Halal Food Inc. opens in Oxford, looking to expand to coffee

Oxford’s dining options now include Mediterranean cuisine with the opening of Halal Food Inc. on Oct. 17. The restaurant is located at 17 N. Beech St. near Left Field Tavern, formerly home to the Oxford Hookah Lounge. 

Owner, Yahia Jayousi, first came to the U.S. from Jordan in 2020 as the main distributor for Nafeeseh Sweets, a popular Middle Eastern dessert company. Beyond sweets, he is now looking to bring more of his country’s cuisine to college towns across Ohio.

Oxford marks the third location for Halal Food Inc. The first location opened on East Court Street in Cincinnati in 2022, followed by a second location in Clifton near the University of Cincinnati a year later. He said his wife inspired him to start the first location, and positive feedback has led him to expand further.

The Oxford location is unique in that he plans to incorporate a Mediterranean coffee and sweets shop into the remaining space next season.

“Once I start this one here, the coffee shop, I will run next door close to any restaurant I open and do the same concept,” Jayousi said. “I have a plan in the future to be a franchise.”

Middle Eastern coffee distinguishes itself from others through its unique preparation and traditions. Turkish coffee, the most well-known variety, uses an unfiltered brewing process with the grounds remaining in the coffee, giving it a distinctive rich and full-bodied flavor. The coffee is traditionally served in small cups, often accompanied by sweets.

Jayousi said word-of-mouth has brought in many customers, especially for the chicken shawarma wrap, the restaurant's most popular item. Other items include vegetarian options like the falafel wrap and others like the gyro wrap. 

He is now working on obtaining a food truck license so he can attend events around the city. He said he sees the food truck as a way to address marketing challenges posed by the restaurant’s location.

“[The] difficulty we have is the location in the alley,” Jayousi said. “ … The food truck is going to be just at events and maybe one day a week, but the restaurant here exists 24/7.”

Jayousi plans to open two more locations, one in Dayton and one in Columbus, to establish his brand and then franchise. He eventually wants to get a private label for his product to be sold in retail stores.

“If you hustle and you’re smart enough or you have the opportunity to do it, why are you not [expanding],” Jayousi said. “Right now, my field in sweets and food, I really like it. To provide people good, healthy stuff, [I] enjoy it. I feel happiness when I see people eating my food and they are enjoying it.”