Hawker Centres

Hawker Centres are ubiquitous throughout South East Asia (particularly Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia). Whilst there are variations, essentially, they are open-air developments that house a collection of hawker stalls selling low-cost food. They emerged as a more environmentally-health-friendly alternative to individual hawker traders (street stalls). The hawker centre offers a single place where patrons can enjoy a wide selection of inexpensive, safe and good quality food.

Over recent decades they have changed significantly. Whilst the concept stays pretty much the same, the interiors are cleaner, more comfortable and have become places to socialise over a large selection of beverages. In Malaysia they are the popular way to eat out on a regular basis for most people.

Another interesting development is the terminology; for many people, the terms ‘hawker centre’ and ‘food court’ have become interchangeable. Despite food courts denoting food destinations that are indoor, such as in shopping centres, many Ipoh people today will use ‘food court’ when talking about what strictly defined is a ‘hawker centre’.

Ipoh Hawker Centres

Ipoh has dozens of hawker centres and food courts throughout the city. They differ in size but at their core they still deliver what people want: a large variety of tasty and cheap food. IpohGo has compiled a list of Ipoh’s Hawker Centres. Below you can see a random selection but if you want to browse the entire list, simple go to IpohGo’s Food Courts & Hawker Directory.

What is the difference between Kopitiams and Hawker Centres?

A simple answer to this question is size, with food courts and hawker centres usually large places with many hawker stalls, while kopitiams are typically smaller with just a handful of hawker stalls. However, though this definition applies in most instances, some kopitiams can be quite large and some hawker centres relatively small. As a rule, kopitiams are housed in single or double shophouses, while food courts and hawker centres tend to be (larger) detached buildings.