The Finest Places to Get Kebabs in Singapore

Singapore is no stranger to Mediterranean or Middle Eastern cuisine. You can find these cuisines in high-end gourmet restaurants or even hole-in-the-wall hawker stores, as is the trend in Singapore. But once you take a good hard look at all your choices, one dish stays consistent among the menus: The kebab. This glorious piece of charred skewered or sandwiched meat is tender to the bite and is packed full of flavors and seasonings that will keep you coming back for more.

What is a Kebab?

Originating from the Middle East, the kebab’s history is as long as its list of spices. There are many types of kebabs, and not all of them are made with meat. Most kebabs are made of chicken, beef, lamb, or seafood, but some kebabs can also feature vegetable or falafel-like meat substitutes that are just as flavorful. Then there are the types of kebabs: the skewered shish kebabs and the sandwiched doner kebabs. Shish kebabs are served as meals, often accompanied by rice, vegetables, and pickled onions. On the other hand, doner kebabs are pieces of grilled meat stuffed in a pita or flatbread that much resembles the Greek gyro.

Regardless of which form your preferred kebab takes, it’s sure to come packed with flavor. Now strap yourselves in because we’re taking a deep dive into Singapore’s kebab scene to find out which kebabs are king.

Best Places to Get Kebabs in Singapore

1

Donergy

Donergy is Singapore’s no-nonsense doner kebab shack, offering sweet and savory Turkish cuisine that is sure to make your mouth water. If you ever find yourself in the area, drop by and try one of their chicken kebab rolls on the go, or with a side of rice or salad if you’re looking to dine in. Donergy’s kebabs come with a variety of sides and fillings that make the dining experience just that more authentic. Fillings such as garlic yogurt sauce, pickles, and chili sauce.

This doner kebab restaurant also offers a variety of Turkish desserts, including the elusive Turkish ice cream that you may have seen once or twice on the internet! This, along with their varied list of drinks available, ties a pretty bow around your doner kebab dining experience. If you ever decide to drop by Donergy, take your time and savor everything that this restaurant has to offer.

We pop by whenever we miss the delicious food we had in Turkey. The best Turkish eatery we’ve had so far in Singapore. Relaxed set up without the trimmings of a tourist trap. Hearty. Fresh. Generous servings. Delicious. Good service. – KYChingS Y

2

Turkish Lezzet House

If you ever find yourself in Singapore’s Suntec City mall, just follow the mouthwatering smell of grilled lamb meat and you’ll easily find this Turkish Treat. The Turkish Lezzet House is home to some of the tastiest and most affordable doner kebabs in Singapore. Turkish Lezzet Hosue’s restaurant atmosphere isn’t as intimidating as some of the others on this list, instead this restaurant and its staff greet you with a warm smile and a cold drink every time you dine in.

Led by Chef Amet, this Turkish restaurant’s menu revolves around its juicy kebabs. Every dish is made fresh on-site, including all the authentic sides that come with their specialty kebabs. Their flatbreads are baked fresh every day, still piping hot when they’re served at your table, perfect for dipping or stuffing. As for the kebabs themselves, each kebab is carved live in their open kitchen for you to see. It’s also worth mentioning that this restaurant is completely halal!

We found this outlet when we were walking around Suntec City. Not the best location but fantastic Turkish food. We ordered quite a few dishes and the food was delivered hot and fresh. The Cheese Pide was appropriately sized for 3 of us. The Falafel was slightly different from what we had in Istanbul. The Cheese Rolls were simply delectable! – Mikha’el Abdul

3

Arkadas

Turkish cuisine is more than just its ingredients or preparation, but rather this feeling of being at home. This is the feeling that Arkadas wants to emulate in their dishes, serving food that transports you to a Turkish household with all the warmth and love you’d expect in a home-cooked meal. Arkadas’ group of chefs is equipped with the skills and knowledge to deliver one of the most authentic Turkish experiences you can have in Singapore.

Arkadas offers a wide variety of Turkish appetizers, entrees, and desserts with plating that looks as good as they taste. As for the restaurant’s kebabs, Arkadas offers both doner kebabs and shish kebabs. If you were to ask me, I would order their shish kebabs in a heartbeat! Their shish kebabs come complete with Turkish butter rice and homemade sides, served on a metal skewer to ensure that the heat cooks the meat from the inside to ensure that the flavors are locked in. Transport your taste buds to Turkey from the comfort of this Singaporean restaurant now!

Having tried other Turkish restaurants, Arkansas definitely is amongst the better ones. It’s located in a very nice setting, surrounded by greenery. The food tastes similar to other Turkish restaurants but the meat is more tender. We tried the mixed grill and Sultan’s delight. The restaurant was crowded and service was slow. Prices were double what the old Google map photos had. But we enjoyed ourselves nevertheless. – Chris Lee

4

Derwish Turkish Mediterranean Restaurant

From the architecture to the food, this restaurant is Mediterranean through and through. Derwish Turkish Mediterranean Restaurant exudes elegance and style while serving some of the best halal food you can find in Singapore. One step inside this beautiful restaurant, and the sights, sounds, and smells are sure to affirm that this really is the real deal.

Offering a variety of Turkish cuisine as organized by their team of Mediterranean chefs, Derwish promises to serve authentic Mediterranean food made fresh and in-house every day. Their kebabs come in both shish and doner forms, offering a variety of meats such as lamb, pork, beef, and fish. If that array of meats isn’t’ for you, then maybe their vegetarian mushroom kebab option would suit your palette more. Make sure to cap off your kebab cravings with their sweet Turkish desserts and drinks as well. Whatever Turkish food you’re craving, Derwish is sure to have it and way more!

Everything we ordered was super yummy! It looks so good on the plate and we loved the mixed platter of 5 different dips that came with lavash bread. The minced chicken dish was a delight, we cut into it and cheesy mushrooms came pouring out. The service was SO GOOD we felt very welcome. Love this place, am definitely coming back and bringing friends along! – Aileen Chua

5

Hapiha

Speaking of accessible Mediterranean Food, why not start in Singapore’s signature hawker centers? Enter HaPiHa, a hawker stall manned by Albanian national and self-taught chef Klevis Shima. Klevis was once an illegal immigrant turned hawker stall owner after seeing an alarming lack of Mediterranean cuisine in the hawker centers of Singapore, and the rest is history. HaPiHa is an Albanian word that translates to “eat-drink-eat”, and oh boy does this hawker stall have that in spades.

Perhaps one of Klevis’ culinary pride and joy would be the chicken doner kebab, roasted fresh daily with the freshest ingredients available. Each kebab is served with their secret Tzatziki sauce, concocted by Klevis himself for this restaurant. If you ever find yourself stumbling to this hawker center with friends, then I highly recommend the Hapiha meat platter so you can sample everything that this small restaurant has to offer. All in all, HaPiHa is a delicious hawker stall serving restaurant-quality kebabs for everyone to enjoy.

Had the lamb kebab in a pita. So good. Lamb was well seasoned, fresh veg in a super blend of sauces! Will be back to try other items. – Marilyn Lim

6

Alaturka

For the ultimate authentic Turkish experience, why not try Michelin Guide Singapore’s Bib Gourmand awardee Alaturka? Located in Singapore’s Arab street, this Turkish restaurant offers a dining experience that makes full use of the historic street around it. Surrounded by the Middle Eastern community of Singapore, this little restaurant has become the favorite of many locals looking to sate their kebab craving, and for good reason.

Alaturka specializes in shish kebabs, served with their butter rice and seasonal greens to add a layer of richness to their meals. Their kebabs come in a variety of meats and forms, ranging from minced chicken to whole cubes of lamb. Each serving of kebab also comes with its signature house sauce, perfectly paired with the intense flavor profiles of Turkish cuisine. Whether you’re dining alone or want to dine with a group of like-stomached friends, this restaurant is perfect for you.

First time having Turkish food, and it was a pleasant surprise! Aside from the food looking amazing, the taste was great, too. Each item was seasoned well and was flavourful! – Emilia Tan

7

Beirut Grill

This little gem of a restaurant finds its home in the historic Bussorah street, commonly known as Arab street. Founded in 2009, Beirut Grill is a 2-story Lebanese-style lounge serving up authentic Lebanese dishes for Singaporeans to enjoy. Through the years of its service, Beirut grill has earned multiple awards for its service and food, at one time being heralded as the best Middle Eastern dining experience you can have on the island.

As the name suggests, Beirut Grill specializes in serving amazing grilled dishes using the freshest and most authentic meats and spices. If you’re dining here for the first time, I cannot recommend the mixed grilled kebab platter enough. Each of their kebabs, ranging from lamb to beef, are char-grilled to perfection. This platter is served beautifully, hanging on by their metal skewers still fresh from the grill, and paired with Arabic rice and grilled vegetables. Beirut Grill also serves wine imported all the way from Lebanon to give you an even more authentic Lebanese dining experience.

Great vibes great food. Best to dine with your loved ones. I recommend the dip platter (cold mezze) if you love trying a variety of flavors in one meal. Their meat dishes are well cooked as well. Personally, I love the eggplant dish that comes with cheese. – Leonard Gay

8

Fat Prince

Elevate your dining experience by dining at Fat Prince, a Mediterranean restaurant that balances quality cuisine with quality design. The restaurant is designed in a way that is both regal yet strangely inviting, complete with an in-restaurant bar for an even more intimate atmosphere. With a restaurant of this caliber, it’s only normal to assume that the food is as good as it looks, and you would be right.

Fat Prince offers an upgraded version of authentic shish kebabs, as well as some classics. Of course, there are charcoal chicken kebabs that every local is familiar with, grilled to perfection as expected. But then there are the unique offerings such as their pork rib kebabs, or most notably their truffle falafel kebabs. If you ever find yourself looking for a twist to your kebab cravings, then Fat Prince is the place for you.

Excellent food and cocktails, and great service. Great tasting small plates and mains for vegetarians and meat eaters. We were super impressed with the shakshuka and fried cauliflower. French toast was really well done too. The hummus was a tad dry and the texture and taste felt more like a mashed potato than paste. – Marc Ha

9

Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant

Awarded with TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice award for 2022, Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant offers diners a chance to taste authentic Turkish cuisine in Singapore. Established in 1999, this Turkish restaurant has only gotten better with time, expanding its restaurant space and dish offerings to better serve its growing customer base. With food this good, who can blame them? Sofra’s dishes are created by Turkish chefs using imported ingredients to ensure that you are getting the most authentic Turkish cuisine available.

Sofra offers tons of kebab varieties, both shish and doner. Their shish kebabs are cooked in an open flame grill, mounted on metal skewers that cook the meat perfectly both inside and out. Whether you get the kebab minced or cubed, these kebabs are sure to pack a flavorful punch. As for the doner versions, these kebabs are wrapped with the restaurant’s homemade flatbread made from scratch. Dining at Sofra will always be a memorable experience.

The food here is really good. The meats are all tasty and juicy, and overall very enjoyable. I enjoyed every dish I ordered without exception, and it is fairly rare to find such a place. – Jia Zhe Chai

10

Kazbar

This modern Mediterranean restaurant offers a dining experience that is unlike any other on this list. Kazbar is a multi-award-winning restaurant at the heart of Singapore’s business centers, serving up cocktails and drinks that are best paired with many of their entrees and appetizers. Headed by a Lebanese chef, Chef Kamel, Kazbar is sure to sweep you off your feet. If you had any doubts about Mediterranean food, then this restaurant will surely put those doubts to sleep.

Kazbar’s kebabs are cooked over an open charcoal flame, sending a smoky and spicy scent throughout the entire restaurant. Offering a variety of Middle Eastern cuisine, this restaurant serves up mouthwatering lamb kebabs both in mince or cube forms. Regardless of how you enjoy it, these kebabs are perfectly accompanied by their saffron rice and house salad, along with a few specialty sauces. To cap your dining experience off, I recommend trying one of their many specialty cocktails, all designed to complement the expansive Middle Eastern flavor profile.

Lovely Middle Eastern set lunch! My team and I weren’t sure what to expect as this was our first visit to Kazbar, but we were very pleasantly surprised with the all-smiles service and exquisite set lunch offering. – Justin Koh

Whether you’re craving a casual kebab meal or looking to enjoy a whole platter with your friends, Singapore has it for you. Of all these Singaporean kebab joints mentioned in the list, there is one common factor among all of them, and it isn’t just the cuisine. The places on this list have all exuded this feeling of home and comfort, creating a dining experience that makes you feel like you really are in Turkey or Lebanon. It’s a feeling that is hard to describe in words, so I suggest getting out there and experiencing it for yourself!

Do check out our list of Hawker Centres and try their different delicacies.