Halal Orlando / Yemeni & Arab
Yemeni food arrived in Orlando recently and changed the shape of the city's halal scene. It is communal by design: a metal tray of rice and slow-roasted lamb set in the middle of the table, torn bread instead of cutlery, and enough for everyone whether or not everyone ordered.
If you have only eaten shawarma and kebab, this is the category to try next. It is a different tradition and a different way of eating.
What to order
- Chicken or lamb mandiMeat cooked in an underground-style oven over smoking rice until it falls apart. The rice takes the fat and smoke, and that is the point of the dish.
- HaneethLamb shoulder roasted long and slow until it pulls off the bone. Richer than mandi, and the order to make when you want lamb.
- FahsaShredded beef stew served bubbling in a stone bowl with hulba whipped on top. Eat it with bread, straight from the pot.
- SaltahYemen's national dish, closer to a hot savoury stew, and the one to order if you want to understand the cuisine rather than just eat well.
- Yemeni tandoor breadBaked to order against the wall of the oven. Order extra. It always goes first.
- Adeni teaSpiced milk tea with cardamom, served after the meal. Not optional.
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.How the meal works
- Order for the tablePortions are large and meant to be shared. Two mains will usually feed three or four people.
- Eat with breadBread does the work of a fork here. It is the intended way to eat mandi, fahsa and saltah.
- Give it timeMandi and haneeth are slow-roasted, and busy kitchens run out by evening. Ordering earlier in the day is safer.
- DeliveryMandi and haneeth travel well in a covered tray. Fahsa is best eaten in the restaurant while it is still bubbling.
Common questions
Is Yemeni food halal?
Yemeni restaurants serve halal meat as a matter of course and do not serve alcohol or pork. As with any kitchen, ask about the supplier if your household eats strictly Zabiha.
What is mandi?
Mandi is meat, usually chicken or lamb, cooked slowly in an enclosed oven suspended above rice, so the rice absorbs the smoke and rendered fat. It is served on a shared tray.
What is the difference between mandi and haneeth?
Both are slow-roasted, but mandi is cooked over the rice and takes on smoke, while haneeth is roasted separately, usually lamb shoulder, and is richer and more tender.
Where can I get Yemeni food in Orlando?
Yemeni and Arab kitchens have opened across the Orlando metro in recent years. You can see which are currently open and taking orders on HalalFood.com.