Almost every time I scroll through social media, I come across a new cafe that claims to be a must-try. As a journalist who was born a foodie, it’s only natural for me to try these new places and report my honest, unfiltered views on them, even when no one asked. 

During my cafe-hopping journey, I came across some fantastic Muslim-owned cafes across London, which made the process even more enjoyable. Supporting local Muslim-owned businesses can strengthen the Muslim community in your area and create a sense of belonging through social gatherings. Not only do some people feel comfortable knowing their money is supporting fellow Muslims, but it also improves the economy by creating jobs and circulating money within the community.

Below are my favourite Muslim-owned cafes in London to visit that won’t let you down. 

Hisashi 

Starting in East London is an independent cafe located on Cranbrook Road, directly opposite Ilford Station. Depending on the time you walk in, you’re either greeted by a calm atmosphere or a buzz of people, but either way, you’re in for a real treat.

You can sit at the front by the windows, but I’d recommend sitting at the back; there’s more seating, and it’s away from the chatter of people queuing up and the noise of milk steaming.

Hisashi is the perfect place to catch up with friends, spend time with family, or enjoy some quality time with your husband whilst sipping a frappe and enjoying an award-winning almond croissant. Since the boycott of companies that support the genocide in Palestine, like Starbucks and Costa, I’ve missed being able to buy frappes that are over the top with whipped cream and sweet caramel sauce around the cup. But since Hisashi opened in mid-2024, I’ve not only been able to buy what I’ve missed but also get something even better. 

Their frappes come in a range of flavours, including pistachio, chocolate, matcha and more, and are all made with their espresso ice cream, which you can also buy separately and is big enough for sharing. I recommend ordering a large frappe, for only 30p extra. You can also sit in without ordering anything, but after seeing what others are eating and drinking, you’ll be tempted.  

The great thing about Hisashi is that they leave prayer mats in the corner so you can pray as and when you need to. However, they do play music, and don’t have a spare quiet room for prayer. Hisashi also offers hot sandwiches with vegetarian and halal chicken options for eat-in and takeaway. If you’re planning to take your laptop and study at the cafe, be sure to have headphones, as it can get loud. There is a clean restroom, but you must buy something to use it. 

Open Monday – Saturday, 7 am – 7 pm

Sundays, 8 am – 7 pm

Apple Butter Cafe 

Situated in the heart of London, in Seven Dials, is Apple Butter Cafe. The outside is exactly what you’d expect, with a display of big apples and crimson flowers draped down the sides, which makes it easy to spot from afar. They have indoor and outdoor seating, but now that we’re approaching autumn, I’d recommend sitting inside.

The place is cosy, warm and idyllic, which makes it the perfect place to relieve stress with a warm cup of their crème brulee latte or peanut butter hot chocolate. Now that the summer holidays are over, we’re going back to university or our full-time jobs, but who says we still can’t take some time out for ourselves and relax?

Apple Butter was created by two Middle Eastern brothers, Saleh and Mohammad Alayan, alongside Faycal Abdel Khalek, who first launched the cafe in London before expanding to Riyadh. There are two branches in London; the Langham Place branch is bigger and not far from Oxford Circus.

As soon as you enter, you’re greeted with a smile and a positive attitude and shown to a table. The busiest time ranges from 11 am – 2 pm, but after that, it’s quiet. The menus range from an all-day breakfast to hot sandwiches to Middle Eastern-inspired desserts and too many drinks to choose from. If you have a sweet tooth like me, you’ll love their dessert offerings.

I tried the Sticky Date and Tahini pudding with a cup of peach iced tea. The pudding had chunks of tahini halwa, a different type of halwa than what I’m used to, but I devoured it. The rest of the pudding was rich in flavour and came with a single scoop of vanilla ice cream. The serving may seem small, but it’s filling, so don’t make the same mistake I did and eat a heavy lunch before going. 

During Ramadan, the branch in Langham Place is closed, but the one in Seven Dials remains open so Muslims can break their fast. Having iftar at Apple Butter Cafe with your friends and family means you have the chance to try out all sorts of delicious Middle Eastern sweet and savoury foods. They don’t have a prayer room, though, in either branch, so you may have to find somewhere close by to pray. 

Open Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

Saturday to Sunday, 9 am- 6 pm

Levant Book Cafe 

Levant Book Cafe has two branches, one in Ealing, West London, and the other is in Park Royal. To get to the latter branch, take the Central Line to North Acton, and then either walk to the cafe or get the bus. It was my second time visiting the Park Royal branch, and it left me in awe just like the first time. 

The location is filled with warehouses, hidden Middle Eastern restaurants and a baklava shop. But eventually you’ll come across a marquee called Levant, and as soon as you step inside, you’ll feel like you’re entering a whole new world. 

Levant Book Cafe was founded by Sameh Asami, who had an incredible journey from Syria to Lebanon to Scotland and then finally to London. Sameh and his family fled Syria in 2012, but they knew they had to find some way to keep hold of their Syrian identity. In Damascus, sweet treats and books are two of many important things, so Sameh created not only a cafe but a lending library too, where people can borrow books from the cafe to take home.  

The cafe opens at 12 pm and shuts at 12 am, and this branch only does sweet dishes, whilst the Ealing branch serves both sweet and savoury. However, I visited Park Royal specifically for the booza (ice cream). Booza is traditional Syrian stretchy ice cream, specifically from the Levant region. 

“Our pistachio ice cream is very special, and our rose ice cream is very rich with Damascus rose flavour; you are never going to try it anywhere else,” Sameh’s wife tells me. The ice cream is smashed with a wooden mallet against the sides of the freezer drum. This replaces the mechanical churning used in Western ice cream; it beats out excess air and activates the elasticity of the mastic resin used. If you ask, you’ll be able to go to the back and watch the cafe workers do this. I paired my pistachio ice cream with cream-filled kunafa nablusia and rose petals, which made it worth the journey. 

There is a prayer space available at the cafe in both branches. The Park Royal branch is Sameh and his wife’s first and favourite branch. “If you go and sit, every time you will find something new. We are not editing anything, but because there [are] busy details, you couldn’t reach them in one visit,” they share enthusiastically, and I couldn’t agree more. 

Open Monday – Sunday, 12 pm – 12 am

Farha

I started cafe hopping in East London, so I’ll end in East London too. Farha is an independent cafe in Leyton owned by a Muslim couple, Nargis Shaikh and Umar Raza. It’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays so that the bakers can prepare the best pastries I’ve ever tasted. The rest of the week, they’re open from 9 am on weekdays and 8 am on the weekends, but they close at 4 pm, so I’d recommend getting there as early as possible, giving you a chance to choose from the best pastry options. 

The couple are South Asian, but their love for travelling the world to various Arab countries inspired them to open a cafe that serves Middle Eastern treats. They plan to serve savoury food and stay open until late in the future. They also aim to stand out from other London-based food spots by using seasonal produce, ensuring everything is made with great craftsmanship and promising their customers that their money isn’t funding any genocides. “There are so many places that do Middle Eastern foods, [but] they’re Israeli,” says Nargis. She tells me that they wanted to make sure that people knew where their food was coming from and that it’s not Israeli.  

They serve both sweet and savoury pastries; one of my favourites is the za’atar torsade, which is filled with pickled onion and has piped whipped feta on top with sprinkled za’atar and lemon zest. Za’atar is a popular spice blend including wild herbs, sumac, sesame seeds and salt. The couple has already succeeded in standing out from other cafes with their food alone. The flavours are original and unique to what the couple brainstorms. “I love the banana brûlée because that’s something that I thought about when my baby went to sleep at 3 am one day. I literally just had the idea of it, wrote it down,” says Nargis. “It’s quite unusual; it has banana [and] tahini, but it’s really addictive.” 

They serve a range of flavourful hot and iced matchas and coffees, which are strong in flavour, including a brown sugar cardamom latte and a cold foam matcha. They don’t have a prayer space currently, but there is a mosque, Masjid Tawhid, two minutes away from Farha, which is huge and has a women’s section.

Farha opened in December last year, a year after the couple initially planned to open. This is because the tiles across the counter, the floor and the washroom are all bespoke and handmade in Morocco, which took some time to send over. Nargis then gave birth to her daughter, and they opened the cafe when she was just two months old. They have transformed what used to be a garage with running sewage pipes into a peaceful, rustic cafe for all to enjoy. 

Open Wednesday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm

Saturday to Sunday, 9 am – 4 pm

Cafe hopping is suitable year-round; it doesn’t end just because summer is over. In fact, you can find cosy venues and delicious drinks all around London. There’s always a new place to try, or you can revisit the one you love most and get a taste of the different items on their menu. It’s the perfect activity to do if you’re bored, hungry and looking for things to do in the big city.