Port Coffee Co. brings Yemeni coffee, pastries and gelato to South End

Driving the news: Port Coffee Co., a Yemeni-inspired coffee chain out of Irving, Texas, recently soft opened on Camden Road.

• The menu spans Yemeni coffee and tea, alongside classic espresso drinks and a selection of globally inspired pastries, breakfast items and gelato.
• We stopped by and paired our iced brown sugar shaken espresso with a tres leches and an egg muffin croissant.

The big picture: Yemeni-American coffee chains have been rapidly expanding across the U.S., fueled in part by a cafe culture that pairs traditional spiced coffees and teas with elaborate pastries, modern interiors and late-night hours, Axios' Monica Eng writes.

• Last year, the number of shops increased by 50%, making them the fastest-growing coffee sector in the nation, according to Technomic.

Stop by: Find Port Coffee Co. at 1700 Camden Road, in the former Central Coffee and Tutti Gelato space.

Zoom in: Charlotte now has more than half a dozen Yemeni coffee shops.

• Check out our guide to Charlotte's Middle Eastern coffee shops and cafes.