A lot of info is from citynomad (http://www.citynomads.com/reviews/restaurants/678/tekka-market-a-guide-to-the-best-stalls-at-singapores-best-market), but i felt that it was still lacking so I added on.
Tekka Market: A guide to the best stalls at Singapore’s best market
1) Chia’s – The epic greengrocer (Stall no: #01-129)
Mr Chia….you are the dude. Jeff Lebowski himself makes you a White Russian. When it comes to the greens, Chia’s is my #1 spot. He has everything!!! Can’t find habaneros or jalapeños? Boom! He’s got it covered. Need Italian parsley, basil, rocket, kale, spinach or pretty much anything else? You guessed it. The shop has developed something of a reputation, and quite rightly so.
2) C J Low High Grade Beef – Grumpy Chinese Singaporean Uncle beef dude stall #01-105
I’ve literally been here 10+ times and the guy is just as blasé about my existence now as he was the first time. Frankly however, I don’t give a damn, as long as his beef and prices stay the same. I’ve bought meat from him many, many times… His $42 p/kg New Zealand tenderloin is one of my faves. Air-flown, fresh and fantastic for all occasions. Even his flank beef at $20 per kilo roasts very nicely for my regular homemade roast beef sandwiches. If you’re after an air-flown rib-eye, his is only $30 per kg. And I can tell you from experience it tastes damn good. Eat your heart out Cold Storage, Hubers and Swiss Butcher.
3) Joe’s Butcher – Less grumpy butcher with some fantastic sausages (stall 01-111, open from 6am to 6pm daily)
If you come here, you’ll notice that the prices are highest of all the butchers at Tekka (though still of course cheaper than outside) but the quality speaks for itself. My favourite treat at Joe’s are his sausages. He’s the only guy in Tekka to do them, and you’ll find Mexican jalapeño flavoured, Italian Salicia and much more. They only cost about $23 per kilo which is not too shabby my friends!
4) GV Meat Distributors – the jolly Indian dudes with some superb lamb Stall: #01-145
I’ve bought lamb from GV a bunch of times. If chops are what your after, go elsewhere to Osman’s as GV’s can be a lot of work. However, for fresh lamb mince of a whole shoulder or leg, GV is an excellent option. On the bone, it’s only $22 per kg, or $24 for off the bone. All their lamb is from New Zealand and does very nicely in homemade kebabs.
5) Chicken crazy – Breast, Legs, Livers and all..
There’s two stalls with excellent, fresh chicken that I’m particularly a fan off – Ah Heng and Zamela & Family. One thing I love about buying chicken at Tekka is how fresh it is. They’ve literally been slaughtered the day before you buy them at the market. They’re tender, fresh and the butcher will dice and slice however you like. If you love making your own chicken liver pâté at home (like me) then this is somewhere you can get around a kilo of chicken livers for around $2-3. Insane.
6) Fishy encounters of the best kind at stall 81 (no idea what the name of the stall is as it’s written in Tamil)
Something something in Tamil then the number 81. This is my choice for fish. In terms of selection, service and freshness, these guys are top. Being an Ang Moh, I can’t help but lean towards my Western comfort fish such as salmon ($18-25 per kg), seabass ($10 per kg) and snapper ($13 per kg) – my go-tos for baking, steaming or making into ceviche at home. Not only are these fish super reasonably priced, they are fresh as anything (I’ve even used the Salmon for some excellent sashimi), the fishmonger will debone and descale everything for you. Stellar stuff.
7) Seafood: Lee Yit Huat Trading stall #01-53 to 58
You can find just about any seafood at this stall, from crab and squid through to snapper and salmon. When selecting a whole fish be sure to specify how you would like it prepped. I typically ask for no head, no tail, no skin and filleted.
8) Fruit guys – Taste, savour and enjoy….(stall 13)
I always like to end on a sweet note, and it goes without saying that some of the best fruit in Singapore can be found at Tekka stall 13. The fruit dude is my personal fave. He always has great fruit, variety, and will happily guide you through what is in season, what is ripe now, and what will be ripe in a few days. More over, if he’s got something he thinks you’ll like, he’s got no qualms about slicing off a juicy, sweet segment for you to try.
9) Hai Kee stall Stall #01-202
For walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, pine nuts or any other kind of nut you can think of, drop into Hai Kee and stock up.
10) P&M Eggs stall #01-102
This husband and wife team really know their eggs! They sell many different varieties, including regular farmhouse hen eggs right through to quail eggs and even salted duck eggs.
11) Rasool Shop Stall #01-01/02 Tekka Market (entrance on Buffalo St.)
M.U. Faziriya specializes in Indian spices and nuts, so that’s what you should concentrate on when you come here. The store has its own brand of spices and many of the blends are done by the shop itself. Particularly good are the cinnamon, turmeric, pistachios and almonds in all forms (flakes, grounded or sliced). Look out for the really cheap saffron from Spain and India.
12) Lim’s Coconut Milk, #01-92 Tekka Market
This stall specializes in coconuts in every form, as you’ll smell them as soon as you’re within the stall’s vicinity: The fruit gives the stall a distinctive pungent fragrance. Their freshly grated coconut is really fresh—you can watch them making it as you browse.
Recommended stalls for eating
– For lunch: Yakader stall for their chicken briyani, Allauddin’s Briyani at stall no #01-232 for their fish, chicken and mutton briyani, as well as special combo meals with added drinks.
– For breakfast or tea: Appam stall for their Teh Alia (ginger tea with milk), Roti Prata (flat Indian pancake with various fillings) stall
– India rojak from stall #01-319, and the masala tea (tea with cinnamon, clove, and ginger) from stall #01-320
I will update the list as and when I visit Tekka market. So do re-visit for updates. Bookmark this page: https://vanessafridahome.wordpress.com/2014/03/07/tekka-market-shopping-guide/