# Zi Char in Singapore River

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: 80
- Matched to a government licence/register: 10
- Median years in business: 12

## 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 Cantonese Cuisine](https://lookup.sg/biz/imperial-treasure-cantonese-cuisine), Singapore River · 1 Kim Seng Promenade #02-112 Great World 1 · 1 min walk from Great World MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2007
- [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
- [Siam Square Mookata](https://lookup.sg/biz/siam-square-mookata-clarke-quay), Clarke Quay · 6 Eu Tong Sen St, #01-15 · 1 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT · registered 2015
- [馥苑 Fu Yuan Teochew Dining Clarke Quay](https://lookup.sg/biz/fu-yuan-teochew-dining-clarke-quay), Clarke Quay · 3A River Valley Rd, #01-01C/01D Clarke Quay · 3 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT · SFA licensed
- [Peach Garden Group](https://lookup.sg/biz/peach-garden-group), Robertson Quay · 401 Havelock Rd · 5 min walk from Havelock MRT · SFA licensed
- [JUMBO Group Singapore](https://lookup.sg/biz/jumbo-group-singapore), Clarke Quay · 1 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT · registered 2015
- [The Salted Plum](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-salted-plum), Raffles Place · 6 North Canal Road · 4 min walk from Raffles Place MRT · registered 2018
- [Tong Xin Ru Yi Traditional Hotpot](https://lookup.sg/biz/tong-xin-ru-yi-traditional-hotpot), Raffles Place · 6 Lor Telok · 4 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT
- [Uncle Fong Hotpot Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/uncle-fong-hotpot-restaurant), Singapore River · 1 Kim Seng Promenade #B1-108/109 · 1 min walk from Great World MRT
- [Seafood Paradise](https://lookup.sg/biz/seafood-paradise), Clarke Quay · Clark Quay · 3 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT · registered 2024
- [Dumpling Darlings (Circular Rd)](https://lookup.sg/biz/dumpling-darlings-circular-rd), Clarke Quay · 86 Circular Rd · 3 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT
- [TungLok Seafood (Park Regis by Prince Singapore)](https://lookup.sg/biz/tunglok-seafood-park-regis-by-prince-singapore), Clarke Quay · 23 Merchant Rd, Level 1 · 2 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT
- [TungLok Signatures](https://lookup.sg/biz/tunglok-signatures-clarke-quay), Clarke Quay · 6 Eu Tong Sen St, #02-88 · 1 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT
- [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
- [Red House Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/red-house-seafood-restaurant), Clarke Quay · 3C River Valley Rd · 2 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT
- [Havelock Palace Restaurant 合乐轩华宴](https://lookup.sg/biz/havelock-palace-restaurant), Clarke Quay · Havelock II, 2 Havelock Rd · 1 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT
- [House of Seafood](https://lookup.sg/biz/house-of-seafood), Clarke Quay · 3A River Valley Rd · 3 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT
- [Tian Tian Fisherman's Pier Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/tian-tian-fishermans-pier-seafood-restaurant), Raffles Place · 73 Boat Quay · 4 min walk from Raffles Place MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1995
- [Harvest Seafood Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/harvest-seafood-restaurant), Raffles Place · 37 Boat Quay · 3 min walk from Raffles Place MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2000
- [Rabbit Brand Seafood Delicacies](https://lookup.sg/biz/rabbit-brand-seafood-delicacies-clarke-quay), Clarke Quay · 11 Circular Rd · 3 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT · registered 2000
- [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
- [Imperial Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/imperial-restaurant), Robertson Quay · 382 Havelock Rd · 4 min walk from Havelock MRT · registered 2009
- [Legendary Bak Kut Teh](https://lookup.sg/biz/legendary-bak-kut-teh-clarke-quay), Clarke Quay · 46 S Bridge Rd · 3 min walk from Clarke Quay MRT · registered 2014
- [The Quayside](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-quayside), Robertson Quay · 60 Robertson Quay · 7 min walk from Havelock MRT · SFA licensed
- [Forum Seafood Village Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/forum-seafood-village-restaurant), Raffles Place · 42 Boat Quay · 4 min walk from Raffles Place MRT · registered 2016
- [Dragon Phoenix Restaurant](https://lookup.sg/biz/dragon-phoenix-restaurant), Clarke Quay · 177A River Valley Rd, #06-00 Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay · 1 min walk from Fort Canning MRT · SFA licensed
- [Hai Di Lao Hot Pot](https://lookup.sg/biz/hai-di-lao-hot-pot-clarke-quay), Clarke Quay · Clarke Quay, 3D River Valley Rd · 2 min walk from Clarke Quay 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.