There are five halal restaurants lining just three blocks of 16th Street between Mission and Guerrero. Soon, another will join them: 16th Street Diner, an American breakfast and lunch spot.
The new restaurant is expected to open in the next couple of weeks at 3147 16th St. near Albion Street, the former location of Cauliflower, which replaced Katz’s bagels. Cauliflower, a casual cafe, recently closed and its management could not be reached for comment.
The 16th Street Diner will be owned by former chefs of Pakwan, a Pakistani-Indian restaurant with five locations in the city, including one just up the block at 3182 16th St. The owners, including Shasqat Zubaida, could not be reached for comment as they are traveling, said Pakwan’s director of operations, Danial Shahbaz.
While Pakwan is supportive of the diner and familiar with its erstwhile employees’ plans, the two restaurants have no formal affiliation, Shahbaz said, adding that he wants to give its owners a chance to shine on their own.
As a member of a Pakistani immigrant family deeply involved in the restaurant industry, Shahbaz expressed his desire to see others “excel.” He believes they’re in the right spot for it, too; not many diners have opened up in the area, he said.
Growing up in the ’90s in San Francisco as a practicing Muslim, Shahbaz said he didn’t have many halal food options. Halal meats are prepared in accordance with rules of Islamic law: The animal has to be alive, in good condition, and slaughtered with a single swipe during an appropriate ritual. Halal restaurant owners on the block say this preparation also makes the meat healthier and less fatty.
There are around five halal meat suppliers located throughout the city, Shahbaz estimated. Pakwan gets its hand cut meat from SUDNI Foods in Richmond.
Since the '90s, Shahbaz said he’s seen a “huge explosion” in response to a “younger generation growing up wanting different cuisine.”
In addition to working at Pakwan, his family’s restaurant, Shahbaz has opened his own halal wing shop, Halal Wings Plus, at 533 Jones St. in the Tenderloin. He says he’s seen “more customers coming in that they never even imagined.”
Two of the area’s halal restaurants near Valencia Street have been open for more than 25 years: Al-Hambra, also known as Lahore Karahi, at 3086 16th St., and Truly Mediterranean at 3109 16th St.
Aijaz Ghani, now 65, drove a cab for a decade after immigrating to San Francisco from Pakistan in 1988. He remembers there only being two other Pakistani restaurants, both in the Tenderloin, when he opened Lahore Karahi in 1999. Ghani said he was drawn to the Mission by its multicultural community.
Truly Mediterranean was passed on to current owner Adam Augustini, 34, by extended family 13 years ago. It’s been open since 1991. Augustini, who grew up in Jerusalem, said the clientele is a mix of customers seeking halal food and those looking simply for good Mediterranean food.
The most recent addition to 16th Street’s string of halal restaurants is Wrap & Roll at 3111 16th St., near Albion Street, a sandwich place opened by Mahdi Herzallah last April. Herzallah’s brother owns Freekeh, the halal Mediterranean tapas place across the street.
During a recent lunch break, a trio of summer interns from the Arab Resource & Organizing Center around the corner crowded around Herzallah’s shop window. It was their second time there; the first visit was to pick up a large order for their high school’s Arab youth organization.
Although the Mission might not have the largest Arab community in San Francisco — organizers at the Arab Resource & Organizing Center think the Tenderloin does — there is a 100-year history of Arab businesses around San Francisco, they said. Seventeen-year-old AROC intern Helena Awward notes that her own family operates a corner store.
“I think this is a really big location for culturally rich food. And Arab Americans often look for places like that to feel comfortable opening their businesses,” Awward said.
Serving a full halal menu can be more expensive, Shahbaz said, but he would keep doing so even if there wasn’t a local Muslim community. Besides, “people will drive for halal food that is good.”
Very cool! Had no idea there is a halal corridor in the neighborhood.
you have a duty to point out the totally insane comment that the method of slaughter reduces fat content
Is there any parking in this area?
Prefer not to take BART and walk from 16th/BART station. Especially at night.
There is a parking garage on Hoff and 16th. On street parking can be difficult depending on the time.
Note that the garage is only 200 feet closer to the restaurants than BART is. You’ll be fine walking either way, it’s less than 2 blocks and the whole stretch is well-traveled, full of people patronizing the businesses at least until 10/11pm.
Well that, and then some other folk too that are around for other reasons. That’s where OP’s coming from.
I recommend ordering on GrubHub or Ueber Eats, which is common practice for all the other restaurants on the block as evident by all the double parking /s
Thank you