Balestier

Balestier is a rich melting pot of hidden finds and local delicacies rich with history. Fancy a food trail that is sure to keep you satiated? Balestier has got you covered, with its famous bak kut teh, chicken rice, tau sar piah and even everyone’s favorite hawker dishes at Whampoa Hawker Centre and Whampoa Makan Place (both situated side by side). Along the main road are also the unmistakable rows of colorful shophouses which house lighting and electrical shops. Although a little off the beaten track (it's nestled between Toa Payoh and Lavendar), Balestier is an area that is definitely worth a visit if one wishes to experience the warmth of an atypical Singaporean Neighbourhood. A place where heritage meets modern, all within one of the most iconic places of sunny Singapore.

Read on to find out more about the other unique locations around Balestier!

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Sim Kwong Ho Shophouses

Address
292 Balestier Road

Built in 1926, this shophouse - commonly known as the "Sim Kwong Ho" shophouse due to the inscription on the front of the building - is best known for its Chinese Baroque-style motifs. The introduction of the Chinese Baroque style was due to a rubber boom, where the newly rich showed off their wealth on their new buildings by ornamenting it with European architectural styles and features, while retaining their distinct Eastern influence and local flavours.

These shophouses are not only elegant aesthetically, they were also built to be incredibly functional. Since colonial times, these shophouses were built with stone and tiled roofs so the chances of the house catching fire were lower compared to houses made of wood, which were more commonplace in those days.

When you're in the area, keep your eyes peeled for the combination of Western features such as glazed floral tiles and floral wreaths, with traditional Chinese motifs such as mythical beasts and carvings of bats, which are an ancient symbol of good fortune to the Chinese.

Sim Kwong Ho Shophouses
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Sim Kwong Ho Shophouses
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Lam Yeo Coffee Powder

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