Looking for a Nando's in NYC? Where to Get Peri Peri Chicken Instead

There's no Nando's in New York City. The closest locations are in Washington DC and Chicago, both several hours away. If you've been Googling "Nando's NYC" or "Nando's near me" looking for peri peri chicken, you've probably already figured this out the hard way.

We see this search every day. People look up Nando's, Google shows them peri peri spots, and they end up on our site. So instead of leaving you to piece it together, here are the actual answers.

Is there a Nando's in New York City?

No. Nando's has zero locations in New York City, the five boroughs, Long Island, Westchester, or anywhere in New York State. The closest one is in Washington DC, about four hours by car or three by train. After that it's the Chicago area.

Nando's opened its first US location in DC in 2008 and has expanded slowly since then. There's no announcement about opening in New York. So if you want peri peri chicken here, you need to look at non-Nando's options.

Where can I get peri peri chicken in NYC?

Peri peri is still rare in the New York area. There are a couple of small spots in Manhattan (Frangos and Tribos), neither of which is halal. For halal peri peri chicken in NYC or on Long Island, Peri Peri Grill House is the only dedicated option as of 2026. We have two locations:

• Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn at 235 Malcolm X Blvd
• Bethpage, Long Island at 629 Hicksville Rd

Both flame-grill the chicken to order. Both are 100% halal certified. Both let you pick your heat level the same way Nando's does.

How does Peri Peri Grill House compare to Nando's?

The food is in the same family. Both restaurants flame-grill chicken marinated in African Bird's Eye chili. Both let you pick your heat. Both serve sides like rice and fries.

The biggest practical difference is halal. All our chicken, beef, and lamb is halal certified. Most Nando's US locations are not halal, though some UK ones are. For a lot of our customers, that's the only difference that matters.

A few other things worth knowing. We marinate at least 12 hours every single time. Our heat lineup includes Mango Passion and Jerk BBQ, which Nando's doesn't have. Nando's has its own things we don't sell, like the PERinaise sauces and bottled hot sauces. And we don't serve alcohol, which most Nando's locations do.

The bigger picture is that we're not a Nando's knockoff. Peri peri cooking goes back about 500 years. Nando's commercialized one version of it in South Africa starting in 1987. We're doing our own version with our own heat levels, our own halal certification, and our own following. The New York Times reviewed us in 2019. Gothamist did a feature in 2024. Across both locations we have 212+ Yelp reviews.

A lot of our regulars came in the first time saying "I miss Nando's." Most of them stayed.

Is Peri Peri Grill House halal?

Yes. Both Brooklyn and Bethpage are 100% halal certified. This is one of the main reasons our customer base is different from a typical Nando's. New Yorkers who specifically wanted halal peri peri chicken couldn't find it anywhere before we opened in 2018.

For more on what peri peri chicken actually is and how the marinade works, read our complete guide to peri peri chicken.

What should I order if I usually get Nando's?

If you order a Half Chicken at Mild from Nando's, get a half chicken at Mild from us. Same dish, slightly different sauce profile. You'll know what you're getting.

If you do peri peri wings at Nando's, we have those. Six wings at $9.99 or twelve at $18.99. Pick your heat level.

The Nando's burger has a direct equivalent on our menu (Peri Classic Smash or Peri Oklahoma Smash). The peri peri rice and fries on the side are essentially the same.

The big menu difference is our Dubai milkshake. Pistachio and knafeh-flavored, only at the Bethpage location. Nando's doesn't have anything like it. If you've never tried it, that alone is worth the trip to Long Island.

How to get to Peri Peri Grill House from Manhattan

For Manhattan customers wondering whether the trip is worth it:

Brooklyn (Bed-Stuy): A/C train to Utica Ave, then five minutes walking. About 30 minutes from midtown by subway. Open Tuesday through Saturday noon to 10pm, Sunday until 9pm. Closed Monday.

Bethpage (Long Island): LIRR Bethpage station plus a short drive or rideshare. 45 to 60 minutes from Penn Station. Open Monday through Wednesday 11am to 10pm, Thursday through Saturday until midnight, Sunday noon to midnight.

Both locations offer takeout and delivery through UberEats and DoorDash. From Manhattan, the Brooklyn location is the practical choice. If you're in Long Island or Queens already, Bethpage is closer.

Should you make the trip?

If you used to drive to DC for Nando's, you really don't need to anymore. Come try a half chicken at Mild. It's $13.49. If you don't like it, you've spent about the cost of two subway rides figuring that out. If you do, you've got a peri peri spot in your own city, and one that happens to be halal.