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Is Mezeh Halal?

Short answer Halal

Yes. Mezeh Mediterranean Grill says its proteins are 100% halal certified and links to its suppliers' certificates [1][2]. The chicken comes from Mountaire Farms under a Halal Food Council USA certificate for mechanical halal slaughter [2]. If you only eat hand-slaughtered meat, check that detail. If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

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Halal status by country

CountryStatusDetailsSource
United States Halal Mezeh says its proteins are 100% halal certified. Its posted certificates cover Washington Lamb (Halal Food Council USA), Mountaire Farms halal poultry (Halal Food Council USA, mechanical halal slaughter) and Nebraska Beef (Halal Transactions of Omaha). [1][2][3]

What Mezeh says about halal

Mezeh is a fast-casual Mediterranean chain based in Annapolis, Maryland, with more than 40 restaurants in the mid-Atlantic region [3]. You build your own bowl, wrap or salad, much like at Cava.

Mezeh's own About page lists its proteins as antibiotic-free, hormone-free and 100% halal certified, and it links to its halal certificates [1]. Local news coverage of a Washington, DC opening in 2024 also described the food as made with halal protein [3].

This is a brand-wide claim, not a franchise-by-franchise one. That makes Mezeh one of the few large US fast-casual chains with a public halal statement.

What the certificates show

Mezeh's posted halal document holds three supplier certificates [2]:

  • Washington Lamb Inc. (Lorton, Virginia) is certified by Halal Food Council USA (HFC-USA) for further-processed halal poultry, lamb, goat and beef. The posted certificate runs through December 31, 2026.
  • Mountaire Farms halal poultry is certified by HFC-USA under a certificate of mechanical halal slaughter. It says a Muslim slaughterman recites the tasmiyah and switches on a single-blade mechanical knife, with a Muslim supervisor on the line. It runs to February 2027.
  • Nebraska Beef (Omaha) holds a plant certificate from Halal Transactions of Omaha. The copy Mezeh posted shows an expiry date of April 14, 2026, so ask whether a renewed certificate is in place.

These are supplier certificates. They certify the meat, not each restaurant's kitchen.

Mechanical slaughter and zabiha

The chicken certificate is the detail many readers will want to know about. It covers mechanical slaughter, where a machine blade cuts the birds after a Muslim slaughterman says the tasmiyah [2].

Halal certifiers disagree on this method. The UK's Halal Monitoring Committee says mechanical slaughter does not produce halal meat, even if the blessing is said when the machine starts [4]. Other certifiers, including HFC-USA, accept it under set conditions [2]. If you follow the stricter view and eat only hand-slaughtered (zabiha) chicken, Mezeh's chicken may not meet your standard. The lamb and beef certificates do not describe mechanical slaughter [2].

This is a question of which standard you follow, not a sign that Mezeh is misleading anyone. For background, see our page on whether chicken is halal.

How to check before you order

Mezeh is a large chain, so a quick check is worth it:

  • Look at the posted certificates. Mezeh links to them from its website [1]. Check the dates, since one posted copy has expired [2].
  • Ask which protein you are getting. Chicken, lamb and steak come from different suppliers with different certificates [2].
  • Ask at the counter if you are unsure about a new menu item or a limited-time protein.

If you want other Mediterranean or shawarma options, see Is Cava halal? and Is shawarma halal?.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mezeh chicken halal?

Mezeh says all its proteins are halal certified [1]. Its chicken comes from Mountaire Farms under a Halal Food Council USA certificate that covers mechanical halal slaughter by a Muslim slaughterman [2]. Some certifiers do not accept mechanical slaughter.

Is Mezeh zabiha?

It depends on the protein and your standard. The chicken certificate describes mechanical slaughter, which some certifiers reject as non-zabiha [2][4]. The lamb and beef certificates are from halal slaughter and processing plants [2]. Ask the restaurant if you need more detail.

Who certifies Mezeh's meat?

Mezeh's posted certificates are from Halal Food Council USA, for Washington Lamb and Mountaire Farms poultry, and from Halal Transactions of Omaha, for Nebraska Beef [2]. These certify Mezeh's suppliers, not the restaurant kitchens themselves.

Is Mezeh steak halal?

Mezeh says all its proteins are halal certified [1]. Its posted documents include halal certificates for beef from Washington Lamb and Nebraska Beef [2]. The Nebraska Beef copy shows an April 2026 expiry, so ask whether it has been renewed.

Sources

  1. About Mezeh · Mezeh Mediterranean Grill · accessed
  2. Mezeh halal certifications (supplier certificates, PDF) · Mezeh Mediterranean Grill · accessed
  3. Mezeh Grille opens at 333 Pa Ave SE · Capitol Hill Corner · accessed
  4. Issues of Mechanical Slaughter and Stunning · Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) · accessed