Tired of going to the same few halal restaurants with your Muslim friends? It’s time to spice it up with some delicious Chinese dim sum! These little steaming baskets of food are increasingly popular and many halal-certified restaurants are now serving these yummy dishes. If you have no clue where you and your friends can dig in on some of the best halal dim sum in Singapore, we’ve got you covered. Read on to find out more about the best halal dim sum food in Singapore!
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Can Muslims eat dim sum?
Most dim sum use pork-based ingredients, which explains why Muslims don’t go for this Chinese cuisine. For instance, the usual char siew buns feature a barbecue marinated pork filling and most dumplings include pork in their filling. At halal-certified dim sum restaurants in Singapore, these pork ingredients are switched out with non-pork ingredients. For example, instead of pork, chicken is used in siew mai, making it suitable for your Muslim friends to consume.
Is dim sum the same as yum cha?
While the terms ‘dim sum’ and ‘yum cha’ have been used interchangeably, they don’t have the same meanings. Dim sum refers to the small dishes of food and desserts. In Chinese, dim sum means “to touch the heart”, so these small dishes of food were originally meant to be snacks instead of trying to satisfy one’s appetite. In comparison, yum cha means “to drink tea” in Chinese. Going to yum cha simply refers to having dim sum while enjoying Chinese tea.
Popular Halal-friendly dim sum that is a must-try
It’s hard to figure out where to begin when there’s such an extensive range of dim sum. Here are some of the popular dishes that you must try when you visit some of these Halal restaurants.
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Open-faced shrimp dumplings (siew mai)
Halal Siew Mai (available on SMH Food Group Official Store) are open-faced dumplings that are filled with minced shrimp. This shrimp paste filling can also contain other ingredients like ginger, shiitake mushrooms, scallions and water chestnuts to add a different texture while enhancing the flavours of the halal siew mai.
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Shrimp dumplings (har gow)
Halal Har Gow (available on SMH Food Group Official Store) is the Cantonese word for shrimp dumplings. These har gow are packed with whole peeled shrimps that have been lightly marinated for that subtle sweetness. The plump shrimps are wrapped in a translucent, crystal-like skin that is soft yet firm enough to hold the shrimps together.
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Barbecue chicken buns
Halal Barbecue Chicken Paus (available on SMH Food Group Official Store) is a go-to because of its warm, fluffy texture. These classic paus contain diced chicken meat that has been marinated in a sweet and savoury sauce and slow-roasted.
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Chicken feet
The popular Halal Braised Chicken Feet (available on SMH Food Group Official Store) dish features a sweet, savoury sauce that coats every inch. Braised chicken feet is a popular dim sum dish that can be eaten alone or enjoyed with rice – especially with lor mai gai (steamed glutinous rice with chicken)!
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Rice noodle rolls (chee cheong fun)
Halal Chee Cheong Fun (available on SMH Food Group Official Store) is a dim sum dish that’s made of prawns wrapped in a soft and springy rice noodle roll. It is usually served on its own with a sweet and savoury soy sauce. Other variations also include chee cheong fun that is packed with youtiao (dough fritter), chicken meat, and even plain ones to truly savour the silky smooth rice noodle roll texture.
Best Halal dim sum restaurants in Singapore
1. The Dim Sum Place
The Dim Sum Place is a halal restaurant in Singapore that serves up the best dim sum dishes with a twist. Think deep-fried siew mai and crispy rice. The regular siew mai now has a crispy exterior to enhance the flavour of the dumpling skin. What’s noteworthy is the crispy rice that is drenched in a superior soup broth. The richness of the broth is complemented by the crunchy texture of the rice and takes the congee to a whole new level.
Address: 791 North Bridge Road, S(198759)
Check out their other outlets here
Opening Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 11am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 11pm
Fri – Sat: 11am – 2am
Sun: 11am – 10.45pm
2. Enak Enak Hong Kong Tea House
You dim sum, you win some. Especially at Enak Enak Hong Kong Tea House where you can dine by the sea. Located at East Coast Park, this halal dim sum restaurant in Singapore serves some of the best food items. Apart from the steaming hot delicious dim sum dishes, their menu also offers a variety of Indian and Western food. The highlight here would be the salted egg yolk custard buns. You’ll be greeted with a warm savoury filling that oozes out when you take a bite. Enak Enak Hong Kong Tea House also has a deep-fried mantou dish that comes with a salted egg yolk dip if you can’t get enough of salted egg yolk. Yummy!
Address: JUMBO Seafood (East Coast Seafood Centre), 1202 East Coast Park, S(449881)
Opening Hours: Daily, 11am – 4am
Halal dim sum delivery in Singapore:
The delivery fee depends on your location. Free delivery for orders above $60.
*Surcharge of $3 if the order is below $25
3. Tang Tea House
Tang Tea House is another one of the best halal dim sum restaurants in Singapore. With their signature siew mai, har gow and salted egg yolk bun, you and your friends will be in for a treat with these best halal dim sum! This halal dim sum restaurant in Singapore offers multi-flavour platters where you can try out different flavours of buns and dumplings before committing to one you’re going to indulge in! Tang Tea House has four different outlets peppered across the island, so your Muslim friends will no longer have any excuse when you jio them out for meals. What’s even better is how this restaurant opens till late, so you’ll always have an outlet to satisfy your late-night dim sum cravings!
Address: 242 Jalan Kayu, S(799466)
Check out other locations here
Opening Hours:
Sun – Thurs: 11am – 12am
Fri – Sat: 11am – 1am
Halal dim sum delivery in Singapore:
$5 delivery fee, with free delivery for orders above $50
4. 89.7 Supper Club
Whether you’re up for a late-night cycling ride or going for an early morning run, 89.7 Supper Club is a halal-certified dim sum restaurant in Singapore that’s open round the clock. Get ready to spoil yourself with a good yum cha session when there are over 30 choices of the best halal dim sum food at this Singapore restaurant. Start with the steamed chicken dumplings to warm yourself up before going for the interesting buns. 89.7 Supper Club has coffee buns, kaya buns and more! This is also the place to give those chicken feet a try. In dim sum restaurants, this classic dish is usually referred to as ‘Phoenix Claws’. Generously doused in a delicious sauce, these braised chicken feet is a dish you should try!
Address: 5 Changi Village Road, #01-2035, S(500005)
Opening Hours: Daily, 24/7
5. Streats Hong Kong Cafe
Hit the Streats if you’re craving some halal dim sum with your Muslim friends, Chinese food and pasta! Streats Hong Kong Cafe serves up some of the best halal dim sum in Singapore. With molten salted egg yolk custard buns and steamed BBQ chicken buns, this halal-certified restaurant is simply to-die-for! But what we’re always after at Streats Hong Kong Cafe is their HK Carrot Cake with XO Sauce. Not to worry though, although it takes after the name of cognac, this delectable sauce is not alcoholic at all! This XO sauce is an iconic Hong Kong condiment that is full of seafood flavour. Dig into this carrot cake and your mouth will be engulfed with its sweetness that has been enhanced by the rich XO sauce.
Address: City Square Mall, 180 Kitchener Road, #01-01, S(208539)
Check out other locations here
Opening Hours: Daily, 11am – 9.30pm
Halal dim sum delivery in Singapore:
$10.10 delivery fee with a minimum order of $20
Free delivery for orders above $50
6. Dajie Makan Place
Known for their halal yong tau foo and mala hotpot, Da Jie Niang Dou Fu also offers great dim sum options on their menu. Nestled in a cosy neighbourhood, Da Jie Niang Dou Fu is where you can go to enjoy halal siew mai, yong tau foo style, with your Muslim friends. If you’re going for yong tau foo, we recommend trying the Ampang sauce, which is sweet, slightly spicy and tangy. This halal-certified restaurant in Singapore also has the best-tasting mala hotpot where your food is doused in a numbingly spicy sauce, making it the epitome of shiok!
Address: 354 Clementi Avenue 2, #01-253, S(120354)
Check out other locations here
Opening Hours: Daily, 10am – 9.30pm
7. Kampung Amin Dim Sum
Have Muslim friends that are drawn to dim sum and fried food? Lead them to Kampung Amin Dim Sum! This halal-certified dim sum restaurant in Singapore dishes out some of the best delicacies. One of which being the Dragon Ball, this fried food option is a chicken and prawn meatball that’s wrapped in fried popiah strips. The crunch and the flavour makes all the guilt worth it, so you best put that pseudo-diet on hold when you visit this halal dim sum restaurant in Singapore! That said, the restaurant also has healthier alternatives. The Loh Mai Kai (glutinous rice with chicken) is made with purple rice instead of the usual white rice. This means more fiber and antioxidants that can improve cardiovascular health!
Address: 215 Jalan Besar, S(208898)
Opening Hours: Daily, 12pm – 10pm
8. Madeleine’s Original Portuguese Egg Tart
No dim sum experience is complete without some iconic egg tarts. Home to one of the best halal egg tarts in Singapore, Madeleine’s Original Portuguese Egg Tart is known for creating this dim sum dish from scratch. With a crispy, flaky crust and a creamy custard centre, these halal-certified egg tarts have an amazing cream to crust ratio. The generous amount of custard with each tart has also been caramelised to bring out that smoky and sweet fragrance. Madeleine’s Original Portuguese Egg Tart also has a pandan flavour egg tart that is just as yummy. The usually subtle pandan flavour is extremely pronounced without being too overwhelming, creating a perfect balance to this halal egg tart.
Address: 198 Tanjong Katong, S(436997)
Opening Hours: Daily, 8am – 5pm
Halal egg tart delivery:
$12 delivery fee with a minimum order of $35
Free delivery for orders above $100
Makan with your friends at these halal dim sum places in Singapore
We hope you’ve found the perfect halal dim sum spot to have your next meal with your friends. If you’re preparing to go visit your Muslim friends during Hari Raya, it’s important to prepare your baju kurung modern to look your best. Do also check out our Hari Raya gift guide for some gift ideas and help your friends stock up on some of the best kueh lapis and best halal snacks in Singapore. Check out our Hari Raya Sale for more attractive deals on all your other Hari Raya essentials!
This article was updated on 24 February 2023. Additional research done by Caryn Tan.
