"If you are an Arab, South Asian, North African, or Muslim business owner, you want to be on this block, because this is where the community hangs out," said Youssef Mubarez, a proprietor of Mokafe. "This is where the community is." This quote emphasizes the importance of location for businesses catering to Eastern Mediterranean culinary tastes, highlighting how community identity drives commerce in Astoria's Little Egypt.
Since the 1960s, Egyptians have been arriving in the New York region for better lives. They found new homes in Astoria, Queens; Bay Ridge, Brooklyn; and Paterson, New Jersey. In 1987, Kebab Cafe became the first Egyptian-owned establishment to open along Steinway Street and paved the way for Astoria's Little Egypt.
Yet the term "Little Egypt" is a misnomer as the neighborhood diversifies. Local business owners hail from Morocco, Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria, and Bangladesh. Their restaurants have established the neighborhood as a beacon to the tri-state Muslim community for World Cup watch parties, Ramadan iftars, and solidarity gatherings focused on Palestine and Israel.
Today, the Astoria openings include Levant, which opened in July with Lebanese shawarma and Egyptian feteer; Slappin Chick, a halal Nashville hot chicken joint; and Chocolate House, featuring Dubai chocolate and Lotus Biscoff. This growth firmly establishes the area as a center for diverse Eastern Mediterranean cuisine.
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