One of the most beautiful aspects of the month of Ramadan is that it brings people together to pray and to eat. It’s a month during which you break your fast each night with others and eat collectively.
Each culture has their own Ramadan food traditions. For example, Moroccans are known to start their meals with harira, a tomato-based chickpea and lentil soup. Here in New York, however, where the earliest Muslims are said to have arrived in the 17th century, successive generations are diversifying their food palates and creating their own traditions, enjoying everything from pizza and pakoras to freekah and fried chicken.
Eid al-Fitr — also known as the festival of breaking the fast — marks the end of Ramadan, and will soon be here on and around April 10 and 11. It’s both a happy and bittersweet celebration, as people enjoy one last feast with loved ones before returning to their individual busy New York lives.
And to mark Eid and the end of Ramadan, we’d like to suggest a few restaurants — each spanning different Muslim cultures and different New York neighborhoods — to celebrate the occasion.
Nabila’s
Cobble Hill
Fish Cheeks
Bowery
If you love seafood, you’re in luck with a visit to this NoHo restaurant from the same owner behind buzzy Bangkok Supper Club. Crab served in a creamy coconut curry or in a fragrant fried rice is a particular highlight. And if crustaceans are not your thing, the menu at Fish Cheeks is, well, your oyster: Choose from crispy rainbow trout, a whole steamed branzino, wok-fried skate, or poached monkfish, and/or grilled cuttlefish.
Adda
Long Island City
Tara Kitchen Tribeca
Tribeca
One of a handful of Moroccan places in the city, Tara Kitchen masterfully combines the best of the cuisine’s sweet, savory and sour flavors. Fragrant tagines steal the spotlight here, and they come in a range of permutations: spicy harissa chicken with figs and almonds; lamb with honey, prunes, and apricots; and lentils with preserved lemons, artichoke hearts, and green olives. Do note that the meat served here is also halal.
Tanoreen
Bay Ridge
Radio Kwara
Clinton Hill
Nigerian pepper soup is the signature dish at Radio Kwara in Clinton Hill. Established by chef-owner Ayo Balogun, who garnered a following for his Nigerian tasting menu at the Dept of Culture in Bed-Stuy, Radio Kwara serves slightly more casual fare that Balogun has likened more to Nigerian American cuisine. And do note that the goat meat they serve is halal.
abcV by Jean-Georges
Union Square
Farida
Financial District
Most evenings, you’ll find yourself richly rewarded with live music at this lively Central Asian restaurant that also boasts an eclectic halal menu of specialties from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, among other places. You can’t go wrong with an order of the flaky umka pies, fluffy dumplings, tender kebabs, hand-pulled noodles, and flavorful plov (pilaf). And their new location in the Financial District offers plenty more seating and space than their previous Midtown base.
Call (646) 650-3272 for reservations.
Wayan
Nolita
Ponty Bistro
Harlem
Harlem meets Paris at this chic bistro that creatively fuses flavors from West Africa, North Africa, France, and the Mediterranean into a truly delicious menu that has everything from Senegalese poisson yassa (grilled branzino smothered in a mustard relish) and moules Africana (mussels dressed with African spices) to grilled shrimp in a tangy lemongrass curry coconut sauce.
Call (212)-234-6475 for reservations.
BALADE
East Village
Tava Turkish and Mediterranean
Park Slope
The minimalist décor of this Park Slope eatery belies the sophistication of their food. Serving traditional Turkish fare, Tava’s menu goes above and beyond hummus and babaganoush (although their versions are delicious) with crispy pide, tender lamb ragout served on a bed of eggplant purée, and meaty kebabs topped with delicious garlic yogurt sauce. The meat is also halal, too.
Qanoon
Chelsea
Massawa
Morningside Heights
A popular fixture in Morningside Heights since it first opened its doors in 1988, Massawa serves up Eritrean and Ethiopian food in a supremely cozy setting. The menu has both vegan and non-vegan fare, so you’re best going with a sharing platter to try a taste of everything. Do note that the crispy fried sambusas are a non-negotiable, and the meat is halal. They also offer a breakfast buffet with both traditional and American-style food in addition to lunch and dinner.
Call (212) 663-0505 for reservations.
Jazba NYC
East Village
