As a Muslim it is not always easy to just get inside any shop and start ordering. We have to check if the food is halal or not. But in Sydney, it is very easy. Because normally in halal shops they have the halal sign and certificate visible for the customer. And if you are looking online you will see there are plenty of halal shops everywhere. At least you will get a kebab shop and a fish and chips shop in every suburb.
Now, the next question is about the price. Halal food is a bit pricey, which is understandable because it takes extra effort to prepare. However, you will be amazed by the quantity of food you will get under $20-$25. Specially if you are in a Muslim area, for example Punchbowl, Bankstown or Lakemba.
Me and my wife, we both like to eat meaty meals, which are also a great value for price. For meaty meals, like kebab, shawarma and kata our first choice is Al-Yeasmin restaurant in Punchbowl. The food here is just incredible. It is prepared fresh after ordering and served peeping hot. In this photo, you can see a lot of food, right? But guess what? All of these will cost you just $35. You will get 3 types of Shish kebab (Chicken, Beef, Lamb), 4 Falafals, 1 Kafta, with Tabuli and Haloumi. A whole plate of chilli chicken shawarma, plus salad and three types of dips. The best thing is, you get unlimited bread with every main order. After a long day of work, it is a perfect place to crash with your friends or colleagues. Address: 224 The Boulevarde, Punchbowl NSW 2196, Opening hours, weekdays and weekends 8.30am to 10.00 pm. No need to book, just walk in and order.
Our second choice for meaty meal is Rashay’s punchbowl. This is a halal restaurant that serve pizzas, ribs, lasagna, steaks and all other types of meaty and cheesy meals. This place is a bit pricey however the taste of food is heavenly. one of the popular item in the menu is mini rashays. Which is a large Brest fillet grilled and marinated in some kind of sour sauce and served with chips and dark mushroom sauce. So delicious. Will cost you $13.90. But the best deal is, $10 pizza pasta Monday and Tuesday. Members get to buy pizza and pasta, plus lasagna just for $10. There Angus beef lasagna is one of the best I have ever had. It is big, with dripping cheese and beef, served with two large piecesgarlic bread
. Their membership deal is really good. The yearly membership is $10, and you get 10% offevery time you dine here. Plus, they have weekly specials for members on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Rashay’s are sponsors of Canterbury Bulldogs, so you can watch their game while you are eating. And sometimes, they offer free meal if their club wins. Free! Like whatever you have ordered is free!
Parking spaces near the restaurant is pretty easy to find, they have underground parking as well. Good place for kids as well. On Sunday, kids eat for free.
They have breakfast menus as well. I have never tried though. This is a really good halal restaurant, they have many branches all over Sydney. And during ramadan, they offer special deals and decorate the shop really nicely. Address: The Broadway Plaza, shop 28/1/9 Broadway, Punchbowl NSW 2196.Open everyday from 10am till midnight.
The next stop is Thai food land. It is a small Thai restaurant in the middle of the busy Sydney CBD. It is very close to the central train station. They have a crazy lunch deal. you get your choice of rice or noodles with your choice of meat and a soft drink just for $11. The size of the meal will amaze you. My favourite item from this restaurant is the tom yum fried rice with chicken and a serve of BBQ beef. They serve the food really hot and fresh with a large selection of sauce and dips to choose from. Service is very fast and staff are very friendly. The only thing is, other than lunch time the price is very expensive, almost double.
For every halal food seeker, the safest option all over Australia is probably Nando’s. They have a great offer for a share package. The whole chicken with two large side or one large
side is the best package for a small group. And they have stores all over Sydney and also in other states. Every major city has a Nando’s restaurant. If you are using their membership app, you might get some ‘really large chips’ every now and then.
The last restaurant, that I want to mention is Papparich. It is Malaysian chain restaurant. You have to order your food carefully because the taste of their food is a bit different than usual. Some food are really sweet and some are really spicy. Quantity wise the price is okay. Our usual choice in Papparich is the Way Tan Hor and Spicy fried rice noodles. both cost $14 each. They have a great range of cold drinks on offer. I normally order the mango vanilla lime or the melon-lychi. In hot drinks, the best I have tried is the Teh-tarik. It is a traditional Malaysian milk tea. If you are looking for a place for lunch date or a lunch with colleagues, it is perfect place. There are a few Papparich branches in Sydney, but by far the best one is in Broadway, close to Broadway shopping centre.
The last thing I want to mention is the food market in Lakemba, during the holy month of ramadan. Though these are not restaurants, however you will get to taste the delicious halal street foods from Bangladeshi culture. These pop up shops are located near Railway parade, near Lakemba train station. If you happen to visit this place during the month of ramadan, you will experience the food from different countries, i.e, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Greek food even some African food as well. Food price are really cheap, while the quality is assured. the shops are open from afternoon till late (some times till 3am-4am). Make sure you don’t eat anything before coming here! One of the must try item here is the Camel burger and the Dear Burger. The taste and the atmosphere will amaze you for sure.
Some other halal food restaurants that you may try is Mamak, Canterbury Kebabs, McDonalds Punchbowl, KFC Punchbowl, Hungry Jacks Lakemba, Oporto rose lands, Thai Hutt, Ipoh on York, Iftar Buffet in Coffee emporium (You have to book in advance).