Urban Hawker – NYC

Anthony Bourdain’s dream of a 100-restaurant, Manhattan-area version of Singapore’s famously diverse food hawker centers stalled out before opening. But Urban Hawker picked up the idea, and now comes as close as anyone in the United States has to replicating the experience.

Early in the morning, you can visit Kopifellas to grab a handmade coffee, tea, or Yuan Yang (coffee and tea, mixed) with toast, then watch while most of the dozen-plus shops prep Singaporean, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Indian, and Japanese savory items for lunch and dinner service. Go authentically Singaporean with Hokkien Mee seafood noodles from Prawnaholic, or sample Hainanese chicken rice at Hainan Jones. Wok & Staple, now closed, offered Singaporean chilli and black pepper crabs.