Falafel Singapore | Halal Hot Appetizers at Zuzu Bussorah Street

Hot mezze is where the table wakes up. After the cold dips arrive and the bread is pulled through the hummus, the hot appetizers come out crispy börek with cheese and herbs, golden falafel with tahini, grilled halloumi with a salt crust, kibbeh with its bulgur shell and spiced meat filling. At Zuzu on Bussorah Street, four hot starters made fresh in our Muslim-owned kitchen. Available for dine-in or islandwide online delivery.

Our Hot Appetizers

Falafel — $15.12

Ground chickpeas blended with parsley, garlic, cumin and coriander, shaped and deep-fried until the outside is crisp and the inside stays tender and green. Served with tahini dipping sauce. Falafel at Zuzu is made to order not held under a lamp. The difference in texture is immediate. One of the most-ordered starters on the table, and one of the best halal falafel options in Singapore near Bugis.

Halloumi Cheese — $16.72

Sliced halloumi grilled until golden on the outside with a firm, slightly salty interior. Halloumi has a high melting point it holds its shape under direct heat and develops a crust without turning liquid. That is what makes it work as a hot starter rather than just a cheese course. Served hot, best eaten quickly. If you have never had grilled halloumi cheese before, this is the order to make.

Börek — $14.32

Thin Turkish yufka pastry rolled around a filling of white cheese and herbs, then fried until the shell is paper-crisp and the cheese inside is warm and melted. Known in Turkey as sigara böreği cigarette börek  because of the rolled, cylindrical shape. This is one of the most fundamental items in the Turkish kitchen, served at breakfast, lunch and as a mezze starter. If you are looking for börek in Singapore, Zuzu is one of the few halal kitchens making it properly.

Kibbeh — $17.52

Oval-shaped croquettes with a shell of fine bulgur wheat encasing a filling of spiced minced meat, pine nuts and onion, fried until the outer crust is crunchy and the filling is hot through. Kibbeh comes from the Levantine kitchen Lebanon and Syria claim it, but it has been on Turkish and Mediterranean tables for centuries. Substantial enough to work as a light main for one person, or as a shared starter for a larger table before the grill mains.

Muslim-Owned, Halal and Made Fresh  Available Islandwide

Zuzu is a Muslim-owned restaurant. Every item on the hot appetizer menu falafel, halloumi, börek, kibbeh is prepared in a halal kitchen at 45 Bussorah Street. No separate halal section, no modified version for Muslim guests. The full menu is halal for every person at the table.

All hot appetizers are made fresh to order. If you are dining in, the hot starters come out alongside or just after the cold mezze the two courses work together, not sequentially. If you are ordering delivery, the items are packaged hot and travel well.

Why Our Hot Starters Are Worth Ordering

• Made to order, not held — falafel, börek and halloumi are all made fresh when you order them. No reheated batches, no food under a lamp.
• Muslim-owned and halal — every hot appetizer at Zuzu is prepared in a halal kitchen. Confirmed, not just certified.
• Mostly vegetarian-friendly — börek (cheese), falafel (chickpea) and halloumi (cheese) are all vegetarian. Kibbeh contains minced meat. Good for mixed dietary groups ordering together.
• Works with the full mezze format — pair hot starters with cold appetizers and fresh bread for a full mezze opening before the grill mains or pide.
• Dine in or order delivery — 45 Bussorah Street, next to Sultan Mosque, near Bugis MRT. Free delivery over $100.

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Hot Appetizers

Is the falafel at Zuzu halal?

Yes. All food at Zuzu is halal. Zuzu is a Muslim-owned restaurant at 45 Bussorah Street, Singapore, next to Sultan Mosque. The falafel and every other hot appetizer on the menu is prepared in a halal kitchen. There is no separate halal preparation the entire menu is halal for every guest.

What is börek and where can I get it in Singapore?

Börek (also written as borek or sigara böreği) is a Turkish pastry made from thin yufka or filo dough, filled with white cheese and herbs, and fried until crispy. It is one of the most traditional items in the Turkish kitchen served at breakfast, as a snack and as a hot mezze starter. At Zuzu, börek is made fresh in our halal kitchen at 45 Bussorah Street. It is one of the few places in Singapore serving halal börek in the traditional style.

What does grilled halloumi cheese taste like?

Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese that holds its shape when grilled it does not melt. The exterior develops a golden crust and slight crispness, while the interior stays firm and slightly chewy. The flavour is mild and salty. It is satisfying in the way that most fried or grilled cheese dishes are, without being heavy. At Zuzu, halloumi is served hot straight from the grill. Best eaten immediately.

What is kibbeh?

Kibbeh is a Levantine dish with a shell made from fine bulgur wheat and ground meat, filled with spiced minced meat, onion and pine nuts, then deep-fried until the casing is crunchy. It is common across Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and the wider Eastern Mediterranean. At Zuzu, kibbeh is available as a hot appetizer starter at $17.52, or as part of a shared mezze spread before the main courses.

Are the hot appetizers vegetarian-friendly?

Three of the four are vegetarian. Börek is filled with cheese and herbs. Falafel is made from chickpeas with no meat. Halloumi cheese is grilled without any meat content. Kibbeh contains spiced minced meat and is not vegetarian. If you are ordering for a mixed group, börek, falafel and halloumi cover the vegetarian guests completely. Contact us on WhatsApp at +65 9845 5545 if you need to confirm ingredients for any specific dietary requirement.

Can I order hot appetizers for delivery in Singapore?

Yes. All hot appetizers are available for islandwide online delivery. Free delivery on orders above $100. Order online here or contact us on WhatsApp at +65 9845 5545. Items are packaged hot. For best results, eat them as soon as they arrive particularly the börek and falafel, where the crispness is best fresh.

Where is Zuzu Restaurant?

45 Bussorah Street, Singapore 199463 — right next to Sultan Mosque in Kampong Glam, a short walk from Bugis MRT Exit B. Open daily from 10am. Get directions here.