Where to break your Ramadan fast around Philadelphia

Ramadan begins a month of spiritual rejuvenation for Muslims. It’s a time to practice patience, gratitude, charitable giving, and abstinence. This year, the holiday begins March 11 and ends April 9, following the lunar calendar. Muslims observing Ramadan forgo food and drink (yes, even water) from sunrise to sunset, often gathering for suhoor, the predawn meal, and iftar, the dusk meal.

Suhoor typically happens before the sun rises, with observing Muslims eating everything from traditional stews to bowls of cereal. After the sun sets, iftar breaks the fast and is traditionally observed with dates, fresh juices, fried snacks and favorite dishes. While each meal can be eaten at home, Muslims often plan gatherings to begin and end the fast together.

If you’re looking to dine out this Ramadan, this list offers a handful of restaurants in the Philly area open during early suhoor hours and offering iftar specials to celebrate the holiday. While most of the establishments listed offer halal meat, check out our guide to halal hot chicken and other eats for more options.

This Northeast restaurant is particularly special because it’s open 24 hours a day in a city where all-night restaurants have become endangered, according to Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan. Enjoy halal Uzbeki homestyle dishes, including beef or lamb puff pastries, pilaf dishes piled high with stewed meats and carrots, fried meaty turnovers, and crepes filled with cottage cheese and strawberry jam for your early morning-feasting this Ramadan.

📍 9969 Bustleton Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 267-571-1111, 🌐 instagram.com/plov_house_philadelphia, 🕒 Open 24 hours, seven days a week

While traditional dishes are enjoyed during suhoor, classic American breakfast foods are a favorite, too. At Liberty Bell Diner, one of Philly’s remaining 24-hour diners, you’ll find pancakes and eggs in a pinch. If you wanted to, you could pile your plate with omelets and waffles at 4 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.

📍 8445 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 215-331-4344, 🌐 thelibertybelldiner.com, 🕒 Sunday to Wednesday 5:30 a.m. to 3 a.m., Thursday to Saturday open 24 hours

Get cozy in this 24-hour diner on Cottman Avenue. Chow down on cinnamon French toast, eggs any way, golden brown pancakes, and pan-fried omelets at 3 a.m. You could even end the predawn meal with a slice of strawberry cheesecake or chocolate fudge cake.

📍 2811 Cottman Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 215-331-0797, 🌐 fsdiner.com, 🕒 Open 24 hours seven days a week

Looking for fancy dates to open your fast? This online bake shop is offering boxes of pistachio rose, caramel cashew, Almond Joy, and Ferrero Rocher-flavored dates. Order a set of 10 for $25 throughout Ramadan with deliveries going out March 7 to 9, 14 to 16, 21 to 23, and 28 to 30. Get free delivery on orders $50 or more. All the profits from date boxes will be donated to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) and Aseel Foundation for aid in Afghanistan.

🌐 instagram.com/minicakes_phl, 🕒 March 7 to 30

This Middle Eastern restaurant in Old City offers a $4.99 add-on that includes soup of the day (lentil, veggie, or oats with chicken), two sambusa, and three dates. Folks can add this special to any dine-in orders starting at 6 p.m. during the month of Ramadan.

📍 134 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, 📞 267-822-2327, 🌐 maloogacatering.com, 🕒 Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday to Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

This Pakistani restaurant in University City is offering Ramadan packages with appetizers, entrees, naan, and dessert. Items include samosas and chicken tikka masala, rice dishes like biryani and pulao, plus desserts like kheer or rice pudding and gulab jamun, and more. Catering per person (for orders with a minimum of 100 people) range from $10.99 to $16.99, depending on your options.

📍 4447 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-921-5597, 🌐 wahgiwah.com, 🕒 Sunday to Thursday noon to 10 p.m., Friday to Saturday noon to 11 p.m.

A Karachi-style iftar buffet will be offered on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at this colorful Pakistani restaurant in Voorhees, N.J. There will be a rotating menu with over 15 items. Adults pay $29.99, and kids 6 to 13 years old pay $14.99. Reservations are required for the buffet. For other days in the week, you can munch on free iftar items including veggie pakoras (fritters), dahi baday, and fruit chaat, and purchase entrees for dinner. Frozen beef shami kabobs and beef or chicken spring rolls are available for preorders.

📍 2999 E. Evesham Rd., Voorhees Township, N.J., 📞 833-544-5233, 🌐 karachikafe.com, 🕒 Ramadan hours are Tuesday to Sunday 2 to 11 p.m.

Owner Mohamed Sadek Goubaa is dishing a $20 per-person deal at his halal Mexican grill in the Northeast. Choose from enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, tacos, and more. Enjoy tres leches and churros for dessert.

Folks can find the same special at Goubaa’s new Algerian and Moroccan restaurant, Wilaya, next door to Don Panchito. Expect traditional soups like chorba frik and hmiss, crispy pastries like borek, dishes like saucy meatballs called mtewem and kabab Algerian, and mint tea and sweets.

The restaurants on Grant Avenue will remain open till 3 a.m. (possibly 5 a.m., so check before you go) throughout the monthlong holiday for visitors to stay and enjoy desserts, tea and coffee, and Algerian barbecue skewers ($2 to $4).

📍 3180 Grant Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 215-598-6726, 🌐 donpanchitomexicangrill.com, 🕒 Ramadan hours are Monday to Wednesday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Thursday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.

The owner of Don Panchito will also offer specials at his halal Mediterranean and Mexican food truck Goubaa Grub, which often sits on Cottman Avenue. Chicken, grilled steak, shrimp or falafel over rice and salad is $13. Dates and a drink are also included.

📍2300 Cottman Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 267-281-8116, 🌐 instagram.com/goubaagrub, 🕒 Tuesday to Saturday noon to 8 p.m.

Get iftar snacks, including fruit salad, pakoras (fried fritters), samosas (fried, stuffed triangle-shaped pastries), and dates, plus drinks, throughout the month holiday at this Pakistani restaurant in University City. A table will be set up with all the snacks at the restaurant for anyone, fasting or not, to enjoy — all items are free in celebration of the holiday.

After breaking your fast with snacks, order Pakistani classics including haleem (lentil stew) and biryani.

📍 4201 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-222-8081, 🌐 kabobeesh.com, 🕒 Monday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight

In South Philly, Cristina Martinez opens the doors to her popular barbacoa spot for a weekday during the month-long holiday to be inclusive to the community she serves — the restaurant has been halal since 2019. This year, she’s hosting an iftar party at South Philly Barbacoa and Casa Mexico on April 9 with halal lamb barbacoa. “We opened the door for everybody,” Martinez told the Inquirer in 2022.

📍1134 South 9th St., Philadelphia, PA. 19147, 🌐 instagram.com/barbacoachef, 🕒 April 9 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Alamodak Restaurant in North Philly is hosting a Ramadan iftar buffet. The buffet items rotate, but customers can expect chicken mandi, lamb mansef, beef kabab, chicken maqlobah, and beef okera. Adults pay $26, and kids under 10 years old pay $15. For other days in the week, there is a special which includes salads and soups and an entree for $19.99.

At the end of Ramadan, there will be an Eid al-Fitr holiday party on April 13.

📍 161 Cecil B. Moore Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 267-641-5926, 🌐 alamodakrestauranthookahbar.com, 🕒 Monday to Tuesday and Thursday and Sunday 4 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.