A beloved food cart chain is now open in Boston
A fast-growing fast-casual restaurant with New York City roots is holding its grand opening in Boston on Friday.
The Halal Guys, which began as a street food cart on West 53rd Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan in 1990, began its first day of full service at 137 Stuart St. in the Theatre District following two days of “soft opening” during which it was open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“After 25 years, five carts, two New York City restaurants, and millions of diverse customers served, The Halal Guys is growing yet again,” said Imran Asghar, franchisee of The Halal Guys Boston. “I’m thrilled about expanding The Halal Guys brand and introducing it to the city of Boston. Fans of The Halal Guys and great halal food no longer have to be in New York to experience their unique cuisine and casual dining experience.”
For those unfamiliar with The Halal Guys’s “American halal food,” the Middle Eastern-inspired menu features plates of chicken, beef, and lamb on beds of rice with pita bread, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives, jalapeños, green peppers, and a choice of several sauces, as well as fries, hummus, baba ghanoush, and tabouleh.
The Halal Guys.
The Halal Guys has rapidly expanded in recent years. The company began exploring franchising options in 2014, and now has restaurants in 16 states and five countries outside the U.S.
Beyond its Theatre District location, Asghar said more Boston-area Halal Guys are coming soon, mentioning likely locations in the the Back Bay, Downtown Crossing, the Financial District, the West End, and Porter Square in Cambridge.
For Friday’s opening, Asghar pulled out all the stops, buying a giant ribbon and scissors, hiring a DJ, and planning to give five lucky customers free food from The Halal Guys for a month, along with a number of other door giveaways for the first 1,000 customers.
Standing outside the restaurant on Thursday, Asghar surveyed a line of people out the door for the restaurant’s “soft opening.”
“We’re really excited to be here in Boston, and looking at this line, I think Boston is excited too,” Asghar said. “We can’t wait to see everyone on Friday.”
Take a peek inside the restaurant below (video may take a moment to load):
https://www.facebook.com/boston/videos/10155772192364365
The Halal Guys: 137 Stuart St. Boston; open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to midnight, and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.
