Dishes from Left: African Small Pot, Top Right: Down North Pizza, Bottom Right: Kilimandjaro
For many people in Philadelphia who are of African and Muslim heritage, finding halal and halal‑friendly restaurants can be quite challenging. For them, halal food is about dietary rules and connection. Finding meals that reflect who you are, where you come from, and what you believe. And increasingly, Black-owned halal restaurants across the city are offering exactly that: food that nourishes both body and identity.
Black culture has always had a place in Philadelphia’s food scene, from soul food staples to Caribbean kitchens that feel like home. And now halal cuisine is quietly gaining the spotlight.
First, let’s talk about what halal means. It means “permissible” in Islam, and guides what many Muslims eat and how food is prepared. But in a city like Philadelphia, halal is beyond label. It is a cultural thread. And across the city, Black entrepreneurs are building spaces where culture and cuisine meet.
We have curated a few Black‑owned halal and halal‑friendly restaurants to explore in Philly.
Down North Pizza
Its founder, Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, took an unconventional path that many would not follow. He opened a pizzeria in Strawberry Mansion, one of the city’s highest-crime neighbourhoods, during a pandemic, and staffed it exclusively with formerly incarcerated people.
“People were looking at me like I was literally out of my mind. But, honestly, those are the things that made me look at it like, ‘This is going to work.’ Because nobody believed in it,” Muhammad said.
He was right. The menu of mouthwatering, thick-crust rectangular pizzas, crispy, saucy wings, hand-cut fries, milkshakes, and extensive vegan options became an immediate hit. The “Break You Off” pizza with lamb sausage, lemon ricotta, za’atar spice blend, and a garlic-honey drizzle, and the chicken and cauliflower wings with house-made buffalo sauce are popular too. The good news is that most of Down North’s menu is halal, so it attracts more customers.
Muhammad opened a second location, Out West Café, in West Philadelphia. His team carries a combined 63 years of incarceration between them. Every plate they serve is an act of defiance against a system that wrote them off.
Ebony Magazine named Down North Pizza one of its 45 favorite Black-owned restaurants in the United States in 2024.
You can find the restaurant at 2804 W. Lehigh Avenue, Philadelphia, PA (Strawberry Mansion). They are open Thursday – Sunday from 12 pm until they sell out. Online orders and walk-ins only, no delivery.
Source: Facebook / Down North Pizza
Kilimandjaro
Kilimandjaro Restaurant is owned and operated by Youma Aisse Ba, a Senegalese-born businesswoman. It is one of the first African-owned restaurants to be approved by the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs. This popular Senegalese restaurant serves traditional African cuisine with dishes from various regions of the continent. You will find authentic flavors and spices characteristic of African cooking traditions.
A staple of West African cuisine in Philly, the menu includes stews, grilled meats, jollof rice, egusi soup, and vegetarian options, all prepared using traditional cooking methods and ingredients. All these are prepared with halal options. It’s a go-to for many Nigerians and other West Africans craving authentic flavors.
Kilimandjaro is a home for the African diaspora in Philadelphia, and a gathering place where language, laughter, and shared culture fill the room.
You can find the restaurant at 4301 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 | (215) 387-1970. They are open Monday – Thursday: 11:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M, Friday – Saturday: 11:00 A.M. – 11:00 P.M., and Sunday: 11:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.
Source: Facebook / Kilimandjaro restaurant
African Small Pot
Its owner, Abdarahmane Diop, is a Mauritanian native who began his cooking career on Goree Island, the historic Senegalese island that served as one of the major departure points of the transatlantic slave trade and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, many years ago.
He trained professionally in Milan. He later landed on Woodland Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia and opened a restaurant that charges $5 to $25 a plate for thieboudienne, yassa poulet, mafé, and Mauritanian sweet tea so good that people drive across the city for it.
The menu features a variety of the best dishes from West African, American, and Italian cuisines, showcasing dishes that are not only flavorful but also deeply comforting. They offer generous portions, making it ideal for leftovers to savor later.
Source: Facebook / African Smallpot
You can find dishes such as chicken kabobs, jollof rice, mussels, and more. Based on available menu information, there’s no confirmation stating that the meal is halal.
With a master chef who has almost 40 years of experience in food preparation and a culinary degree from Milan, Italy, this is a cultural experience worth the trip.
The reviews are great, with diners raving about the meals. Customers recommend trying the yassa poulet, bissap ginger drink, plantains, and the amazing salmon with jollof rice. The fufu, combined with the egusi soup, is a must-have, and everything is made fresh.
“So I came here yesterday 1/6/26 on a Tuesday for take out, I had the pepper soup and fufu and it was soo good i came back today 1/7/26 and i tried the peanut butter soup or peanut sauce with the lamb onions and yellow rice, it was soo good as well, lamb was seasoned to perfection and crispy like i like it and the Shaykh was very friendly and hospitable. He gave us recipes and talked to us as we ate. Oh, and the ginger juice was good too, not overpowering like some African eateries, but still good. I would definitely come here again,” Zahir Khalil said.
You can find the restaurant at 6505 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19142 | (267) 713-7603. They are open Monday to Sunday – 8.00 A.M. to 1.00 A.M.
