Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Biryani

Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Biryani

Biryani

Nothing was sponsored, we visited as regular paying customers. Photos in this post were taken between 2000 and 2022 (across 22 years!), as such, the quality of photos varies drastically due to advances in camera technology. Mobile smartphones were in their infancy and had yet to become widespread.

Also Known As:
Biryani, Beryani, Biriani, Nasi Biryani, Dum Biryani

Average Price Per Serving:
SGD $5 - $18

List in alphabetical order - click the links to jump to entry

1. Al-Ameen Eating House
2. Al-Azhar Restaurant
3. Ali Nachia Briyani Dam
4. Allauddin's Biryani
5. Awadh
6. Bismillah Biryani
7. Briyani 47
8. Cafe Mariam
9. Daawat Tandoori
10. Geylang (Hamid's) Briyani Stall
11. Islamic Restaurant
12. Koothurar Nasi Briyani
13. Marhaba Restaurant
14. Singapore Zam Zam Restaurant
15. Yakader Muslim Food
~~Bar Bar Black Sheep~~
~~Thohirah Restaurant~~

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Description:
The Biryani is a Singaporean Indian dish that consists of cuts of curried meat, served buried within a mound of richly flavoured rice infused with a medley of spices. Also known as Beryani, Biriani, Nasi Biryani, or Dum Biryani, the Biryani dish is usually priced around SGD $5 to $18 per serving. It's a dish commonly eaten during lunch, dinner, or supper.

Typically, Biryani features long-grain basmati rice, known for its lovely fragrance and loose fluffy texture, with natural grainy earthy sweet flavour, and notes of spice that vary in intensity depending on the blend of spices. At a minimum, the medley of spices used to infuse the rice include garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, cloves, cinnamon, powdered red chili, cumin seeds, clarified butter / ghee, powdered coriander, powdered cardamom, powdered turmeric, and black pepper. Additional spices used will vary from stall to stall, but may include powdered mace, powdered nutmeg, bay leaves, red onions, fried shallots, mint leaves, star anise, fennel seeds, raisins, tomatoes, cashew nuts, or saffron.

A dish of Biryani will usually feature a single type of meat, although the choice of meat is usually varied. Cooked low and slow over hours to allow the spice mix to infuse the meat and curry, the result is incredibly tender meat which comes clean off the bone. The most common meats are either bone-in mutton or lamb shank with bold meaty savoury salty spice flavour; or bone-in chicken with robust sweet savoury spice flavour. Distinctly Singaporean options of Biryani meat include boneless beef chunks with bold meaty savoury spice flavour; or boneless fish fillets with mild sweet savoury spice flavour. Sometimes, a hard boiled egg with eggy sweet flavour and bouncy texture is served to accompany.

Several side dishes are served together with Biryani, usually cool cucumber mint yoghurt raita, thick curry gravy (derived from choice of meat), or vinegar-brined pickled cucumbers. There's 2 distinct styles of Biryani - the Singaporean version has milder spices in the rice and stronger flavour in the curry gravy, while the typical Indian version has stronger spices in the rice and doesn't rely on the curry gravy for flavour. There's also 2 schools of thought on how to best prepare the dish - either cook the rice together with the meat and spices, or cook each component separately then layer it together to finish. A plate of Biryani is almost always served as a main meal, rarely to accompany other dishes.

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1. Al-Ameen Eating House
@ 4 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 4am

Taken in 2011

Taken in 2011

Taken in 2011

Taken in 2011

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $8) @ Al-Ameen Eating House.

Ate this periodically back when I was still in school.

Still as yummy as ever, with the loose fluffy basmati rice infused with a decent blend of spices, fragrant with savoury grainy sweet spice flavour.

The bouncy hard boiled egg lends eggy sweet notes, while creamy raita with chunks of crunchy cucumber and carrot in the thick yoghurt helps alleviate with milky sweet vegetal flavour.

Served with a side of chicken curry gravy, bold with savoury spicy notes. Don't really need it as the rice is sufficiently tasty on its own.

.....

2. Al-Azhar Restaurant
@ 11 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 2am

@ 970 Geylang Road #01-02
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm – 12am

@ 201D Tampines Street 21 #01-1155
Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 11:30pm

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $9.50) @ Al-Azhar Restaurant.

They serve a good North Indian dum style rendition, where the primary flavour comes from the spice-infused basmati rice.

Slow cooked in a sealed pot for hours, the complex layering of spices, including cardamom and turmeric, infuse the rice, resulting in fragrant sweet grainy spice savoury flavour.

The fish version has boneless chunks of basa fish buried within, flaky and tender with a sharp spicy salty sweet kick from the curry gravy.

The mutton version has bone-in chunks of mutton buried within, chewy and tender with robust meaty savoury salty spice flavour from the curry gravy.

Both served with a bouncy hard boiled egg with eggy sweet notes, and a creamy raita yoghurt with crunchy cucumber and carrots with milky vegetal sweet flavour. Large enough for 2 persons.

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3. Ali Nachia Briyani Dam
@ 9 Hoe Chiang Road
Opening Hours: Tue - Sat 11am – 4pm, Closed Sun - Mon

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $9) @ Ali Nachia Briyani Dam.

The famed briyani stall from the now-defunct Tanjong Pagar railway is still serving a beloved Singaporean Muslim version of the dish after more than 20 years.

Helmed by cik Mohammed Ali (dad of footballer Rafi Ali), the basmati rice is cooked dum style, resulting in a fluffy loose texture with good aroma. The rice is mildly flavoured with grainy sweet spice notes, with the primary taste drawing from the meat and curry gravy instead.

The mutton is soft and tender, coming apart easily, and the rich complex layer of spices lends bold punchy meaty spice savoury salty flavour. No gamey taste here.

A duo of crunchy cucumbers accompany; the first in a thin yoghurt with milky sweet vegetal flavour; the second in a thin chili gravy with vegetal sweet spicy kick. And a bowl of that delicious curry gravy to complete.

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4. Allauddin's Biryani
@ Tekka Centre, 665 Buffalo Road #01-232
Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 8pm

@ Geylang East Market & Food Centre, 117 Aljunied Avenue 2 #01-67
Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 8pm

Multiple Other Branches Across Singapore

Taken in 2009

Taken in 2009

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $6) @ Allauddin's Biryani.

Since 1968 when it was established by the late Shaikallauddin Mohamed, this stall has been renowned for its consistently tasty biryani across all their outlets.

Now operated by the 2nd and 3rd generations, Haji Mohamed and Jahabarali Mohammad Farhad, preparations for their secret spice mix is done at their central kitchen, according to their family recipe originating from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India.

The rice and meat are cooked separately, then stacked on the plate. Infused with saffron, cardamom, turmeric, and other spices, the basmati rice is fluffy, with light yet distinct savoury spice sweet earthy flavours.

The mutton isn't gamey, with bold meaty savoury salty spice notes, but the texture is a little more firm with a light chew. The hard boiled egg is nicely springy soft with eggy sweet flavour.

The curry gravy is thin but holds good vegetal sweet spice flavour, thanks to the chunks of potatoes and carrots stewed within, all of which are nicely soft.

Some crunchy pickled cucumbers with refreshing vegetal sweet sour flavour, and crisp papadum, completes this dish.

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5. Awadh
@ The Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Road #01-33H
Opening Hours: Sun - Thu 11:30am – 9:30pm, Fri - Sat 11:30am – 11:30pm

Taken in 2020

Taken in 2020

Taken in 2020

Taken in 2022

Taken in 2022

Biryani (SGD $25) @ Awadh.

With a choice of bone-in or boneless chicken, marinated in a blend of 40 spices (including saffron), layered with basmati rice and slow cooked dum style for over 6 hours, this is excellent.

The biryani rice is richly aromatic, with a fluffy texture and mild spice sweet savoury flavour. Don't need any curry gravy with this, it's delicious enough on its own.

The chicken meat is tender and moist, yielding easily with bright sweet spice savoury smoky flavour. Crisp fried shallots lend a contrasting crunch and a fragrant earthy spice note. Portion size easily feeds 3 people.

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6. Bismillah Biryani
@ 50 Dunlop Street
Opening Hours: Daily 11:30am – 8:45pm

@ Nexus @ one-north, 1 Fusionopolis Link #01-03
Opening Hours: Mon - Fri 11:30am – 7:45pm, Sat 11:30am – 5:30pm, Closed Sun

@ 76 Shenton Way, 76 Shenton Way #01-01
Opening Hours: Mon - Fri 10am – 7pm, Sat 10am – 3pm, Closed Sun

Taken in 2012

Taken in 2012

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $12.50) @ Bismillah Biryani.

This Michelin Bib Gourmand stall by chef-owner Arif Salahuddin has been regularly regarded as having among the best renditions of this dish since 2008.

Generous with the spice blend and portion size, the heaping plate has morsels of bone-in mutton peeking out from the fluffy mound of spiced basmati rice, crowned with swirls of fried shallots.

Cooked dum style, the mutton meat pulls off easily, tender and succulent without being gamey, boldly meaty savoury spice in taste.

The loose grains of rice separate easily, with the biryani masala spice blend lending a fragrant, non-oily, grainy sweet savoury spice flavour infused into the rice.

Completed with a side of creamy raita, the milky sweet sour yoghurt cutting through the richness of this lovely dish.

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7. Briyani 47
~~@ 343 Yishun Avenue 11 #01-141~~ – Stall Relocated

@ 3 Saint George's Road #01-67
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 8pm

@ 159A Hougang Street 11 #01-02
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 8pm

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2022

Taken in 2022

Biryani (SGD $6.50) @ Briyani 47.

Compared with the more established brands, this relatively newer stall has been garnering rave reviews for their Bangladeshi style rendition, courtesy of co-owner and chef Bepar Sharief.

Served without curry gravy, the aromatic spice infused basmati rice is delicious on its own, with robust grainy sweet savoury spice flavour. It's light without being overly oily, loose and fluffy to the point of addictive.

Each plate is also served with chunky tender roasted potatoes, which lend good starchy sweet savoury smoky notes. And crisp fried shallots whose fragrance perfumes the dish.

Tried the highly rated fish version, with tender chunks of flaky basa fish that has sharp spicy salty savoury flavour. Also had the mutton version, where the tender soft meat pulls off easily, carrying bold meaty savoury spice flavour.

Personally, I consider this to be the silver medal version amongst those I've tried in Singapore.

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8. Cafe Mariam
@ WIS @ Changi, 116 Changi Road #01-02
Opening Hours: Mon - Thu 11am – 3pm, Fri 10:30am – 12pm, Sat - Sun 11am – 2pm

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $8.50) @ Cafe Mariam.

Perhaps some of the appeal of this delicious biryani lies in how rare and challenging it is to get.

This humble, hole-in-the-wall joint is owned by Chef Hassan Abdul Majeed, whose grandfather founded the legendary Islamic Restaurant at North Bridge Road, a place renowned for their biryani.

Chef makes nearly everything from scratch, and his labour-intensive 3-stage cooking process means each dish is top notch, though it also limits his menu to only 5 items; all a variation of either biryani or mandi rice.

His belief that saffron is key, means the dish is generously and luxuriously flavoured, and along with other spices, impart a rich grainy spice sweet savoury flavour to the loose and fluffy basmati rice.

The large and generous mutton is fall-apart tender, with meaty savoury spice flavour, complimenting the rice. Was so large that chef handed me an additional empty plate for portioning it out.

Completed with an intensely sour spicy pickles, and a side of curry (although the biryani is good enough on its own).

Chef only opens for a mere 4-hours for lunch each day, and often sells out before closing. This, along with the limited 12 - 14 seats at the stall, means careful advance planning is needed to dine.

Still, this biryani is the gold medal standard for me.

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9. Daawat Tandoori
@ 207 Upper Thomson Road
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 3pm, 4:30pm – 11pm

Taken in 2011

Taken in 2022

Taken in 2022

Taken in 2022

Biryani (SGD $13) @ Daawat Tandoori.

They serve a unique seafood biryani here, generous in portion and so aromatic.

The fluffy loose pile of spice infused basmati rice is soft and appetizing with medium grainy sweet savoury spice notes.

Buried within are chunks of tender flaky boneless basa fish and succulent deshelled shrimp, juicy sweet savoury spice in flavour, yum.

Reminds me of the luxurious seafood versions I had during my travels in India.

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10. Geylang (Hamid's) Briyani Stall
@ Geylang Serai Market And Food Centre, 1 Geylang Serai #02-146
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 10am – 4pm, Closed Mon

Taken in 2012

Taken in 2012

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $6) @ Geylang (Hamid's) Briyani Stall.

This stall is now run by the 2nd and 3rd generation owner, ever since it started in 1964.

Dad Hamid and son Hannan fry shallots, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices, infusing the rice with the spice blend along with evaporated milk and ghee.

Tending towards the softer side with more moisture, the long-grain rice carries mild grainy sweet savoury spice notes.

The generous chunk of mutton is tender and chewy, better on the outside as it gets slightly dry in the center. Has a nice meaty savoury spice flavour.

Served with a side of dalcha curry. Among the better versions in the area.

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11. Islamic Restaurant
@ 735 North Bridge Road
Opening Hours: Sat - Thu 10am – 10pm, Fri 10am – 1pm, 2pm – 10pm

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $13) @ Islamic Restaurant.

This is, without a doubt, the most flavourful, punchy version of biryani around.

Serving since 1921, the 3rd generation owners behind this Turkish-royalty inspired version has long-grain basmati rice infused with a secret blend of spices.

Each mouthful of the loose fluffy grains is a burst of grainy spice sweet savoury, seemingly a complex layer of more than 10 spices. Intense yet addictive.

The tender chunks of mutton fall apart softly, releasing robust meaty savoury salty spice flavours. Crunchy spiced cucumbers with vegetal sweet spice notes on the side.

A medium dalcha curry rounds this out, but the rice is tasty enough on its own, and in fact holds more flavour than the curry.

Little wonder this 100-year old establishment is frequented by royalty and celebrities.

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12. Koothurar Nasi Briyani
@ 17 Beach Road #01-4705
Opening Hours: Wed - Mon 11am – 2pm, Closed Tue

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $7.50) @ Koothurar Nasi Briyani.

This popular stall, serving for over 30 years, is renowned for their hearty, delicious biryani.

Now helmed by the 2nd generation owners, they typically draw a long queue even before they open... and which only grows longer until they sell out, usually within 4 hours.

Much has been said of their large, generous chunks of mutton. Meaty and tender soft, coming apart easily, each bite carries a bold meaty savoury salty spice flavour.

Their basmati rice is fluffy and loose, well tossed and seasoned with a complex blend of spices, including cardamom, cloves, turmeric, and uniquely, pandan / screwpine leaves. This imparts a delicate and enticing floral earthy grainy sweet spice flavour.

Sliced crunchy pickled cucumbers lend a refreshing vegetal sweet sour contrast, while the bouncy hard boiled egg lends body with eggy sweet notes.

They serve with a rich dalcha curry, though I find it good enough without, it's tasty as is.

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13. Marhaba Restaurant
@ 52 Changi Road
Opening Hours: Daily 24 Hours

Taken in 2009

Taken in 2009

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $7) @ Marhaba Restaurant.

This murtabak and biryani speciality stall has been quietly operating for nearly 3 decades, since its founding in March 1994.

The 2nd and 3rd generation family-run business serve a distinct Singaporean style biryani - lightly spiced basmati rice, with predominant flavour from the spiced meat and curry gravy.

The rice is alternating fluffy and clumpy, carrying a delicate grainy sweet spice aroma that perfumes the air.

The richly curried mutton is fall apart tender and moist, with deep meaty savoury salty spice flavour. The pairing of meat and rice is delicious and enticing.

The outstanding achar, a mix of crunchy juicy cucumbers and pineapple, lend a bright and refreshing contrast with vegetal fruity sweet flavour. Yum.

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14. Singapore Zam Zam Restaurant
@ 697 North Bridge Road
Opening Hours: Daily 7am – 11pm

Taken in 2010

Taken in 2011

Taken in 2021

Taken in 2021

Biryani (SGD $6.50) @ Singapore Zam Zam Restaurant.

Established since 1908, this popular eatery is known for specialising in murtabak and biryani, serving well-regarded renditions.

Uniquely, they offer this beef biryani version of the dish, which is tender with a slight chew, and bold meaty savoury spice flavour from the marinade. Rather satisfying.

The rice carries a medium grainy spice sweet note, infused with spices such as cardamom, cloves, turmeric, and black pepper; fluffy in parts and clumpy in others, tasty but could do with more stirring.

Some crunchy spiced cucumbers round this out with bright vegetal sweet spicy flavour.

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15. Yakader Muslim Food
@ Tekka Centre, 665 Buffalo Road #01-259
Opening Hours: Daily 9am – 6pm

Taken in 2022

Taken in 2022

Biryani (SGD $6) @ Yakader Muslim Food.

Done dum style, with the meat and rice layered together with spices, and cooked for hours.

They're generous with the portion, the turmeric stained rice being loose and fluffy, light with grainy sweet spice notes.

The mutton carries a more intense taste profile, bold with meaty savoury salty spice notes, not overly gamey. Comes apart with a light chew.

Discovered a hard boiled egg buried beneath, a welcome eggy sweet treasure. The crunchy pickled cucumbers lend vegetal sweet sour spicy flavour, while a bowl of mild curry gravy rounds this out.

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- ~~Bar Bar Black Sheep~~ – Still Operating But With Different Kitchen Team & Menu
~~@ Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Road #01-05C~~ – Branch Closed

~~@ 362 Tanjong Katong Road~~ – Branch Closed