Head to the Ramadan Night Market in Melbourne on 20 to 21 February for halal comfort food, tacos with a twist and a side of togetherness.
Something magical happens when you’re fasting for Ramadan but also tasked with cooking enough tacos to feed a festival, according to street food trader Mohamed Mubarak.
“We get extra powers. Everything becomes easier. Anything is possible when there is a good reason why,” Mubarak said.
Mubarak runs Halal Fusion Tacos, one of the stalls getting ready to feed Melbourne at the first Ramadan Night Market External link to be held at the Queen Victoria Market on 20 and 21 February.
It takes 10 hours to make a batch of the slow-cooked stew in Mubarak’s signature birria tacos.
He loves these ‘messy’ tacos so much he built a business around them, partly to satisfy his own cravings while also honouring his commitment as a Muslim to halal food.
“Halal is not really an option for tacos in Victoria and I really like tacos, so I taught myself how to make them.
“And now I get to share them with the community,” Mubarak said.
Mubarak grew up in the aisles of Singapore's Ramadan bazaar, where his parents would sell everything from fresh flowers to ice cream and sweet drinks, clothes and even a barber service. He and his brother would go on to run the bazaar.
Now living in Melbourne with his wife, he opened Halal Fusion Tacos 2 years ago, combining his Singaporean heritage and his love of Mexican cuisine.
“Both cultures love our chillis, and the flavours go well together. I can’t wait to share our food with the community at the Queen Victoria Market during Ramadan," Mubarak said.
For many Muslims, Mubarak among them, Ramadan is more than a date on the calendar. It’s also a test of patience, discipline and faith.
From sunrise to sunset, Mubarak will fast while also spending long hours over simmering pots and hot grills, waiting until night falls before enjoying any of those delicious tacos.
This year Ramadan starts earlier than usual meaning more daylight and more time fasting.
"It’s going to be a long Ramadan – 15 hours of fasting a day – but in every difficulty there is a chance to be fruitful,” Mubarak said.
In a city shaped by migration, vendors hope the Ramadan Night Market will feel like one big shared table, where people drift in after sunset, pull up a seat, share a meal and get to know each other’s cultures along the way.
“I think it’s amazing to have a Ramadan market at the Queen Victoria Market.
“It's proof of our multicultural culture, the different communities that are at home here,” Mubarak said.
Fellow vendor Asti Kaleta was quick to sign up as a trader at the Ramadan Night Market, seeing it as a chance to share the moment and her culture with Muslim and non-Muslim customers alike.
“All the people should feel happy together, enjoying togetherness and many dishes from diverse cultures. It will be great to see lots of people trying different flavours,”
“I hope everyone can enjoy Ramadan peacefully. Feel more love towards another,” Asti said.
Breaking the fast with halal comfort food
After a lifetime of fasting during Ramadan, Asti knows that when the sun slips below the horizon, the body wants simple food that feels like home.
“After sunset, you just want something warm and soupy,” Asti said.
At her Ramadan Night Market stall, Dapurnya Bubu, that comfort begins with a steaming bowl of lontong sayur, soft rice cakes in gently spiced coconut vegetable broth.
“That soup is always on the table for my family in Jakarta when we break the fast during Ramadan. All I have to do is cook that meal, and it instantly brings me home,” Asti said. Melbourne has been her second home for more than 20 years.
Dapurnya Bubu – which loosely translates to 'Auntie’s Kitchen’ – was a name lovingly coined by her young nephew after watching her cook meals to share at the mosque after prayers.
What began as food made with love for family and community has since grown into a successful halal catering business, still rooted in warmth, generosity and the flavours of home.
After a bowl of longtong sayur, Asti recommends her nasi jeruk, fluffy aromatic rice infused with citrus leaves, served with crispy ayam geprek, smashed to order and topped with a fiery sambal that delivers a balance of heat, crunch and tenderness in every bite.
Round out a visit to the Ramadan Night Market with Asti's cendol for dessert. This silky green pandan jelly, rich coconut milk and liquid palm sugar is poured over crushed ice.
"Sweet, creamy and refreshingly cool after a day of fasting," Asti said.
Halal from day one, and still going strong after 25 years
Long-time trader Ekrem Arslan from Market Kebab has been feeding hungry humans at the Queen Victoria Market for almost 25 years.
In that time, he’s noticed that Melburnians lead with their tastebuds, getting to know and love the city’s many multicultural communities through traditional dishes and ingredients.
“The success of Melbourne’s food culture is huge due to a great range of ethnic cooking skills and knowledge.
“And we must not forget that quality produce further enhances the quality of food,” Ekrem said.
First selling kebabs from a food truck at the night market in 2003, Ekram soon introduced gozleme – a hand-made Turkish pastry honouring his parents’ homeland – and his customers embraced it.
While you won’t find Ekram at the Ramadan Night Market this weekend, you can visit him during regular market hours in the heritage F shed, where he runs 2 permanent shops, side by side. One shop serves classic kebabs and coffee, the other dishes up piping-hot gozleme.
“We’ve been halal since day one – and the halal sign in front of the shop has a positive impact. It brings in Muslim customers, but not only that. Nobody is afraid of the halal sign. It brings in all types of customers,” Ekrem said.
As people across the city head into the holy month of Ramadan, he has these seasoned words of wisdom:
“If you come across someone who’s fasting and you know they’re from an Islamic-based belief, probably go light on them because it’s tough, especially in the first few days.
“And vice versa, for the people who are fasting, they’ve got to say to themselves, this is a time for peace and calm, so there shouldn’t be any negativity," Ekrem said.
"It’s a time for self-discipline. It makes you stronger,” Ekrem said.
And come nightfall, it’s time to be together at the Ramadan Night Market.
“There are a lot of people who will want to break the fast after a long day of patience," Ekram said.
“What's better than going somewhere there’s a whole heap of halal food waiting for you?"
Ramadan Night Market
The Ramadan Night Market is the perfect place to gather, feast and be together. Enjoy halal‑certified food, a free dedicated prayer space, free dates and water for Iftar, calligraphy demonstrations and more.
Whether you’re marking Ramadan or exploring Melbourne’s rich cultural diversity, visit the Ramadan Night Market External link at Queen Victoria Market from 20 to 21 February between 5pm and 10pm.
The Ramadan Night Market is supported by City of Melbourne’s Event Partnership Program.
