# Zi Char in Robertson Quay

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: 21
- Matched to a government licence/register: 3
- Median years in business: 24

## 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 21)
- [Grand Shanghai](https://lookup.sg/biz/grand-shanghai), Robertson Quay · 390 Havelock Rd · 2 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 2002
- [Long Beach Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/long-beach-seafood-restaurant-robertson-quay), Robertson Quay · 60 Robertson Quay, #01-14 The Quayside · 7 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 1982
- [Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/ah-yat-seafood-restaurant-robertson-quay), Robertson Quay · 401 Havelock Rd, #03-00 Hotel Miramar · 5 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 2002
- [Peach Garden Group](https://lookup.sg/biz/peach-garden-group), Robertson Quay · 401 Havelock Rd · 5 min walk from Havelock MRT · SFA licensed
- [Red House Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/red-house-seafood), Robertson Quay · 392 Havelock Rd, Level 2 Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore · 2 min walk from Havelock MRT
- [One Prawn & Co](https://lookup.sg/biz/one-prawn-and-co), Robertson Quay · 46 Kim Yam Rd, #01-10 · 7 min walk from Fort Canning MRT
- [Red Star Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/red-star-restaurant), Robertson Quay · Block 54 Chin Swee Rd, #07-23 · 4 min walk from Chinatown MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1972
- [Owen Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/owen-seafood-restaurant), Robertson Quay · 401 Havelock Rd, #03-00 Hotel Miramar · 5 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 2002
- [Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/ah-yat-seafood-restaurant), Robertson Quay · UE Sq, 207 River Valley Rd · 3 min walk from Fort Canning MRT · registered 2002
- [Wo Peng Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/wo-peng-restaurant), Robertson Quay · 52 Chin Swee Road The Sea Care Hotel, #01-00 Entrance, 52 Chin Swee Rd, via The Sea Care Hotel Carpark · 6 min walk from Chinatown MRT · registered 2008
- [Imperial Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/imperial-restaurant), Robertson Quay · 382 Havelock Rd · 4 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 2009
- [The Quayside](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-quayside), Robertson Quay · 60 Robertson Quay · 7 min walk from Havelock MRT · SFA licensed
- [Sin Chao Gardens](https://lookup.sg/biz/sin-chao-gardens), Robertson Quay · 297 River Valley Rd · 6 min walk from Somerset MRT · registered 2018
- [Zhong Hua Cuisines](https://lookup.sg/biz/zhong-hua-cuisines), Robertson Quay · 221 River Valley Rd · 3 min walk from Fort Canning MRT · registered 2016
- [Tien Court](https://lookup.sg/biz/tien-court), Robertson Quay · 403 Havelock Rd · 4 min walk from Havelock MRT
- [San Shu Gong Private Dining](https://lookup.sg/biz/san-shu-gong-private-dining), Robertson Quay · 46 Kim Yam Rd, #01-01 New Bahru · 7 min walk from Great World MRT
- [CHUAN Seafood Restaurant @Robertson Quay](https://lookup.sg/biz/chuan-seafood-restaurant-robertson-quay), Robertson Quay · 86 Robertson Quay, #01-02 · 4 min walk from Havelock MRT
- [日饕福潮州猪什汤](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-161001), Robertson Quay · 1 Jalan Kukoh · 6 min walk from Chinatown MRT
- [Teng Kee seafood (鐤記）](https://lookup.sg/biz/teng-kee-seafood), Robertson Quay · 225 River Valley Rd · 3 min walk from Fort Canning MRT
- [Shu yan](https://lookup.sg/biz/shu-yan), Robertson Quay · UE Square (River Wing), 207 River Valley Rd · 4 min walk from Fort Canning MRT
- [鑫龍茅台会所](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-robertson-quay), Robertson Quay · RV Point, 233 River Valley Rd · 3 min walk from Fort Canning 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.