If you have never stepped into Tekka Centre, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s a vibrant hive of hawker delights, and the aromas that greet you there are a confirmation that good food is abound.

There are so many stalls – Chinese, Indian, Muslim and Western – that it can be tough to narrow down what to eat. Here are a few you can start with.

Yakader Nasi Briyani at #01-259 (10am to 7pm, closed alt Tues)

Tekka Centre being so close to Little India has a thriving cluster of Indian and Indian-Muslim food stalls. Nasi briyani is one of the most popular items you can get there. We liked the mutton briyani from Yakader. The rice is richly spiced and aromatic without being too greasy. A mere S$4.50 gets you a mountain-like portion. We got a piece of mutton that was really tender, along with a piece with bone that was a bit tougher, so meat quality may vary. Ask for the “sambal” which is a curry-like sauce that is the perfect gravy for the rice.

Yakader used to be at #01-324 but has now moved to the front row. They claim to be Tekka market’s first dum briyani stall. It’s in fierce competition with Allaudin, but the latter has probably become a victim of its own success, serving less than stellar fare.

Heng Gi Goose & Duck Rice at #01-335 (8.30am to 2.30pm, closed Mon)

The Chinese food section has a near-legendary duck rice that will convert even those who don’t like duck. The meat is reasonably tender, but it is the dark sauce gravy and braising marinades that make it sing. A S$3.50 rice set even comes with a big bowl of incredibly delicious herbal soup (refillable too)!

Ajimer Sharif #01-251 (10am to 9pm daily)

They serve great mee goreng, but only if Arun is helming the stove. Unfortunately he was not there, so we saved our stomach space for other dishes.

Sky Lab Cooked Food at #01-228 (6am to 7.30pm, closed Tues)

The prawn vadai here when freshly made is nicely crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Enjoy it together with a bite of the whole green chili – the spicy sting cuts through the oily snack, and enhances the prawn aromas.

Yan Seng Cooked Food #01-389 (7am to 3pm, closed Mon).

We had better luck with Yan Seng and its friendly lady stallholder. The specialties here are traditional Teochew kueh including the rarely seen “Chi Kak Kueh”.

This is what it looks like. This Chaoshan snack is shaped just like “peng kueh” (savoury glutinous rice in pink and white skins). Here the filling used is sweetened mung bean paste, not unlike in ang ku kueh. But what’s unusual is that the skin contains mashed “chi kak” leaves, a Chinese medicinal herb that supposedly helps relieve cough and asthma. The leaves give the skin that blackish-green colour.

So these are five stalls you can check out at Tekka Centre. This list is by no means exhaustive, and there are plenty of others to explore, so indulge! And let us know too, if you find a hidden gem or two.