Black Society - Innovative Dim Sum on an Alfresco Terrace

Most dim sum restaurants in Singapore follow the same script — air-conditioned interiors, trolley carts, the familiar clatter of bamboo steamers. Black Society Dim Sum tears that playbook up entirely. Tucked into the ground floor of the UBS Building along Penang Road, just a short walk from Dhoby Ghaut, this modern Cantonese restaurant pairs a sleek, black-themed alfresco terrace with an inventive dim sum menu that elevates the classics without losing sight of why people love dim sum in the first place. The kicker? Leashed dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables — making Black Society one of the only dim sum establishments in Singapore where your furry companion gets a seat at the table too.

The outdoor terrace at Black Society is a genuinely handsome space — black and white tiled floors, a lush hanging green garden overhead, and the restaurant’s signature black orchid sculptures framing the entrance.

It doesn’t feel like a compromise or an overflow seating area; it feels deliberately designed and, on breezy days, genuinely pleasant. For dog owners who’ve long resigned themselves to eating alone while their pets wait at home, this is a rare and welcome alternative.

Peking Duck

Black Society’s Peking duck is a proper table event. The bird arrives with skin that has been roasted to a lacquered, amber-dark finish — taut and crackling at the bite, giving way to meat that stays moist beneath. It’s served in the classic format: thin pancakes, julienned spring onions, cucumber strips, and hoisin, each component rolled and eaten in a single neat parcel. The kitchen also does a Peking duck drumstick as a standalone order, which has developed something of a following for diners who want the flavour hit without committing to a full bird. It’s the kind of dish that earns its place on a menu through execution rather than novelty, and Black Society’s version holds up.

Roast Platter

For diners who can’t commit to just one, the roast platter makes the decision easy. It brings together a curated spread of roasted meats — siu yuk, char siew, and roasted duck in combination, each cut bringing its own distinct character to the board. The siu yuk arrives with skin that blisters and snaps cleanly, the meat beneath staying juicy and uncompromised. The char siew rounds things out with a honey-glazed sweetness and a gentle smokiness, the cut tender enough that it pulls apart with minimal resistance. The roasted duck completes the trio — skin rendered to a deep amber, flesh moist and aromatic from the roasting. It’s the kind of sharing plate that anchors a dim sum lunch and gives the table something to return to between steamer baskets, covering all the essential bases of a proper Cantonese roast spread in a single order.

Fish Maw Shumai

The fish maw shumai plays the texture game. Silky braised fish maw wraps the filling in a way that’s almost molten in the mouth — collapsing softly with barely any resistance. Then the flying fish roe comes into play: tiny spheres perched on top that burst in sequence with each bite, releasing a briny pop that cuts straight through the richness of the maw. It’s a contrast that works beautifully — the yielding, pillowy body of the shumai against the percussive crackle of the roe. Few dim sum restaurants in Singapore are playing with textures at this level of intention.

Truffle Mushroom Har Gao

This is not your standard prawn dumpling. Black Society folds premium black truffle oil directly into the prawn paste itself — not drizzled on top as an afterthought, but worked into the filling so that every bite carries that earthy, aromatic depth. The result is a har gao that eats as luxurious as it sounds: plump prawn with a clean, sweet snap, threaded through with the unmistakable funk of truffle. The translucent skin is pulled taut and thin, yielding cleanly to the bite without tearing or sticking. For dim sum fans who’ve grown bored of the conventional har gao experience, this version is a genuinely compelling upgrade.

Crispy Oyster Omelette Pancake

Black Society’s take on the oyster omelette is a departure from the hawker-stall version most Singaporeans grew up with. Rather than the gummy, starch-heavy rendition common at zi char tables, this one leans into the pancake format — the batter pressed thin and cooked until the edges crisp up into a golden, lacy frill while the interior stays just set, yielding rather than dense. Plump oysters are folded into the mix, briny and soft at the centre, their juices absorbed into the egg so that every section of the pancake carries their flavour. It’s a familiar dish made unfamiliar in the best way — refined enough for a restaurant setting without losing the satisfying, slightly indulgent quality that makes oyster omelette worth ordering in the first place.

Chilli Crab Tart

Seldom seen on dim sum menus, the chilli crab tart is the kind of dish that stops the table. A flaky pastry shell cradles a robust, spiced chilli crab filling — all the familiar punch of Singapore’s most iconic sauce, concentrated into a two-bite mouthful. It’s an audacious fusion that shouldn’t work as well as it does. Regulars have flagged it as a must-order, and it’s easy to see why: it scratches two distinctly Singaporean cravings at once.

Black Society Dim Sum is doing several things at once — serving elevated, creative dim sum; offering one of the few genuinely comfortable alfresco dining experiences in the Orchard corridor; and extending a welcome to diners who’d otherwise have to leave their dogs behind. The truffle mushroom har gao and fish maw shumai alone justify the trip. Bring your dog. Order the tart. Come back before 5pm if you want the discount.

Address: 9 Penang Road, #01-14/18, UBS Building, Singapore 238459
Contact: +65 6376 9740
Operating Hours: 11am – 9:45pm daily | Dim Sum: 11am – 5pm
Reservations: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook.com/blacksocietysingapore