You’ll Never Have to Probe for What You Can and Can’t Eat at These Halal Restaurants Around New York City

Whether you’ve just moved to live in The Big Apple full time or you’re just visiting for a short time, if you’re someone who normally keeps a halal diet and wondering if there are any local restaurants you can eat out at that won’t make you jump through hoops to stick to your diet, you may not have a lot of time to sift through all the Google results. That’s why we’ve come in to hopefully make your stay (or residency) a little easier by providing you with a list of some of NYC’s best halal restaurants.

About GiftYa

There’s something about New York City that just makes everything super expensive. Whether you’re visiting from out of town or just haven’t yet adjusted to your new cost of living, you may find yourself cringing every time you go to swipe your debit card at a restaurant. Luckily, though, GiftYa is here to take a part of that burden off of you. When they partner with restaurants near you, they’re able to provide you with exclusive access to e-gift cards that can help to make your dining experiences throughout New York City a little easier on your wallet. Order one for a halal friend today!

Ariana Afghan Kabob Restaurant

787 9th Ave, Apt 3N | Theater District | ariananewyorkcity.com

If there’s one thing we love about halal recipes, it’s that they don’t know any borders. Since they stem from religious texts dictating what someone should and shouldn’t eat - as well as how - you can find halal recipes amongst cuisines from almost any culture around the world!

First up on our trip around New York City to find the best halal food is Ariana Afghan Kabob Restaurant. While we’re sure you’ve probably heard of (and even eaten) kabobs before, can you honestly say that you’ve had an authentic one straight out of Afghanistan? If so, we’d say you’re pretty darn lucky.

If you haven’t had that chance yet, though, be sure to carry yourself on over to Ariana Afghan Kabob Restaurant where you’ll find skewers of prime cuts of meat and fresh vegetables that have been grilled over an open flame - and the best news is that everything is halal !

“Excellent Afghani food located close to Broadway. We were able to walk from the restaurant to our show in under 15 minutes. More importantly, the food was authentic and excellent. Simple, traditional Afghani food done right. - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa to Ariana Afghan Kabob Restaurant >

Addy’s Barbeque

30-94 Steinway St | Astoria | addysbarbequeastoria.com

When you think of halal food, you probably usually think of things like kabobs, gyros, falafel, and even hummus before anything else. What if we told you, however, that there are ways to combine traditionally halal ingredients with flavors that you’d never expect to even consider a halal diet - and even better that they can do it right in your backyard?

At Addy’s Barbeque (that’s right, barbeque!), you can get your hands on some of the most delicious, certifiably halal food smothered in barbeque and there will be no need to even ask any questions about where this meat has come from!

The best news is: this isn’t even just your typical southern barbeque if that’s not exactly what you’re looking for. You can always get some, of course, but if you’re in the mood for something a bit more outside the realm of what you’re used to experiencing, Addy’s Barbeque is definitely a place you’ll want to try.

With barbeque added to cuisines heavily featured throughout Asia and Africa, this is truly a dining experience that will be unique for both you and your friends - whether they practice halal eating or not!

“So I have been hearing about this halal restaurant for a while now and I finally ate here yesterday with my family. All the dishes here are plentiful and so rich.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa to Addy’s Barbeque >

Fatima’s Halal Kitchen

25-25 Broadway | Astoria | fatimahalalkitchen.com

You’ve heard of Around the World In Eighty Days, but today we’re taking you around the world of halal cuisines - all of which can be found throughout New York City - and it wouldn’t really be a global trip if we didn’t at least make a stop in China. Fatima’s Halal Kitchen takes the classic Chinese food that everyone knows and loves and pairs it with an entirely halal menu!

Whether you’re looking for halal beef cooked up szechuan style, or even just some fresh ramen with some chicken and fresh veggies mixed in to add the ultimate flavor, Fatima’s Halal Kitchen is serving up some of the absolute best halal Chinese food in Astoria - and maybe even all of New York City.

While you’re here, don’t be afraid to check out their decor. They’ve put a lot of careful thought into making this restaurant a place where you can not only chow down on delicious food without having to ask any questions about where it comes from but also feel like you’ve entered into an entirely new cultural arena.

“Nothing is more comforting than this pretty plate of sesame chicken… And the best part is that it's halal! So my family can also enjoy it as well as the Muslim community!” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa to Fatima’s Hala Kitchen >

Rasa

 25 W 8th St | Greenwich Village | rasanyc.com

If there’s one cuisine you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere in New York City - and maybe even throughout most of the United States - it’s probably most definitely Malaysian food. That being said, you actually can find some authentic Malaysian food right here in Greenwich Village and the best news is that it’s all halal!

Started up by two siblings who actually grew up in a small village in Malaysia called Rasa, their restaurant of the same name brings together everything that they ever knew growing up to give you one of the best halal restaurants New York City has to offer. Rasa has two different meanings among Malay speaking people: taste and feeling.

When you come by to enjoy a meal here at Rasa, you will be struck with not only bold and beautiful flavors that will remind you just how amazing food can be, but also with a feeling of home that can only come from restaurant-owners who have strong ties to their own family home. Give Rasa a try to see this vibrant blue rice live and in person!

“Rasa is my family's and friends' go-to restaurant in Manhattan for Malaysian, Singaporean, and Indonesian cuisines. Wide variety of selections, generous portions and delightful presentations.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa to Rasa >

King of Falafel & Shawarma

30-15 Broadway | Astoria | kofnyc.com

Would this really be a listicle about halal restaurants if we didn’t include at least one restaurant with more falafel dishes than you know what to do with on their menu? After all, we did say earlier that one of the first dishes that probably comes to mind when you think of halal food is probably falafel - and nobody does it better than King of Falafel & Shawarma.

The origins of falafel are kind of difficult to pinpoint - some sources might say the Mediterranean while others say the Middle East - but there’s no denying that some of the best falafel you’ll find throughout the world has had its recipes refined in the Middle East in countries like Pakistan and Palestine.

During the eighteen or so years that King of Falafel & Shawarma has been around, it has gained such a great reputation that it’s been voted the #1 street vendor in all of New York City more than once. If you’re a fan of falafel to begin with, you definitely won’t want to miss out on the recipes they’ve cooked up using a unique blend of spices at this restaurant.

“As their name says - they are the KING of falafel - the best I've had. And this is one of the few places I prefer their chicken over the beef. The chicken is juicy, not dry/overcooked like it can often be.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa to King of Falafel & Shawarma >

Top Thai

235 Sullivan St | Greenwich Village | topthainyc.com

On our last stop of global halal cuisines, we think it’s only fair to highlight one more restaurant whose cuisine wouldn’t normally feature halal ingredients but has altered their menu to do just that - and this time it’s Thai food. 

If you’ve ever wondered what the traditional flavors of Thailand might look like when paired with halal ingredients, the opportunity to find out is waiting at Top Thai. With a particular focus on what they like to call “homemade style Thai,” where they use the freshest ingredients at their disposal to create traditional Thai dishes - much like you’d find in a home in Thailand.

In Thailand, they create their recipes based on five main flavors: sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and bitter - and here at Top Thai, they’ve made it their mission to combine as many of those flavors together as they can to make dishes that are truly harmonious in flavor. Stop in to see what Thailand has to bring to the world of halal food!

“Fantastic food all around. Fresh, tasty, and reasonably priced. The Top Thai curry was sensational. My friend had the pad cashew nut and couldn't speak highly enough about it. Would definitely recommend.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa to Top Thai >

Don’t be discouraged by the struggle you usually face to find halal restaurants near you. They do exist, and these are some of the absolute best. Let us know which one satisfied all of your cravings in the comments below!