Jalan Besar oyster omelette hawker stall to close after nearly 50 years, customers line up to say goodbye

Oyster omelette hawker stall closing in August, fans wait in queue for 30 minutes

After nearly 50 years of sizzling oyster omelettes to perfection, iconic hawker stall Lim’s Fried Oyster at Berseh Food Centre will shut its shutters for good this August.

News of the closure has triggered an outpouring of emotion from loyal fans — with snaking queues forming before the stall even opens, and one superfan reportedly buying 30 plates in a single visit.

Selling fried oyster omelette since 1977

Located at Berseh Food Centre in Jalan Besar, Lim’s Fried Oyster has been operating since 1977, according to Shin Min Daily News.

For the past 48 years, it has only sold oyster omelettes and is quite well-known locally. The stall operates only from Wednesday to Sunday, from 6pm to midnight.

Source: Google Maps

The couple behind the wok, 73-year-old Lim Wei Fat and his wife Phan Hui Ling (names transliterated), have run the show for nearly five decades.

However, the stall owners recently announced that they will officially retire at the end of August this year, leaving many customers reluctant to say goodbye

News of retirement sends crowds flocking

When reporters visited the stall on Saturday (5 April), the couple was already hard at work by 5pm, prepping for the dinner rush.

Ms Phan shared that someone had ordered 30 portions of oyster omelette on Saturday, so they had to open the stall an hour earlier to prepare.

“Now that everyone has heard about our upcoming closure, they’ve all been coming over — business has been especially good these past two days,” she explained.

The couple made the decision to retire ahead of any potential health issues. With Berseh Food Centre slated for renovations in September, they felt it was the right time to step away from the wok.

She said that over the years, their daily routine has been completely reversed, with their days and nights flipped.

Sleeping during the day & working at night

“We often don’t get home until 4 or 5am, and can only fall asleep after 8am. Then, we wake up at 4pm to prepare to open the stall,” Ms Phan said.

On Saturday (5 April), due to the 30-portion order, the stall only opened at 6.30pm — by which point 30 customers were already in line.

A customer, Ms Chen, 30, said she found out about their impending closure via social media, so she made a special trip to try the food.

“I’ve loved oyster omelette since I was young, so I came to queue at 6pm. After waiting for 30 minutes, I finally got to try it, and it was absolutely delicious. Totally worth it.”

She added that while it’s heartbreaking to lose such a classic hawker gem, she’s also happy the couple can finally retire in good health.

Also read: S$1 dessert stall in Commonwealth closes after 50 years as elderly hawker retires

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Featured image adapted from Google Maps & Lianhe Zaobao.