# Zi Char in Geylang

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: 171
- Matched to a government licence/register: 8
- Median years in business: 10

## 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)
- [Paradise Dynasty](https://lookup.sg/biz/paradise-dynasty), Geylang · 10 Paya Lebar Rd 03-08 Paya Lebar Quarter 409057 · 1 min walk from Paya Lebar MRT · registered 2010
- [Lee Do (Cold Crab) Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/lee-do-cold-crab-restaurant), Geylang · 61 Ubi Ave 2 #01-13 · 3 min walk from Ubi MRT · registered 1999
- [Qian Xi Paya Lebar](https://lookup.sg/biz/qian-xi-paya-lebar), Geylang · 845 Geylang Rd, #04-09 · 3 min walk from Cc9 MRT · SFA licensed
- [Wok Master Paya Lebar Square](https://lookup.sg/biz/wok-master-paya-lebar-square), Geylang · 60 Paya Lebar Rd, #01-57 Paya Lebar Square · 1 min walk from Cc9 MRT · SFA licensed
- [Lau Wang Claypot](https://lookup.sg/biz/lau-wang-claypot-geylang), Geylang · SingPost Centre, 10 Eunos Rd 8 · 2 min walk from Cc9 MRT · registered 2018
- [TOTO Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/toto-seafood), Geylang · 46 Lor 23 Geylang, Ground Floor Fansida Building · 2 min walk from Aljunied MRT
- [TungLok Seafood, PLQ](https://lookup.sg/biz/tunglok-seafood-plq), Geylang · 10 Paya Lebar Road #03-09/10 Paya Lebar Quarter · 1 min walk from Paya Lebar MRT
- [JING | Halal Chinese Hotpot & BBQ](https://lookup.sg/biz/jing-halal-chinese-hotpot-and-bbq), Geylang · 11 Tanjong Katong Rd, #02-19/20 Kinex Mall · 4 min walk from Cc9 MRT
- [Golden Jade Restaurant 金翠餐厅](https://lookup.sg/biz/golden-jade-restaurant), Geylang · 271 Geylang Rd · 8 min walk from Aljunied MRT
- [Mackenzie Rex Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/mackenzie-rex-restaurant-joo-chiat), Joo Chiat · 144 Changi Rd · 4 min walk from Eunos MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1997
- [Shanghai Family Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/shanghai-family-restaurant), Geylang · 789 Geylang Rd · 2 min walk from Paya Lebar MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2005
- [He Ping Claypot Rice Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/he-ping-claypot-rice-restaurant), Geylang · 148 Sims Ave · 5 min walk from Aljunied MRT · registered 1980
- [Sin Huat Eating House](https://lookup.sg/biz/sin-huat-eating-house), Geylang · 659-661 Lor 35 Geylang · 6 min walk from Paya Lebar MRT · registered 1979
- [Ming Li's Eating House](https://lookup.sg/biz/ming-lis-eating-house), Geylang · 114 Sims Ave · 7 min walk from Aljunied MRT · registered 2006
- [Hua Kee Cooked Food](https://lookup.sg/biz/hua-kee-cooked-food), Geylang · 117 Aljunied Ave 2 · 7 min walk from Macpherson MRT · registered 2006
- [Mini Star (HK) Fermented Beancurd](https://lookup.sg/biz/mini-star-hk-fermented-beancurd), Geylang · 795 Geylang Rd · 2 min walk from Paya Lebar MRT · registered 1998
- [Yong He Eating House 永和豆浆油条大王](https://lookup.sg/biz/yong-he-eating-house), Geylang · 458 Geylang Road · 5 min walk from Aljunied MRT · registered 1993
- [Yam Kee Fei Fei Noodle House](https://lookup.sg/biz/yam-kee-fei-fei-noodle-house), Joo Chiat · 62 Joo Chiat Pl · 9 min walk from Eunos MRT · registered 1992
- [满华海鲜菜菜馆 Ban Hwa Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/ban-hwa-seafood-restaurant), Geylang · 134 Sims Ave · 6 min walk from Aljunied MRT · registered 1984
- [Yi Jia South Village Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/yi-jia-south-village-seafood-restaurant), Geylang · 544 MacPherson Rd · 6 min walk from Tai Seng MRT · registered 2011
- [Hong Qin Fish and Duck Porridge](https://lookup.sg/biz/hong-qin-fish-and-duck-porridge), Geylang · 134 Geylang East Ave 1, #01-217 · 4 min walk from Aljunied MRT · registered 2011
- [JB Garden Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/jb-garden-seafood-restaurant-geylang), Geylang · 574 Geylang Rd · 7 min walk from Aljunied MRT · registered 2011
- [Old Street Bak Kut Teh](https://lookup.sg/biz/old-street-bak-kut-teh-geylang), Geylang · 10 Paya Lebar Rd Paya Lebar Quarter, #B2-02 PLQ Mall · 1 min walk from Cc9 MRT · registered 2013
- [Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh](https://lookup.sg/biz/soon-huat-bak-kut-teh-geylang), Geylang · 11 Tanjong Katong Rd, B1-K5 KINEX · 4 min walk from Cc9 MRT · registered 2013
- [OA 13 Food Corner](https://lookup.sg/biz/oa-13-food-corner), Geylang · 13 Old Airport Rd · 1 min walk from Mountbatten MRT · registered 2014
- [Hong Kong Street Chun Tat Kee](https://lookup.sg/biz/hong-kong-street-chun-tat-kee-geylang), Geylang · Ubi Ave 1, #01-103,S · 2 min walk from Ubi MRT · registered 2012
- [Crab at Bay Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/crab-at-bay-seafood-restaurant), Geylang · 540 MacPherson Rd · 6 min walk from Tai Seng MRT · registered 2015
- [London Fat Duck](https://lookup.sg/biz/london-fat-duck-geylang), Geylang · 10 Paya Lebar Road #B2-25 · 4 min walk from Paya Lebar MRT · registered 2014
- [Bao Zi Dian](https://lookup.sg/biz/bao-zi-dian), Geylang · 3020 Ubi Ave 2, #01-123 · 5 min walk from Macpherson MRT · registered 2015
- [Home Of Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/home-of-seafood), Joo Chiat · 1 Joo Chiat Pl · 10 min walk from Eunos MRT · SFA licensed

## 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.