This Pakistani eatery on what as known as Kenner’s global restaurant row on Williams Boulevard, Desi Kitchen serves fragrant Indian fare, outstanding flaky naan, and fresh biryani rice dishes studded with chicken, veggies, or goat. The chicken korma is especially rich and creamy. Ask about the thali menu, a combination meal that includes apps, veg, a small portion of an entree, rice, naan, salad, and dessert.

It’s not technically a dining destination, but this halal meat market and international food store in Kenner has been essential to the area’s Muslim community since Nabil Kased opened it in 2004. It’s a reliable shop for chocolates, cheeses, pickles, and other specialty — and celebratory — items, and the store’s halal butcher counter sells freshly cut beef, lamb, and goat, most of which come from farmers in South Louisiana and Mississippi.

This halal restaurant in Metairie is one of the best in town, a family-run business with deep ties to the community. Though easy to overlook in its West Esplanade strip mall, it’s a powerhouse, offering flavorful, rich meats alongside puffy, bubbly pita; colorful sides; and excellent sweets.

Kabob House came on the scene early in the pandemic; the Palestinian, family-run operation from the founder of Falafel King, which opened in 2015 and now operates under new ownership. Like Falafel King when it debuted, Kabob House is an exciting addition, made more so by its all-halal menu. Regular customers gather for traditional dishes, daily specials, and fresh desserts.

This sweet little cafe sits right in the middle of chaotic Vets Boulevard, a respite with a sunny interior, fresh food, and friendly staff with the bonus of doubling as a fresh juice and smoothie bar. It’s fairly new on the scene — open since 2020 — but is hopefully here to last. Open until 9 p.m., a welcome hour for fast-breaking during Ramadan.

Owner Hussain Sheereef takes visible pride in this longtime Uptown cafe and with good reason. A consistent favorite, Lebanon’s Cafe serves large portions of traditional specialties in a simple dining area and a pretty outside patio. The lamb and chicken are halal-friendly, which makes the excellent lamb chops a great option.

Situated on a busy corner of Magazine Street in the Irish Channel, Anatolia is one of New Orleans’s biggest, most centrally-located halal-friendly hubs, specializing in Turkish, Greek, and Middle Eastern specialties. The charming dining room and surprisingly shielded sidewalk seating are both swell options for lunchtime people watching over plates of halal-friendly skewers, wraps, platters, and kebabs.

Not to be confused with Shawarma on the Go, the newer Shawarma on the Run in Terrytown is where some of the area’s silkiest hummus can be found. Co-owner Osama Albassis (who started out at Shawarma on the Go) focuses on beef and chicken shawarma, falafel and spinach pie, hummus and tzatziki, platters, and bowls, served with yellow rice, salad, pita, Armenian pickles, corn, and traditional sauce. A second Kenner location recently made its debut.

Sahara on the West Bank has an in-house halal butcher, making it one of the area’s top destinations for halal-friendly dining. Traditional flavors, prepared in the moment, from shawarma and gyros to foul and lamb shank will satisfy.

The friendly, family-run Mediterranean restaurant on the West Bank is another gem that’s unassuming from the outside, but is a lovely special occasion destination on the inside; white linen tablecloths, hanging plants, and low lighting make for a cozy space. Cleopatra is particularly known for its halal lamb, considered by many as the best on the West Bank, if not the whole area.