Cahaya Muslim Restaurant is a well-established halal-certified establishment operating since 1987, offering economical local and international cuisine from their fifth-floor location at Far East Plaza in the heart of Orchard Road. This family-friendly restaurant specializes in halal Chinese food alongside traditional Malay dishes, providing affordable dining options with most dishes priced below 0 in Singapore's upscale shopping district.
The restaurant serves expertly prepared, fresh, and authentic dishes including Hokkien Mee, various fried rice options, wanton dishes, and local favorites that cater to diverse palates. Operating daily from 11:30am to 9pm with cash-only payments and no GST or service charges, Cahaya has built a loyal customer base over more than three decades, with some patrons visiting for over 15 years.
Known for efficient service and home-style cooking, Cahaya Muslim Restaurant provides islandwide delivery and attracts office workers during lunch hours due to its central location and value pricing. Their enduring success demonstrates the importance of consistent quality and affordability in Singapore's competitive food scene, making halal Chinese cuisine accessible to generations of Muslim diners in the bustling Orchard Road area.
Place to go if we pass by Orchard and our standard go food would be Fried wantan. In the past, we al
A good place to go if we pass by Orchard, and our usual order is Fried Wantan. In the past, we always got it hot. Nowadays, what we get is warm. As for the drink, the tea with milk was rather diluted.
Zainal Mohd
Had a craving for the honeydew chicken noodles.
Haven't been here for a very long time.
It's unfortu
Had a craving for the honeydew chicken noodles. Haven't been here for a very long time. It's unfortunate that the taste has totally changed and is not like what it used to be. The fried wantan doesn't really have any fillings. Pricewise, it has increased quite significantly.
Andy Kai Lim
I followed some mates to this food outlet. Sadly, not my palate. Was not a great spot for taste, qua
I followed some mates to this food outlet. Sadly, it wasn't to my palate. It wasn't a great spot for taste or quality. But I understand the setup; it was designed for quick and affordable options, minus the goodness of quality. Different strokes for different folks, I'd guess.
Cahaya
I remembered that this place used to be great but the food was just so so at Cahaya. We ordered the
I remembered that this place used to be great, but the food was just so-so at Cahaya. We ordered the standard dishes, but they were bland and really disappointing.
Nur Syazlin
Disappointed with the experience. The food quality has dropped, and the service was almost non-exist
Disappointed with the experience. The food quality has dropped, and the service was almost non-existent. I ordered online for dine-in, and staff just placed the drinks beside our table with no interaction at all.
Was shocked to see that an $11 you tiao dish came with such a small portion. Can’t imagine how the $9 version would be.
Tried the kway teow hor fun too, but it was bland and clumpy, with the noodles all stuck together.
Overall, mediocre food and poor service.
Positive Reviews
Kian GK
So delicious and reasonable.
Amazing collaboration with Thai and Singapore food.
They are halal too
So delicious and reasonably priced. Amazing collaboration of Thai and Singaporean food. They are halal too! If you're at Orchard, you must try.
Mei Ling Tan
Update:
Fantastic experience today. Super yummy Food and drinks for 4 people for only $40. Ordered
Update:
Fantastic experience today. Super yummy food and drinks for 4 people for only $40. Ordered 2 new dishes today. There was chicken rice chili sauce on the table for you to add to your dish.
Teochew Kway Teow - soooo good. They use the big, fat kway teow noodles and were generous with the squid.
Claypot chicken rice - the rice is served sizzling in the claypot! Super, super good. Chicken was tender and the rice was so good with the burnt crispy layer at the bottom. Veggies were also great with the sauce.
Pleasant, nostalgic experience on a Saturday afternoon. Only green chili is available at the table; no other types of chili were offered. Ordered 3 types of food items and 3 types of drinks. We ordered 2 portions of hotplate chicken rice and 2 portions of lemon chicken rice, but clearly, the portions were drastically different in size. One portion was much smaller than the other.
Hotplate chicken rice - the clear winner of the day! This was awesome for $8 in Orchard Road. A huge portion of super tender chicken, rice, and vegetables on a sizzling hotplate. The entire dish was drenched with sauce. Good chili would have made it perfect.
Lemon chicken rice - reminded me of the lemon chicken I used to eat in secondary school. Chicken was crispy yet tender and lemon sauce was drizzled over it. Again, it would have been better with some spice on the side.
Hotplate black pepper squid - for $18, it was just okay.
Bandung and Thai iced tea were sweet and milky.
Will return to try other items on the menu.
Hafiz Al-Sagoff
When my wife suggested we pop over to Cahaya suffice to say without hesitation I was going yes that’
When my wife suggested we pop over to Cahaya, suffice it to say, without hesitation, I was all for it – that’s a brilliant choice. Cahaya is not just an institution; it's a brand name so well known among all Singaporean Muslims for being among the pioneer and early Halal Chinese-Thai offerings in our Orchard Road area, back then bereft of choices. Everyone who grew up with us knows Cahaya is often spoken of with such personal, nostalgic reverence.
It doesn't offer the absolute best in food selections, nor is it a great, conducive venue to eat at. In fact, most times, one must be prepared to wait for a spot to become free. It is simply a beloved nod to everything good, connected to plenty of unforgettable, sweet memories through the years. Most families in Singapore would have dined there, waiting patiently and uncomplainingly for a communal table space to be free, often next to other diners sharing space, yet no one truly complains. The service remains not unfriendly, but it isn’t ebullient either. At times, some of the serving staff, among them those who have been with it for a long time, are evidently unsmiling and coping, harried and dashing here and there. It just doesn’t bother anyone one bit.
Everyone simply patiently waited their turn at Cahaya. Like its namesake, which spells light, Cahaya is just a bright spot of comfort food for most of us. It will also forever hold a sweet spot for all of us. Generations of families gather there and I know will continue to patronize it. Our parents brought us to it, and we, in turn, introduced it to our own kids, hoping one day – it’s an institution still standing and serving from our youth in the 70s – it will still be there. Cahaya feeds our soul and stands special against any place we’ve perhaps moved or segued more towards over time, but somehow, from time to time, you’ll always come back and gravitate to what is a shining comfort rooted in memories of a lifetime.
So, what about the food then? With plenty of comforting Chinese-Thai favourite choices, you’ll always have something that pleases your palate. For me, it’s always the claypot rice and hot plate options. They’re not the best, but they are good and comfortingly satisfying. Yes, the prices have gone up – which eating establishment hasn’t? – but the food quality and taste thankfully remain nostalgically familiar and consistent. My wife likes their classic roasted chicken rice or noodles. But the one dish that is a must-have side accompaniment for our family is their addictive fried wantons. We’ve had and tried so many, including in finer and posher places, and theirs personally are our favourite. If you’re discerning, they are simply sublime. They’re crunchy on the outside with a tasty filling that is yummy. And if you lightly dip them in the sweet dark soy sauce that comes with it, what you taste and feel is akin to coming home to mom’s comfort food – so delicious, good, and enveloping. To complete the simple, feel-good meal, you must have it with their homemade sweet iced lemon tea. Usually, a glass is not enough.
Our wish is that Cahaya continues to shine and remains unchanged as it is for generations to come, and that our children will get to bring their own to continue with the tradition.
CyberSpice
Amazing food and service, easily better than any Zi Char (Chinese Seafood Restaurant) out there.
I
Amazing food and service, easily better than any Zi Char out there.
I would recommend the Thai claypot prawn glass noodles; it's very flavourful for people who love black pepper. The prawns are fresh and sweet.
The Thai lemongrass chicken cutlet with fried rice is really good too, especially with their special Thai seafood chilli sauce.
Even the Ngoh Hiang is delicious and satisfying.
Will definitely come again.
Muhammad Haziq Daniel Abdullah
Ordered lemon chicken rice and teh o ais. Fast service but the chicken is dry.
Ordered lemon chicken rice and teh o ais. Service was fast, but the chicken was dry.