# Zi Char in Marina Bay

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: 20
- Matched to a government licence/register: 6
- Median years in business: 9

## 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 20)
- [Canton Paradise](https://lookup.sg/biz/canton-paradise-marina-bay), Marina Bay · 2 Bayfront Ave, #01 - 02 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands · 5 min walk from Bayfront MRT · registered 2010
- [Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine](https://lookup.sg/biz/imperial-treasure-fine-chinese-cuisine), Marina Bay · 8 Bayfront Ave, #02-04 The Shoppes, Marina Bay Sands · 2 min walk from Bayfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [Tong Dim Noodle Bar(湯點) at Marina Bay Sands Casino Singapore](https://lookup.sg/biz/tong-dim-noodle-bar-at-marina-bay-sands-casino-singapore), Marina Bay · Marina Bay Sands Casino, 8 Bayfront Ave · 1 min walk from Bayfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [Arabica Singapore Marina Bay Sands](https://lookup.sg/biz/arabica-singapore-marina-bay-sands), Marina Bay · 2 Bayfront Ave, #B1 - 01 · 2 min walk from Bayfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [Peach Garden Noodle House](https://lookup.sg/biz/peach-garden-noodle-house), Marina Bay · 18 Marina Gardens Dr · 6 min walk from Bayfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [Blossom Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/blossom-restaurant), Marina Bay · 2 Bayfront Ave, #01-29 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands · 3 min walk from Bayfront MRT · registered 2017
- [Pondok Marina Bay](https://lookup.sg/biz/pondok-marina-bay), Marina Bay · Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Av, The Shoppes · 1 min walk from Bayfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh](https://lookup.sg/biz/ng-ah-sio-bak-kut-teh-marina-bay), Marina Bay · 2 Bayfront Av, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands · 2 min walk from Bayfront MRT · SFA licensed
- [Seafood Paradise](https://lookup.sg/biz/seafood-paradise-marina-bay), Marina Bay · 10 Bayfront Avenue #02-03 · 2 min walk from Bayfront MRT · registered 2024
- [Qi - House of Sichuan](https://lookup.sg/biz/qi-house-of-sichuan), Marina Bay · 8A Marina Blvd, #02-01 · 2 min walk from Downtown MRT
- [Forbidden Duck](https://lookup.sg/biz/forbidden-duck), Marina Bay · 8A Marina Blvd, #02 - 02 · 2 min walk from Downtown MRT
- [Haidilao Hot Pot](https://lookup.sg/biz/haidilao-hot-pot-marina-bay), Marina Bay · Bayfront Ave, 2号, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, #B2-01 · 2 min walk from Bayfront MRT
- [Din Tai Fung](https://lookup.sg/biz/din-tai-fung-marina-bay), Marina Bay · 10 Bayfront Av · 4 min walk from Bayfront MRT
- [御寶軒](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-22), Marina Bay · Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 10 Bayfront Ave · 2 min walk from Bayfront MRT
- [Blue Pearl Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/blue-pearl-seafood-restaurant), Marina Bay · 10 Bayfront Ave · 1 min walk from Bayfront MRT
- [Putien](https://lookup.sg/biz/putien-marina-bay), Marina Bay · Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 10 Bayfront Ave · 5 min walk from Bayfront MRT
- [NUDE Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/nude-seafood-marina-bay), Marina Bay · #01-02, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3 · 2 min walk from Downtown MRT
- [Crystal Palace](https://lookup.sg/biz/crystal-palace), Marina Bay · Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 10 Bayfront Ave · 2 min walk from Bayfront MRT
- [Jin Ting Wan Singapore](https://lookup.sg/biz/jin-ting-wan-singapore), Marina Bay · Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 10 Bayfront Ave · 5 min walk from Bayfront MRT
- [Wu Lao Lao](https://lookup.sg/biz/wu-lao-lao), Marina Bay · 8A Marina Blvd, B2-78 Marina Bay Link Mall · 3 min walk from Downtown 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.