# Zi Char in Serangoon

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: 50
- Matched to a government licence/register: 5
- Median years in business: 11

## 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)
- [Pu Tien Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/pu-tien-restaurant-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2000
- [Dian Xiao Er](https://lookup.sg/biz/dian-xiao-er-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central #02 - 09 / 10 NEX · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · registered 2016
- [Crystal Jade Kitchen](https://lookup.sg/biz/crystal-jade-kitchen-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed
- [Orchid Live Seafood Signature](https://lookup.sg/biz/orchid-live-seafood-signature), Serangoon · 16 Jln Kelulut · 12 min walk from Fernvale LRT
- [A-One Claypot House](https://lookup.sg/biz/a-one-claypot-house-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Chui Xiang Kitchen](https://lookup.sg/biz/chui-xiang-kitchen), Serangoon · 13 Teck Chye Ter · 5 min walk from Serangoon MRT · registered 2007
- [Canton Paradise](https://lookup.sg/biz/canton-paradise-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, #02-04 NEX · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · registered 2010
- [Leong Ji Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/leong-ji-seafood), Serangoon · 326 Serangoon Avenue 3 · 3 min walk from Serangoon MRT · registered 2015
- [Thye Hong Fried Prawn Noodle](https://lookup.sg/biz/thye-hong-fried-prawn-noodle), Serangoon · Nex, 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed
- [QQ Rice • The Rice Magician • 愛痴飯](https://lookup.sg/biz/qq-rice-the-rice-magician), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central #B2-48B, Nex · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed
- [Kimly Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/kimly-seafood-serangoon), Serangoon · 147 Serangoon North Avenue 1 · 20 min walk from Kovan MRT · registered 2016
- [Chicken Hotpot](https://lookup.sg/biz/chicken-hotpot), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, Nex · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed
- [Xing Hua Lou 兴化楼](https://lookup.sg/biz/xing-hua-lou-serangoon), Serangoon · Nex, 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · registered 2018
- [Din Tai Fung](https://lookup.sg/biz/din-tai-fung-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, B1-10/11/12 · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Lao Huo Tang](https://lookup.sg/biz/lao-huo-tang-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, #03-08/09 · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Beauty in The Pot at NEX](https://lookup.sg/biz/beauty-in-the-pot-at-nex), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, #02-01 · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Rongji Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/rongji-seafood), Serangoon · 7030 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, #01-30 Northstar @ AMK · 20 min walk from Tongkang LRT
- [Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice](https://lookup.sg/biz/ah-seng-braised-duck-rice), Serangoon · 49A Serangoon Garden Wy, #01-44 Garden Market and Food Centre · 17 min walk from Lorong Chuan MRT
- [Hong Chang Frog Porridge and BBQ Fish](https://lookup.sg/biz/hong-chang-frog-porridge-and-bbq-fish), Serangoon · 2 Braddell Rd · 5 min walk from Woodleigh MRT
- [8889 Ji Gong Bao](https://lookup.sg/biz/8889-ji-gong-bao), Serangoon · 7030 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, #01-30 Northstar @ AMK · 21 min walk from Tongkang LRT
- [Ah Seng Duck Rice](https://lookup.sg/biz/ah-seng-duck-rice), Serangoon · 204 Serangoon Central · 2 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Honguo](https://lookup.sg/biz/honguo-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Kuriya Japanese Fresh Fish Market](https://lookup.sg/biz/kuriya-japanese-fresh-fish-market), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Lam's Kitchen](https://lookup.sg/biz/lams-kitchen-serangoon), Serangoon · 35 Teck Chye Ter · 6 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Shabu Sai](https://lookup.sg/biz/shabu-sai-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, #03-07 NEX · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [笠维素食](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-550151), Serangoon · 151 Serangoon North Ave. 2 · 19 min walk from Kovan MRT
- [隆园潮州鱼头炉](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-551149), Serangoon · Golden Ginger, 149A Serangoon North Ave 1 · 18 min walk from Kovan MRT
- [Old Kim Guan](https://lookup.sg/biz/old-kim-guan-serangoon), Serangoon · Nex, 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [香港街珍达记](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-550154), Serangoon · 154 Serangoon North Ave 1 · 21 min walk from Kovan MRT
- [Fortunate Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/fortunate-restaurant), Serangoon · Nex, 23 Serangoon Central · 1 min walk from Serangoon 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.