Lim’s Fried Oyster is set to close in August 2025

Here’s the sad truth: we’ll have to bid farewell to our favourite stalls sooner rather than later. Many hawkers are in the twilight of their careers, and with no successors in sight, the dishes that have brought us so much joy over the years are on the verge of becoming history.

I heard through the grapevine that the owners of Lim’s Fried Oyster are set to retire this year. As you’d expect, I was aghast. One of the oldest and most famous orh luak stalls in Singapore—featured in countless “best of” lists—is about to be gone for good, leaving us with mere months to savour those plump oysters and crispy yet gooey omelette.

But for a name as legendary as Lim’s, just getting that one last taste isn’t enough of a sendoff in my book. Perhaps the most fitting way to say goodbye would be to write a tribute of sorts. To do that, I wanted to learn what I could from the owners themselves, so I dropped by the Berseh Food Centre stall right as it was about to open on a Friday evening.