Best Halaal Food Spots in London – My Must-Try List

If there is one thing you definitely won’t struggle to find in London, it’s good halaal food.

And I’m not talking about having to settle for the same burger, chicken and chips every night either. London’s halaal food scene is honestly on another level. You can go from proper Pakistani grills in Whitechapel to Persian kebabs, Malaysian comfort food, Uyghur noodles, smoked brisket and even a proper British Sunday roast.

So if you’re visiting London and wondering where to eat, save this list. These are some of the most popular halaal and halaal-friendly food spots worth adding to your London itinerary.

Quick note: Halaal suppliers, menus and restaurant policies can change, so I always recommend confirming directly with the restaurant before ordering, especially if you only eat HMC-certified meat or avoid restaurants that serve alcohol.

Tayyabs – Whitechapel

Tayyabs

You can’t really talk about iconic halaal food in London without mentioning Tayyabs.

This family-run Punjabi restaurant in Whitechapel has been around for decades, and it’s one of those London places where you go hungry and leave wondering why you ordered quite so much.

But that’s part of the experience.

The famous lamb chops are what most people come for, arriving sizzling and full of spice. Add some seekh kebabs, karahi, naan and a few curries for the table and you have the kind of meal that requires absolutely no plans afterwards.

It’s busy, lively and not particularly subtle – which is exactly why I’d go.

What I’d order: Lamb chops, seekh kebabs, karahi and fresh naan.

Etles Uyghur Restaurant – Walthamstow

Etles Uyghur Restaurant

If you want something a little different from the usual London halaal recommendations, Etles deserves a place on your list.

This is Uyghur food from China’s Xinjiang region, so expect plenty of lamb, cumin, chilli and seriously comforting noodles.

The hand-pulled laghman noodles are the sort of dish I could happily order again and again. Then there are the lamb skewers – smoky, generously seasoned and perfect for sharing.

It feels less like a trendy London restaurant designed for Instagram and more like somewhere you actually go because you want a really good meal.

What I’d order: Laghman noodles, lamb skewers and honey cake afterwards.

Normah’s – Queensway

Normah’s

Normah’s is exactly the type of place I love finding when travelling.

It’s tucked inside Queensway Market and doesn’t need a huge flashy dining room to make an impression. The food does that perfectly well on its own.

This is Malaysian comfort food: rich curries, crispy chicken, flaky roti and bowls of laksa that make you want to forget whatever else you had planned for the afternoon.

The beef rendang with roti would be very high on my list.

It’s become extremely popular, though, so this isn’t necessarily somewhere I’d leave until the last minute.

What I’d order: Beef rendang, roti and laksa.

Burnt Smokehouse – Leyton

Burnt Smokehouse

Now this is for the serious meat lovers.

Burnt brings proper smokehouse-style BBQ into London’s halaal food scene, with brisket, beef sausage, lamb and all the sides you know you probably shouldn’t order together – but will anyway.

Think smoky meat, mac and cheese, fries and big sharing platters landing on the table.

This is not the place for a delicate little lunch before sightseeing.

Come hungry.

Very hungry.

What I’d order: Brisket, beef sausage, mac and cheese and fries for the table.

The Great Chase – Islington

The Great Chase

One of the things I really like about London’s halaal scene is that it isn’t limited to Middle Eastern and South Asian food.

The Great Chase is a great example.

It’s an alcohol-free, halaal restaurant offering a more refined dining experience, including steaks and British-style dishes. It even has a dedicated prayer room.

This would be one of my picks for a birthday, anniversary or simply a night when you want something a little more special than street food.

And yes – you can finally have a proper halaal British-style roast experience in London.

What I’d order: Beef Wellington or one of the steaks, followed by dessert.

Coqfighter – Soho

Coqfighter

Sometimes you don’t want fine dining.

You want a ridiculously good fried chicken burger.

Enter Coqfighter.

It’s become a popular casual option for crispy chicken, loaded burgers and comfort food right in the middle of London. This is an easy one to fit into a sightseeing day around Soho, Oxford Street, Regent Street or Covent Garden.

The food is messy in exactly the way a good fried chicken burger should be.

What I’d order: A fried chicken burger with fries.

Berenjak – Soho or Borough

Berenjak

Berenjak is one of those places that seems to appear on everyone’s London food list – and for good reason.

Inspired by the kebab houses of Tehran, it specialises in Persian food cooked over charcoal, with freshly baked breads, dips, rice and grilled meats.

The atmosphere is buzzy and intimate rather than formal, particularly at the Soho restaurant.

This is where I’d go with a few people so you can order several dishes and share everything. Because choosing one kebab while somebody else orders something better is a risk I don’t personally need in my life.

What I’d order: Charcoal-grilled kebabs, fresh bread, hummus and plenty of small plates for the table.

Dishoom – Various London Locations

Dishoom

Dishoom is probably one of the most famous names on this list.

Inspired by the old Irani cafés of Bombay, its London restaurants have become ridiculously popular – and queues outside aren’t unusual.

The black daal is probably the dish you’ve heard about, but there’s plenty more worth trying, from biryanis and grills to their famous chai.

There is an important distinction here, though: Dishoom is better described as halaal-friendly rather than an entirely halaal restaurant, so check the current halaal options with staff before ordering.

If you’re happy with that, it’s certainly one of the classic London dining experiences.

What I’d order: Black daal, chicken biryani, grilled meat from the confirmed halaal selection and chai.

Lahore Karahi – Tooting

Lahore Karahi

For proper Pakistani comfort food without all the fuss, head south to Tooting.

Lahore Karahi has been feeding Londoners since the 1990s and is exactly the sort of place you want when you’re craving curries, grilled meat and freshly baked bread rather than tiny portions arranged beautifully on an oversized plate.

Bring family or friends, order several dishes for the table and share.

That’s the way to do it.

What I’d order: Karahi, lamb chops, seekh kebabs and naan.

Grounded – Whitechapel

Grounded

And finally, we need breakfast.

Grounded is a Muslim-run café in Whitechapel that’s become a popular choice for halaal brunch in London.

Expect pancakes, pastries, burgers, coffee and – most importantly if you’re visiting Britain – the opportunity to try a halaal full English breakfast.

Just be prepared for a queue at busy times.

Apparently Londoners also like brunch. Who knew?

What I’d order: Full English breakfast and coffee.

Where to Find Halaal Food in London

If you’re visiting London for the first time, there are a few areas worth remembering.

Whitechapel and East London are brilliant for Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian and increasingly more modern halaal restaurants.

Edgware Road is an easy choice for Middle Eastern food, with Lebanese, Iraqi and Persian restaurants seemingly everywhere you look.

Tooting is another favourite if you’re craving Pakistani, Indian and Afghan food.

And if you’re staying around Soho, Covent Garden or the West End, don’t assume you’ll struggle. Central London now has plenty of halaal and halaal-friendly restaurants – you just need to check exactly which meats and dishes are halaal.

Final Thoughts

London might genuinely be one of the easiest major cities in Europe for a halaal foodie.

What makes it exciting isn’t simply the number of restaurants. It’s the variety.

You could have a full English breakfast in the morning, Malaysian laksa for lunch, stop for a fried chicken burger in the afternoon and somehow end the day surrounded by Persian kebabs and freshly baked bread.

Not that I’m suggesting you eat all of that in one day.

Although I’m also not saying you shouldn’t.

My biggest tip is simply to double-check the restaurant’s current halaal status before visiting. Suppliers and menus change, and “halaal-friendly” doesn’t always mean that everything in the restaurant is halaal.

Other than that?

Arrive hungry.

London will take care of the rest.