You never really know what to expect at a chai cafe open until 4 a.m. on a busier-than-usual street in Lombard during Ramadan when Muslims in need of both caffeine and something to munch on are hopping from place to place, almost on stolen time in between Isha and Fajr prayers. Nimra Irfan opened Cafe Bethak (@cafe.bethak) with her husband Ibad Ali just over a month ago and extended the cafe’s hours to 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays during the month of Ramadan for the early morning meal known as suhoor, or as it’s referred to in Urdu, sehri. She said the crowds are expected on weekends, but sometimes it’s families with children and older adults and other times, it’s largely young men in prayer thobes prolonging their evening before suhoor. During the few hours Tribune reporter Zareen Syed spent at the Pakistani chai cafe on a recent Saturday night, she watched these scenes unfold and heard conversations she thought were lost to social media scrolling. “Sehri scenes at Cafe Bethak,” Irfan likes to call it. Tap on our bio link to read more.⁠ ——⁠ Photo 1: Hassan Javed pours chai for his friends, including Hasan Mohiuddin, left, in the early morning hours at Cafe Bethak in Lombard. Photo 2: Ayden Malik, 3, laughs with his father, Usman Malik, right. Photo 3: A group hangs out in the early morning hours at Cafe Bethak. Photo 4: A customer digs into a plate of chana chaat. Photo 5: People hang out among friends and family. Photo 6: A small group plays the card game UNO. Photo 7: A large group converses outside of Cafe Bethak in Lombard. Photo 8: License plates representing different regions of Pakistan adorn a wall. Photo 9: Danish Mohiuddin, from left, his brother Daniyal Mohiuddin, Maaz Kasiri and Saad Siraj play Jenga. Photo 10: A neon sign is seen lit up in the early morning hours at Cafe Bethak in Lombard on March 16, 2025. ? Zareen Syed / Chicago Tribune ?️ Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

You never really know what to expect at a chai cafe open until 4 a.m. on a busier-than-usual street in Lombard during Ramadan when Muslims in need of both caffeine and something to munch on are hopping from place to place, almost on stolen time in between Isha and Fajr prayers.

Nimra Irfan opened Cafe Bethak (@cafe.bethak) with her husband Ibad Ali just over a month ago and extended the cafe’s hours to 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays during the month of Ramadan for the early morning meal known as suhoor, or as it’s referred to in Urdu, sehri. She said the crowds are expected on weekends, but sometimes it’s families with children and older adults and other times, it’s largely young men in prayer thobes prolonging their evening before suhoor.

During the few hours Tribune reporter Zareen Syed spent at the Pakistani chai cafe on a recent Saturday night, she watched these scenes unfold and heard conversations she thought were lost to social media scrolling.

“Sehri scenes at Cafe Bethak,” Irfan likes to call it.

Tap on our bio link to read more.⁠

——⁠

Photo 1: Hassan Javed pours chai for his friends, including Hasan Mohiuddin, left, in the early morning hours at Cafe Bethak in Lombard.

Photo 2: Ayden Malik, 3, laughs with his father, Usman Malik, right.

Photo 3: A group hangs out in the early morning hours at Cafe Bethak.

Photo 4: A customer digs into a plate of chana chaat.

Photo 5: People hang out among friends and family.

Photo 6: A small group plays the card game UNO.

Photo 7: A large group converses outside of Cafe Bethak in Lombard.

Photo 8: License plates representing different regions of Pakistan adorn a wall.

Photo 9: Danish Mohiuddin, from left, his brother Daniyal Mohiuddin, Maaz Kasiri and Saad Siraj play Jenga.

Photo 10: A neon sign is seen lit up in the early morning hours at Cafe Bethak in Lombard on March 16, 2025.

? Zareen Syed / Chicago Tribune
?️ Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune