I had walked past Zam Zam more times than I can count before I finally sat down inside. There is a certain hesitation with a place this famous, like you already know the story and worry the food might just be trading on its name.
Its murtabak and briyani also reminded me that a classic Singaporean morning meal does not always arrive as kaya toast and kopi, especially when a warm, savoury plate can start the day just as comfortably. So I came in curious, not expecting to be dazzled, and ordered slowly while letting Zam Zam Restaurant Singapore show me what it wanted to say.
Arriving at Singapore Zam Zam on North Bridge Road
You will find Zam Zam restaurant at 697 to 699 North Bridge Road, right in the thick of Kampong Glam, near Sultan Mosque. The street was just starting to get busy when I arrived, full of movement, and the smell of curry drifted out onto the pavement before I even reached the door.
The premises occupy two floors, and older descriptions sometimes call it a two floors building, which reads a little awkwardly. Inside, the seatings are simple rather than polished, but the atmosphere still felt warm, lively and cozy in its own unfussy way.
What I Ordered at Singapore Zam Zam
I ordered a mutton murtabak, a chicken briyani, a mutton briyani, and two drinks to wash it all down. It was more than one person needed, but I wanted a fair spread for this review.
Everything arrived quickly, still hot, and the table filled up fast. Here is how each dish landed for me.
Mutton Murtabak
The mutton murtabak came out crisp and a little oily on the outside, with those thin eggy layers folding into each other inside. There was chopped onion tucked through the seasoned mutton, and a small dish of curry on the side to spoon over.
For me, the filling was fairly even, though a couple of bites leaned heavier on egg than meat. The curry helped rather than overwhelmed, adding a little heat and moisture without drowning the crisp edges. The mutton murtabak starts from S$8 for the smaller size.
Chicken Briyani
The chicken briyani is worth knowing under both spellings, since people search for nasi briyani and nasi biryani depending on habit. The rice came stained golden and orange in patches, carrying a spiced aroma that I noticed before the plate even settled down.
The grains held their shape and did not clump, and the chicken pulled apart easily enough with a fork. The gravy on the side was where most of the flavour lived, because the rice on its own was milder than I anticipated.
Mutton Briyani
The mutton briyani felt like the richer, more grown-up cousin of the chicken version. The meat was darker and gamier, with more seasoning worked into it, and it stood up better against the spiced rice.
Between the two, I preferred the mutton. The chicken was easy and comforting, but the mutton gave me more to think about, and that is usually what keeps me coming back to a dish.
Teh Tarik and Bandung
The teh tarik was sweet and milky, with a decent pull of tea underneath and a light layer of foam on top. It was on the sugary side for me, but it cut through the oil of the murtabak nicely.
The bandung was pink, creamy and rose-scented, softer and gentler than the tea. Both drinks helped calm the richness of the meal, and they run at roughly S$2.50 each as a reference price.
Service, Staff and Waiting Time
The service here is fast-paced and practical, the kind where food lands on your table before you have fully settled in. The staff were direct rather than chatty, moving quickly between the seatings, but they were friendly enough when I asked a question.
Ordering was simple, the food arrived promptly, and plates were cleared without much fuss. I waited only a short while during a busy stretch, which felt reasonable for a place with this kind of turnover.
A Simple Two-Storey Dining Atmosphere
The noise level sits somewhere between a coffee shop and a canteen, with conversation, clattering plates and the movement of people heading upstairs. Tables are close together, the lighting is bright and functional, and the space was clean enough for a busy working restaurant.
The simple seatings are part of the old-school character, so this is not a spot for a quiet, lingering dinner. It suits groups, families and anyone happy to eat well without ceremony, though those wanting calm might prefer somewhere gentler.
Singapore Zam Zam and More Than a Century of History
The restaurant says it opened in 1908, which means it has been serving people here for over a century. The name Zam Zam refers to the holy water associated with Mecca, and knowing that added a quiet weight to the meal, something I did not expect.
This is a popular Indian Muslim restaurant, halal, and best known for murtabak, nasi biryani and many other dishes. I did not come for the history lesson though. I came for the food, and the history simply sat in the background like an old photo on the wall.
The Story Between Two Restaurants
While learning more about Singapore Zam Zam, I came across its long-standing rivalry with neighbouring Victory, two familiar businesses that have shared this stretch of North Bridge Road for generations. In Singapore’s food world, stories between neighbouring restaurants can become almost as well known as the dishes they serve.
The rivalry took a serious turn following an Aug. 26, 2015 incident involving a man connected to the neighbouring business, which resulted in a permanent scar on his face. A former Singapore Zam Zam owner was later sentenced in May 2020 to six years in jail and six strokes of the cane.
But honestly, I think that difficult chapter should not mar the wider story of a restaurant that continues to welcome diners today, with its reputation ultimately resting on the food, service and experience guests find at the table.
Prices and What to Know Before Visiting
Prices are reasonable for the portions. Mutton murtabak starts from S$8, briyani sits at roughly S$8.50 as a reference, and both the teh tarik and bandung run around S$2.50 each. Menu prices can change, and delivery-app prices may run higher than what you pay dining in.
The restaurant is open throughout the week according to its official information. It works best for groups sharing a large murtabak, and peak periods around meal times get busy, so consider going a little earlier or planning for takeaway if you want to avoid the crowd. Check the latest menu page before you visit.
Is Singapore Zam Zam Worth Visiting?
For me, the mutton murtabak was the strongest thing on the table, crisp and generous, the dish I would order again without thinking twice. The rice-forward briyani was the one soft spot, milder than I hoped, though the mutton and its gravy made up for a lot.
If you want polish and quiet, this is not that place. But if you want honest Indian Muslim food with a long memory behind it, Singapore Zam Zam still earns its spot on North Bridge Road, and I left full in more ways than one.
