Best Halal Restaurants in Ottawa, Ontario

Shawarma Palace is the name that comes up most when Ottawa talks shawarma. It opened on Rideau Street in 1996, took first place in a blind taste test at Ottawa’s first Shawarma Festival in 2025, and has made Eater’s list of the best restaurants in the city. The platters are famously big, and the Boston Globe called them the definition of one meal dining.

The chicken shawarma, crisp outside and tender inside, is the order. It’s open until 1am. Not everything on the menu gets the same praise, and one recent reviewer found the salad dry with barely any chicken. There are now about 10 locations, but Rideau is the original.

If you searched for an Ottawa halal charcoal grill, this is it. Ottawa Kabab cooks Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi and Turkish dishes over charcoal. The Adana kabab and shish tawook come with fresh naan or samoon, the Iraqi bread, and there’s homemade kunafa and baklava to finish.

The drinks list is all non alcoholic, including a Syrian mint lemonade. The patio stays open into the fall. The restaurant describes itself as 100% halal but doesn’t name a certifier.

Les Grillades serves Lebanese barbecued meats and seafood in a roomy dining room in Nepean. Reviewers keep coming back to the skewers, with chicken, lamb and beef cooked tender and juicy, and to how quick the service is.

It’s a good pick when you want a proper sit down Lebanese meal rather than a shawarma counter. The restaurant markets itself as authentic halal Lebanese, but we couldn’t confirm a certifier or its alcohol policy, so ask when you book.

Salang serves Afghan and Pakistani food in a casual room on Carling Avenue, and reviewers often mention the fair prices. They also love the spicy sauce on the meat, and the plates come with plenty of rice and salad. There’s lots of parking, which matters on Carling.

It closes early on Sundays, at 8pm. Zabihah records it as fully halal and certified, with Muslim owners and no alcohol.

Mezbaan opened in 2006 and describes itself as the first Afghan restaurant in Ottawa. Chef Fazel Dasht has cooked in international kitchens since 1998. The Kabuli pulao, rice with lamb, carrots and raisins, is the dish to order, along with the slow cooked lamb shank.

Reviewers describe a comfortable room, warm hosts and some of the best value for money in town. There are also branches in Orléans and Brookfield. Mezbaan presents itself as halal, but we couldn’t find a named certifier.

The Toronto karahi chain has made it to Ottawa’s Little Italy. Karahi Boys on Preston Street serves the same menu that built its name in the GTA: karahi cooked and served in the wok, Pakistani BBQ platters, biryani and fresh naan. It also takes catering orders for Eid and family events.

It has about 1,000 reviews at 4.6, fewer than the Toronto branches but a strong start.

Kara Mia is the only sit down restaurant in Ottawa on the HMA certified list, and it’s a go to for halal steak. The owner says the kitchen uses only zabiha halal meat, and HMA certifies every item on the menu. The food is Italian with a steakhouse focus, and drinks like a piña colada are made without alcohol.

It opened in 2020 in the Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre. Reviewers say it’s a little pricey but worth it for halal steak done properly.

Moe’s opened in 2018 as Ottawa’s first certified halal Southern style smokehouse. The meat is smoked over maple or hickory, and the brisket gravy on the poutine takes 12 hours. The big platter comes with four ribs, chicken, pulled beef and brisket.

Reviews are mostly strong, but a few mention high prices for small portions. It’s in the Towngate Shopping Plaza at Bank and Hunt Club.

Lola’s Kitchen has been serving halal Filipino food on Somerset Street West since 2021. The kamayan feast is the showpiece: a spread of meats, rice and sides laid out on banana leaves and eaten by hand. Reviewers also rave about the BBQ ribs, chicken adobo, garlic rice and atchara, the pickled papaya.

The room is small, so book ahead on OpenTable. Not every dish is a hit, and one reviewer found the fried milkfish dry and salty. Local press has covered Lola’s as a halal Filipino restaurant, but the website doesn’t name a certifier.

Saigon Bistro went fully halal certified in late 2022, so every Vietnamese dish on the menu is halal. Reviewers praise the pho and the crispy noodles. Prices are in line with other Vietnamese spots.

It’s a smaller place, with about 370 reviews, and it’s out in Orléans on St. Joseph Boulevard. Check the hours before you go, because it closes early on some days.