A crispy Chinese-Muslim pastry that was once served at Ramadan bazaars has become one of Singapore’s latest food sensations, with customers reportedly willing to wait up to an hour for a taste.
At the centre of the buzz is Ameen Roti, a Muslim-owned business founded by Harun Min, a 36-year-old former middle-school teacher from Linxia in China’s Gansu province. What began as an unexpected business venture has grown into two permanent Singapore outlets, one at Haji Lane and another at Century Square in Tampines.
The concept is simple: handmade, paper-thin dough wrapped around a savoury meat filling, then fried until the outside turns crisp and flaky while the inside remains juicy and tender.
But this isn’t your typical roti prata.
A Chinese street-food tradition lands in Singapore
The dish is commonly known in China as a form of niu rou bing, or beef pancake, with different regional names and preparations. In Singapore and Malaysia, it has increasingly been marketed as “Chinese beef roti.”
The style served at Ameen Roti draws from the food traditions of China’s Hui Muslim community. Min says his recipe is based on a traditional Xi’an Muslim preparation, with spices sourced from China and fresh beef obtained locally.
The pastry can look deceptively familiar. Its flaky layers may remind Singaporeans of prata, while its appearance can also bring to mind Chinese scallion pancakes and other filled flatbreads.
The flavour, however, is distinctly savoury, with seasoned meat, aromatics and Chinese-Muslim spices packed between layers of handmade dough.
Berita Harian reported that the dough is stretched and repeatedly folded to create its layered texture before being filled with minced meat, onions and spring onions. The roti is then pan-fried until golden and crisp on the outside while remaining moist inside.
The queues started before Ameen Roti had a permanent home
Before opening its standalone shops, the business tested the concept at pasar malam stalls and the 2026 Ramadan bazaar at Jalan Sultan.
The response was strong.
According to Min, queues at the temporary stalls helped convince him that Singapore had an appetite for the dish. During the Ramadan bazaar, videos and reports showed customers lining up despite rainy conditions.
Berita Harian also reported that the stall, then operating under the name De Yuan Imperial Crispy Beef Roti, attracted long lines at the Kampong Gelam Ramadan bazaar.
That popularity eventually led to the opening of Ameen Roti’s permanent outlets in June.
CNA reports that customers can still expect waits of roughly 30 to 60 minutes during peak periods.
A former teacher becomes a food entrepreneur
Min’s path into the food business was anything but conventional.
He spent six years working as a middle-school teacher in his hometown, teaching Chinese and mathematics. He also holds a postgraduate degree in sociology from Northwest Minzu University and had experimented with several businesses before turning his attention to food.
His interest in beef roti grew after travelling around Southeast Asia.
He initially considered opening a Chinese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur after noticing the popularity of beef roti among Malaysian diners. After spending time in Singapore, however, he decided the city-state offered a better environment for the concept.
Singapore’s multicultural food culture, business environment and international customer base ultimately convinced him to make the move.
Only two items are on the menu
Despite the growing attention, Ameen Roti keeps its menu remarkably small.
There are currently just two main products:
- Beef Roti — S$6
- Chicken Roti — S$5.50
CNA reports that the business has invested approximately S$300,000 so far with two partners. Three Chinese-Muslim cooks from Min’s hometown work at the business, each with more than 20 years of experience making beef roti.
The preparation is deliberately hands-on.
The dough is stretched thin, filled and folded before being fried in small batches. Min says achieving the crisp exterior requires careful control of the dough and high heat.
Berita Harian similarly reported that the business prepares its dough and meat fillings by hand, with each roti cooked to achieve a crisp exterior and softer, moist interior.
Muslim-owned—but don’t confuse that with halal certification
This is one detail that deserves particular attention.
Ameen Roti is Muslim-owned, but CNA reported on Aug. 21, 2026, that the business was still planning to apply for halal certification.
That distinction matters.
A business being Muslim-owned is not automatically the same thing as holding formal halal certification. Therefore, articles and social-media posts should avoid describing Ameen Roti as formally halal-certified unless and until the relevant certification is confirmed.
Interestingly, Berita Harian’s July coverage referred to the food as Chinese halal roti and highlighted its roots in the Hui Muslim food tradition. But the newer CNA report specifically states that the company is planning to apply for halal certification.
For diners who require formal certification, checking the outlet’s current certification status before visiting remains the safest approach.
Why the beef roti is suddenly everywhere
Ameen Roti isn’t operating in isolation.
Chinese-style beef roti has been gaining visibility across Singapore and Malaysia, with other vendors also attracting attention. Community discussions in Singapore have highlighted the rapid appearance of beef-roti stalls and the popularity of both beef and chicken versions.
The broader appeal is easy to understand: it combines the visual familiarity of a flaky flatbread with the novelty of Chinese-Muslim flavours.
And because each piece is prepared in front of customers, the cooking process becomes part of the experience.
For social-media audiences, that combination is almost tailor-made for viral food content: stretching dough, layering fillings, sizzling pans and a dramatic crispy finish.
From Ramadan bazaar curiosity to Haji Lane food stop
Ameen Roti’s rapid rise illustrates how Singapore’s food scene can turn an unfamiliar regional speciality into a mainstream talking point.
What began as a relatively niche Chinese-Muslim street food became a Ramadan-bazaar attraction, then moved into permanent retail locations.
The Haji Lane outlet seats around 15 to 25 people depending on the report, while the Century Square location is primarily a takeaway operation. CNA lists the Haji Lane outlet at 674 North Bridge Road and the Century Square outlet at #03-19, 2 Tampines Central 5.
And with queues still reaching 30 to 60 minutes during busy periods, the question is no longer whether Singapore diners are curious about Chinese-Muslim beef roti.
The bigger question is whether this once-unfamiliar street snack can become Singapore’s next enduring food trend.
For now, the queues suggest customers aren’t ready to stop eating it.
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