Dearborn, Michigan is the halal capital of America. Home to the largest Arab-American community in the United States, nearly every restaurant in East Dearborn serves halal food by default Compare with halal. Explore halal certification for more information.
Why Dearborn Is Special
Dearborn has excellent halal accessibility - arguably the best in America:
- 200+ halal restaurants concentrated in one area
- Halal by default: Most restaurants don’t need to advertise
- 40,000+ Arab-Americans: Largest concentration in US
- Lebanese, Yemeni, Iraqi: Diverse Arab cuisines
- Halal everything: Even fast food chains go halal here
Main Halal Areas
Warren Avenue Corridor
The heart of Dearborn’s halal scene:
- Mile-long strip of halal restaurants
- Every cuisine: Lebanese, Yemeni, Iraqi, Palestinian
- Grocery stores: Halal meat and products
- Bakeries: Fresh pita and sweets
Michigan Avenue
More halal restaurants and services:
- Fast casual options
- Grocery stores
- Halal meat markets
Dearborn Heights
Extending halal scene:
- Suburban options
- Strip mall restaurants
- Halal chains
Must-Visit Restaurants
Fine Dining
- Al Ameer Restaurant: Lebanese institution, famous hummus
- La Marsa: Upscale Mediterranean
- Cedarland: Family-style Lebanese
Casual Dining
- La Shish: Popular Lebanese chain
- Sahara Restaurant: Yemeni specialties
- Al-Ajami Restaurant: Iraqi cuisine
- Sheeba Restaurant: Yemeni classics
Quick Service
- Bucharest Grill: Best shawarma in town
- Dearborn Meat Market: Sandwiches and grilled meats
- Al Saha: Fast Lebanese
Bakeries & Sweets
- Shatila Bakery: Famous baklava and pastries
- New Yasmeen Bakery: Fresh bread and sweets
- Masri Sweets: Lebanese desserts
Must-Try Foods
Lebanese Classics
- Hummus: Dearborn does it best
- Shawarma: Chicken and lamb
- Fattoush: Fresh salad
- Kibbeh: Fried meat croquettes
- Tabbouleh: Parsley salad
- Shish tawook: Grilled chicken
Yemeni Specialties
- Haneeth: Slow-roasted lamb
- Saltah: Meat stew with fenugreek
- Fahsa: Shredded meat dish
- Yemeni bread: Fresh from tandoor
Iraqi Dishes
- Masgouf: Grilled carp fish
- Dolma: Stuffed vegetables
- Tepsi baytinijan: Eggplant casserole
Desserts
- Baklava: Shatila’s is legendary
- Knafeh: Cheese pastry
- Halawet el jibn: Sweet cheese rolls
- Ma’amoul: Date-filled cookies
Halal Grocery Shopping
Supermarkets
- Dearborn Fresh: Full halal supermarket
- Greenland Market: Middle Eastern products
- Westborn Market: Local grocery with halal
Meat Markets
- Dearborn Meat Market: Fresh halal cuts
- Saad Wholesale Meats: Bulk halal meat
- Various butchers: Along Warren Ave
Specialty Stores
- Shatila Bakery: Sweets and imports
- New Yasmeen: Baked goods
- Middle Eastern spice shops: Throughout area
Unique Dearborn Experience
Halal Fast Food
Even chains go halal in Dearborn:
- McDonald’s: Halal chicken in some locations
- Burger King: Halal options available
- Various pizza chains: Halal toppings
Cultural Experience
- Arab American National Museum: Learn the history
- Islamic Center of America: Largest mosque in US
- Weekend markets: Fresh produce and goods
Practical Tips
- No certification needed: Halal is the default here
- Cash helpful: Some shops prefer cash
- Weekend crowds: Popular restaurants get busy
- Parking: Street parking and lots available
- Language: Arabic widely spoken
- Portions: Generous, share dishes
- Fresh bread: Buy from bakeries
- Shatila: Don’t skip the baklava
- Meat markets: Great for self-catering
- Ramadan: Restaurants packed after iftar
Getting to Dearborn
- From Detroit Airport (DTW): 15 minutes
- From downtown Detroit: 20 minutes
- Driving recommended: Best way to explore
- Uber/Lyft: Available throughout area
Day Trip from Detroit
Many visitors do a halal food day trip:
- Breakfast: Shatila Bakery pastries
- Explore: Arab American National Museum
- Lunch: Al Ameer or La Shish
- Shopping: Warren Avenue grocery stores
- Dinner: Bucharest Grill shawarma
- Dessert: More Shatila baklava