Asia's 'third best street food city' to close hawker food centers for upgrade

Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Market & Hawker Center, Ang Mo Kio 628 Market & Food Center, Boon Lay Place Market & Food Village and Haig Road Market & Food Center would be closed from Sept. 22, The Straits Times reported citing an announcement on the National Environment Agency (NEA) website.

Berseh Food Center at 166 Jalan Besar will suspend operation from Sept. 29 while Circuit Road Hawker Center will be closed from Oct. 1.

Hawker centers are an intrinsic part of Singaporean culture, acting as affordable and communal dining spaces for diverse cuisines and serving as a cornerstone of the nation's identity, which is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

These large, often open-air complexes house numerous stalls that offer local and international dishes.

Last year, Singapore stood as the sole representative from Southeast Asia in a list of the world's top 10 cities for food, as voted by readers of U.S. magazine Condé Nast Traveler.