San Jose’s Massive Suhoor Fest Is a Paradise for Halal Food Lovers

Picture this scene at midnight: You pull into a San Jose parking lot that’s been converted, for one night only, into what El Halal Amigos’ Hashim Abdelfattah describes as a “giant, man-made city.” In every direction, masses of people gather under the stars to mingle with friends, rummage through clothing stalls, listen to Arabic music, sip on free chai samples and, of course, wait in line at one of the many food stalls serving halal dishes from all across the Islamic diaspora.

Welcome to Suhoor Fest, an annual food-focused, late-night Ramadan celebration co-organized by Halal Fest and El Halal Amigos. Now in its third year, the festival’s 2024 edition will take place on Saturday, March 23, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., at the SABA Center in North San Jose. It’s by far the largest event of its kind here in the Bay Area. All told, about 25,000 people attended last year’s event, Abdelfattah estimates. This year, he expects the turnout to be that big again — if not bigger.

“It feels like the entire Muslim population of California comes out,” Abdelfattah says. “I kid you not: It’s like walking into a 49ers game. It shocks me every year.”

Suhoor, of course, refers to the last meal that observant Muslims eat each night during Ramadan, in the early pre-dawn hours before they begin their fast for the day. In areas with a large Muslim population, it has become quite common for local businesses and community organizations to throw this kind of communal suhoor food festival — though few in the U.S. are on the same scale as San Jose’s Suhoor Fest.

Abdelfattah, who is, in many ways, the public face of the South Bay’s vibrant halal food community, says there are about 10 food vendors who have signed up to sell at Suhoor Fest so far, serving a diverse range of cuisines that includes Philly cheesesteaks, Nigerian jollof rice, Asian-style barbecue, chai and even halal boba. Abdelfattah, for his part, says El Halal Amigos is prepared to serve thousands of tacos that night, offering a stripped-down version of its menu in order to accommodate the long lines and large crowd.

Ultimately, the underlying reason for the gathering is spiritual, Abdelfattah explains. So, another big part of Suhoor Fest happens at the end of the night, when everyone comes together to pray at sunrise.

For Abdelfattah, Suhoor Fest is just one part of his business’s Ramadan plans. Like many other Muslim-owned restaurants in the region, El Halal Amigos is keeping special hours during Ramadan (one hour later than normal) and passing out free dates at sunset for iftar. The popular halal Mexican spot will also host its own suhoor event on Saturday nights, staying open until 3 a.m. to serve special breakfast burritos — with eggs, potatoes, halal beef bacon, scrambled eggs and a choice of meat — in addition to the full regular menu.

“Every year we have a line around the corner starting at midnight,” Abdelfattah says.

Suhoor Fest will take place on Saturday, March 23, from 11 p.m.–5 a.m., in the parking lot of the SABA Islamic Center (4415 Fortran Ct., San Jose). El Halal Amigos is located at 1100 Lincoln Avenue in San Jose. For its Suhoor Nights series during Ramadan, the restaurant will serve breakfast burritos on March 23 and March 30, and crunchy tacos on April 6 — from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on each of those Saturday nights.