Last updated 7 August 2026. This page was reviewed on that date. Prices, rates and opening hours change often in Singapore — confirm anything that matters directly with the business before you travel or spend.
Quick answer: If you are hunting for nasi biryani that hits properly, Singapore gives you plenty to work with. Bismillah Biryani keeps landing the Bib Gourmand for a reason, while Allauddin’s has been at it in a Tekka hawker stall since 1968. Zaffron Kitchen and Islamic Restaurant suit proper sit-down meals, Saffrons is your 24-hour option, and Muthu’s Curry or Sakunthala’s bring the South Indian warmth.
A proper pot of dum biryani is a sealed transaction: you pay, you wait, the lid comes off, steam hits your face, and for a few minutes nothing else matters. The ones on this list get the grain right—light, separate, never clumpy—and the spice lands where it should, at the back of the throat, not the front. These are the stalls and dining rooms worth planning your lunch around.
Browsing rather than buying today? Best Indian & South Asian Food in Singapore lays out all 20 guides in one place.
Bismillah Biryani
On Dunlop Street in Little India, Bismillah Biryani does the dum-style thing properly – the pot is sealed so the rice and meat steam together, and you only really get how much difference that makes when you pull the lid back yourself.
A Pakistani chef started this place, and the kitchen runs with chicken, young mutton, lamb shank, grilled fish, vegetable, and prawn biryani. Every grain of basmati carries the spice blend they have built their reputation on. Nine Michelin Bib Gourmand awards from 2016 through to 2025 tell you the consistency is real – that kind of run does not happen by accident.
Come here when you want the benchmark. The kind of meal where you tell yourself you will eat half and then find yourself scraping the bottom of the plate.
Go when you want the full dum ritual—the pot sealed with dough, the release of steam, the first whiff of spice hitting the table. The Dunlop Street shopfront is compact, so avoid the peak lunch crush. Your order is the young mutton; the meat falls off the bone without you asking it to, and the rice-to-meat ratio is fair.
Address: 50 Dunlop St, Singapore 209379
Hours: Daily 11:30am–9:00pm
Price: $10–$20 per person
Bismillah Biryani
Allauddin’s Briyani
Since 1968, this stall has been tucked inside the Tekka Market area at Buffalo Road, and the founder’s family still runs the show. In a landscape where hawker legacies come and go, that staying power says plenty.
They keep the menu simple: chicken, fried chicken, mutton, fried fish, and egg biryani. What makes it sing is the way the spices land – balanced, not shouting at you – and basmati rice that comes out light and fragrant every time. A Michelin Plate recognition backs up what the regulars already know.
This one is for a weekday lunch when you want something solid, affordable, and frankly better than what you packed from home. The queue moves fast and the portions do not skimp.
This one is for the traditionalist who believes a hawker centre biryani should taste like it did thirty years ago. The queue at Tekka builds fast on weekends, so go by 11am and keep your order simple. The fried chicken version gives you that contrast of crisp edges against soft, spiced rice—steady, no gimmicks.
Address: 6665 Buffalo Rd, #01-232 & #01-229, Singapore 210665
Hours: Daily 8am–8pm
Price: $6–$10 per person
Allauddin’s Briyani
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If a full-on curry spread sounds good too, peek at our Finest Rendang Delights in Singapore guide – different beast, same energy.
Zaffron Kitchen
Zaffron Kitchen sits at The Star Vista and Great World, and it is where you bring people when you want air-conditioning, proper service, and a biryani that looks as good as it tastes.
Their North Indian approach means tender meats, vivid spice, and dishes presented with a bit more polish than your usual coffee-shop foil wrap. The lamb shank and tandoori items round out the experience. They have pulled in enough awards to be called Singapore’s most awarded Indian restaurant, and the two locations make it easy to slot into a weekend outing.
Good for a date night or a family lunch where you want to take your time. The Star Vista branch gives you the full glass-walled dining room feel.
Bring the whole family on a Sunday, sit in air-conditioning, and order the lamb shank biryani with a side of tandoori. The Star Vista outlet means you can park easily, eat properly, and still be home before the ERP kicks in. The plating here matters—you are paying for presentation as much as flavour, and it delivers both.
Address: 1 Vista Exchange Green, #02-04, The Star Vista, 138617
Hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–9pm (closed 3pm–5pm); Fri 11:30am–10pm (closed 3pm–5pm); Sat–Sun 11:30am–9pm (closed 4pm–5pm)
Price: $15–$30 per person
Zaffron Kitchen
Muthu’s Curry
Yes, the name says curry, and their fish head is the stuff of legend, but Muthu’s on Race Course Road also turns out chicken and mutton biryani with proper South Indian backbone.
The rice carries layers of spice that build as you eat, and the gravies on the side tie everything together. Michelin guides have nodded at them repeatedly, and the dining room hums with families, aunties, uncles, and the occasional tourist who did their homework. Open 10:30am to 10:30pm daily, so you can go for a late lunch and still have the whole afternoon ahead of you.
Bring the whole family when you cannot agree on one cuisine – the menu is wide enough that everyone finds their thing.
Race Course Road on a Saturday evening: the dining room is humming, the biryani arrives with banana leaf gravitas, and you remember why South Indian spice builds rather than attacks. Order the mutton, and do not skip the raita or the brinjal on the side—they are not decoration, they are part of the calculation.
Address: 138 Race Course Rd, #01-01, Singapore 218591
Hours: Daily 10:30am–10:30pm
Price: $12–$25 per person
Muthu’s Curry
Editorial round-up, not a directory listing. Missed someone worth knowing about? Send it our way.
Sakunthala’s Food Palace
Also on Race Course Road, Sakunthala’s plays both sides of the Indian peninsula and throws in a few Chinese-influenced fusion moves for good measure. Their biryani hits that sweet spot between familiar and surprising.
Premium spices run through the rice, the meat is tender, and the fusion options mean you can order a biryani that tastes like something you have had before – but not quite. The space itself feels more like a proper restaurant than a quick-eat joint, and the hours stretch from 11am to 10:30pm daily.
Go with friends who are game to try a few different plates and pass them around the table. The fusion items make for good conversation starters.
Come here when your group cannot agree on one cuisine—someone wants North Indian, someone wants Chinese-fusion, everyone wants biryani. The fusion options mean you can order a chilli-chicken biryani and it will make sense on the plate. The dining room feels more restaurant than food court, so you can take your time.
Address: 66 Race Course Rd, Singapore 218570
Hours: Daily 11am–10:30pm
Price: $10–$20 per person
Sakunthala’s Food Palace
While you are exploring, our Discover Finest Halal Steaks in Singapore round-up is another solid shout for group dinners where everyone’s dietary needs are different.
Saffrons
Halal-certified and built for both everyday meals and big celebrations, Saffrons runs three outlets: Tampines, Opera Estate, and Wisma Geylang Serai.
The Gold Class Biryani is the one people talk about – layered rice, generous meat, and enough presence that it works as a centrepiece for a gathering. They also do catering, so if you are planning a party and want to skip the headache of cooking, this is a dial-and-done kind of solution. The Tampines and Swan Lake outlets are open 24 hours, which is frankly a godsend when the craving hits at an unsociable hour.
Late-night supper run or a last-minute hosting situation – this is the safety net.
This is your catering solve. If you are hosting a gathering and need halal-certified biryani that arrives on time and looks the part, the Gold Class Biryani does the job. For walk-in, the Wisma Geylang Serai outlet is handy when you are already in the area and want a proper meal without fuss. Good call for group orders.
Address: 201D Tampines St. 21, #01-1163, Singapore 524201
Hours: Open 24 hours (Tampines & Swan Lake); 9am–9pm daily (WGS)
Price: $10–$22 per person
Saffrons
Islamic Restaurant
Since 1921, Islamic Restaurant has been feeding Singapore from the same spot on North Bridge Road in Kampong Glam. Over 20 million plates have left that kitchen, and the recipes have not changed much – they do not need to.
The beryani comes in fish, fried chicken, and Yemeni lamb shank, all prepared with methods passed down across four generations. There is a kind of quiet confidence in a place that just gets on with it, no gimmicks. The space carries that old-Singapore charm, and you can feel the history in the walls.
Bring your parents or grandparents – they will appreciate the throwback vibe, and you will appreciate the food.
Walking into this North Bridge Road institution, you are stepping into a kitchen that has been doing one thing since 1921 and sees no reason to change. The Yemeni lamb shank beryani is the ticket—generous, deeply spiced, and served in a space that feels like heritage without trying too hard. Go mid-afternoon when the lunch crowd has cleared.
Address: 735 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 198703
Hours: 10am–8pm or 10am–9pm daily
Price: $10–$20 per person
Islamic Restaurant
If you are mapping out a whole food trail, our Bukit Batok Food Spots guide has a different flavour profile but the same spirit of finding the good stuff.
How to choose
Start with what kind of day you are planning. Hawker-style, quick and casual? Allauddin’s is your answer – go early, queue up, eat at a plastic table, and get on with life. Want a proper restaurant where you can book a table, take your time, and maybe order a few sides? Zaffron Kitchen, Muthu’s Curry, Islamic Restaurant, or Sakunthala’s all fit that bill. Late-night hunger or a catering order? Saffrons has the hours and the logistics sorted.
Then think about the style of biryani. North Indian versions, like what Zaffron Kitchen and Bismillah serve, tend to be more aromatic and lighter on the spice heat. South Indian interpretations, as you will find at Muthu’s and Sakunthala’s, often come with deeper, earthier spice notes and gravies that pack a bit more punch. Islamic Restaurant and Allauddin’s occupy their own lanes – legacy recipes that do not fit neatly into one regional box.
Price-wise, hawker biryani runs from about $6 to $10 a plate. Restaurant servings land between $12 and $30 depending on the protein – lamb shank and premium cuts push the bill up, chicken keeps it in check. Catering from Saffrons will be a separate conversation; reach out to them directly for a quote.
If you are particular about halal certification, Saffrons, Bismillah Biryani, Islamic Restaurant, and Allauddin’s are all halal-certified or Muslim-owned. Zaffron Kitchen, Muthu’s Curry, and Sakunthala’s are also Muslim-friendly but confirm directly if you need documentation.
| Restaurant | Style | Price Range | Best For | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismillah Biryani | Pakistani / North Indian dum | $10–$20 | Award-winning benchmark biryani | Daily 11:30am–9pm |
| Allauddin’s Briyani | Hawker-style, balanced spices | $6–$10 | Quick, affordable weekday lunch | Daily 8am–8pm |
| Zaffron Kitchen | Modern North Indian | $15–$30 | Sit-down meals, date nights | Varies by day; closed between lunch and dinner |
| Muthu’s Curry | South Indian | $12–$25 | Family meals, broad menu | Daily 10:30am–10:30pm |
| Sakunthala’s Food Palace | South/North Indian fusion | $10–$20 | Group dining, fusion dishes | Daily 11am–10:30pm |
| Saffrons | North Indian, catering-focused | $10–$22 | Late-night meals, party catering | 24 hours (Tampines & Swan Lake); 9am–9pm (WGS) |
| Islamic Restaurant | Heritage, heirloom recipes | $10–$20 | Nostalgia, family outings with elders | Daily 10am–8pm or 10am–9pm |
Summary
These seven places cover the full nasi biryani spectrum Singapore has to offer – hawker stalwarts, air-conditioned dining rooms, century-old kitchens, and 24-hour joints. Your pick depends on whether you are eating alone in a rush, feeding a table of twelve, or chasing a recipe that has barely changed since 1921. All of them do justice to a dish that rewards patience, good spices, and someone in the kitchen who genuinely cares.
We also have a look at the Finest Lobster Rolls in Singapore and the Finest Tonkatsu Establishments in Singapore if you are planning a few different food outings.
Disclaimer: All information is compiled from publicly available sources and is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. Details like opening hours and prices can change, so do confirm directly with the business before heading down.
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Frequently asked questions
Which nasi biryani spot has won the most awards?
Bismillah Biryani has received the Michelin Bib Gourmand nine times, from 2016 through to 2025. Zaffron Kitchen is also recognised as one of Singapore’s most awarded Indian restaurants.
Where can I get halal nasi biryani in Singapore?
Saffrons, Bismillah Biryani, Islamic Restaurant, and Allauddin’s Briyani are all halal-certified or Muslim-owned. Zaffron Kitchen, Muthu’s Curry, and Sakunthala’s Food Palace are also Muslim-friendly – check with them directly if you need halal documentation.
Is there a nasi biryani place open 24 hours?
Saffrons runs 24-hour operations at its Tampines and Swan Lake outlets. The Wisma Geylang Serai branch closes at 9pm, so for a late-night fix, head to Tampines or Opera Estate.
What is the price range for nasi biryani in Singapore?
Hawker biryani at Allauddin’s sits around $6 to $10 per plate. Restaurant servings at Bismillah, Muthu’s, Sakunthala’s, and Islamic Restaurant generally run from $10 to $25, while Zaffron Kitchen can stretch to $30 for premium options like lamb shank.
Which nasi biryani restaurant is best for a family dinner?
Muthu’s Curry and Sakunthala’s Food Palace on Race Course Road both work well for families – broad menus, spacious seating, and hours that go late enough for a relaxed meal. Zaffron Kitchen at The Star Vista is another solid pick if you prefer an air-conditioned, modern setting.
Where can I find the oldest nasi biryani in Singapore?
Islamic Restaurant has been cooking from the same North Bridge Road location since 1921. Allauddin’s Briyani is another long-running name, operating since 1968 at the Tekka Market area.
