Former New York street vendor-turned-fast-casual restaurant, The Halal Guys, will open their first Milwaukee franchise just a block from UW-Milwaukee at 3133 N. Oakland Ave., in the former home of Wright's Burgers & Wings.
The Halal Guys serve up platters and bowls featuring rice, pita, lettuce and tomatoes with a choice of chicken, gyro meat or falafel. Sides include fries or hummus or tahini served with pita.
Dustin LeFebvre and Ravit Ansal, the owners of the new franchise, are planning to open the restaurant late April or early May, and are currently seeking real estate in Madison, where they hope to sign a lease for a second location later in the year. They are also eyeing three additional locations in the Chicagoland area.
"I am excited to share The Halal Guys’ 25 years of street vendor passion with the people of Chicago and Wisconsin," said LeFebvre in a recent press release. "The Halal Guys represents a confluence of global tastes and timeless comfort food with the special brand built dutifully through dedication, craft and the amplification of taxi drivers all across Manhattan."
Founded in 1990 by Mohamed Abouelenein, Ahmed Elsaka and Abdelbaset Elsayed, The Halal Guys made their name as the first mainstream American Halal food restaurant chain, and are now the largest American Halal Food concept in the world.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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