{"id":882947,"date":"2026-09-04T10:42:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T10:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/882947\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T10:42:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T10:42:19","slug":"halal-dining-is-on-the-rise-in-halifax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/882947\/","title":{"rendered":"Halal dining is on the rise in Halifax"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Listen to this article<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s delicious. It\u2019s growing in popularity. It\u2019s: halal.<\/p>\n

Halal options are easier to find than ever before in Halifax, with some new restaurants being explicitly halal, and others offering it as an option so practising Muslims can dine there.<\/p>\n

But what exactly is halal?<\/p>\n

\u201cHalal is just permissible food for Muslims to eat,\u201d says Mohammed Sadieh, the operations manager of Chef Abod Cafe & Catering. \u201cIt goes far back as to how the meat is slaughtered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rather than mass-slaughtering animals, meat such as chicken or beef becomes halal when a practising Muslim says, \u201cin the name of God\u201d before performing a quick cut to the neck. The food must also be prepared without using non-halal products, such as pork or lard.<\/p>\n

Sadieh says he\u2019s seen an increase in the number of people inquiring about halal foods and diets, particularly for the catering side of Chef Abod.<\/p>\n

\"AChef Abod’s Cafe & Catering has seen more people inquiring about halal options and dietary concerns. (Craig Paisley\/CBC)<\/p>\n

The growing availability of halal products in the region is being punctuated by the inaugural Atlantic Halal Expo, which launches in November.<\/p>\n

Omar Khartabil, a co-founder of the expo, says the variety of halal options has grown considerably in the last 10 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe used to go get our meat from Windsor, right? So we had to drive,\u201d says Khartabil. \u201cBut since then, it’s been blooming like crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Providing halal as an option helps make restaurants more inclusive. Khartabil says there is a big market when it comes to accommodating people\u2019s dietary needs, from halal to kosher to vegetarian.<\/p>\n

Restaurants such as Aarzu Indian Cuisine in Bedford are hitting the ground running with this in mind. The restaurant opened at the beginning of August and has already committed to providing a halal menu.<\/p>\n

\"AOmar Khartabil says the Atlantic Halal Expo will help to connect business owners and grow the halal industry in the region. (David Laughlin\/CBC)<\/p>\n

YiLan Chinese Halal Restaurant in downtown Halifax opened in 2023. Alongside the menu, the restaurant also provides a dedicated room for prayer.<\/p>\n

Some restaurant owners offer halal food solely as a byproduct of wanting to provide their fully authentic cuisine, like Efes Turkish Cuisine, which reopened a location in downtown Halifax in 2025 due to popular demand.<\/p>\n

Zeliha Yahsi, the co-owner of Efes, says her goal is simple: provide good, traditional Turkish food for everyone in the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are sitting together, we eat together, and it doesn’t matter what your religion [is] or my religion is,\u201d she says. \u201cWe are human. We [are here to] enjoy food, enjoy life, and enjoy Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FourEfes Turkish Cuisine has one goal: to bring authentic Turkish tastes to as many people in Halifax as possible. (Craig Paisley\/CBC)<\/p>\n

She says she chooses to sell halal because she wants to, but that it wouldn\u2019t be a sticking point for how the restaurant operates if the option wasn\u2019t available.<\/p>\n

Halal products can bring an additional barrier for restaurants and grocery stores in terms of cost. Lack of availability means businesses have to import from other provinces like Prince Edward Island or Ontario.<\/p>\n

Khartabil says the goal of the Atlantic Halal Expo is to bring people together and explore ways of making halal more affordable and accessible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I moved here 20 plus years ago, there were barely [any],\u201d he says. \u201cWe’re growing, but it takes time here for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

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