Kunafa—also known as kunefe, kunafeh, and kanafeh—has taken over social media over the past couple of years, with local and international brands coming up with unique renditions of the dessert. From the viral Dubai kunafa chocolate bars to kunafa-flavoured gelato, we’ve compiled a list of the best kunafa desserts to try in Singapore!
Traditionally, kunafa is made with crispy kataifi pastry (shredded filo dough) that’s layered with cheese and soaked in a sweet syrup, then topped with crushed pistachios. If you’re looking for more traditional options, you can check out our list of the best baklava and kunefe in Singapore instead.
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Image credit: @fixdessertchocolatier
FIX Dessert Chocolatier shot to internet fame last year for their loaded chocolate bars. The Dubai brand’s most popular flavour is Can’t Get Knafeh of It-Hero, which retails for $65 for a 200g bar at local candy store SGFR. You get creamy milk chocolate encasing a generous amount of pistachio paste and crispy kunafa pastry. Besides FIX, you’ll also find alternative brands selling the kunafa-inspired chocolate bar on the SGFR site!
Check out our FIX Dessert Chocolatier feature.
Website | Full list of outlets
FIX Dessert Chocolatier bars are halal-certified.
If the FIX chocolate bars are out of your budget, consider a more affordable alternative: Nova Bakehouse. Based in Singapore, the online bakery’s Pistachio Kunafe Chocolate bar goes for just $25, which is $40 cheaper than the original Dubai version. This chocolate bar comprises crunchy filo pastry with sweet pistachio paste, surrounded by a milk chocolate exterior. We tried this rendition and found that the nutty flavour was rather mild, so pistachio fans might be disappointed with it.
There also a Pistachio Cream Cheese ($25) flavour, which incorporates tangy cream cheese in the mix!
Check out our Nova Bakehouse feature.
Website
Nova Bakehouse is a Muslim-owned business.
Terang Bulan SG is said to be the first and only eatery in Singapore selling kunafa-inspired martabak manis. Their Chocolate Kunafa ($15) flavour stars six slices of thick Indonesian-style pancake loaded with margarine, Nutella, crunchy kunafa pastry, and pistachio cream. It’s rich and sweet, with a lovely crunch from the shredded filo pastry. You can also find more regular martabak manis flavours here, including Cheesy Corn and Choco Rice, priced at $7.50 each.
Check out our Terang Bulan SG feature!
Address: 1 Engku Aman Road, #02-07, Wisma 409923
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 10am to 8pm, Fri-Sun 10am to 9pm
Website
Terang Bulan SG is a Muslim-owned eatery.
You can enjoy the seasonal Dubai Chocolate gelato at Burnt Cones’ five outlets for a limited time only. Priced at $7 for a single scoop, this kunafa-inspired flavour features milk chocolate gelato with swirls of pistachio cream, topped with a mix of tahini and crunchy filo pastry, as well as nutty pistachio paste. The gelato is also covered in a layer of tempered chocolate, which recreates the iconic cracking action one gets when cracking open the original FIX chocolate bars!
Read our Burnt Cones feature.
Website | Full list of outlets
Burnt Cones is not a halal-certified eatery.
For kunafa in trendy flavours, look no further than Jay & Twins. The Joo Chiat hawker stall offers kunafa in six flavours: Pistachio, Biscoff, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Nutella, and Dark Indulgence. Each serving costs $15, and can feed two to three people. The Pistachio is said to the most popular flavour, comprising melted cheese encased in buttery kataifi pastry, then drenched in copious amounts of pistachio sauce.
Check out our Jay & Twins coverage.
Address: 2 Joo Chiat Road, Chew N Chat Food Court, #01-1127, Joo Chiat Complex, Singapore 420002
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11am to 9:30pm, Fri 10:30am to 10pm, Sat-Sun 10:30am to 10:30pm
Tel: 9757 4400
Website
Jay And Twins is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Momolato is a new dessert cafe by an award-winning gelato champion at North Bridge Road. Kunafa fans should try their Sicilian Pistacho Kunafa ($21), where a freshly baked buttermilk waffle is paired with Sicilian pistachio cream, kataifi pastry, and stretchy cheese, then finished with a scoop of pistachio gelato and fresh fruits. If you prefer hazelnuts to pistachios, consider their Chocolate Hazelnut Kunafa ($19) waffle instead.
Check out our Momolato North Bridge feature!
Address: 723 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198691
Opening hours: Sun, Tue-Thurs 11am to 11pm, Fri-Sat 11am to 1am
Tel: 9679 7268
Website
Momolato is a halal-certified eatery.
When we visited One18 Bakery‘s new Bugis outlet for their pastry buffet, we tried and loved their mini Pistachio Kunafa Croissant. Good news: you can get a regular-sized version of this sweet treat for $7 at the store, in limited quantities daily! This pastry features a buttery croissant stuffed with a combination of pistachio cream and crispy kunafa, topped with more of that deliciously nutty mixture and crushed nuts. If you’re in the mood for more pastries, consider their buffet, well-priced at $29.90 per person!
Check out our One18 Bakery buffet feature!
Address: 757 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198725
Opening hours: Daily 7am to 8pm
Tel: 9111 1712
Website
One18 Bakery is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Halal bakery Two Bake Boys recently rolled out two new treats: Pistachio Chocolate Kunafa Cake ($62.50) and Pandan Pistachio Kunafa Cake ($62.50). The former is a six-inch cake inspired by the rich Middle Eastern dessert, comprising a smooth pistachio filling packed with crunchy filo pastry, layered between chocolate sponge cakes. For something a little different, order the pandan version, which swaps the chocolate layers for pandan-infused cake.
Check out our Two Bake Boys feature.
Address: 360 Balestier Road, #03-09/K2, Shaw Plaza, Singapore 329783
Opening hours: Sun, Tue-Thurs 10am to 8:30pm, Mon 10am to 6:30pm, Fri-Sat 10am to 10pm
Tel: 8782 6566
Website
Two Bake Boys is a halal-certified eatery.
Muslim-owned cafe Overrun has launched their Kunafa Brownie Bites (price TBD), available for a limited time only! This indulgent dessert stars fudgy brownie cubes, topped with a scoop of crunchy pistachio kunafa pastry, loaded with rich chocolate ganache. That’s not all: a generous swirl of chocolate soft serve and extra spoonfuls of chocolate sauce complete the sweet treat.
If you prefer the dessert in cake form, consider the Pistachio Dream Cake ($40), another limited-time special. You get a chocolate cake layer layered with pistachio kunafa pastry, milk chocolate, and pistachio cream.
Address: 29 Arab Street, Singapore 199728
Opening hours: Tue-Thurs 12pm to 8:30pm, Fri-Sat 12pm to 10pm, Sun 12pm to 6pm
Website
Overrun is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Sugar Mama Lah is a new kiosk in Bugis selling tiramisu served in cute bento boxes. They offer a unique Pistachio Kunafa Tiramisu ($13.90), which combines tiramisu cake made with ladyfinger business, chocolate, pistachio, and crispy kunafa pastry, for a sweet and creamy dessert. You’ll also find other trendy flavours such as Taro Tiramisu ($12.90) and Matcha Tiramisu ($10.90).
Read our Sugar Mama Lah feature.
Address: 730 North Bridge Road, Level 1 (Counter 2), Curbside Crafter, Singapore 198698
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11am to 7:30pm
Tel: 8896 9123
Website
Sugar Mama Lah is in the process of getting halal-certified.
Now that you know where to get the best kunafa desserts, head out and try them soon before they’re taken off the menu!
For more sweet treats, check out our master guide to the best desserts in Singapore. We also have our late-night dessert guide for whenever you’re feeling the midnight munchies.
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