Every Ramadan since 2021, Rydhan and his team at HalalFest have created an official schedule of restaurants in the Bay Area that offer special meals during Iftar and ones that are open during Suhoor. HalalFest will also be hosting its third annual Suhoor Fest on March 23 at SABA Center in San José.
Back in November, Rydhan and his team at HalalFest also partnered with over 60 restaurants across the Bay Area — as well as in Austin, Texas — to help raise funds for people in Gaza. Some of the Bay Area halal restaurants involved in that fundraising effort last November included Cracked and Battered in San Francisco, Mirchi Cafe in Fremont and Wakatobi Japanese in Newark.
“Almost every day for that whole month, we had different restaurants donating a certain percentage of their sales for the children of Gaza relief efforts,” Rydhan says. Within a month, they’d already raised over $125,000 in donations to relief funds.
This Ramadan, Rydhan is looking forward to spending time with his family and the community and bringing people together to enjoy some good halal food through events like Suhoor Fest.
“When you see the young and the old together with smiles on their faces, that is one of the best feelings in the world,” he says, “to be able to help bring that joy to people in the community.”
‘The best way for us to strengthen our community’
Samiha Shaheed is the face behind California’s Hungry and Halal — a food vlog that talks about halal food and restaurants across California.
Shaheed says she initially started Hungry and Halal in 2023 as a “fun food vlog” to introduce people to halal food. But for her, it’s now become “more about educating people, on how they can move away from these big brands that don’t care about their customers,” she says.
On Hungry and Halal, Shaheed shared videos on how to support Palestinian-owned restaurants in the Bay Area and halal restaurants participating in the November fundraiser organized by HalalFest. Additionally, Shaheed says she particularly wants to move away from companies and brands that have issued public statements in support of Israel’s military.
“You have to support businesses that share the same values as you,” she says.
This Ramadan, Shaheed says she’s particularly looking forward to the community: Getting together with new and old friends and experiencing the month with them. “Everyone is going through the same struggle,” she says. “Everyone is hungry and thirsty during the day, and rejoicing and having dinner at the same time.”
“Ramadan is the best time to go to the mosque, meet new people and make new connections,” Shaheed says. “It’s the best way for us to strengthen our community.”
‘More connected to our spiritual self’
For Shazad Shafi, the creator behind The Halal Food Reviewer, food vlogging was a way to broadcast his own learnings about the wealth of halal food joints available in the Bay Area.
“Some creators, they just want to get new stuff out there. For me, it’s more about just showing my journey as a foodie,” Shafi says.
The son of a Cupertino grocery store owner, Shafi says he was introduced to halal food and meat at a very young age — but that where he’s lived throughout his life, from Pakistan to Houston, Texas, has also played a crucial role in developing his passion for scouting the best halal food options.
To Shafi, Ramadan is more than just about food: “It’s more about being more connected to our spiritual self,” he says. And during the holy month, Shafi is looking forward to doing special prayers at mosques and spending time with his family. “It’s just an amazing community,” he says.
Shafi also praised the community response to the November fundraising efforts organized by HalalFest and Bay Area halal restaurants in support of people in Gaza. “Those restaurants were packed,” he noted. “It was really great to see.”
Where to join Iftars and Suhoors in the Bay Area
If you’re looking to experience Iftars and Suhoors in the Bay Area, keep reading for recommendations from the Bay Area halal foodies profiled above.
You’ll find that the majority of mosques in the Bay Area host iftars daily (some host on limited days). Some require a small donation and others may require registration in advance, so be sure to check your local mosque’s website for the latest information.
While most of the halal restaurants listed below are open during Iftar hours starting at dusk, for those looking to join Suhoors at the many halal restaurants in the Bay Area, here’s a list of some of the ones opening late into the night.
San Francisco:
Peninsula
- Dahab Restaurant and Cafe: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours every weekday until midnight and weekend until 2 a.m.
South Bay:
- El Halal Amigos, San Jose: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on March 23, March 30 and April 6 until 3 a.m.
- Angry Hot Chicken, San Jose: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m. and Sunday until 1 a.m.
- Zareen’s, Palo Alto: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on March 16 and April 6 until 3:30 a.m. Special menu items are available for Iftar and Suhoor.
- Bibz and Ribz, San Jose: Food cart opens regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on Friday, March 15, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
- Falafel Flame, San Jose: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 4 a.m.
- Chikin Drip, San Jose: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on weekdays until 1 a.m. and weekends until 1:20 a.m.
- Chicken G’s, Mountain View: Open special Ramadan hours from Tuesday until Saturday, 5:30 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.
- Oklava Cafe, Palo Alto: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m.
East Bay:
- Port of Peri Peri, Fremont: Special Suhoor hours on March 15 from 11:45 p.m. until 3 a.m.
- Kabob Fusion, Fremont: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday nights until 4 a.m.
- Yeeshaans Grubb, Fremont: Open special Ramadan hours from Tuesday until Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
- Falafel Fremont, Fremont: Open special Ramadan hours daily until 2 a.m.
- Wayback Burgers, Milpitas: Open daily from 10:30 a.m. until midnight. Additional Suhoor hours on Fridays and Saturdays until 3 a.m. (10% discount on Iftars and Suhoors).
- Mirchi, Fremont: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m.
- Maya Halal Taqueria, Oakland: Open regular hours with special additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m.
- The Burger Shop, Fremont: Open regular hours with special additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday from midnight until 3 a.m.
- Lahore Di Khushboo, Fremont: Special Suhoor hours on March 15 from 11:30 p.m. until 3 a.m. (Food truck will be parked at Port of Peri Peri, Fremont)
- Bismillah Restaurant, Fremont: Special Suhoor hours on March 22 from 11:30 p.m. until 3:30 a.m.
- Chicken G’s, Fremont: Open special Ramadan hours from Tuesday until Saturday from 5:30 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.
- Bundoo Khan, Fremont: Open regular hours with special Ramadan hours on Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m.
KQED’s Nisa Khan contributed to this story.
Tell us: What else do you need information about?
At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. We’ve published clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID, how to cope with intense winter weather and how to exercise your right to protest safely.
So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger and help us decide what to cover here on our site and on KQED Public Radio, too.
