Bak Kut Teh in Punggol, Sengkang & Serangoon: Where to Eat It
Where to get a bowl of peppery pork rib soup in the North-East: the heritage chains in the malls, what to expect from coffee-shop stalls, and how to order.
Bak kut teh, literally “meat bone tea”, is pork ribs simmered for hours in a soup of garlic and pepper or herbs, eaten with rice, fried dough sticks and a pot of strong Chinese tea. In the North-East, the easiest bowls to find are at two well-known heritage chains inside the malls, backed up by coffee-shop stalls in every estate. This guide lists the outlets we could confirm as of September 2026, explains the three styles you will meet and covers how to order.
The North-East has fewer decades-old independent bak kut teh stalls than parts of the city centre, and some we looked into have closed or changed hands. Rather than list names we could not confirm, we have kept to places verified in 2025 or 2026 sources and added practical tips for finding a good bowl near home.
The three styles
- Teochew (peppery): the Singapore classic. A clear, light-coloured soup with lots of garlic and a strong white pepper bite. Most local stalls and both chains below cook this style.
- Hokkien (herbal): a darker soup with soy sauce and Chinese herbs, sweeter and more medicinal.
- Klang (Malaysian): a thick, dark herbal soup, often served bubbling in a claypot with mushrooms, tofu puffs and offal.
1. Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, Punggol and Sengkang
Song Fa traces its story to 1969, when its founder sold bak kut teh from a pushcart. Its New Bridge Road shop has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand in multiple editions, and the brand now has outlets across Singapore. It cooks peppery Teochew-style soup and serves it with braised sides and Chinese tea. As of September 2026, three of its outlets are in the North-East.
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh (Waterway Point)
The central Punggol option, in the mall above Punggol MRT and bus interchange. Handy for a family lunch before a walk along the waterway. See our Waterway Point guide.
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh (Punggol Coast Mall)
The newer Punggol branch, open daily for lunch and dinner. It is next to Punggol Coast MRT and a short walk from Punggol Coast Hawker Centre. See our Punggol Coast Mall guide.
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh (The Seletar Mall)
The Sengkang outlet, on the ground floor of the mall opposite Fernvale Hawker Centre. See our Seletar Mall guide.
In August 2026 Song Fa also opened CravePot at Northshore Plaza 1 in Punggol. It is a separate concept serving single-portion claypot dishes in sauces such as black bean and gong bao rather than bak kut teh, so do not go there expecting pork rib soup.
2. Old Street Bak Kut Teh, Serangoon and Hougang
Old Street says it was the first chain to take bak kut teh into shopping malls, and it now has outlets in several countries. Its soup is peppery, and it is also known for dry bak kut teh, a braised version with a thick, savoury sauce instead of soup.
Old Street Bak Kut Teh (NEX)
The easiest bak kut teh to reach by MRT in the North-East, in the basement of the mall above Serangoon MRT. See our NEX guide.
Old Street Bak Kut Teh (Hougang Mall)
A mall outlet next to Hougang MRT and bus interchange. Check the mall directory before you go, as tenants change. See our Hougang Mall guide.
3. Coffee shops and hawker centres
Outside the malls, most bak kut teh in the North-East is sold from stalls in neighbourhood coffee shops and the older hawker centres, including the Hainanese Village Centre on Hougang Avenue 1. These stalls tend to open early, around breakfast, and close once the ribs run out, often by early afternoon. Look for a stall with a steady queue of older regulars and a big pot on the boil. The newer hawker centres in Sengkang and Punggol have a smaller choice. Our Hougang hawker centres guide and Sengkang food guide list the centres.
Bak kut teh is a breakfast dish as much as a dinner one. For hawker stalls, go before 11am on a weekday for the meatiest ribs and the shortest wait.
How to order
- Choose your ribs: most places offer standard pork ribs and a premium cut, usually loin or “prime” ribs, which are meatier.
- Add sides: fried dough sticks (you tiao) to dunk in the soup, braised peanuts, salted vegetables, braised tofu skin, pig’s trotters and braised egg.
- Refills: it is customary to ask for your soup to be topped up, and many shops are happy to do it. Ask if you are unsure.
- Tea: the “teh” in bak kut teh is the strong Chinese tea drunk alongside to cut through the fat. Song Fa serves it as kung fu tea.
- Dipping sauce: cut chilli in dark soy sauce is the usual dip for the ribs.
Before you go
Bak kut teh is a pork dish and is not halal. For certified options, see our halal food in Punggol and Sengkang guide. If you are heading for a hawker stall, check its rest day, and check NEA’s cleaning schedule for the centre. Song Fa lists its outlets and hours on its outlets page.
For more ideas, see our guides to chicken rice and late-night supper in the North-East, and the Punggol food guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I eat bak kut teh in Punggol?
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh has two Punggol outlets as of September 2026: Waterway Point (#01-24, East Wing) and Punggol Coast Mall (#01-215). Coffee shops in the estates also have bak kut teh stalls.
Is there bak kut teh at The Seletar Mall?
Yes. Song Fa Bak Kut Teh has an outlet on level 1 of The Seletar Mall in Fernvale, Sengkang, as of September 2026.
What is the difference between peppery and herbal bak kut teh?
Singapore’s Teochew style is a clear, garlicky soup with a strong white pepper kick. The Hokkien and Malaysian Klang styles are darker, with soy sauce and Chinese herbs such as dang gui, and are often served in a claypot.
Can I get a soup refill at bak kut teh shops?
Many bak kut teh shops top up your soup when you ask. It is a long-standing custom, but check the menu or ask the staff, as practice varies between shops.
Is bak kut teh halal?
No. Bak kut teh is made with pork ribs, so it is not halal. See our halal food guide for Punggol and Sengkang for certified options.
Details checked September 2026 against the operators’ own websites. Opening hours and services change, so please confirm before you go. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.