How Ramadan’s late-night chai culture can save London’s nighttime economy

As bars and clubs continue to close at a rapid rate in the capital, Queenie Shaikh explains how Islam’s holy month is a lesson in how to reinvigorate the city’s late night culture TravelUKEnglandLondonHow Ramadan’s late-night chai culture can save London’s nighttime economyAs bars and clubs continue to close at a rapid rate in the capital, Queenie Shaikh explains how Islam’s holy month is a lesson in how to reinvigorate the city’s late night cultureWednesday 18 February 2026 04:53 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoveropen image in galleryQueenie Shaikh at Bar Italia in London, one of the few places in Soho open until 4am (Queenie Shaikh )Your support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreOn a freezing -2C January night in London, I walked across Piccadilly Circus. The Christmas lights and angels were gone, replaced by National Basketball Association posters to mark its return to the capital. At just after 11:30pm, the tourists had thinned out and Central London was left to the die-hards – avid nightclub-goers smoking and shivering, huddled around heat lamps and sat on the kerbside in flocks. A few groups were loitering, scanning the streets for somewhere – anywhere – to stretch the night a little longer.Unlike global cities such as Tokyo, New York City and Dubai – where there are tea houses, 24-hour diners and cafes purely for late-night socialising – London offers far fewer options. Here, on most nights of the week, there are only two choices after-hours: go to the pub and spend an exorbitant amount on drinks, or go home. Even that first possibility expires at 11pm thanks to licensing laws, as many venues are required by local councils to stop serving alcohol and close early. And if it weren’t for the Tube running a 24-hour service on Fridays and Saturdays, the night would end far earlier for Londoners. We’d be resigned to being buried under electric blankets, binge-watching trash telly.open image in galleryFor Ramadan, streets will become festooned with lights, and halal hospitality will see hours extended into the night (Queenie Shaikh)Read more: Where to find Banksy artwork in LondonRecommendedWhy Japan loves to celebrate Christmas with fried chickenInside LA’s Koreatown: Where tradition meets a new generation of creativityThe best family-friendly hotels in London, picked by a local expertThough over the past few years, there’s one annual event that has caused a marked difference in after-hours habits: Ramadan. Each year, the month-long period of fasting observed by Muslims around the world brings a subtle shift to London. The streets become festooned with “Happy Ramadan” lights, and many halal cafes and restaurants change their hours to open just before iftar (the fast-breaking meal at sunset) and continue to accept customers well past suhoor (the pre-dawn meal).In predominantly Muslim pockets of the city, such as along Edgware Road and around Regent’s Park, evenings stretch out late, as long conversations are fuelled by cups of chai. It’s an atmosphere that mirrors Muslim cultures across the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia.It has also sparked a wider conversation about socialising without alcohol. With 43 per cent of young adults (aged 18 to 24) now choosing no and low-alcohol options – according to 2026 data – the landscape is shifting, and people are increasingly seeking out third spaces that aren’t centred on drinking. Since 2020, the UK has lost 32 per cent of its nightclubs, while pubs are closing at a rate of one per day. Against that backdrop, Ramadan’s late-night culture feels like an outlier.open image in galleryLondon Night Cafe is part cafe, part reading corner, part workspace (London Night Cafe / Eric Wycoff Rogers)Read more: 20 best museums in London for 2025Though this isn’t a novel concept. At midnight, I meandered through Frith Street and opened the door to Bar Italia to catch up with a friend over coffee. Opened in 1949, the Italian cafe has long survived by being one of the few places in Soho still open until 4am, welcoming both drinkers and non-drinkers alike. Outside, a blue plaque notes that the attic above the bar-cafe was the birthplace of television. Inside, a sign informed me that it was exactly 100 years to the