Halal Orlando / Central Asian
This is the least known halal cuisine in Orlando and the most rewarding to discover. Uzbek cooking sits on the old road between the Middle East and China, and it tastes like it: cumin-heavy rice, hand-pulled noodles, pastry baked against the wall of a clay oven, lamb over coals.
It is heavy food, cooked for cold weather, which makes it an odd fit for Florida and a very good one for a large hungry table.
What to order
- PlovRice cooked in lamb fat with carrot, cumin and whole garlic, with meat buried through it. The national dish, and the first thing to order.
- LagmanHand-pulled noodles with lamb, peppers and tomato, served as a soup or fried. The fried version travels better.
- SamsaFlaky pastry stuffed with lamb and onion, baked against the side of a tandyr oven. Order more than you think you need.
- MantiLarge steamed dumplings filled with minced lamb and onion, served with sour cream or vinegar.
- ShashlikSkewered lamb, beef or chicken over charcoal, salted heavily and served with raw onion.
- ShurpaClear lamb and vegetable soup. The lightest thing on the menu, and the best starter.
Ready to eat?
HalalFood.com carries Orlando's halal restaurants with live menus, real prices and current delivery times. Pick a kitchen, order for delivery or pickup, and pay in one place.
Order halal food on HalalFood.com Delivery and pickup across the Orlando area. Every kitchen on the platform is halal, so there is nothing to check first. See what is open now.Ordering notes
- Portions run largeCentral Asian portions assume a working appetite. Two mains and a plate of samsa will feed three.
- Lamb leads the menuMost of the cuisine is built on lamb. Chicken versions exist but are the substitute, not the original.
- Halal by defaultUzbek kitchens in the US are generally halal throughout and do not serve pork. Confirm the meat supplier if that matters to your household.
- BreadNon, the round tandyr bread, is baked fresh and sold whole. Take one home.
Common questions
Is Uzbek food halal?
Uzbek restaurants in the US are usually fully halal and serve no pork, reflecting the cuisine's Muslim origins. Ask about the supplier if you require hand-slaughtered Zabiha meat.
What is plov?
Plov is rice slow-cooked with lamb, carrot, onion, cumin and whole garlic in a single heavy pot, so the rice takes on the fat and spice. It is the central dish of Uzbek cooking.
What does lagman taste like?
Hand-pulled wheat noodles with lamb, peppers, tomato and cumin — savoury and mildly spiced, somewhere between a Chinese noodle dish and a Central Asian stew.
Where can I find Central Asian food in Orlando?
Uzbek and Central Asian kitchens are a recent and growing addition to the Orlando halal scene. Check current openings and menus on HalalFood.com.