Ramadan nights turn Bridgeview’s Yemeni coffee shops into late-night hubs

A coffee haven has emerged in Bridgeview along Harlem Avenue and 87th Street.

Several coffee shops have opened post-pandemic, forming a corridor that centers Middle Eastern flavors, design and culture. Long lines that move quickly, crowded dining rooms and a lively, alcohol-free environment — where people stay and mingle instead of staring down at their phones — are becoming a defining part of the suburb's social scene.

And during Ramadan, the energy intensifies. When the sun goes down, the crowds line up at the already-popular coffee shops known for their viral drinks and desserts like for qahwa (Arabic coffee); adeni chai, a velvety black tea made with cardamom, milk and cinnamon; and honeycomb bread.

“Coffee is a big part of our culture,” said Mohammad Abdullah, a real estate agent who was born and raised in Bridgeview. “It doesn’t matter if it’s morning, afternoon or night. It’s never too late or early for coffee. As soon as iftar ends, we’re heading to the coffee shop.”

During Ramadan, Muslims begin fasting at sunrise and abstain from eating or drinking anything until sunset. Iftar is the evening meal after breaking of fast at sunset. The holy month is marked by reflection, prayer and fasting.

“Two to three hours after iftar, it’s mostly families coming in,” said Waseem Alwawi, co-owner of Milk Cafe Bakery, 9150 S. Harlem Ave. “After that it’s mostly young people. We pick up at 6:30 p.m. and it stays busy until 2 a.m.”

Milk Cake Bakery offers coffee but desserts are what guests come in for. Among the bestsellers are a sweet and sticky cinnamon, pecan roll and when Ramadan comes around, there's umm ali, an Egyptian sweet treat made of layered pastries soaked in sweetened milk (resembling bread pudding) for a limited time. The bakery is located a few steps away from Jazwah Coffee, which offers honeycomb bread, a light and fluffy, pull-apart bread filled with cream cheese and drizzled with honey. It’s a popular treat to break one’s fast. The two businesses share many of the same customers and similar hours, staying open until 4 a.m. on weekends.

“A lot of people, during Ramadan, normally don't sleep until the sun goes up,” said Taha Monasar, co-owner of Qamaria Coffee, which has five locations, including one shop in Bridgeview, which is the only place in the area that stays open for 24 hours. “A lot of people want to stay up during Ramadan. We see more people sit down at our Bridgeview location after midnight.”

“During Ramadan, the one thing that gets sacrificed is your sleep,” said Abdullah. “We have a prayer at 5:30 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and then sunset prayer. … We just have to bite the bullet and wait till the 30 days are over. I think that’s why we’re also addicted to our coffee. We just chug it at night because we know we're going to be up in a few hours. We still have jobs to do and responsibilities to our families.”

For the holiday, shops are offering longer hours, specialty food items (Milk Cake Bakery), discounts (Qamaria) and custom Ramadan Mubarak cups (MoTW Coffee), which translates into well wishes for the month.

Shops with Middle Eastern origins have been quietly reshaping what a coffee shop can look like. Few have drive-throughs, the dine-in spaces are large and inviting with elegant designs and plenty of comfortable seating. The pace is slower in these shops. Here, coffee is a chance for connection, not just a caffeine fix.

“It’s a culture of hospitality,” said Sajjad Shah, founder of MoTW Coffee, which has four locations in the Chicago area and 18 nationwide. “Our baristas come check on customers after they’ve been served. We don’t have drive-throughs. We’re creating community.”

Shah said the audience has grown beyond his initial vision.

“We thought this would be a place where Muslims would come,” he said. “But people of all backgrounds — Black, white, brown—have been coming in. It’s been incredible.”

It’s a sentiment shared by many of the shop owners.

For them, the late-night crowds are about more than coffee. They serve as a reminder that hospitality, connection and community transcend cultural boundaries — the very spirit of Ramadan. This year, Ramadan comes amid the war in Iran, adding a layer of grief for many Muslims who have loved ones in the Middle East.

“The war in Iran has affected things a little,” said Monasar. “People seem a bit worried about what might happen next, so the overall energy this Ramadan feels a bit more cautious than usual. Because of that, business has slowed down somewhat, but things are still moving.”

While the uncertainty of what is to come has created unease, there are people who believe gathering and investing in that human connection is even more important.

“It’s a good thing for us to go out and be at these coffee shops. I think it’s really healthy for us to build community and connection and to not be at home alone and on our phones,” said Abdullah.

Based on how busy these shops are, it seems others agree.