Tysons Galleria becomes a halal food focal point for Northern Virginia Muslims

Shotted Coffee, a Saudi-inspired coffee shop in Tysons Galleria in McLean, Virginia, extends its hours during Ramadan to serve the local Muslim community. According to the Howard University News Service, the shop opens until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday leading up to Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan. During regular hours, Shotted typically operates until 11 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends.

Founder Bandar Alhenaki opened Shotted as a pop-up cart in the DMV area in 2019, with the first storefront opening at Tysons Corner Center in 2020 and expanding to Tysons Galleria in 2023. According to FFXnow, the extended Ramadan hours draw 200 to 300 people after 8 p.m. on weekdays and as many as 1,000 customers on weekends. The shop offers espresso drinks, desserts, and baked goods including pistachio cake, saffron cake, and soft-serve Bischoff ice cream.

The late-night crowds gather after iftar, the meal that occurs after evening prayer and sunset when Muslims break their fast. Videos of the lines at Shotted during Ramadan have circulated on social media. According to FFXnow, the mall's director of property management said the decision to extend hours was made to support the local community and facilitate connection during the holy month.

According to FFXnow, Andy's Pizza and Shotted are both planning to open new locations in the coming months, and the Tysons Galleria food hall is now fully leased with restaurants including Char'd (a halal burger concept), Rabbit Taco, Bird's Eye Thai, Chao Ban, and Scolapasta.