# Zi Char in Orchard

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: 101
- Matched to a government licence/register: 20
- Median years in business: 16

## 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)
- [Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine](https://lookup.sg/biz/imperial-treasure-fine-teochew-cuisine), Orchard · Orchard Turn #03-05 ION Orchard 2 · 1 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed
- [Taste Paradise 味之楼 at Ion Orchard](https://lookup.sg/biz/taste-paradise-at-ion-orchard), Orchard · 2 Orchard Turn #04-07 · 1 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed
- [Fish and Co](https://lookup.sg/biz/fish-and-co), Somerset · 290 Orchard Rd #B1-35 / 36 · 4 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed
- [Crystal Jade Palace (Takashimaya Lvl 4)](https://lookup.sg/biz/crystal-jade-palace-takashimaya-lvl-4), Somerset · 391 Orchard Rd #04-19 Takashimaya Shopping Centre · 3 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed
- [Xi Yan](https://lookup.sg/biz/xi-yan), Orchard · 1 Scotts Rd #03 - 12 / 13 · 3 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed
- [Dancing Crab](https://lookup.sg/biz/dancing-crab-somerset), Somerset · 181 Orchard Rd, #07-14/15 · 1 min walk from Somerset MRT · registered 2014
- [Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao](https://lookup.sg/biz/crystal-jade-la-mian-xiao-long-bao), Somerset · 391 Orchard Rd · 3 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed
- [Empire Fine Chinese Cuisine](https://lookup.sg/biz/empire-fine-chinese-cuisine), Somerset · 391 Orchard Rd #05-13/14 Ngee Ann City · 4 min walk from Orchard MRT · registered 2019
- [Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/imperial-treasure-steamboat-restaurant), Somerset · 111 Somerset Rd #02-14 TripleOne Somerset · 1 min walk from Somerset MRT
- [Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck](https://lookup.sg/biz/imperial-treasure-super-peking-duck), Somerset · 290 Orchard Rd #05 - 42 / 45 · 4 min walk from Orchard MRT
- [小肥羊 Orchard Gateway](https://lookup.sg/biz/orchard-gateway), Somerset · 277 Orchard Rd #02-18 Orchard · 1 min walk from Somerset MRT
- [TungLok Signatures](https://lookup.sg/biz/tunglok-signatures), Orchard · 1 Tanglin Rd, #02-18 Rendezvous Hotel · 5 min walk from Orchard MRT
- [LingZhi Greens Palais Renaissance](https://lookup.sg/biz/lingzhi-greens-palais-renaissance), Orchard · Palais Renaissance, 390 Orchard Rd · 2 min walk from Orchard MRT
- [Kam Boat Teochew Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/kam-boat-teochew-restaurant), Orchard · 1 Tanglin Rd, #01-13 · 5 min walk from Orchard MRT
- [Happy Lamb Hot Pot](https://lookup.sg/biz/happy-lamb-hot-pot), Orchard · 9 Scotts Rd, #02-10 Pacific Plaza · 2 min walk from Orchard MRT
- [Song Fa Signatures](https://lookup.sg/biz/song-fa-signatures), Somerset · 290 Orchard Rd, B1-06 Paragon · 4 min walk from Orchard MRT
- [Din Tai Fung](https://lookup.sg/biz/din-tai-fung-somerset), Somerset · 313 Somerset, 313 Orchard Rd · 1 min walk from Somerset MRT
- [Tung Lok Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/tung-lok-seafood), Somerset · 181 Orchard Rd · 1 min walk from Somerset MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2000
- [East Ocean Teochew Restaurant 東海潮洲酒家](https://lookup.sg/biz/east-ocean-teochew-restaurant), Somerset · #05-08/09 Ngee Ann City, Podium Block · 3 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1992
- [Formosa Delights](https://lookup.sg/biz/formosa-delights), Somerset · 435 Orchard Rd · 1 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1988
- [Paradise Dynasty](https://lookup.sg/biz/paradise-dynasty-orchard), Orchard · 2 Orchard Turn · 1 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2010
- [Paradise Teochew Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/paradise-teochew-restaurant-orchard), Orchard · 6 Scotts Rd · 2 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2011
- [Rabbit Brand Seafood Delicacies](https://lookup.sg/biz/rabbit-brand-seafood-delicacies), Somerset · 304 Orchard Rd, #02-114 Lucky Plaza · 2 min walk from Orchard MRT · registered 2000
- [Shisen Hanten](https://lookup.sg/biz/shisen-hanten), Somerset · 333 Orchard Rd, Level 35 Hilton Singapore Orchard · 4 min walk from Somerset MRT · registered 1988
- [Summer Palace](https://lookup.sg/biz/summer-palace), Orchard · 1 Cuscaden Rd, Level 3 · 2 min walk from Orchard Boulevard MRT · registered 1980
- [Ah Hoi's Kitchen](https://lookup.sg/biz/ah-hois-kitchen), Orchard · Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore, Poolside, Level 4 · 2 min walk from Orchard Boulevard MRT · registered 1995
- [Tamaya Dining](https://lookup.sg/biz/tamaya-dining), Somerset · 45 Cuppage Rd, Cuppage Terrace · 3 min walk from Somerset MRT · registered 2009
- [Kam Boat Chinese Cuisine](https://lookup.sg/biz/kam-boat-chinese-cuisine), Orchard · #01-13, Orchard Parade Hotel · 2 min walk from Orchard MRT · registered 2000
- [Crystal Jade Golden Palace (Paragon)](https://lookup.sg/biz/crystal-jade-golden-palace-paragon), Somerset · 290 Orchard Rd, #05 - 22 · 4 min walk from Orchard MRT · SFA licensed
- [Jade Palace Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/jade-palace-seafood), Orchard · 583 Orchard Rd, B1 - 13 · 4 min walk from Orchard 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.