What's so special about Singapore's hawker culture?

As the country bids for a listing on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, experts weigh in on what sets its hawker culture apart from the rest

Lau Pa Sat in Raffles Quay is a popular food haunt for those working in the Central Business District.
Lau Pa Sat in Raffles Quay is a popular food haunt for those working in the Central Business District. PHOTO: GIN TAY FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES
If Singapore's hawker listing is successful, it will join the likes of Malaysia's Mak Yong theatre (above) and Indonesia's batik on Unesco's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
If Singapore's hawker listing is successful, it will join the likes of Malaysia's Mak Yong theatre (above) and Indonesia's batik on Unesco's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN FILE
(Far left) A windmill in the village of Kinderdijk, south-east of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. (Left) Members of the Pizzaioli Acrobats Coldiretti performing "twirling" pizza to celebrate the Unesco decision to make the art of Neapolitan pizzaiuolo
A windmill in the village of Kinderdijk, south-east of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
(Far left) A windmill in the village of Kinderdijk, south-east of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. (Left) Members of the Pizzaioli Acrobats Coldiretti performing "twirling" pizza to celebrate the Unesco decision to make the art of Neapolitan pizzaiuolo
Members of the Pizzaioli Acrobats Coldiretti performing "twirling" pizza to celebrate the Unesco decision to make the art of Neapolitan pizzaiuolo an "intangible heritage" in December last year. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Melody Zaccheus
Housing and Heritage Correspondent
Updated
Sep 07, 2018, 10:11 AM
Published
Sep 02, 2018, 05:00 AM
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Beer and coffee are enjoyed across the globe, but the outsized role they play in two nations played a key role in their Unesco bids.

Take beer. When it comes to cold, frothy brews, Belgium stands out as a cultural heavy-hitter.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on September 02, 2018, with the headline What's so special about Singapore's hawker culture?. Subscribe

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