A new build-your-own halal restaurant has opened at 1206 E. Main St., Ste. 101 in Allen, bringing the flavors of New York City halal carts to North Texas. Halal Papi is the work of co-owners Ahmad Elattar and Adam Khalid, brothers-in-law who opened the shop as their first location.
The pair signed their lease on January 1, 2025, but did not officially open until November 11, 2025, after what they described as ten frustrating months of waiting on permits from the city, according to Voyage Dallas. Elattar and Khalid had been discussing opening a food business together for more than three years before that lease was ever signed, the outlet reported.
Elattar lived in New York City, where halal carts serving rice with chicken, lamb and the traditional white sauce shaped his approach to the menu, according to Community Impact. That cart-style format now shows up on Halal Papi's menu, which lets customers build customizable rice bowls, salad bowls, pitas, quesadillas and burritos, per the same outlet.
Protein Options and Signature Dishes
Diners choose from protein options that include lamb gyro, house chicken, falafel, seasoned beef, jerk chicken and musakhan, Community Impact reports — though Voyage Dallas quoted the owners describing the lineup as five protein options, including the Classic NY Gyro and House Chicken alongside Jerk Chicken, Musakhan and Seasoned Beef. The jerk chicken is marinated for 48 hours and char-grilled, according to halalpapi.com, while the musakhan — a Palestinian dish of slow-cooked chicken with caramelized onions and sumac, per Community Impact — is listed on the restaurant's own menu as slow-cooked chicken with caramelized onions and sumac.
Elattar has described the lamb gyro as the highest-quality option available on the market, per Community Impact. Toppings span romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sumac onions, jalapeños, chickpeas, kalamata olives, pico de gallo, cilantro, parsley and fire-roasted corn, with a choice of several sauces to finish the plate, the outlet notes.
Color Comes From the Kitchen, Not a Bottle
Halal Papi uses turmeric to give its yellow rice its color, while smoked paprika and a tomato base turn the house chicken red, according to Community Impact's report. Elattar described the food as a home-cooked meal served quickly, and said he would not serve anything he would not serve to his own children or family, the outlet reported.
Expansion Plans Point Toward McKinney
Elattar said Halal Papi's community has been extremely supportive since opening, according to Community Impact. He plans to grow the business by adding one location each year for five years, and is considering McKinney as the site of the next Halal Papi, per the same report — though those remain plans under consideration rather than confirmed openings.
