Empayar Seremban Siew Pow — Restaurant in Negeri Sembilan

A Stop at Empayar Seremban Siew Pow – Where a Bun Became a Legend

If you’ve ever driven the North–South Expressway through Negeri Sembilan, chances are you’ve seen it — a big, bold building by the Seremban exit with the words Empayar Seremban Siew Pow (芙蓉烧包城) glowing like a welcome sign. To many travellers, it isn’t just a bakery. It’s a pit stop, a family tradition, and the very place that turned a humble baked bun into a national icon.

From Cantonese Roots to Seremban Fame

The story begins decades ago, when Cantonese migrants brought the idea of baked pork buns — char siew pow — to Malaya. But here in Seremban, something magical happened. Local bakers perfected the flaky crust, folded it into crisp, buttery layers, and filled it with juicy pork or chicken. The result? A version so unique that Malaysians no longer call it just a bun — it became the Seremban Siew Pow.

By the 1970s, a Seremban matriarch known as Madam Teh was already winning hearts with her recipe. What began as a small family kitchen project slowly grew. Her children branched out too, starting other famous brands, but the flagship stood tall — the one we now know as Empayar Seremban Siew Pow.

A Family Recipe that Built an Empire

Walk into the Empayar today and you’ll find more than just siew pow. It’s a full complex: bakery counters stacked with golden pastries, a restaurant serving seafood and dim sum, and shelves lined with souvenirs and local snacks for the road. But the heart of it all is still that famous bun — warm, flaky outside, savoury-sweet inside, best eaten the moment it comes out of the oven.

Travellers stop here not only because it’s tasty, but because the Empayar is perfectly located by the highway. It’s become a ritual: bathroom break, stretch your legs, and grab a box of siew pow to bring home.

Facts Worth Knowing

The business is often called the oldest and biggest siew pow maker in Malaysia.

The company formally registered as Empayar Seremban Siew Pow Sdn. Bhd. in 2014, but the recipe and shop history stretch back decades.

They’ve claimed over 100 distributors nationwide — meaning you might spot Seremban siew pow in cities far from Negeri Sembilan.

Prices started at about RM1.20 a piece years ago; of course, like everything, they’ve crept up since.

Not Without Debate

Ask locals and you’ll hear passionate arguments: “Empayar’s buns are the best!” says one. Another swears by smaller bakeries like Kee Mei or Asia Siew Pau. Some complain the Empayar’s quality can vary when the crowds get too big. But that’s the thing about food legends — everyone has their favourite version, and each bite carries a personal story.

Why You Should Stop

Whether you’re heading south to Melaka or north to KL, making a stop at Empayar Seremban Siew Pow is like ticking off a Malaysian road-trip rite of passage. Buy a box, bite into that flaky crust, and you’ll taste not just a snack, but a slice of Seremban’s culinary heritage — a recipe that grew from a family kitchen into an empire seen from...

I would like to give them 0 star but that is not possible in Google.

I have been served by one of the most unfriendly and rude as worker (old aunty in her 50s) at the Siew Pow section. Not only she is rushing us to get our Siew Pows, she even said to us/raised her voice telling us that to specifically take 5 or more items for us to have a box. I mean, I have chosen 4 siew pows and she kept pushing us to take 5 Siew pows (it doesn't harm you to give us a small box even though we may have bought 1 less Siew pow). Or else, she will give us a small plastic bag to place those 4 of the Siew pows. I mean, you don't need to raise up your voice to us (customers) and rushing us to get more Siew Pows to place in a box.

We thought of getting more Siew Pows for our neighbours in KL (we are travellers from KL). After this incident, we will never step back again to Empayar Seremban Siew Pow place ever again.

Be warned, that most of the workers here do not have good customer services (even the cashier are very unfriendly bunch). It's either they know they can sell well these Siew Pows because of their long term brand, but small incidents like this, we as paying customers have every right to inform future customers to beware of this place for their rude customer service.

I doubt this review will ever gone back to their management to improve their workers basic customer...

I will give no Star if I can, I used to come here for lunch with other golfer after golfing in Seremban for so many times. The foods , vege, fish is from fair to good (depend on what kind of dishes you order).

I bring my family there for dinner last weekend after we come back from Melaka, we order few dishes including steam egg (蒸水蛋) & steam fish (蒸白须公). What really piss me off is the steam egg & steam fish. how can this 2 dishes is NOT HOT when it's with steam style cooking??????? Even the steel plate is cool..... ok lah, steam egg wasn't expensive just finish it will do, but the steam fish is Rm65.00 , how can they send out the cool fish to customer?? And some staff is even trying not respond to you when they saw you waving hand to them, they just look other direction immediately and ignore you.

When refilling hot water at the back (now the customer got to refill hot water by themselves) I am curious that asking the workers inside is the restaurant has change management including the Chef? and they didn't answer me but give me a embarrassing smile. (From the smile, I believe it is)

After finished and complaint to the man when paying the bill at counter, the man (I believe he is the boss) looks like doesn't feel guilty at all and he responded nothing as usual.............

I will never come back here...