Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify franchise ownership of Urban Skillet, and the Cypress store is a franchised location.

After the company won an award for the best halal gourmet burger in California, Urban Skillet opened a new franchise location in Cy-Fair with Omar Qureshi.

Qureshi said the California-based burger joint has four locations in California, two in Minnesota and its seventh location opened locally last year in March.

What's special about it?

With roots tracing back to Pakistan, Qureshi said he moved to the U.S. when he was 8 years old. Fifteen years later, after working with the Urban Skillet brand for over 10 years, he moved to the Houston area to launch a franchised location.


Qureshi said the way in which halal meat is processed creates the distinct juicy flavor his burgers offer.
Burgers at Urban Skillet contain half-pound of meat. (Jovanna Aguilar/ Community Impact)
Burgers at Urban Skillet contain a half-pound of meat. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
During this process, meat is slaughtered humanely and processed with care and respect for the animal and consumer, Qureshi said. Additionally, halal meat is considered to have a pure and fresh taste due to the animals’ dietary restrictions, which include a natural diet free of animal byproducts, hormones and antibiotics.

On the menu

Qureshi said Urban Skillet's burgers contain a half-pound of meat with the exception of the kids’ burgers and the Urban smash burger.

A popular menu item is the truffle burger made with double patties, sausage, cheese, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, pickle chips, lettuce, sauteed mushrooms, truffle aioli and house-made Urban sauce.
The brisket fries ($9.25) are a popular menu item served at Urban Skillet. (Jovanna Aguilar/ Community Impact)
The brisket fries ($9.25) are a popular menu item served at Urban Skillet. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
The eatery also offers halal hot dogs, brisket fries and wraps, and recently added chicken tenders to the Cy-Fair menu upon customer request.


“I really want to [have] the best burger in Texas on the halal community side, so I just want everybody to try us and rate us,” Qureshi said.