What’s on the menu at The Halal Guys, Toronto’s first location of the New York food-cart favourite

What’s on the menu at The Halal Guys, Toronto’s first location of the New York food-cart favourite

Not many fast-food places need a security detail, but the May 5 grand opening of Toronto’s first Halal Guys at Yonge and Wellesley is expected to require crowd control. Since 1990, when the New York–based chain started slinging gyros at its first food cart (which is still there at West 53rd Street and Sixth Avenue), the brand has developed a cult following. “Not many food carts get mentioned in what-to-do-in-New York lists,” says co-owner Imran Momin says, who hopes to open six more restaurants in the GTA. Today, there are almost 50 Halal Guys, with new locations popping up everywhere from South Korea to Jakarta. No matter where the restaurant, though, it’s the same short menu: chicken wraps, beef gyros, falafels and platters. “We’re famous for our white sauce, our hot sauce and our long lines,” says Momin.

Sides include hummus with pita ($3.49) and falafel ($2.99 for four).

 
A beef gyro sandwich. $6.99.

 
A regular-sized combo platter of beef and chicken served with rice, salad, hot sauce and white sauce. $12.49.

 
The 30-seat restaurant is decorated with pictures of the OG food cart, mostly showing off the long lines of customers.

 
There are always 15 staff working at any given time—speed is a priority here.

 
That’s a lot of meat.

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563 Yonge St., thehalalguys.com, @thehalalguystoronto