Ali Baba's Kitchen is a Middle Eastern restaurant that opened in Hamden, Connecticut in 2014. It was founded by husband and wife Pakistani immigrants Jamshed and Sobia Khalid. Jamshed worked in the fishing industry as a young man, but dreamed of working in the restaurant business. He came to the United States in 1989 and worked for a vending machine business. He finally entered the food industry in 2000 when he started "Mughali Foods": a food cart that prepared Indian and Pakistani food. In 2003, Jamshed became the owner of Noor Mahal, an Indian restaurant in Orange, but continued to run the food cart. He sold the restaurant three years later to focus exclusively on the food cart operation. He later dubbed it "Ali Baba's Fusion" and shifted the menu to halal Middle Eastern cuisine. At one point, Jamshed even had six Ali Baba food carts operating around New Haven. The Kalids opened a brick & mortar location in Hamden in 2014. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the couple cut down their food cart division to a single cart and put most of the focus on the brick & mortar location which was rebranded as "Ali Baba's Kitchen". The menu was also augmented to focus on healthier food options. A second location opened in North Haven in 2025. My wife and I recently sampled Ali Baba's delicious cuisine for the first time. Although I had heard several great things about them for a few years, I never got around to stopping in. While my wife was recovering from a minor surgical procedure at Yale-New Haven Hospital, I ventured to nearby Cedar Street in search of a cheap lunch. Located adjacent to the hospital, the street features a menagerie of food carts that are often visited by hospital visitors and staff. When I saw (and smelled) Ali Baba's food cart, my decision had been made. I ordered the "Mixed Combo" (grilled beef gyro and lemon chicken strips, sautéed onions, rice) and it was phenomenal. A week later, once my wife was home, I decided to head to the brick & mortar location to get takeout. Once again I ordered the "Mixed Combo", my wife ordered the "Side Dishers Bowl" (chicken biryani with ginger chicken and falafel topped with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, pickled onions, tamarind sauce, ABK sauce), and we shared sides of "Samosas" (with tamarind sauce and chana masala) and "Hummus" (with pita bread pieces). We think that the food at Ali Baba's is sensational and we plan to order from them again and again! We look forward to trying out the new location in North Haven because it's just a five minute drive from home! read more

See all

Excellent halal food at a reasonable price. I ordered a mixed combo plate. When he went to plate up my box I thought he had forgotten I asked for chicken and lamb, when he scooped a heaping portion of chicken into my box. My fears were ameliorated when a equally gigantic serving of beef gyro was added to my box. I got extra white sauce, light hot sauce, and some feta on the side. read more

Ali Baba's Fusion - Mixed combo - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

I went with the chicken couscous platter at the food cart on Cedar street today. Honestly, felt the spice was overwhelming ( I had asked for the non-spicy option, so can't imagine what the spicy chicken couscous tasted like). I also felt the amount of onions mixed in with the chicken was more than I had wanted. A weak 3 Star rating, IMO. read more

Ali Baba's Fusion - Chicken couscous platter, at Ali Baba's Fusion in New Haven, CT. - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Im from New York where halal food is everywhere and delicious. Don't have much luck finding good Halal food in CT but this right here is the one. Just like back home! Delicious read more

I stopped by this food cart for lunch the Friday before last. I'd heard good things about the lemon chicken wrap, so I decided to try it ($6 something, I think). It took a few minutes for it to be made up, but I was on my way in due time. For those of you unfamiliar with this item, please be advised that it's quite messy and really requires a fork to eat in a semi-civilized manner. I forgot to grab one, so I was stuck shoving it in my mouth in front of my coworkers, which was a less-than-ideal way to consume it. I got it with white sauce, which contributed to the messiness but also added moistness and enhanced the flavor. It was served in a thick piece of pita bread and was filled quite full of ingredients, making for a substantial and filling lunch. The flavor and seasoning were pretty good, though certainly nothing that blew me away, per se. Overall, I'd say the Ali Baba cart is a solid choice for lunch if you happen to be near the hospital or med school. If you enjoy Middle Eastern food, it's definitely worth a try! read more

Ali Baba's Fusion - Lemon chicken wrap - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

After eating at a few different food cart's, this is one I will be going back to on a regular basis. After reading so many other reviews about this Lemon Chicken (spicy), I had to try it. I was not disappointed. The man running the cart was super friendly, and clearly has a following. The line was 5-6 people long and he already knew what most people were going to order and how exactly they liked their order made. The chicken was tender, rice well cooked, and the lettuce was crisp. But that white sauce.... truly is "crack sauce". Worth the $6.50... YES! read more

I didn't realize that they had two Yelp listings (actually there are 3 if you count their birck & mortar Yelp page), so I'm re-posting to the appropriate Cedar St one because that's the one that I frequent. I just polished off a lemon chicken platter and I must reiterate, this crack chicken is DAMN TASTY!!! Here is my original review re-posted to it's appropriate home: Crack Chicken. That's what Abli Baba's lemon chicken platter is endearingly referred to by its numerous loyal fans. Why you may ask? Because it's addictive as hell. Oh and it has crack sprinkled in to give it that extra zip. Haha, just kidding. Maybe? Probably? Who knows?! Even if they do sneak a crack rock or two in their insanely delicious middle eastern spice blend, I doubt any of their patrons would complain. Their food is consistently so full of flavor and satisfying that it keeps people coming back for more and more and more. These type of halal carts remind me of those drunken 3am food binges when I lived in the city, and if you're a flavor-whore like me you ask for extra white sauce and extra hot sauce. Thankfully the hot sauce here isn't as 5-alarm intense as you find at Mamoun's, so you can go nuts and still not scorch your insides. There are 3 middle eastern cuisine carts on Cedar, and the Ali Baba one is the one closest to the hospital, a couple carts down from my girl Maggie at Peking Edo. Order up and down their menu and I assure you this will give you your halal cart food fix. read more

Ali Baba's Fusion - So much white sauce you can't even see the chicken. Just the way I like it!! - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

See all

After the Thai Awful (oops...I meant "Awesome") debacle, I decided I'd give New Haven thai food another chance. So I walked right past the "Thai Awesome" cart and up to this cart. The deal is any three options for $5. I had the garlic chicken, pineapple rice, and coconut curry vegetables. It was OK, not to be confused for great or good, just OK. It was filling and edible but definitely left something to be desired. The guy working at the cart was super friendly, which was nice. read more

Ali Baba's Fusion - $5.00 for garlic chicken, pineapple rice and coconut curry mixed veggies and tofu - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Every city seems to have a regional spin on shawarma or mediterranean flavored chicken and rice. You could literally have a professional league of chicken and rice: Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Association (MCRA). Cali and DC have a few decent trucks and stops, but the real powerhouses are in Chicago and NYC. If you've ever been to 56th and 6th in Manhattan, then you know how competitive the scene is there. Despite New Haven being a much smaller city, the competition on Cedar street is stiff and its certainly driven the quality of the food upwards. But, if you're as obsessed with chicken and rice as I am, I have the following thought exercise. Is it better to grab something from Cedar st for $6 or travel to the Shawarma Mecca of the world for $35 roundtrip (Metro North) and pay $6 for the iconic metal pie tin filled with meaty goodness? Ali Baba calls their iteration of chicken and rice "Lemon Chicken", and rightly so. Its definitely a bit tangier, zestier, and simply more lemony. At the end of the day its still chicken and rice with white and red sauce, both of which are also done quite differently. For me, the white sauce had no notes of garlic or mayo properties that are so often associated with the Manhattan sauces. Instead, it was a bit more herbal, but still not as strong as the prototypical NYC sauces. Its different, but in a good way, and it complements the chicken perfectly. The red sauce is definitely a bit disappointing though, its just a bit too underwhelming and lacks any of the heat you would be used to if you lived in Shawarma Mecca. If you like your food spicy, ask for some more. As for the texture of both the chicken and rice, I'll have to say that I like Ali Baba's a bit more. Since they aren't making ridiculously huge batches of chicken, they are able to brown up the chicken a little more which adds a really awesome, slightly-crunchy texture. If you manage to get some sauce, that perfect piece of chicken, a bit of rice, and some salad, you'll have the absolute most heavenly bite ever. The rice was definitely a bit stickier than others in MCRA, and it made it slightly difficult to finish my tray of food, but nothing too major. Of significant importance is the fact that Ali Baba's rice doesn't glow orange. It also packs a little less flavor, but I'll take my rice without radioactivity and grease. If you haven't discovered shawarma, your life is incomplete. But, always remember, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. New Haven knows how to do shawarma. read more

So after reading/hearing about the lemon chicken for awhile, I finally got to try it a few months ago. I've been back a few times since. It's good -- the combination of ingredients and seasonings works nicely. However, for me, all this talk about "crack chicken" created expectations of something even better....and I was not blown away by the dish. I would add that there appear to be like 3 Ali Baba carts on this one block, and though they may all have the same owner, it seems what they serve can vary a bit from one cart to the next. My most recent experience for example was downright disappointing -- far too little lettuce and it was part of a bagged salad mix that was wrong for this use (not crispy iceberg/romaine, and shredded carrots that don't seem to fit the dish). Also, sometimes you get chick peas, and sometimes you don't. They make a difference, so why leave them off? My last visit notwithstanding, overall I'm a fan, but I can't say I'm addicted. read more

Amazing good !! The lemon chicken is fantastic !!! The guy working there is very nice. I always call him "king of chicken". I think they put something addictive in the food because I always come back for more!! Overall ... The best good cart in town !!! read more

So I'll be honest and tell you that the only thing I've ever ordered from this cart is the veggie platter. With that said I have to say I'm a convert. The veggie platter consists of rice, (or you could choose couscous) topped with the most delectable and tender stewed (or curried?) veggies, like eggplant, potatoes, peas, carrots, green beans, and chickpeas (y'all, I don't even like vegetables but they do them right! ). And of course I always get their famous white sauce all over my dish, with hot sauce on the side, as I'm slightly spice averse. But seriously what is that white sauce made of? It's cool yet smokey perfection.... Oh and there's generally enough in my carton to eat twice. Basically if you like cumin, cinnamon, clove and all kind of other South Asian/ Middle-Eastern spices melded with creamy, melt-in-your-mouth veggies, I recommend the veggie platter from Ali Baba's Fusion Cart. Good old reliable cart with friendly service that's out there even in the rain. I thank them for their delicious comfort food! read more

One of my favorite carts. Period. If you're ready for some protein, this is your spot. If you want to pretend like you're having some vegetables, go for it with the lettuce on the lemon chicken. The lemon chicken is the go to here, and I don't think that it's ever failed me even once. The chicken is well cooked and fresh unlike some other places that don't re-heat their chicken before serving it on your plate. It's not very many ingredients, but it's exceptionally tasty. The chicken is well seasoned, and the spicy and white sauces complement it quite well. It's not the most nuanced food but most food carts aren't. What you want is something that tastes delicious, is affordable, and will keep your hangry self at bay for the rest of the work day--lemon chicken does all of that and more. Highly recommend! read more

The carbs are good. I'm told the lemon chicken is too. However, the shami kebab is a shame. Could've been less... soggy? Anyways, as far the carts on science hill go, one of the better ones if only for the big pimped out cart they have compared to everyone else! read more

my review from their old location still stands. You can't go wrong with either the lemon chicken or the couscous. Location is now out of the way, but a much nicer spot. You can still get their crazy addictive food in the city by visiting one of many food carts. read more

Lemon chicken- yum yum yum. This is one of my favorite carts on the Cedar st. I prefer to have the chicken on salad but I have seen it with cous-cous and it looks amazing. The food is always consistent and delicious. The guy closest to the hospital is my favorite because he seems to have his food cooked and ready much quicker than the 2 others down the street. He is always friendly and helpful. read more

This food cart is a lunch staple. The lemon chicken is very tasty and cooked to perfection. When you order make sure you say it more than twice to make sure they don't confuse your chicken over just the salad with chicken over rice and salad. read more

Excellent fusion Arabic Pakistani food. I would recommend the kebab rolls. Fast, professional, and incredibly tasty.

Love this food cart! I always get the lemon chicken. Comes with basmati rice,lettuce and a white sauce. Will add hot sauce if you would like. IDK why they call it lemon chicken because it doesn't taste anything close to lemon. They should rename it crack chicken cause it's so addicting. It's a little spicy but not bad. Try it it's only six bucks and they give u a lot! Owner is nice....quiet but nice. read more

This place used to have great lemon chicken. Now they pre-make it in batches and it becomes barely warm, the lettuce becomes wilted, and the meat is a bit firm. The people working there alternate, so the food quality really depends on what day you go there. In this case, my luck sucks. The price was okay though. I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon. There are plenty of food carts in New Haven a lot better then this. read more

I am addicted to the lemon chicken (the spicy version of course). This wonderfully marinated chicken comes on top of rice (or couscous I believe), with lettuce, and this amazing sauce on it. I have no idea what this magic sauce is, but it is phenomenal!! As with any cart on Cedar Street in New Haven, you get a lot of food for a small price! The food is prepped pretty fast too in case you are limited on your work escape time...I mean lunch break. read more

I've been eating here for the past week while studying in the Yale Medical School library. The food is fresh, spicy, and delicious! Be advised they do run out of food fast due to its popularity. Every time I went there they never had chicken kebab (I was sad). But the alternative, the shami kebab (ground chicken), is just as good! To kick it up a notch I like to add extra white and red sauce. read more

I'm so sad that I no longer work at the Yale New Haven Hospital York Street Campus. I would eat at this cart everyday. It's very fully and you can't beat the price. read more

I miss the lemon chicken platter...that sauce!! This is my favorite food truck and he's always very attentive and nice when I stop by. Highly recommended! :) read more

I was very happy with my Gyro wrap. It was tasty and full of diced meat. Clearly one of the better carts in a large collection of excellent carts. read more

The Lemon Chicken platter was excellent. Not greasy. You can ask for very hot or not.