# Zi Char in Sembawang

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: 35
- Matched to a government licence/register: 4
- Median years in business: 14

## 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)
- [Kian Huat Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/kian-huat-restaurant), Sembawang · 61 Jln Malu-malu · 5 min walk from Canberra MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2007
- [White Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/white-restaurant-sembawang), Sembawang · 30 Sembawang Dr, #03 - 12 · 1 min walk from Sembawang MRT · SFA licensed
- [Sum's Kitchen and Hong Kong Roasted Meat](https://lookup.sg/biz/sums-kitchen-and-hong-kong-roasted-meat), Sembawang · 3 Jln Legundi · 8 min walk from Canberra MRT · registered 1998
- [Happy Kampong Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/happy-kampong-seafood), Sembawang · 81 Jln Malu-malu · 5 min walk from Canberra MRT · registered 2005
- [Hong Kong Street Hock Kee Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/hong-kong-street-hock-kee-seafood-restaurant), Sembawang · Eastlace @ Canberra, 115 Canberra Walk · 3 min walk from Canberra MRT · registered 2006
- [Pin Si Kitchen](https://lookup.sg/biz/pin-si-kitchen), Sembawang · 19 Woodlands Link · 15 min walk from Sembawang MRT · registered 2007
- [Yishun Life Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/yishun-life-seafood), Sembawang · 1 Jln Legundi · 8 min walk from Canberra MRT · registered 2012
- [Chang Cheng Mee Wah Coffeeshop](https://lookup.sg/biz/chang-cheng-mee-wah-coffeeshop-sembawang), Sembawang · 27 Woodlands Link · 13 min walk from Sembawang MRT · SFA licensed
- [Yishun Live Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/yishun-live-seafood), Sembawang · 1018 Sembawang Rd · 14 min walk from Canberra MRT · SFA licensed
- [1036 Seafood Holdings](https://lookup.sg/biz/1036-seafood-holdings), Sembawang · 1036 Sembawang Rd · 15 min walk from Canberra MRT · registered 2016
- [Topflight Group Pte Ltd 鼎福餐饮集团](https://lookup.sg/biz/topflight-group-pte-ltd), Sembawang · JTC Food Hub @ Senoko, 15 Senoko Dr · 25 min walk from Woodlands North MRT · registered 2014
- [Xinghua Delights](https://lookup.sg/biz/xinghua-delights), Sembawang · 7 Jln Legundi · 8 min walk from Canberra MRT · registered 2020
- [Joyful Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/joyful-seafood-sembawang), Sembawang · 120 Canberra Cres, #01-01 · 3 min walk from Canberra MRT · registered 2022
- [NaNa Curry](https://lookup.sg/biz/nana-curry-sembawang), Sembawang · 133 Canberra Vw, #02-13 · 1 min walk from Canberra MRT · registered 2024
- [Ming Kitchen Live Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/ming-kitchen-live-seafood-sembawang), Sembawang · 27 Woodlands Link, #01-01 Chang Cheng HQ · 13 min walk from Sembawang MRT
- [Shi Li Fang](https://lookup.sg/biz/shi-li-fang-sembawang), Sembawang · 604 Sembawang Rd, #01-21 · 6 min walk from Canberra MRT
- [Soup Master](https://lookup.sg/biz/soup-master-sembawang), Sembawang · 604 Sembawang Rd · 6 min walk from Canberra MRT
- [Chin Lee Tea & Dine](https://lookup.sg/biz/chin-lee-tea-and-dine), Sembawang · 133 Canberra Vw, #02-01/03 Canberra Plaza · 1 min walk from Canberra MRT
- [Pot Addiction Korean BBQ and Hotpot](https://lookup.sg/biz/pot-addiction-korean-bbq-and-hotpot), Sembawang · 30 Sembawang Dr, #02-14 Sun Plaza · 1 min walk from Sembawang MRT
- [Lao Huo Tang](https://lookup.sg/biz/lao-huo-tang-sembawang), Sembawang · 30 Sembawang Dr, #03-15/16 · 1 min walk from Sembawang MRT
- [Jew Kit Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/jew-kit-restaurant), Sembawang · 604 Sembawang Rd · 6 min walk from Canberra MRT
- [JE Crab Specialist](https://lookup.sg/biz/je-crab-specialist-sembawang), Sembawang · 11 Senoko Way
- [Beary Fresh Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/beary-fresh-seafood), Sembawang · 511 Canberra Rd · 6 min walk from Sembawang MRT
- [Haidilao Hot Pot](https://lookup.sg/biz/haidilao-hot-pot-sembawang), Sembawang · 30 Sembawang Dr, #02-01 Sun Plaza · 1 min walk from Sembawang MRT
- [Shi Fu Ge Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/shi-fu-ge-restaurant), Sembawang · 10 Jln Tampang · 8 min walk from Canberra MRT
- [Nanyang Braised House @ 602B Sembawang](https://lookup.sg/biz/nanyang-braised-house-602b-sembawang), Sembawang · 602B Sembawang Rd · 7 min walk from Canberra MRT
- [Gong Yuan Mala Tang](https://lookup.sg/biz/gong-yuan-mala-tang), Sembawang · #01-24, Sun Plaza · 1 min walk from Sembawang MRT
- [My Seafood House](https://lookup.sg/biz/my-seafood-house), Sembawang · 463 Sembawang Dr · 11 min walk from Sembawang MRT
- [海运海鲜小厨](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-757695), Sembawang · North Link Building, 10 Admiralty St · 21 min walk from Sembawang MRT
- [Er Ge Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/er-ge-seafood), Sembawang · 50 Gambas Cres · 9 min walk from Sembawang 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.