Top 12 Places in Singapore for the Best Indian Bread Indulgence
You've got your favourite curry house and your go-to for butter chicken, but how about the breads? Whether enjoyed as an accompaniment or made the hero of your meal, it's time to shine a spotlight on humble crafted doughs from the sub-continent, including dosa, prata, murtabak and naan.
Dosa
Source: MTR
The South Indian pancake known as dosa (also called thosai) is a complex little savoury treat that comes in more than twenty different types. Having originated in Karnataka, the dosa – among other dishes from the region – became popular in the north of the country after they gained independence, and has since spread across the globe. This Indian answer to the French crepe is thin, crispy and made from fermented batter, and is usually served hot alongside potatoes and chutney (sambar).
1. Anjappar
The mutton kheema dosa at Anjappar is something of a taste bud revelation. Bursting with flavour from the spiced minced goat meat and crispy ghee-laced pancake, this dish is as highly-praised at their four outposts in Singapore as it is in Anjappar’s first home in Hong Kong. It’s only available at the weekends and comes served with a ladleful of rich gravy and tangy chutney. If dining in a big group, be sure to order multiple of these authentically-made crepes, or spring for the family-sized dosa that’s made to share.
As for mains, don’t miss the Chettinaad Chicken from the House Specials menu and the Panjari kebab skewered with claypot-cooked fish marinated in cashew paste, milk, spices and herbs.
Address: 76 Race Course Rd, Singapore, 218575
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11.30am-10.30pm
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2. Springleaf
Singapore’s five Springleaf restaurants are the epitome of warm, welcoming and family-run. The long queues at lunch and dinnertime are testament to their authentic fare and inviting atmosphere, and it comes as little surprise that theirs are found on many a list of the city’s best dosas.
The paper dosa in particular tops many a table here. It arrives exactly as it should: thin, crunchy and delicately rolled with a beautiful golden-brown hue. Choose to devour it with the accompanying sambar or dipped into Springleaf’s creamy and delicious butter chicken.
Fancy channelling a little creativity into your meal? Go bespoke with their innovative build-your-own option. Take your pick from mushrooms, onion and cheese, and the chefs will combine them with ghee, herbs and spices before serving inside your personalised dosa.
Address:106 Clementi St, #01-64, Singapore, 120106
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 8am-12am
Find out more about what Springleaf has to offer !
3. MTR
MTR has been perfecting their recipes since they first opened their doors in 1924. This much-loved restaurant on Serangoon Road is always bustling, and for good reason. It’s heralded across the city as serving up one of the most stellar dosa selections in Singapore.
The rava dosa – a semolina pancake flavoured with coriander, cumin, chili and coconut – is one of the most popular, as is the cooked-to-perfection set dosa. Deviating only very little from how it’s traditionally prepared in Karnataka, their set dosa is made from fermented rice and black lentils, cooked on one side only and comes indulgently smothered with ghee. As well as the coconut coriander chutney and turmeric sambar that it’s served with, we’d recommend ordering yours alongside a small bowl of bisibele bhath. This spicy dish is made from rice, lentils, vegetables and cashews, and comes gloriously flavoured with curry leaves and tamarind.
Address: 438 Serangoon Rd, Singapore, 218133
Opening hours:
Tuesday-Sunday: 8.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-9.30pm
4. Raj
Vegetarian favourite Raj is known for their kitchen talent in crafting fresh, wholesome ingredients into light and flavoursome dishes free from MSG. Their take on the South Indian pancake comes in a huge variety of options, including crispy and plain and cheese-filled. The best on the menu though has got to be the masala dosa.
Arriving at your table stuffed with spiced potatoes and vegetables, there are thirteen different types of masala dosa on offer here, of which our undoubtable go-to has got to be the ‘special mysore masala dosa’. The filling is a seasoned, textured combination of hot red chutney, grated coconut, boiled potatoes, coriander and mustard seeds. Delicious.
Address: 20 Biopolis Way, #01-03, Centros Block, Singapore, 138668
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11am-9.30pm
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Roti & Prata
Source: Prata Wala
The roti (also known as chapati) and prata/paratha are two of the most popular bready staples in India and Pakistan, and now in Singapore too. Rotis are very thin, whole-wheat flatbreads which, when layered up with one on top of the other, are then transformed into what we call prata (or roti prata). The latter has flaky layers and can be served plain (you might hear this referred to as prata kosong) or stuffed with paneer, potato and/or cabbage.
Look around Little India or any hawker centre and you’re as likely to see people devouring them at breakfast time as you will for lunch or dinner. They’re generally eaten with a side of curry as the delicate bread is sheer edible perfection when submerged in a rich and creamy sauce.
5. Prata Wala
When a restaurant has a certain dish included in its name, you can be fairly confident that it’s going to be one of the best you’ve eaten. Such is the case at Prata Wala, where their roti prata specialty is a must on any order. Their menu is made up of authentic Indian food from both the North and South, and they pride themselves on creating niche versions of traditional recipes, such as pratas that are low-GI, high-fibre and free from MSG.
There are no half-decent versions on offer at any of Prata Wala’s five locations. The particular standouts, however, are their signature curry prata set with chicken drumstick, the prata blaster that comes topped with a soft-yolk egg and the prata masala.
Address:
- 1 Jurong West Central 3, Jurong Point, Singapore, 648331
- 23 Serangoon Central, #02-17, Singapore, 556083
- 4 Tampines Central, #B1-K21, Singapore, 529510
Opening hours:
Jurong Point
- Monday-Sunday: 5am-3am
Nex
- Monday-Sunday: 8.30am-10pm
- Monday-Sunday: 9am-10pm
- Monday-Sunday: 9am-10pm
6. Khansama
North Indian tandoori restaurant Khansama is a firm favourite with locals and expats alike. The bread selection at this two-storey shophouse is extensive, but don’t be intimated; go straight for the Missi Roti with onion and chili, and the paneer prata that’s filled with herbs and grated cottage cheese. Both are enticingly soft and have a delicious charcoal-barbecue flavour courtesy of being roasted in a clay oven.
Elsewhere on the bread menu are prata options baked on the Indian iron skillet called a tawa, all of which have different fillings. The use of the tawa makes for a slightly crispier prata, and usually come folded into a triangle; an ideal shape for dipping.
Address: 166 Serangoon Road, Singapore, 218050
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11am-12.30am
Book your seat at beloved Little India eatery, Khansama.
7. Prata Alley
Turning the traditional on its head with many an unconventional twist is Clementi-based eatery, Prata Alley. Alongside the usual tasty selections like garlic, cheese and egg pratas awaits a selection of dessert breads; the perfect sweet conclusion to your Indian feast.
Expect to spend a good few minutes agonising over the options. Nutella, strawberries, pineapple, banana and even kaya can all form the filling and topping of your prata, and are well worth the calorie indulgence. Whatever you choose, make sure you add ice cream to your order; the combination of warm and cool, soft and crispy makes for a truly delectable treat.
Address:
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday: 9am-11pm
Saturday-Sunday: 7am-11pm
Don’t miss the sweet as well as savoury prata at Prata Alley.
Naan & Kulcha
Source: Tiffin Room
Few people can deny the glorious carby goodness of naan bread. Typically made in a tandoor, the naan is the result of an Iranian and Indian culinary fusion. Very similar to naan but with just two key differences is kulcha. While the latter is made with maida, naan is crafted from wheat flour and also contains yoghurt which helps to make it light and fluffy. Both can be simply topped with parsley and butter, or filled with more flavoursome additions like sultanas, minced meat and/or garlic.
8. Tiffin Room
For a sophisticated Indian meal, there can be few more iconic places than Tiffin Room. It’s been part of the historic Raffles hotel’s history since 1892, and while the décor and exterior have only recently been restored, the kitchen – with chef Kuldeep Negi’s award-winning North Indian cuisine – is as stellar as ever.Everyone has their menu favourites but if you really want to wow your dining compatriots, we suggest booking the evening a la carte option (rather than the lunch buffet) and going straight for the Nalli Rogan Josh’s melt-in-the-mouth Kashmiri lamb shank, ordered alongside the restaurant’s two standout breads. The first is the freshly-baked kulcha filled with spiced onions, while the second is the mint powder-topped Pudhina Laccha Naan. Both breads perfectly accent the flavours of the curry, and come served in the photo-worthy tiffin boxes from which the restaurant takes its name.
Address: Raffles Singapore, Grand Lobby, 1 Beach Road, Singapore, 189673
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 12pm-2pm, 6.30pm-10pm
Click here to book your table at upmarket Indian restaurant, Tiffin Room.
9. Everest Kitchen
When it comes to Nepalese and North Indian food in Singapore, people have been turning to Everest Kitchen in Little India for over a decade. As with many Indian restaurants, the best way to dine here is in a group, meaning you can sample multiple dishes in a single meal.We recommend perusing the menu over a starter of Nepalese chicken momos (dumplings) with homemade chutney, before diving head-first into a spicy bowl of Saag Khasi (mutton in a thick spinach gravy). Other dishes well worth an order are the Kalo Daal black bean stew, the creamiest Murgh Makhani (also called butter chicken) and the Baigan Bharta. This side dish is mashed eggplant that’s been roasted in a clay oven, then smothered in a tomato and onion gravy.
And don’t think we’ve forgotten the bread. It might be monikered ‘plain’ but the simple butter naan is anything but. It’s served warm and deliciously soft, and is just as tempting as the Kashmiri naan (topped with a generous amount of spiced dried fruit) and the Masala Kulcha that’s packed with spiced potatoes. Trust us, you’ll be hard pushed to pick a favourite.
Address: 55 Chander Rd Singapore 219550
Opening hours:
Tuesday: 6pm-10.30pm
Wednesday-Monday: 11am-3pm, 6pm-10pm
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10. Copper Chimney
We realise a Chinese-Indian fusion restaurant isn’t the first to spring to mind when thinking of traditional Indian cuisine in Singapore, but Copper Chimney is here to challenge that assumption.Of all the curries on the list, the ultimate must-orders are the Keralan fish curry, slow-cooked mutton Nihari and the spicy Karahi Gosht (chicken karahi). And don’t think these palette pleasers are limited to meat-eaters; vegetarians and carnivores alike are just as likely to marvel over the vegetable Kolhapuri; a delectable saucy main that’s simply crying out for bread. Go for the Aloo Kulcha – a soft dough filled with spiced grated cauliflower – and the Ajwani Lacha Paratha (a layered, flaky bread enriched with carom seeds, more globally known as ‘caraway’). Your taste buds will thank you.
Address: 100 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore, 207676
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11.30am-11.30pm
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Murtabak
Source: Zam Zam
The stuffed and pan-fried pancake or flatbread known as murtabak hails predominantly from South-East Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, where it’s thought to have arrived in the hands of Tamil Muslim traders. Its name means ‘folded’ in Arabic, and that’s exactly how it’s served; folded and filled with ingredients that vary from vendor to vendor. The combination of crispy dough and soft filling with subcontinental flavours makes for a delicious snack that can be split with friends or devoured on the go.
11. Zam Zam
Zam Zam is often heralded as serving up the best murtabak in the city. Having been there for more than 100 years, this two-storey eatery has become something of an institution when it comes to Indian cuisine. It sits in the increasingly-trendy Kampong Glam area, and is so popular that its buzzy, vibrant ambiance is as noisy upon opening as it is when they close each day.
Murtabak is one of the most frequently-ordered items on their menu, and comes in either chicken or mutton. This layered delight is made from thin sheets of dough and filled with egg, finely-chopped vegetables and your chosen meat enriched with herbs and spices. It’s then wrapped up, fried in oil and arrives at your table piping hot and full of flavour. Expect to be craving more before you’ve even finished the first.
Address: 697-699 North Bridge Rd, Singapore, 198675
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 7am-11pm
12. Thohirah
Whether you’re craving murtabak for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a late-night snack, turn your feet immediately towards Thohirah. This Seletar-based restaurant’s creations are not only mouth-wateringly good but they’re also served 24 hours a day.
Address: 258 Jalan Kayu, Singapore, 799487
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 24 hours
Salivating yet?
Whether you’re craving these various breads or just after Indian flavours, check out our comprehensive list of places serving up tantalising Indian dishes, they might be right up your alley!
