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Finding halal food in Palo Alto takes a little more care than finding most cuisines. Palo Alto has an international population, yet only a few restaurants say on their own websites that their meat is halal. This guide lists only those. We did not include places that are simply assumed to be halal because of their cuisine, or places listed as halal only on third-party apps.
Please read this page as a starting point, not a certification. A restaurant's own statement is not the same as checking a current certificate. Suppliers change and menus change. Diners who keep halal should confirm certification directly with the restaurant before ordering. Every place below was confirmed as operating in October 2026 through its own website or a verified page in our business directory.
What halal means at a restaurant
Halal is Arabic for permissible. For food, it means meat from permitted animals slaughtered according to Islamic rules, often called zabiha. It also means no pork or alcohol in the dish. In practice, restaurants describe themselves in a few different ways:
- Fully halal menu. Every meat item is halal and no pork is served. Zareen's and Arya Steakhouse describe their menus this way.
- All meat halal. The meat is halal but the restaurant may serve alcohol or prepare other items that some diners avoid. Curry Up Now says all of its meat is halal certified.
- Halal options. Some dishes are halal and others are not. This is where cross-contact matters most.
- Certified. An outside body inspects the supply chain. Certifiers differ in their standards, for example on machine slaughter or stunning.
Other ingredients deserve a question too. Wine and beer can appear in sauces. Gelatin in desserts may come from pork. Vanilla extract contains alcohol. Shared fryers and grills can carry over from non-halal items.
Where the restaurants are
The three Palo Alto restaurants are in the two downtowns. Arya Steakhouse and Curry Up Now are downtown near University Avenue, a few minutes' walk from the Caltrain station; the downtown guide covers parking. Zareen's is on the car-free stretch of California Avenue. Because the list in Palo Alto is short, we also include SAJJ Mediterranean, which has branches in neighboring Menlo Park and Mountain View.
| Restaurant | Food | Where | What its own site says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zareen's | Pakistani and Indian | 365 S. California Ave., Palo Alto | "100% halal" |
| Curry Up Now | Indian street food | 321 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto | All meat halal certified |
| Arya Steakhouse | Persian steakhouse | 140 University Ave., Palo Alto | Entire menu halal |
| SAJJ Mediterranean | Mediterranean bowls and wraps | 883 Hamilton Ave., Menlo Park | Proteins halal certified |
| SAJJ Mediterranean | Mediterranean bowls and wraps | 2580 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View | Proteins halal certified |
Halal restaurants in Palo Alto
Zareen's, 365 South California Avenue
Zareen's is chef Zareen Khan's Pakistani and Indian restaurant. Its menu page describes the food as contemporary Pakistani and Indian cuisine, 100 percent halal and made from scratch daily, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options throughout. Expect kababs, biryani, curries and paratha rolls. The kids' menu lists halal chicken nuggets. It is open 11 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. every day, with takeout only after 11 p.m. Zareen's also has restaurants in Mountain View, Redwood City and Sunnyvale and a large catering business. Our Indian food guide covers the menu in more depth.
Curry Up Now, 321 Hamilton Avenue
Curry Up Now began in 2009 as a food truck in Burlingame, founded by Akash and Rana Kapoor. Its Palo Alto page says all of its meat is halal and halal certified. The menu turns Indian street food into fast-casual formats: tikka masala burritos, bowls, kathi rolls, naan pizzas, thali platters and a halal fried chicken sandwich. There is also a full vegan menu. Parking is metered on Hamilton Avenue, with city garages nearby.
Arya Steakhouse, 140 University Avenue
Arya is a Persian steakhouse from chef Mike Hashemi and Fera Hashemi, who opened their first Arya in Cupertino in 2007. The website says the entire menu is halal and its FAQ says all of its meats are halal. Arya butchers its meat in house and dry-ages steaks for 28 days. It is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and has two private dining rooms. Note that it has a wine list, which matters to some diners. Our steakhouse guide covers it alongside the city's other steak dinners.
Nearby: SAJJ Mediterranean
SAJJ Mediterranean is a Bay Area chain of fast-casual Mediterranean restaurants. Its about page says its proteins are halal certified and its produce is locally sourced. You build a bowl, wrap or salad with falafel, shawarma or kabob and a range of sauces and toppings. The two closest branches are on Hamilton Avenue in Menlo Park, a short drive across San Francisquito Creek. The other is at The Village at San Antonio Center in Mountain View, just past Palo Alto's southern edge. Check the branch page for hours before you go.
Beyond these, the South Bay cities of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and San Jose have many more restaurants that describe themselves as halal. Use their own websites to check before you drive.
Ordering notes
- Ask about certification. Which body certifies the meat? Is the certificate current? Many restaurants will show it on request.
- Ask what is covered. Is all meat halal, or only some dishes? Are seafood and vegetarian dishes cooked in the same oil?
- Ask about alcohol. Some halal restaurants serve wine or beer. Ask whether any is used in sauces or desserts.
- Watch delivery apps. App listings sometimes add a halal label the restaurant has not confirmed. The restaurant's own site is more reliable.
- Vegetarian backup. Vegetarian and vegan dishes avoid meat questions but not alcohol or shared equipment. Our vegetarian and vegan guide lists more options.
The Mediterranean and Middle Eastern guide notes that none of the Mediterranean restaurants it covers state halal certification on the pages its writers checked. Do not assume a cuisine is halal.
Timing and Ramadan
In 2027, Ramadan is expected to fall in February and March. Restaurants that serve halal food get busy right at sunset for iftar, so book or order ahead. For suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, choices in Palo Alto are thin. Zareen's, open until 11:59 p.m., is the latest of the restaurants here; see our late-night food guide for what else stays open.
If you are spending a day in San Francisco, you can browse San Francisco food tours. Check each tour's stops and ask the operator about halal options before you book.
Good to know
- Always confirm halal certification directly with the restaurant.
- Arya Steakhouse serves wine. Zareen's and Curry Up Now are counter or casual service.
- Zareen's switches to takeout only after 11 p.m.
- Third-party halal directories can be out of date. At least one Palo Alto listing we checked pointed to a restaurant that is no longer there.
Frequently asked questions
Are there halal restaurants in Palo Alto?
Yes. Zareen's on California Avenue describes its Pakistani and Indian menu as 100 percent halal. Curry Up Now on Hamilton Avenue says all of its meat is halal certified. Arya Steakhouse on University Avenue says its entire menu is halal. Confirm certification details with each restaurant.
Is there a halal steakhouse in Palo Alto?
Arya Steakhouse at 140 University Avenue is a Persian steakhouse that says all of its meats are halal. It dry-ages its steaks in house. It also serves wine, which some diners will want to know before booking.
Where can I get halal food late in Palo Alto?
Zareen's at 365 South California Avenue lists hours until 11:59 p.m. every day, with takeout only after 11 p.m. That makes it the practical choice for a late dinner or a suhoor meal during Ramadan.
Is Mediterranean food in Palo Alto halal?
Not automatically. Our Mediterranean guide found that none of the Mediterranean restaurants it covers state halal certification on the pages we checked. SAJJ Mediterranean, with branches in Menlo Park and Mountain View, says its proteins are halal certified.
How can I confirm a restaurant is halal?
Ask which body certifies the meat and whether the certificate is current. Ask whether all meat is halal or only some dishes, whether fryers and grills are shared and whether alcohol is used in sauces. Many restaurants will show a certificate on request.