Halal Restaurants near The House of Gods in London

Outside London's Canary Wharf tube-station I noticed a signpost with multiple arrows. There was one that said House of Gods - 3 minutes away. I was intrigued. I looked in the direction of the arrow and saw a building with CHASE JP Morgan emblazoned on it. In a city famous for being a financial hub it was no wonder that the regional headquarters of the world's largest bank had been given the title of House of Gods.

Being a Muslim, it came as no surprise that near the House of Gods I came across numerous Halal restaurants. A cluster of food trucks are permanently parked alongside the South Dock waterfront in an area named Food Truck Market. There is a small seating area in the middle where people can have their lunch - most of these trucks cater to office workers and close by 6pm.

The Burrito Bro food truck offers Halal Mexican food - chilli beef burritos and tacos are their specialty but they also offer Nachos - corn chips with cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa. A Lebanese Street Food vendor next to them sells Halal chicken wraps and lamb wraps but can substitute the pita with rice. All dishes come with sides of hummus and salad. The Golden Fish truck caters to the needs of those wishing to savor what was once staple British food - fish and chips - while the sweet toothed can try churros from Café Samba.

When you cross the South Quay Footbridge heading towards One Canada Square, there are a number of small food-stalls in the plaza opposite the entrance to the Canary Wharf tube station. Those craving Middle Eastern food can dig into a falafel sandwich at Garbanzos and sit on the steps nearby and people-watch.

If you are interested in a proper dine-in experience there are many options in the Canary Wharf area. Steps away from the Food Truck Market is Hayev a Turkish restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. They have the standard fare of Turkish kebabs and iskendar. Their mixed grill is quite good. Their food is Halal and they do not serve pork but the restaurant also has a bar frequented by office-goers who hang out outside with their mates after work ends. This is a typical British tradition. After spending an entire day with office colleagues, they spend another two hours imbibing grape juice with them outside their office before heading home.

Across the South Quay docks is One Canada Square. Oyesteria seafood restaurant and bar is probably the most popular watering hole in the area as it is thronged by office workers in the evening. Adjacent to this is an upscale Chinese restaurant, JWD Lamian Noodle Bar. This is one of those unusual fancy restaurants that proudly displays a sign outside saying that they serve "Halal Food at its Finest." Their specialty is hand pulled noodles with a variety of beef combinations - braised beef brisket, beef paste, beef Biang Biang noodles and beef short ribs. If you are not into beef the choices at this restaurant are limited.

There are several other dine-in restaurants such as Nando's and Gallio that serve Halal food in the shopping arcade near the Canary Wharf tube station. Gallio's only serve Halal chicken, beef and lamb. Their lamb kofta is delicious and sticky toffee pudding with dates lives up to British tradition. They also make pizza and offer daily pizza making classes that are great for those who have the time.

After your culinary tour of Canary Wharf, if you are searching for a house of God there is the Docklands Community Centre Masjid that has excellent air-conditioning that keeps you cool even during Friday prayers in the summer when the masjid is packed.

If you really want to go to the temple of money you can go to Chase JP Morgan in Canary Wharf but if you want to have a good night's sleep you can check-in at the House of Gods Hotel that the arrow near Canary Wharf Station was pointing towards.