Why Abu Dhabi needs Singapore-style hawker centres

With its diverse population and thriving food scene, the UAE capital is ideal for the popular culinary concept

Diners at the Lau Pa Sat hawker centre in Singapore. Photo: Bloomberg

Singapore in the early 1970s was a blossoming nation state that was finding solutions for long-standing problems. One such problem was the numerous street food vendors, or hawkers, who had to be regulated to ensure a clean and safe eating experience.

Despite resistance from the vendors, the government started building pavilions, called food centres, to accommodate them. Colloquially, these pavilions became known as hawker centres.

Today, there are more than 120 hawker centres in Singapore alone, providing an eclectic and home-grown experience. Some stalls have even earned global recognition and Michelin stars for the quality of the food. Having visited at least three during my time in Singapore, I can honestly say a hawker centre is a place like no other. It is not just what it looks like on the surface, which is a space to eat, it is the display of community – a smorgasbord of cultures that make up this diverse island nation.

Much like Singapore, Abu Dhabi is also a city of many cultures and ethnicities, where cuisines from all over the world can be experienced. Which is why it needs its own version of a hawker centre.

There are more than 120 hawker centres in Singapore. Photo: Bloomberg

Food culture in Abu Dhabi is growing and thriving, with the options ranging from the affordable and delicious to the extravagant and unforgettable. Food trucks have also become a great place for budding chefs to display their skills and start small before upgrading to permanent locations.

But there should be a third option, too. Imagine a space that is nestled between the high-rises of the capital, one that is walking distance from ample parking spaces with a lively metropolitan backdrop. This space would have stalls of equal size, offering enough space for two or three workers. Each stall would be occupied by everything from famous local eateries, five-star restaurants and young chefs needing a platform.

Abu Dhabi, also like Singapore, has a diverse population that wants to experience everything. The beauty of an Abu Dhabi hawker centre is that the space need not be permanent, all manner of restaurants and food vendors could cycle monthly or even weekly, making it a new and different experience with every visit.

A food truck on Abu Dhabi's Corniche serves customers. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

We have seen food halls pop up around Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This is not to say they are not great, but the food choices are more or less on the same level, and many of the halls are occupied by restaurants you can find elsewhere.

It is not just the food that would be a draw, but also the exciting atmosphere. What must be achievable ultimately is a similar price range across all the stalls, allowing it to be accessible to every person. A stall operated by a lavish restaurant can choose to make cheaper versions of their best-known dishes, for example. The same goes for local eateries, which could use the opportunity to innovate and experiment, creating something that has the potential to become a hit.

The immense popularity of pistachio and kunafa chocolate bars, now popularly known as Dubai Chocolate, shows that the UAE is capable of making waves on the global food scene. A hawker centre would offer the opportunity for a creative and affordable eating experience.