A 30-year-old New York food cart institution, The Halal Guys, opens its first Colorado location at Aurora City Center on June 18.
Unlike in New York, customers won’t be lining up outside for gyros and falafel platters at this outpost. It’s a full 2,100-square-foot restaurant and one of more than 90 franchise locations for the brand across the world.
Local owners Chris Bui and Kevin Than are bringing the concept to their home state. The Halal Guys began in 1990 at the corner of 53rd and 6th Avenue in New York, where Egyptian founders Mohammed Abouelenein, Abdelbaset Elsayed and Ahmed Elsaka started selling food specifically for Muslim Manhattan taxi drivers.
At the new restaurant, customers will be able to order beef gyro, chicken and falafel sandwiches and platters, as well as sides of hummus and baba ghanoush and baklava for dessert. During opening week, the restaurant will give away free food to early guests each day, including free Halal Guys for one year to the first 50 diners on Friday, June 18.
You’ll find the restaurant open from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday at 14535 E. Alameda Ave., Aurora. More info. is available at halalorado.com.