Macallum Central Hotel Managed by The Ascott Limited

For 40+ years, they have been making their kway teow soup the same way – with duck, pork and fish cake. The broth bursts with umami, the duck is silky, and fried garlic and shallot bits add aroma. Expect to queue at peak hours.

Come here for the famous prawn mee: choose between yellow and rice noodles, then pick the soup – the spicy prawn broth is loaded with deep flavours. Finally, consider ordering add-ons such as braised pork spareribs or fish balls.

Memorabilia in show windows and a 60s soundtrack exude the charm of a bygone era. Chef Gaik Lean has been guarding her secret recipes for decades and she makes no compromises in terms of food quality. Many items are made from scratch, including her heavenly pie tee and gulai tumis that uses over eight ingredients in the curry paste, such as fresh saffron. Also try nasi ulam, an old-time recipe.

With over 15 years of culinary experience under his belt, the Thai chef excels in authentic cooking from his home country, with the freshest seafood being his strong suit. In the lofty room decorated in soothing shades of green, try his array of tom yum soup variations with different seafood. The miang kam is a must – fresh betel leaves and sweet miang kam sauce make it a great appetiser. Friendly prices and generous portions are also reasons to visit.

The kitchen is helmed by a lady in her 70s, who has been cooking for decades. The menu boasts some 40 à la carte items, covering the greatest hits of traditional Peranakan cuisine. One of the culinary highlights is bouncy asam prawn drizzled in a dark brown sauce loaded with tamarind sweet and sour notes. Mang kuang char, or sautéed shredded yam bean with dried squid and mushrooms, is sweet in taste and crisp in texture.

This famous laksa shop serves lai fun noodles in a sardine broth with exceptional depth and flavours alongside an array of condiments. For those with bigger appetites, order char koay teow with duck egg to go with the laksa.

Three sisters inherited their father's life's work, which he began in 1963, selling char koay kak, a snack from their ancestral home of Teochew. The rice cakes are fried with nice wok hei, the right amount of soya sauce, bean sprouts, egg and spiciness; with optional hot sauce.