If you live west of Boston, you don't have to drive into the city for a good halal dinner. Framingham and Natick, side by side along Route 9 in MetroWest, have a mix of halal restaurants that covers Hyderabadi biryani, Pakistani grills, Turkish kebabs, late-night hot chicken and Mediterranean plates. There is a masjid in Framingham and another in neighboring Wayland. For a Saturday errand run, a family dinner or a quick bite after Maghrib, it is a useful corner of the state to know.

This guide groups the Framingham and Natick listings in the Mass Halal restaurant directory by type of food. A note before you go: in our directory, "directory-reported" means a halal directory such as Zabihah lists the place as halal, based on what the restaurant or its staff told them. It is not a certificate. If certification matters to you, ask to see it. If a place serves alcohol or has a mixed menu, ask which items are halal.

Biryani and South Asian grills on Route 9

Worcester Road, the Framingham stretch of Route 9, is where most of the South Asian food is.

Hyderabad House, 255 Worcester Road. A Hyderabadi restaurant known for its biryanis. Its website lists chicken, mutton, fish and vegetable versions, served with raita and salan, along with tandoori and Indo-Chinese dishes. Zabihah lists it as fully halal with no alcohol, based on the restaurant's own statement. Its website shows a mid-afternoon break on weekdays (lunch until 3 p.m., dinner from 5:30 p.m.) and open all day on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Call (508) 872-1499 to check. Directory listing.

Punjabi Grill, 1243 Worcester Road. A Pakistani and North Indian kitchen run by chef and owner Azhar Malik. The restaurant's website calls its food "100% Zabiha Halal," and the management told Zabihah, "We use all zabiha halal menu." Its menu lists chicken and beef biryani platters, fresh naan, samosas, tandoori chicken and chapli kebab. Online listings give different hours, so call (508) 370-0790 before you drive over. Directory listing.

Bawarchi Biryanis, 700 Worcester Road. The Framingham branch of the Bawarchi biryani chain, serving Hyderabadi biryanis, curries, dosa and Indo-Chinese dishes. Zabihah says staff have given verbal assurance that all the food is halal. The same listing also says alcohol is served, and it notes an issue report under review, so ask your questions at the counter. The restaurant's website lists a break between lunch and dinner every day; on Saturdays it is open 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. Directory listing.

Turkish, Mediterranean and bowls

Mediterranean Turkish Cuisine, 969 Concord Street, in Old Path Village Plaza. A small family restaurant that, according to its Zabihah profile, opened in 2008. Zabihah lists it as fully halal with no alcohol, based on the restaurant's own statement. Its website lists it as closed Mondays and open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and until 6 p.m. on Sundays. Phone (508) 202-4688. Directory listing.

The Halal Fusion, 624 Waverly Street. This one started on Morton Street in Mattapan and opened a second location in Framingham. Its website says its chicken, beef and lamb are all zabiha halal, and that the sauces are made in house. The usual order is a platter of rice, grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and onions with fusion sauce and white sauce. There are also sliders, wings and tenders. The website lists the Framingham hours as 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and until 11:59 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Our directory puts it about 0.7 miles from Masjid-e-Basheer, so it is the closest halal meal to the masjid. Directory listing.

Hot chicken, late

Dave's Hot Chicken, 341 Cochituate Road. The Nashville-style chain serves tenders and sliders in seven spice levels, from "Not Hot" to "Reaper." The company's website says its restaurants serve halal chicken, and Zabihah lists the Framingham location as fully halal and alcohol-free. The chain's page for this location lists hours until midnight most nights and until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. As with any chain, if you have a question about a particular item, ask. Directory listing.

Natick

Café Yafa, 6a Wethersfield Road. A small neighborhood Mediterranean spot. Zabihah's listing is one of the more detailed in the area: it says a halal sign is posted on the premises, halal is printed on the menu, the owner and chef has confirmed the halal status, and no alcohol is allowed. Zabihah also notes that prayer is allowed on request. Phone (508) 545-0212. Directory listing.

Dates & Olives, 28 North Main Street. An Eastern Mediterranean grill. Its description on Zabihah promises "All Halal Meat," along with vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian options. The menu includes lamb and chicken gyros, chicken and lamb shawarma, kebab plates and family-style meals. Zabihah lists it as fully halal and notes that alcohol is allowed but not served. Phone (508) 545-1283. Directory listing.

Where to pray

Masjid-e-Basheer (Islamic Society of Framingham), 234 Union Avenue, Framingham. The masjid has a separate prayer room, restroom and wudu area for sisters, with the entrance at the rear. Parking is in the masjid lot and on nearby streets. Its website says overflow parking is available at MetroWest Hospital's Lot E, 236 Franklin Street, about a three-minute walk away. The Salaam Foundation's list of Massachusetts masjids gives Jumu'ah at 1:30 p.m.; check with the masjid for current times. Mosque listing.

Islamic Center of Boston, 126 Boston Post Road, Wayland. Despite the name, the ICB is in Wayland, a short drive north of Natick. It was founded in 1979 and offers daily congregational prayers, a K–10 Sunday school, Eid programs, lectures and interfaith activities. Mosque listing.

Going a little farther west

Head west on Route 20 (Boston Post Road) from Wayland and you reach Marlborough, which has more options in our directory, including Al Maidah Mandi House at 388 Boston Post Road East, which our listing shows as fully halal with HMS certification. Directory listing.

Help us keep it accurate

Hours, phone numbers and owners change. Two of the restaurants above list different phone numbers or hours on different websites. If you eat at one of these places and something has changed, use the "Report a correction" link on its listing page, or leave a review there. Your notes help the next family looking for a halal dinner in MetroWest.