Hong Kong Street Chun Kee - The Zi Char That Started It All

There are plenty of stalls calling themselves “Hong Kong Street” across Singapore — but only one started it all. Hong Kong Street Chun Kee in Bukit Merah is the original, the stall that put wok-charred hor fun and fish head beehoon on the map long before imitators multiplied across the island.

Tucked into a neighbourhood coffeeshop with no frills and no fanfare, it’s the kind of place that earns its reputation entirely through the food — and after decades in the game, it’s still drawing crowds.

San Lou Hor Fun

The dish every table orders — and orders twice. San Lou Hor Fun is silky flat rice noodles tossed in a deeply savourful, wok-charred gravy that clings to every strand. The magic is in the wok hei: that smoky, breath-of-the-wok intensity that only comes from a skilled hand and serious heat. Bean sprouts add crunch, sliced fish rounds out the umami, and the whole thing arrives piping hot with a satisfying char that’s impossible to fake. Starting from $6, it punches well above its price point — and regulars rarely stop at one portion.

Fish Head Beehoon Soup

The dish that put Chun Kee on the map. The broth here is milky and ginger-forward — clean without being thin, with a warmth that builds slowly. It’s the kind of soup that earns its reputation through restraint: no shortcuts, no MSG crutches, just a well-developed stock that lets the fish speak. Fish head arrives generously portioned, the flesh soft and sweet against the silky bee hoon. This is the dish that a 1997 article once spotlighted and sent diners flocking — and the kitchen has never had to coast on nostalgia because the bowl has stayed consistent.

Prawn Paste Chicken (Har Cheong Gai)

Chun Kee’s har cheong gai delivers the deep, fermented funk that prawn paste chicken is supposed to have but often doesn’t. The batter crisps up golden and shattering, locking in a briny, punchy marinade that hits the back of the palate. Juicy on the inside, crackling on the outside — it’s the kind of fried chicken that makes the table go quiet for a moment. A reliable crowd-pleaser that keeps regulars coming back.

Fried Bee Hoon with Seafood

A dish that earns its place on the must-order list without any fanfare. The bee hoon is wok-tossed until every strand carries the char, with a generous spread of fresh seafood folded through. Squid, prawns, the occasional surprise — portions are honest and the flavours are clean. At $4.50 for the seafood hor fun variation, it’s one of the better-value plates in the coffeeshop, and one that pairs effortlessly with a bowl of soup on the side.

Wanton Mee

Not everything worth eating at Chun Kee’s coffeeshop comes from the zi char kitchen. Sharing the space is an old-school wanton mee stall — unnamed officially, but known to regulars and a growing circle of food hunters as Tjao Sin Wanton Mee — that has been quietly serving plates of nostalgia since long before the Instagram era. It operates on its own schedule (morning to early afternoon), which makes it the rare coffeeshop that rewards you whether you arrive for breakfast or dinner.

Hong Kong Street Chun Kee operates the way the best neighbourhood zi char should: consistent cooking, fair prices, and no pretension. It’s a single outlet — no franchises, no scaling, no compromise — and that focus shows in the food. Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a lazy Sunday with the family, this Bukit Merah institution delivers Cantonese wok cooking at its most honest. Come hungry, come with people, and let the kitchen do the rest.

Address: 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-190, Singapore 150125
Contact: 6272 8484
Operating Hours: 11am – 2:30pm, 5pm – 11:30pm daily