With the holy month of Ramadan coming up (this year it begins on the evening of Saturday, April 2) it’s important for many Muslims to have access to places that provide zabiha halal — literally “permissibly slaughtered” in Arabic — food. Although many prefer home-cooked meals, restaurants provide convenience for those who cannot make food at home or just want a change of pace. For those who observe, halal certifications can be confusing. Some mandate meat to be hand cut versus cut by a machine. For example, Halal Guys uses a mix of both types of meat, which has led many Muslims to stop eating there upon that discovery. Halal Guys maintains it adheres to halal standards. There are multiple third parties that certify restaurants using different rules.
Listed below are 12 restaurants that serve halal food for suhoor, the pre-dawn meal before the daily fast, and iftar, the meal to break fast at sunset. Some of these places will have special Ramadan hours, which will be announced closer to the start of the month.
For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.
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