Get your 4 am dessert fix at this iconic sweet shop for Ramzan

Founded a few years after India’s independence, this iconic sweet shop has evolved from a hole-in-the-wall joint with a concise menu of jalebis and dahivada, to a quintessential house brand for Indian mithais. Shabir’s Tawakkal Sweets is a Mecca for anyone with a sweet tooth, with the signature Mango Malai remaining a favourite since its invention decades ago. But Moayyad Mithaiwala, the third generation owner, tells us why the month of Ramzan is the prime season to plan a visit. “We only serve two dishes during the month of Ramzan: malpua and phirni,” he says. “And the place doesn’t look the same as it does on any other day.” Starting the day at 8:30 am, the famed shop transforms post 7 pm, with glass displays and shelves replaced by seating for their unending line of customers, who file in until closing – at 4 am.“We make fresh malpua and phirni every day of that month, and all of our sweets are made in small batches to ensure quality, something my father had always emphasized. That is why people drive down, even if it’s just for the night, to eat these dishes,” he says.Located only a minute away from Mohammad Ali Road, the shop is the perfect dessert stop after plates of haleem and juicy kebabs.