Hawker centers – or open-air food courts — are the core of Singapore's vibrant food scene.
I moved to Singapore 20 years ago, and have been eating at hawker centers ever since. These casual dining spots found across the island offer delicious, inexpensive meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Maxwell Food Centre, located in Singapore's vibrant Chinatown, is one of the most popular — and for good reason. It was opened in 1928 and survived World War II and the Japanese occupation. Back then, dishes were served for as little as eight Singapore cents.
Photos taken during Maxwell's early days show locals sitting on simple stools around circular tables. People can be seen lining up outside dozens of food carts. The ceilings were covered with metal scaffolding, and overhead fans hung from above.
Today, the space isn't all that different.
I had only eaten at Maxwell a handful of times, as I live on the other side of the city, just 10 minutes away from another popular hawker center in eastern Singapore, and usually frequent that one.
When I visited Maxwell Food Center in November, I was greeted by a similar scene to the photos from its past — the only major differences were the renovated, enclosed stalls and the hanging lamps.