For the past several weeks, Muslims all over the world have fasted from sunrise to sunset, in observance of the holy month of Ramadan. It’s a time for reflection and community. And each day ends with a late-night communal prayer.
In some countries, cafes and restaurants are open late during Ramadan — Muslim-Americans don’t typically get that luxury in the U.S.
But here in metro Phoenix, some Muslim business owners have adapted their hours to accommodate nighttime cravings: for food, drink and community.
It’s 7 p.m. on a Monday in early March. Almost every seat at Laymoon Cafe in Tempe is taken. Baristas are scrambling, students are working, friends are catching up and a few kids are running around.
Rawan Abdulbari came to Laymoon this evening to break her fast and pray at the nearby mosque. She said the cafe, which opened in January, is a good place for Muslims to gather.
“I just love the community feeling, especially being from Phoenix or just being from Arizona in general. I feel like we’re separated a lot,” she said.
According to the Arizona Muslim Alliance, there are about 100,000 Muslim people living in the state. Most live in metro Phoenix.
Anam Ghori grew up in Phoenix and graduated from Arizona State University in May. For Ghori, the small community actually makes Ramadan more enjoyable.
“So Ramadan in Phoenix has its own like unique vibe. I guess it’s not a bigger city like Chicago, or Dearborn, LA with like a bigger Muslim population. But since it’s small, it’s more tight knit and like you see the same faces every day,” Ghori said.
Laymoon is located just north of ASU’s Tempe campus, next door to the Islamic Community Center. The building is painted lime green with an arched entrance, like prominent buildings in the Middle East. The ceiling has 100-year old vintage Persian rugs made by a Syrian weaver.
The owner of Laymoon, Noor Abdullah, said she wants the cafe to be a communal space.
“If you walk into the building and you walk a little bit to the right, there’s a dining room. Our goal for that room was to be a very comforting space. We compared it to being like a grandma’s dining room,” she said.
Abdullah is a Palestinian-Syrian American. She was born in Michigan but grew up in Arizona. Abdullah is a physical therapist but she always knew she wanted to do something on the side. She had plans to start her own coffee cart. Then in late 2024, the building next to the Tempe mosque became available.
Laymoon’s current space had been home for 30 years to a Middle Eastern restaurant called Phoenicia.
“My parents used to take me here all the time. It was somewhere you go like after Friday prayer. And it holds a lot of memory, and I think it just means a lot to the community itself,” said Abdullah.
The proximity to the mosque is the main reason Laymoon is staying open 24/7 during Ramadan.
“So we make sure that you know we heavily staff during the times we do everything to make sure we get our drinks out as fast as possible. We communicated with our staff the urgency of getting drinks quickly because of the time restraints that come with Ramadan,” she said
Abdullah is referring to the voluntary night prayer Muslims do during Ramadan. There are also set times to break their fasts or start fasting.
“And so I feel like a lot of people have been searching for space like this. It’s definitely a much needed space. And I mean, you can see it just by walking. You’ll come in on like a Monday night, and you’ll see a bunch of people just studying or hanging out,” Abdullah said.
Abdullah plans to host community events in the future. While the cafe won’t stay open 24 hours after Ramadan, she says the mission of fostering community will remain.
Ramadan ends the evening of March 19.
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