It is not often that you find a queue forming for a food truck in New York City that isn’t even there. However, Adel’s Famous Halal Food, found along 6th Avenue at the corner with West 49th Street seems to have that effect on people.
Adel’s Famous Halal Food starts serving from 6 pm in the evening till late into the wee hours of the morning. However, on some days, by 5 pm, you can already find some die-hard fans queuing up in anticipation of the food truck’s arrival along 6th Avenue. By the time it is 6 pm, when they open for service, don’t be surprised if the queue is all the way back to West 48th Street.
Adel’s Famous Halal Food: Attracting A Long Line of Customers
Why does Adel’s Famous Halal Food attract so many hungry customers? Why is there always a line in the evenings at the area opposite from Rockefeller Center in Midtown?
It is simply because the food is that good and it is great value for money. After all, there are few other places where you can get a huge plate of rice and meat that will fill you up for only around $10.
Adel’s started off by serving up delicious halal food at an affordable price point to hungry taxi drivers. However, soon other New Yorkers started catching on and the lines started to form.
The other well known halal food cart that you can find in New York is the Halal Guys and any discussion about Adele’s will invariably bring about comparisons. Both have their fans but we are personally bigger fans of Adel’s.
What to Order at Adel’s Famous Halal Food
For us, the go to at Adel’s is either the chicken on rice or the lamb on rice.
Or for the best of both worlds, order the lamb and chicken combo.
The meats comes from the cone that is on a vertical rotisserie . It is then given a good heating up on the flat top. It is beautifully seasoned.
You can choose between the regular rice, which is yellow in color, or if feeling adventurous, get the spicy rice. We prefer to go with the regular rice. If you go for the regular rice, you can always add on hot sauce to taste.
The food comes in a metal aluminium container. Together with the lamb or chicken or lamb/chicken on rice, there is also fresh lettuce and pita bread.
Most famously, you can get the white sauce to go with the meat and rice platter. This is a yoghurt based sauce that complements the meat, giving it a slightly sourish edge that deepens the flavor of the food.
When ordering, the server at the food cart would typically ask if you would prefer to have the famous white sauce drizzled straight on to the top of the food, or to have it come in packet form where you can add on as much as you would like.
It probably makes more sense to ask them to drizzle it on if you are planning to eat the food immediately. If you are planning to take away the food and have it later, you can ask for it in packets so that you can put it on later when you are ready to consume the food.
There is also the hot sauce. Be warned. This red colored sauce is pretty flaming hot. Just a little bit of the hot sauce will be enough to add a large hit of spice and heat to a mouthful of chicken on rice or lamb on rice.
Queuing Up for Adel’s Famous Halal Food
So is it worth queuing up an hour for Adel’s Famous Halal Food?
We been to Adel’s Famous Halal Food a number of times. Sometimes it feels like it worth the queue, but at other times, the hunger pangs are too much for us to be bothered with queuing up.
However, if you do get the craving for Adel’s Famous Halal Food, then to scratch the itch, you just simply have to bite the bullet and join the queue – even in the New York winter. In fact, in the wintertime, you may find that the steaming hot container full of halal food is just what hits the spot.
However, since Adel’s Famous Halal Food opens till very late into the early hours of the morning, you may also have better luck with shorter queues later into the evening. Try to go before the hordes of people come out from the musical theatres, hungry for some food. If passing by and you see a short queue, you should definitely go for it and queue up to get your tummy’s fill of the late night food.
We would suggest to plan ahead if you really wish to try Adel’s Famous Halal Food. Go mentally prepared for a long wait and if the queue turns out to be short, it will be a bonus. Some one once remarked that Adel’s Famous Halal Food cart is a bit of cult and that may not be wrong.
Be patient and you will be able to get a taste of this street food that even busy New Yorkers are willing to get in line for.
You can find Adel’s Famous Halal Food at the south west corner of 49th Street and 6th Avenue.
Website: Adel’s Famous Halal Food
More Cheap and Delicious Eats in Manhattan
If you enjoyed this story, then you will also enjoy this other foodie story about amazing tacos in Manhattan that you have to try. Or do you love cheap eats? Did you know that you can still get dollar pizza in New York City? Our favorite spot to get hold of a dollar slice is only a couple of blocks north of Times Square. Read about this spot for dollar pizza in New York City that will hit the spot.
Another hidden gem is a place that is just off Times Square. It is a little Cuban restaurant that serves up home style cooking at very reasonable prices. Read more about Margon Cuban Restaurant.
