Halal Dining Hub Rising in Allston

A Family-Driven Halal Dining Experience in Allston

At the heart of four neighboring restaurants in Allston lies a family whose strong bond has played a pivotal role in the growth of their small businesses. The Canca family, consisting of parents Ziya Canca and Fatma Corbaci, along with their children Kenan, Rifat, and Dilara, has built a unique halal dining destination that serves the Muslim community in Boston.

The idea behind Lazuri was initially simple: to create a space where the family could work together and share their cultural heritage. “Our goal is providing halal food for the Muslim community in Boston,” said Rifat Canca, one of the managing owners of Lazuri. “But when we first started, we just wanted to have something together as a family.”

The family, who resides in Belmont, shares ownership of the restaurant group, which now includes four distinct eateries located on the same street. These include:

• Turkish Lazuri Cafe (1 North Beacon St.)
• Lazuri Bakery (3 North Beacon St.)
• Lazuri Chicken ‘n Pizza (487 Cambridge St.)
• Lazuri Taqueria (485 Cambridge St.)

The name "Lazuri" comes from "Laz," a language spoken in Rize, a province in Turkey from which the Canca family originates. This connection to their roots is reflected in the menu offerings, which blend American and Mediterranean flavors with traditional Turkish dishes.

Ziya Canca, who moved to Brighton in 2003, previously owned Anatolia Kebab House in Brookline for about 15 years before selling it to his brother. He dreamed of opening more halal restaurants in the Boston area—this time, with his children by his side.

In 2020, when a vegan restaurant closed, Rifat saw an opportunity to launch Turkish Lazuri Cafe in March 2021. The location is across the street from the now-closed Twin Donuts. The cafe offers a wide range of American and Mediterranean menu options, including Fatma’s Burger, named after Corbaci, as well as traditional Turkish dishes like menemen and gözleme.

Rifat noted that Boston's halal food scene is relatively small compared to cities like New York, where halal restaurants are more common. “In Boston, there aren’t many that we know,” he said. Halal food adheres to Islamic dietary laws, which include humane animal slaughter and restrictions on ingredients such as pork and alcohol.

Four years after Turkish Lazuri Cafe opened, closures along the same street created the perfect opportunity for three new Lazuri restaurants to open: Lazuri Chicken n’ Pizza, Lazuri Bakery, and Lazuri Taqueria. These three eateries launched within the first months of 2025, with the bakery and taqueria opening just two weeks apart in March.

“It still hasn’t really hit me,” said Kenan Canca. “We opened each shop and everything happened so quickly, it’s hard to process but it shows how blessed we are.”

Initially, Rifat and Kenan worked at the restaurants on weekends while attending college classes at UMass Boston and UMass Amherst, respectively. Now post-grads, they’ve fully transitioned into their roles. Rifat and Kenan co-own Lazuri Taqueria and Chicken n’ Pizza, while they also share ownership of Lazuri Cafe with their father Ziya. Rifat and his mother run the bakery together, and all family members, including Dilara, rotate between the restaurants, covering shifts at each one.

Rifat, who graduated in 2023, said he’s “always at the restaurant.” He recalled frequently taking phone calls between classes and reviewing financial statements during class time. However, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Kenan shared that multiple people have called the taqueria a “blessing” for offering an opportunity to experience different cuisines aligned with their religious values. The taqueria features build-your-own burritos, tacos, bowls, and quesadillas using all halal meat options. Its sleek, red interior is illuminated by fluorescent lights.

The four restaurants became neighbors due to a mix of timing and luck, according to Rifat. “This is the perfect opportunity to expand and help the Muslim community, so that’s what we did.”

Lazuri Bakery offers a variety of mouth-watering American and Turkish pastries, including a decadent raspberry cake, rich supangle, and the iconic pistachio baklava. The restaurant aims to provide a space where Muslims can feel represented, without aiming to compete with local eateries.

“It’s not trying to steal their business at all,” Rifat said. “It’s just to help the Muslim community have halal choices, that’s the most important thing.”

For the Canca family, the success of Lazuri is not just about business—it’s about sharing their culture and building a community. “If it was just me running this, I wouldn’t be able to do it, not at all,” Rifat said. “But since I have my family right next to me, it’s much easier.”