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13 Halal-Friendly Dining Destinations in and Around New Orleans

Where to dine for Iftar during Ramadan and beyond

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The Greater New Orleans area is home to a number of restaurants that cater to a halal diet, from longtime classics like Shyan’s Kitchen and Sahara Cafe to exciting newcomers like the fully-halal Kabob House and Athena Cafe. During Ramadan, the month-long festival of the Muslim calendar, there will be many following the daily fast, as well as those who want to experience some of the special dishes for the month. Here are 13 of the best partially or fully halal-friendly restaurants in and around New Orleans for Iftar during Ramadan 2023 and beyond.

Did we miss a halal-friendly restaurant in New Orleans? Let us know.

Halal restaurants in the United States may seek certification from one of several organizations, or may decide against certification, so it’s best to check directly with a restaurant to confirm whether its menu meets your needs.

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NOLA Desi Kitchen

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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.

Bihari kebab.
NOLA Desi Kitchen

Kased’s Brothers Halal

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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.

Almasgoof Restaurant

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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.

Shyan's Kitchen

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Metairie’s Shyan’s Kitchen is a Pakistani-Indian restaurant owned by Irfan Khan, who immigrated from his native Pakistan to New Orleans in 2007. Although the two cuisines are similar, they were the same country until 1947. There is beef on the menu, which isn’t served in India. Goat is simmered and sauteed six different ways, and a smoked chicken masala is a specialty of the house. Pakistan is primarily Muslim, which is why all the meats here are Halal. Vegetable samosas and goat with saag gosht are must orders.

Kabob House NOLA

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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.

Athena Cafe

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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.

The exciting return of Cleo’s French Quarter location in February 2023 after a three-year pandemic shutter also marks the return of one of the area’s most elegant halal dining experiences. It’s a stylish, sit-down version of the grab-and-go store located on Canal Street, and it has reopened on Decatur with a revamped halal menu geared towards a French Quarter crowd, adding a significant number of seafood specialties as well. While we hope late-night hours will return eventually, Cleo’s on Decatur is currently open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Lebanon's Cafe

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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.

Anatolia Mediterranean Cuisine

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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.

Beyti kebab
Anatolia

Shawarma On The Run

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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.

Shawarma on the Go

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Being located in the Jetgo gas station on Magazine Street between Louisiana and Napoleon seems to only deepen the appeal of Shawarma on the Go; it’s an in-the-know spot, though less so these days after growing in popularity. Here, meat is always halal and the falafel is some of the best in the city — all for around $12, for the most part. Go with any specials.

Sahara Cafe

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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.

Cleopatra Mediterranean Cuisine

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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.

NOLA Desi Kitchen

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.

Bihari kebab.
NOLA Desi Kitchen

Kased’s Brothers Halal

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.

Almasgoof Restaurant

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.

Shyan's Kitchen

Metairie’s Shyan’s Kitchen is a Pakistani-Indian restaurant owned by Irfan Khan, who immigrated from his native Pakistan to New Orleans in 2007. Although the two cuisines are similar, they were the same country until 1947. There is beef on the menu, which isn’t served in India. Goat is simmered and sauteed six different ways, and a smoked chicken masala is a specialty of the house. Pakistan is primarily Muslim, which is why all the meats here are Halal. Vegetable samosas and goat with saag gosht are must orders.

Kabob House NOLA

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.

Athena Cafe

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.

Cleo's

The exciting return of Cleo’s French Quarter location in February 2023 after a three-year pandemic shutter also marks the return of one of the area’s most elegant halal dining experiences. It’s a stylish, sit-down version of the grab-and-go store located on Canal Street, and it has reopened on Decatur with a revamped halal menu geared towards a French Quarter crowd, adding a significant number of seafood specialties as well. While we hope late-night hours will return eventually, Cleo’s on Decatur is currently open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Lebanon's Cafe

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.

Anatolia Mediterranean Cuisine

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.

Beyti kebab
Anatolia

Shawarma On The Run

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.

Shawarma on the Go

Being located in the Jetgo gas station on Magazine Street between Louisiana and Napoleon seems to only deepen the appeal of Shawarma on the Go; it’s an in-the-know spot, though less so these days after growing in popularity. Here, meat is always halal and the falafel is some of the best in the city — all for around $12, for the most part. Go with any specials.

Sahara Cafe

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.

Cleopatra Mediterranean Cuisine

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.

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