Curry buffet at Sehaj Restaurant. Photo supplied.

We’ve put together a round-up of strictly Halaal restaurants around the country where you can enjoy meals with your family and friends.

• Countrywide
• Johannesburg
• Pretoria
• Durban
• Cape Town

Countrywide

Anat
Anat does simple but tasty schwarmas well – pair chicken, beef or lamb (or opt for the vegetarian-friendly falafel) with a variety of toppings and sauces for a filling meal. With the spits roasting the meat on full display, here you can be assured of fresh and tender meat.

Barcelos
This Portuguese eatery serves up flame-grilled chicken fast with various combos, family meals and a selection of vegetarian options available.

Pizza Hut
Fast and sure to sate your craving, Pizza Hut offers all the usual favourites but also offers twists, like the option of adding cheesy bites to the edge of your pizza instead of crust. Also spring for the loaded chips, with options like cheesy chips with fiery sauce, cheesy macon chips, and cheesy jalapeño chips.

Johannesburg

Adega (Fordsburg)
In the mood for seafood or flavoursome chicken and meat dishes? Adega in Fordsburg serves traditional Portuguese favourites like prego rolls, trinchado and prawns. We’ve heard the prawns are delicious. Check out the special menu.

Al Makka (Fordsburg)
Part of Eat Out’s top 500 restaurants in 2015 and 2016, Al Makka has been around for well over a decade, serving spicy Indian – think palak paneer, dhals and curries (try the butter chicken) accompanied by atchar and breads – and Chinese foods, like spring rolls and soups.

Al-Mehran (Fordsburg)
Taste all the flavours of the globe at this local favourite. From Asian dishes such as vegetable chow mein to Pakistani dishes like chicken tikka and beef seekh kebabs, and a special menu during Ramadan, Al-Mehran offers a wide variety of dishes to satisfy any craving.

Bismillah (Fordsburg, Lenasia, Melville)
With branches all over Joburg, Bismillah offers spicy, authentic Indian and Asian flavours in relaxed settings. As well as mutton, beef and chicken curries on the menu, you’ll find tandoori chicken and seekh kebabs under the special grill section.

Calisto’s (Fordsburg)
The colourful and vibey atmosphere of Calisto’s is also expressed in the menu, in saucy Portuguese dishes filled with flavour. Mixed platters are revised seasonally. This spot is famous for a dish called ‘Rump in the Oven’ – it includes a 280g rump steak that’s been marinated, slowly baked in a wood-fired oven and finished on an open flame to medium perfection.

Dosa Hut (Fordsburg)
As the name suggests, this South Indian eatery specialises in dosas with a variety of fillings. They’re perfect to be shared alongside a range of other delicious, spicy starters or enjoyed as a main meal. You’ll find abundant meat and seafood options and more than 20 different vegetarian dishes, ensuring everyone is catered for.

J’s Tikka & Kebab (Sandton)
From the owners of Ghazal Indian Restaurant, this Indian hot spot not only specialises in tikka dishes, but also serves favourites such as samoosas, lamb naan, paneer naan and family platters with a bit of everything for the indecisive.

Mexico Flame Grilled (Roodepoort)
Middle East meets Tex-Mex at this casual, family-friendly restaurant that’s known for nachos and tacos. You’ll find a variety of Mexican dishes alongside burgers, chicken and jumbo shwarmas. Family and bambino meals (the latter including a toy) cater for everyone.

Mumbai Masala (Killarney)
Whether you order puri (unleavened deep-fried Indian bread), chaat (a fried savoury snack, usually potato based), bhaji (spicy fritter), pav (bread bun) or pakora (crispy lentil-and-veg bite), you won’t be disappointed in this concise menu of traditional Indian dishes.

Ottoman Palace (Midrand)
Get a taste of Turkey at Ottoman Palace, which is situated behind the mosque in Midrand. Try traditional cultural dishes and a Turkish version of the South African braai served with flatbreads and dips. As for beverages, traditional teas and coffee are a wonderful way to end off the experience.

A dish at Ottoman Palace. Photo supplied

Roasted Coriander (Greenside)
This relative newcomer to the area offers unpretentious, home-style Indian cuisine accompanied by some mainstream favourites like pizzas, burgers and open sandwiches. It also caters for large functions and family events. A favourite is the masala egg dish. Look out for lunchtime specials as well as music and poetry nights on Facebook.

Pizza at Roasted Coriander. Photo supplied

Rocomamas (Melrose Arch)
This popular burger eatery, well known for serving a variety of gourmet burgers, now has a Halaal certified branch in Melrose Arch. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic cheese burger or nachos, this is the spot for you.

Sharjah (Woodmead)
If you’re in the area and looking for some relaxed dining or a home-style, authentic Indian takeaway, Sharjah is a great choice with plenty of vegetarian options. Tandoori, vegetable and kebab platters cater for four to six and include dips.

Taste of India (Fordsburg)
The generous menu features mostly Indian-style cuisine, but also includes Indo-Chinese cuisine and fast-food burger-and-chips fare. It’s famous for its chicken tikka dish, butter chicken and mutton bunny chow. Try a meat or vegetarian bunny chow in quarter, half or full portions. Established daily specials run from Friday to Sunday with additional offers available during Ramadan.

Pretoria

Al-Amin Restaurant & Take-Away (Laudium)
Don’t be fooled by the unusual location of a petrol station: This is the kind of place where the food really takes centre stage. The menu offers a wide range of Indian dishes, including delicious naan, paratha and roti, as well as Pakistani and Chinese dishes.

Spur (Prairie Eagle)
A family favourite for years, the Eldo Square Shopping Centre branch offers a Halaal menu. Tuck into dishes like a beef burger or tender buffalo wings, and don’t forget the onion rings.

Uncle Faouzi (CBD, Sunnyside and Hatfield)
Open 24 hours a day with three locations in Pretoria, this is the ideal spot for you to get your fill of shwarmas and wraps, chicken and burgers. It’s laid-back, convenient and competitively priced with combo meals and regular specials.

Durban

Adega (Gateway)
Like its Portuguese sibling in Joburg, Adega serves traditional Portuguese favourites like prego rolls, trinchado and famous prawn dishes. You’ll find a special menu during Ramadan.

Al-Mehran (Beachfront)
The menu offers a wide variety: Asian spring rolls and vegetable chow mein, Indian paratha and beef seekh kebabs, and Anglo-Indian chicken tikka. The cheese paratha is a local favourite.

Canvas Grill (Musgrave/Essenwood)
Family friendly and full of flavour, the modern fusion menu offers appetising starters and snacks, salads and hearty main courses, including lamb shank and vegetarian pasta. Steak dishes are popular choices, especially the ‘Raphael’. This is a chef favourite: a 300g fillet steak pocketed with a decadent stuffing of three cheeses.

Cape Town

Alhambra Restaurant (Lansdowne)
Known for hosting bespoke functions and offering live entertainment, Alhambra has a contemporary à la carte menu. Favourite dishes are the lamb kalya curry and the beef fillet. The venue can accommodate functions f0r 30 or more guests during Ramadan and serves a buffet menu.

Arabian Nights (Crawford)
Here the fusion-Indian menu is perfect for those with an adventurous palate. Try the chicken tikka on its own with complimentary side or in a variety of unexpected ways – on a savoury waffle or in a salad, savoury pancake, taco, roti, naan or baked lasagna. Traditional curries and biryanis are available for the less experimental.

Atlantic Express Cake and Coffee Train (Sea Point)
Only open in the evenings during Ramadan, this is one of Sea Point’s landmark restaurants. With a specialised menu for the period of Ramadan, it has a lot to offer. The cosy atmosphere of the carefully restored railway carriage makes it a popular destination for families, as does the extensive, international menu that caters for a variety of tastes.

Exterior of the Atlantic Express Train. Photo supplied

Biesmiellah Restaurant (Bo-Kaap)
Celebrated for its Cape Malay cuisine, Biesmiellah specialises in food with Bangladeshi, Pakistani and South-East Indian influences. Specialities include chicken curry, tomato bredie and famous rotis. Convenient family meals can also be purchased for takeaways.

Bibi’s Kitchen (Wynberg)
Part of Wynberg’s neighbourhood for more than 25 years, Bibi’s Kitchen is still the go-to place for fresh pastries and delicious Indian food. There’s also a wide menu on which you’re sure to find a favourite.

Bo-Kaap Kombuis (Bo-Kaap)
Experience authentic Cape Malay cuisine at Bo-Kaap Kombuis, with its magnificent view of Table Mountain. Indulge in dishes like sosati chops, curry and roti, and butter chicken. This restaurant is sometimes closed during Ramadan, so it might be a good idea to call ahead.

Dodge City (Crawford, Ottery)
Known for delicious, thick milkshakes, Dodge City also offers other diner favourites like flame-grilled burgers, chicken, steaks and ribs.

Hartley’s Buffet (Wynberg)
Eat as much as you like at this family-friendly buffet. Offering everything from seafood and tikka chicken to curry, lasagna and salads, it’s a great option for Iftar as it includes traditional drinks, soups and savoury snacks to break your fast. The buffet costs R195 per person and includes starters, mains and dessert.

Lady Bee Buffet Diner (Crawford, Epping, Mitchell’s Plain, Observatory, Zevenwacht)
This family business began as a supermarket and roadhouse in Elsie’s River in 1982. Now with five branches, Lady Bee offers personalised large- and small-scale catering and buffet dining. Open until 8pm Monday to Saturday with branch-specific opening hours on Sunday, the diner serves a wide range of buffet options including curries, roasts, lasagne, chicken and calamari. Just weigh your plate and pay. Bonus: Free WiFi included at the restaurant.

The Lounge on Kromboom (Crawford)
Popular for its sushi bar and indoor-outdoor seating, The Lounge has a large contemporary cafe-style menu featuring light meals, trammezinis and sandwiches, burgers, seafood and meat barbecue. It’s also well known for delicious pastas and grills.

The Lounge on Kromboom. Photo supplied.

Montasio (Sea Point)
Known for thin-based pizzas and freshly prepared pasta dishes, this strictly Halaal restaurant is just the place to visit if you’re low on lunch or dinner ideas. Try the snack options of samoosas and fries or mains like the chicken-and-mushroom burger, the Angolan burger and classic spaghetti Bolognese.

Mezbaan (Bo-Kaap)
Spoil the family at this hotel restaurant offering a mix of Indian, Arabic and Persian tastes with a contemporary twist. On the menu you can choose from curries, cooling yoghurts, tandoori murgs and kebabs.

Curry at Mezbaan. Photo supplied

Sabria’s Restaurant (Wynberg)
This family-run restaurant offers prime grills, fragrant curries, fresh seafood, pastas, salads and decadent desserts with a focus on quality ingredients.

Saray (City Bowl)
Saray, meaning ‘palace’ in Turkish, aims to transport you and brings authentic flavours of Istanbul to the City Bowl. Enjoy authentic kebabs, kahve, cay and gargle. Choose from mezze, light and main meals, and desserts from a concise Turkish-Kurdish menu.

Syriana Restaurant (Sea Point)
If good Middle Eastern cuisine is what you’re looking for, Syriana should be on your list of places to visit. From appetisers like falafel balls and kibbeh nayeh to mains of beef or chicken shwarma platters and more, the menu offers something to write home about.

Taj Mahal (Hout Bay)
The Indian cuisine on offer ranges from curries and grills to bunny chow and biryani with naan and raita. A kids’ menu and takeaways are available too.

The Village Buffet (City Bowl)
This eatery has a weekday special buffet (Monday to Friday), which is designed for the whole family. Included in the buffet are food items such as barbecue chicken, ribs, pizza, pasta and Indian cuisine, including bottomless drinks and desserts.

Wembley Roadhouse (Athlone)
A roadhouse with a twist. Yes, you can enjoy burgers, hot dogs, fries and shakes in your car, but you can also order a salomi or curry with a roti instead, and snack on samoosas and chilli bites while you wait. In addition, the menu features Cape classics like denningvleis curry, bobotie and tomato bredie.

Samoosas prepared at Wembley Roadhouse. Photo supplied

Zaika Tandoor (Crawford)
As the name suggests, tandoori is the speciality here, including tandoori naan breads. Zaika also offers the tandoori family meal for R169, which includes one whole tandoori chicken, two naan breads, one large chips and a two-litre cool drink.

In a hurry or simply fancy a favourite takeaway instead? Find the takeaway restaurants nationally that are certified by the South African National Halaal Authority (SANHA) here.

Please note that while we have taken care to ensure the accuracy of our information, some items and prices may chance without our knowledge.

Have we missed out one of your favourite fully Halaal restaurants? Let us know about it in the comments.