WESTFIELD — While the sign on the corner of South Avenue and Summit Avenue might read Westfield Station Café, regular patrons know that a small piece of Egypt has made Westfield its home.

Ashraf “Ash” Zaher has served warm pastries and colorful platters at his café for eight years, which sits in view of the Westfield train station. Small red vases hold delicate white flowers for each table, while gilded platters and chromatic prints of pharaohs and hieroglyphs line the walls.

“I cook for my customers the same way I cook for my family at home,” he told The Leader. A 40-year resident of North Plainfield, Mr. Zaher says he has worked in the restaurant industry his entire life. Along with his two adult daughters, Mr. Zaher runs the Cafe from open to close, six days per week.
Customers can expect Egyptian offerings like traditional bechamel macaroni at the Cafe’s new dinner service, which started last week. While the restaurant has a range of classic American diner options, Mr. Zaher says it’s his Egyptian dishes that draw people in. “Local people who come here love our gyro, our shawarma.”

Mr. Zaher says the change in hours was driven by a need to adapt to customer habits. Breakfast hours were traditionally busier before the pandemic, and Mr. Zaher says routines never shifted back. Although the morning hours made more sense with his family life, where he could “go home a little early and spend time with my kids,” business needs eventually pushed Mr. Zaher to make the change. “[Customers] used to ask me all the time to open at night,” he said.

When asked about his outlook on his business, Mr. Zaher says that while any positive impact from the South Side train station redevelopment feels far off, he continues to base his decisions on the here-and-now.

Even during periods of slow business, Mr. Zaher says he has always been able to count on the local community for support. Patrons rallied around the restaurant by raising funds for roof repairs following heavy rains last year, and Mr. Zaher says they continue to show up for him year after year.

Diners can now visit Station Café Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Get the baklava.