The Surging Popularity Of Yemeni Coffee Houses Across The US – CoffeeTalk

Yemeni coffeehouses are becoming increasingly popular in America, offering aromatic coffees and teas into the late hours of the night. These cozy third spaces attract immigrant and diasporic communities looking for a place to gather. The Yemeni American Merchants Association (YAMA) states that these coffeehouses have grown due to cultural preservation, a need for community gathering spaces, and the rising popularity of Yemeni coffee. There are about 30 known Yemeni-owned coffeehouse brands with active locations and franchises between Michigan, New York, California, and Texas. Many of the proprietors are immigrants or part of the diaspora, with connections to family farms in various regions in Yemen.

These businesses serve three purposes: sell quality coffee, offer a hub to gather sans alcohol that’s open late, and honor their coffee culture by supporting farmers harvesting the coffee back home. Yemeni entrepreneurs are creating a cuisine that is personal and quintessentially American. These spaces operate similar to Western coffee shops but with longer hours, beans imported from homeland farms, and cultural coffee practices built into the operations.

Many of these coffeeshops share similar DNA: large, beautifully decorated facilities, comfortable seating, imported Yemeni coffee beans roasted in-house, sweet honeycomb breads, and an array of other traditional pastries. Drinks on the menu include Jubani, Mofawar, Qishr, and Adeni chai (Yemeni black tea, cardamom, nutmeg, milk). Yemeni coffeehouses put an emphasis on the aesthetics of the space, from earthy tones and mosaic walls to decorative tableware and plush seating.

Arwa, North Texas’ first Yemeni coffeehouse, emulates the aesthetic with its specific designs like the geometric inlays crafted into the gold arch designs inspired by one of the oldest mosques in Yemen, Queen Arwa Mosque. Yemeni coffeehouses are part of a unique tribal mindset, where everyone is extremely communal, participating in social activities as a family unit with extended families and communities gathering for three meals.

Qahwah House, founded by Ibrahim Alhasbani, is a Yemeni coffee shop that opened in Dearborn, a popular hub for Arab and Muslim Americans. Alhasbani, the eighth generation of a coffee farming family, immigrated to New York in 2011 and opened the first-of-its-kind Yemeni coffee shop in 2017. He aims to bring Yemeni coffee back to the forefront of the industry, as it is known for its naturally sweet taste, chocolate flavor, and low acidity.

Alhasbani believes that coffee giants like Starbucks and Tim Hortons are not competition because they are the antithesis of Yemeni coffee culture. Yemeni coffee is unique due to its naturally sweet taste, chocolate flavor, and low acidity. Hamzah Nasser, founder of Haraz Coffee House, has 27 locations in cities like Charlotte, Buffalo, Milwaukee, and more, with 167 additional locations in development.

Nasser has noticed a shift in customer demographic over the years, with Haraz locations targeting young American professionals rather than Muslim communities. He believes that the buzz around Yemeni coffee shops is getting louder, with people being able to drive three miles to find a Yemeni coffee shop just like Starbucks by 2030. As more people become aware of what Yemeni coffeehouses have to offer, there is a huge expansion potential for Yemeni coffeehouses.

Three Yemeni coffee shops to visit include Aldar Cafe, Bab Al-Yemen Cafe, and Arwa Yemeni Coffee. Aldar Cafe serves an extensive menu of Yemeni coffee in glass pots and cups until 10 p.m. on Saturdays, while Bab Al-Yemen Cafe offers Yemeni coffee brewed with spices in large pots fresh to order. Arwa Yemeni Coffee features a large mosaic displaying the old city of Sana’a, Yemen, and offers rich Yemeni lattes with camel designs and Adeni chais in small glass cups paired with saffron milk cakes and honeycomb breads as late as 1 a.m. on weekends.

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