My Visit to Afghanistan Family Restaurant | Updated Menu
I’d heard about Afghan food here and there for a while before I actually tried it the kind of thing you catch in passing on a food video every few months and file away as “I should try that someday.” It stayed in the back of my mind rather than turning into an actual plan, until one day I was just hungry and wanted something different from my usual rotation. I did a quick local search for what was around, and an Afghan restaurant in Tampines came up. That was enough of a nudge to actually go.
What I found was a proper, long-running family restaurant with a genuinely huge menu and the meal itself turned out to be delicious, in a way that made me glad I’d finally acted on that curiosity instead of just filing it away again.
About Afghanistan Family Restaurant
Afghanistan Family Restaurant sits at 201E Tampines Street 23, tucked into the row of coffee shop and food stall units that this stretch of Tampines is known for. It’s a genuinely old fixture of the neighbourhood the business has been registered and operating since 1996 which puts it in a different category from the newer, trend-driven eateries that tend to pop up and disappear in Singapore’s food scene.
It’s run as a family business, and it shows in the atmosphere casual, unpretentious, and clearly built around serving the local community rather than chasing a look for social media.
What Kind of Food to Expect
Despite the name, this isn’t a narrowly Afghan-cuisine restaurant. Once I saw the full menu, it was obvious this is closer to a full mamak-style stall the kind of place where Malay dishes (nasi lemak, lontong, mee rebus), North Indian-Muslim dishes (biryani, tandoori, naan, thosai, prata), and even Thai-influenced options (a full tom yum soup selection) all sit on the same menu. It’s an enormous spread for a single stall, and it means there’s genuinely something for almost anyone in a group, no matter what they’re in the mood for.
My Visit
By the time I actually went, I wasn’t approaching it as a planned “food outing” it was much more of a same-day decision driven by hunger and wanting something outside my usual choices. The murtabak was the dish I was most curious to try, so that was the anchor of my order, but I also picked up the fried chicken and the fried chicken nasi lemak rather than sticking to just one thing. I liked having a few different items on the table to work through instead of committing to a single dish.
One thing I noticed while I was there was that the fish curry and dhal curry both seemed to be popular pairings with the murtabak I saw them come up enough that they seemed like a default combination for regulars, even though I didn’t order either myself this time. Looking at the full menu afterward, it’s easy to see why there’s a proper yellow dhall and a full range of fish preparations to pair with the murtabak, which explains why that combination is such a common order.
Overall, it was a genuinely delicious experience, and the kind of visit that made me a little annoyed at myself for not trying it sooner given how long I’d been meaning to.
Afghanistan Family Restaurant Menu
This is the actual menu as listed in-store. Prices weren’t shown on the board, so none are listed here check with staff on the day, as is normal for a stall like this.
Tom Yum Soup
The Tom Yum section gives you a choice of seafood, meat, and vegetable-based soups. You can choose between large, medium, and small portions depending on your group or appetite. The selection includes both familiar choices and mixed seafood options for a fuller soup.
| Tom Yum Option | Available |
|---|---|
| Prawn Tom Yum Soup | Large, Medium, Small |
| Squid Tom Yum Soup | Large, Medium, Small |
| Mixed Seafood Tom Yum Soup | Large, Medium, Small |
| Beef Tom Yum Soup | Large, Medium, Small |
| Vegetable Tom Yum Soup | Large, Medium, Small |
| Chicken Tom Yum Soup | Large, Medium, Small |
| Mixed Tom Yum Soup | Large, Medium, Small |
Fish
The fish section covers both deep-fried and steamed preparations. There are several sauces and flavours, including sweet and sour, spicy, ginger, sambal, and Thai-style options. Siakap, or seabass, is also listed separately on the menu.
| Dish | Description |
|---|---|
| Ikan Masam Manis | Deep fried fish in sweet sour sauce |
| Ikan Pedas | Deep fried fish in hot & spicy sauce |
| Ikan Tiga Rasa | Deep fried fish in sweet, sour & spicy sauce |
| Ikan Halia | Deep fried fish in ginger sauce |
| Ikan Kukus Halia | Steamed fish in ginger sauce |
| Ikan Kukus Asam Limau | Steamed fish in lime sauce |
| Ikan Kukus Sambal | Steamed fish in sambal sauce |
| Ikan Kukus Tom Yum | Steamed fish in hot Thai sauce |
| Ikan Kukus Kicap | Steamed fish in soy sauce |
| Siakap (Seabass) |
Soups
The soup menu includes several choices for anyone looking for something warm and hearty. You can choose from oxtail, beef, chicken, vegetable, and fishball soup. There are also two mutton soup options listed: Sup Tulang and Sup Isi.
| Soup | Type |
|---|---|
| Soup Ekor | Oxtail Soup |
| Soup Daging | Beef Soup |
| Soup Ayam | Chicken Soup |
| Soup Sayur | Vegetable Soup |
| Soup Fishball | Fishball Soup |
| Sup Tulang | Mutton Soup |
| Sup Isi | Mutton Soup |
House Specialities
This is one of the broadest sections on the menu, with dishes from several food styles. You will find rice dishes, noodles, breads, curries, and familiar local favourites here. It is a useful section to browse if you are visiting with a group that wants different types of food.
| Category | Menu Items |
|---|---|
| Briyani | Chicken Briyani, Mutton Briyani |
| Murtabak | Chicken Murtabak, Beef Murtabak |
| Rice | Chicken Rice, Fried Chicken Rice, Fried American Rice, Pattaya Rice |
| Local Rice Dishes | Nasi Lemak, Nasi Sambal Goreng, Nasi Padang |
| Noodles | Mee Goreng, Nasi Goreng Mamak, Mee Siam, Mee Rebus |
| Malay & Local Favourites | Laksa, Bubur Nyonya, Ketupat Berlauk, Lontong, Kacang Phool |
| Breads | Naan, Capati, Tandoor Chicken, Keema |
| Snacks | Kuih Muih |
Biryani
The biryani section has both regular biryani and Dum Biryani choices. Regular biryani is available with mutton, chicken, or as a plain version. Dum Biryani gives you a wider selection, including tandoori chicken, fish, prawn, egg, vegetable, and plain options.
| Type | Options |
|---|---|
| Biryani | Mutton, Chicken, Plain |
| Dum Biryani | Tandoori Chicken, Mutton, Chicken, Fish, Prawn, Egg, Vege, Plain |
Prata
The prata menu offers a large variety, from simple plain prata to more elaborate choices. There are egg, onion, banana, chocolate, and cheese-style options across the selection. If you like different prata textures and fillings, this is one of the sections worth spending time on.
| Prata Dish | Style / Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Prata Coin Kosong | Plain |
| Prata Boom | |
| Prata Tissue with Milk | With milk |
| Prata Tissue Chocolate | Chocolate |
| Prata Banana | Banana |
| Prata Tissue | Tissue style |
| Double Egg Prata | Double egg |
| Prata Egg Onion | Egg and onion |
| Prata Egg | Egg |
| Prata Plaster | |
| Prata Planta | Planta |
| Prata Onion | Onion |
| Prata Plain | Plain |
Naan
The naan section includes both classic breads and more filled or flavoured choices. Options include garlic, butter, cheese, Keema, Kashmiri, and Afghani naan. The menu also offers a Mixed Bread Basket with several types of bread in one order.
| Naan / Bread | Details |
|---|---|
| Keema Naan | Keema naan |
| Kashmiri Naan | Kashmiri naan |
| Cheese Naan | Cheese naan |
| Tandoori Roti | Tandoori bread |
| Tandoori Prata | Tandoori prata |
| Garlic Naan | Garlic naan |
| Butter Naan | Butter naan |
| Plain Naan | Plain naan |
| Afghani Naan | Afghani naan |
| Mixed Bread Basket | Plain Naan, Butter Naan, Garlic Naan, Cheese Naan, Tandoori Prata |
Thosai
The thosai selection includes both plain and filled versions. You can choose from egg, onion, and masala combinations depending on what you prefer. There is also a Paper Thosai option for those looking for a different style.
| Thosai | Type |
|---|---|
| Thosai Egg Masala | Egg and masala |
| Thosai Masala | Masala |
| Thosai Egg Onion | Egg and onion |
| Thosai Paper | Paper thosai |
| Thosai Egg | Egg |
| Thosai Onion | Onion |
| Thosai Plain | Plain |
Rice
The rice section has simple steamed rice options as well as flavoured rice. Jeera Rice is prepared with cumin seed, while Pulao Rice includes green peas. There are also several white rice dishes served with chicken, beef, or paprik-style preparations.
| Dish | Description |
|---|---|
| Jeera Rice | Steamed fragrant basmati rice with cumin seed |
| Pulao Rice | Steamed fragrant basmati rice, pan fried with green peas |
| Steamed Basmati Rice | Plain steamed fragrant basmati rice |
White Rice dishes: Nasi Ayam Kicap, Nasi Ayam Merah, Nasi Daging Kicap, Nasi Daging Merah, Nasi Paprik.
| White Rice Dish | Type |
|---|---|
| Nasi Ayam Kicap | Chicken with soy sauce |
| Nasi Ayam Merah | Chicken with red sauce |
| Nasi Daging Kicap | Beef with soy sauce |
| Nasi Daging Merah | Beef with red sauce |
| Nasi Paprik | Paprik-style rice dish |
Claypot & Hotplate
The Claypot & Hotplate section focuses on hearty noodle and rice dishes. Beef versions are available with Bee Hoon, Kway Teow, Mee, and Rice. Chicken and seafood versions are also available, along with Beancurd Hotplate.
| Dish Type | Protein / Version |
|---|---|
| Claypot Bee Hoon | Beef, Chicken, Seafood |
| Claypot Kway Teow | Beef, Chicken, Seafood |
| Claypot Mee | Beef, Chicken, Seafood |
| Claypot Rice | Beef, Chicken, Seafood |
| Beancurd Hotplate | Beancurd |
Eggs
The egg section includes omelettes and wrapped egg dishes with different fillings. You can choose options featuring beef, chicken, prawns, or onion. For a simpler order, Telur Dadar Kosong is available in medium and small sizes.
| Egg Dish | Details |
|---|---|
| Telur Bungkus Daging | Egg with beef |
| Telur Dadar Udang | Prawn omelette |
| Telur Thai Beef Steak | Thai beef steak with egg |
| Telur Bungkus Ayam | Egg with chicken |
| Telur Dadar Bawang | Onion omelette Medium / Small |
| Telur Dadar Kosong | Plain omelette Medium / Small |
Fish Fillet
The Fish Fillet section gives you several sauce choices for the same basic protein. Flavours include sweet and sour, spicy, soy sauce, black pepper, and three-flavour sauce. There is also a Thai Sauce option for a different style of preparation.
| Fish Fillet | Sauce / Style |
|---|---|
| Fish Fillet Masam Manis | Sweet sour |
| Fish Fillet Pedas | Hot & spicy |
| Fish Fillet Kicap | Soy sauce |
| Fish Fillet Black Pepper | Black pepper |
| Fish Fillet Tiga Rasa | Sweet, sour & spicy |
| Fish Fillet Thai Sauce | Thai sauce |
Curries & Other Mains
This section brings together curries, masala dishes, and several main-course choices. There are chicken, beef, and mutton options, along with vegetarian choices such as Aloo Ghobi and Yellow Dhall. You can also find Manchurian, Chicken Tikka, and Egg Masala among the other mains.
| Main Dish | Type / Details |
|---|---|
| Beef Rheema | Beef |
| Mutton Masalah | Mutton |
| Beef Masalah | Beef |
| Chicken Curry | Chicken curry |
| Butter Chicken | Butter chicken |
| Plak Panner | Paneer |
| Yellow Dhall | Dhall |
| Mutton Masala | Mutton |
| Chicken Masala | Chicken |
| Butter Chicken Masala | Butter chicken |
| Manchurian Prawn | Prawn |
| Manchurian Chicken | Chicken |
| Chicken Tikka | Chicken |
| Aloo Ghobi | Vegetable |
| Egg Masala | Egg |
Feast for 5 (Set Meal)
The Feast for 5 is a sharing set designed for a group meal. It combines bread, tandoori chicken, curries, Manchurian dishes, vegetables, egg, and fish fillet. There are choices within the set, allowing you to select different mains according to your group’s preference.
| Set Component | Included / Choice |
|---|---|
| Mixed Bread Basket | 4 plain naan, 2 garlic naan, 2 butter naan, 1 cheese naan |
| Tandoori Chicken | Half a Tandoori Chicken |
| Dhall | Yellow Dhall |
| Masala Choice | Mutton Masala, Chicken Masala, or Butter Chicken Masala |
| Manchurian Choice | Manchurian Prawn or Manchurian Chicken |
| Chicken | Chicken Tikka |
| Vegetable | Aloo Ghobi |
| Egg | Egg Masala |
| Fish | Fish Fillet |
Beverages
The beverage menu has a very large selection of hot and cold drinks. Classic local drinks such as Teh Tarik, Kopi, Milo, Horlicks, and ginger-based drinks are available. There is also a selection of canned drinks for anyone looking for a familiar packaged beverage.
| Drink Category | Available Drinks |
|---|---|
| Hot | Milo Cino, Teh Halia, Neslo, Teh O Lemon, Honey Lemon, Kopi Tarik, Kopi Cino, Teh Tarik, Teh Cino, Teh O Limau, Milo, Susu Halia, Nescafe Tarik, Susu, Limau, Horlicks, Limau Halia, Teh O, Lemon, Kopi O, Kopi Halia, Halia O. |
| Cold | Neslo Ice, Sirap, Milo Cino Ice, Blueberry Ice, Honey Lemon Ice, Teh O Lemon Ice, Kopi Cino Ice, Teh O Limau Ice, Teh Cino Ice, Limau Ice, Kopi Halia Ice, Teh O Ice, Sirap Limau Ice, Kopi O Ice, Bandung, Halia Susu Ice, Milo Ice, Halia O Ice, Nescafe Ice, Susu Ice, Horlicks Ice, Red Bull, Teh Halia Ice, Kopi Ice, Teh Ice. |
| Canned Drinks | Coke, Coke Zero, Soya Bean, 100 Plus, Root Beer, Ice Lemon Tea, Chrysanthemum Tea, Green Tea, Sprite, F&N Grape/Orange. |
Halal Status and Family-Friendliness
The restaurant is Muslim-owned and serves halal food, which makes it a straightforward, reliable choice if you’re specifically looking for halal options in Tampines. The casual, no-frills setup also tends to suit families well it’s the kind of place where nobody’s going to raise an eyebrow at kids being a bit noisy or a group ordering a wide spread of dishes to share.
Getting There
The restaurant is located along Tampines Street 23, within reasonable walking distance of the town centre. If you’re coming by public transport, Tampines MRT Station is the nearest interchange, connecting both the East-West Line and the Downtown Line, and from there it’s a short walk or a quick bus ride into the Street 23 area. If you’re driving, this part of Tampines has a mix of HDB carparks nearby, though parking can take a bit of patience during peak lunch and dinner hours.
Tips for First-Time Visitors
- Order a few things rather than one big dish. This is exactly what worked for me the murtabak, fried chicken, and fried chicken nasi lemak together gave a much better sense of the menu than one dish alone would have.
- If you’re getting murtabak, consider the fish curry or dhal (Yellow Dhall) alongside it. Both seem to be the go-to pairings among regulars, based on what I noticed while I was there.
- Come hungry and open-minded. With a menu this wide spanning Malay, Indian-Muslim, and Thai-influenced dishes it’s worth browsing more than one section before deciding.
- Bring cash as backup. Smaller, long-established food stalls in this part of Singapore don’t always have the same card or QR setup as bigger restaurants.
FAQs
Is Afghanistan Family Restaurant halal?
Yes, it’s a Muslim-owned restaurant serving halal food.
What kind of food does it actually serve?
It’s a full mamak-style menu spanning Malay dishes (nasi lemak, lontong, mee rebus), Indian-Muslim dishes (biryani, naan, tandoori, thosai), and Thai-influenced options like tom yum soup rather than an exclusively Afghan menu.
What pairs well with the murtabak?
Fish curry and dhal (Yellow Dhall) both seem to be popular choices alongside murtabak, based on what’s commonly ordered together.
Where exactly is it located?
It’s on Tampines Street 23, in the same stretch of food stalls and coffee shops that the area is known for.
How do I get there without a car?
Tampines MRT Station is the closest interchange station, and Tampines Street 23 is a short walk or bus ride from there.
My Final Words
I’d been curious about Afghan food for a while before I ever acted on it, and what finally got me there was nothing more deliberate than being hungry and wanting a change. Ordering the murtabak alongside the fried chicken and fried chicken nasi lemak turned out to be a good way to get a proper feel for the place and seeing the full menu afterward, I know I’ve barely scratched the surface. If you’ve had a similar restaurant on your own mental “someday” list, this is a solid reason to stop putting it off.
