. 4 · 2 min walk from Outram Park MRT
- [Wu Wang Guo Hot Pot](https://lookup.sg/biz/wu-wang-guo-hot-pot), Chinatown · 133 New Bridge Rd #03-09/10/11/12/13/14 above main atrium Chinatown Point · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT
- [Catfish](https://lookup.sg/biz/catfish), Chinatown · 5 Gemmill Ln #01-01 · 1 min walk from Dt18 MRT
- [Din Tai Fung @ Chinatown Point](https://lookup.sg/biz/din-tai-fung-chinatown-point), Chinatown · 133 New Bridge Rd, #02-01/02 Chinatown Point · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT
- [A One Claypot House](https://lookup.sg/biz/a-one-claypot-house-chinatown), Chinatown · 133 New Bridge Rd · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT
- [东北人家](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-059513), Chinatown · 35 Mosque St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT
- [Maria Virgin Chicken](https://lookup.sg/biz/maria-virgin-chicken), Chinatown · 335 Smith St · 2 min walk from Chinatown MRT
- [Spring Garden Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/spring-garden-restaurant), Chinatown · People' 101 Upper Cross St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT
- [Lim Chee Guan](https://lookup.sg/biz/lim-chee-guan), Chinatown · 203 New Bridge Rd · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2001
- [Wo Peng Cuisine](https://lookup.sg/biz/wo-peng-cuisine), Chinatown · 60 Eu Tong Sen St, #03-01 Furama City Centre · 2 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2010
- [Ba Dao Guan](https://lookup.sg/biz/ba-dao-guan), Chinatown · 2 Trengganu St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2010
- [Chuan Garden Steamboat](https://lookup.sg/biz/chuan-garden-steamboat), Chinatown · 42/43 Mosque St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2014
- [Gong He Guan](https://lookup.sg/biz/gong-he-guan), Chinatown · 28 Upper Cross St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · registered 2001
- [Lan Zhou La Mian](https://lookup.sg/biz/lan-zhou-la-mian), Chinatown · 22 Smith St · 2 min walk from Maxwell MRT · registered 2005
- [Tam Kah Shark's Fin](https://lookup.sg/biz/tam-kah-sharks-fin), Chinatown · 62 Smith St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · registered 2003
- [Bee Kim Heng](https://lookup.sg/biz/bee-kim-heng), Chinatown · 32 New Market Rd, #01-1010 People's Park Food Centre · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · registered 1975
- [Yuet Sing Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/yuet-sing-seafood), Chinatown · 70 Smith St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · registered 2007
- [Kim Joo Guan](https://lookup.sg/biz/kim-joo-guan), Chinatown · 257 South Bridge Rd · 2 min walk from Maxwell MRT · registered 2007
- [Chuan Garden Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/chuan-garden-restaurant), Chinatown · 79 Pagoda St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · registered 2008
- [Xie Lao Song](https://lookup.sg/biz/xie-lao-song), Chinatown · Pagoda St, 79/81号SG · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · registered 2010
- [Fu Lin Bar and Kitchen](https://lookup.sg/biz/fu-lin-bar-and-kitchen), Chinatown · 127 Telok Ayer St · 1 min walk from Telok Ayer MRT · SFA licensed
- [Si Wei Mao Cai](https://lookup.sg/biz/si-wei-mao-cai), Chinatown · 33 Mosque St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed
- [Tiong Shian Porridge](https://lookup.sg/biz/tiong-shian-porridge), Chinatown · 265 New Bridge Rd · 3 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed
- [Dong Fang Mei Shi](https://lookup.sg/biz/dong-fang-mei-shi), Chinatown · 195 New Bridge Rd · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed
- [Yan Palace Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/yan-palace-restaurant), Chinatown · 531 Upper Cross St · 1 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed
- [Li Ji Chuan Chuan Xiang](https://lookup.sg/biz/li-ji-chuan-chuan-xiang), Chinatown · 295 S Bridge Rd · 1 min walk from Maxwell MRT · registered 2017

## 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

---
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.