Yemeni cafes are growing across the Twin Cities

• Last year, the number of shops increased by 50%, making them the fastest-growing coffee sector in the nation, Monica Eng from Axios Chicago writes.

Zoom in: At least five Yemeni shops have sprung up in the Twin Cities since 2025, starting in suburbs like Little Canada and Blaine before expanding into Minneapolis.

• Haraz Coffee House is the city's latest addition, opening a spacious shop in LynLake's former Iron Door Pub earlier this summer.

Why Yemen? The Middle Eastern country is considered the birthplace of coffee and still supports small growers, many of whom export coffee to relatives who run U.S. cafes.

Big draws: Pastries (some laced with Dubai chocolate), elegant interiors, a vibe that invites lingering and late hours — Qahwah House Coffee in Northeast Minneapolis is open until midnight daily.

• "Our coffees and teas are not meant as beverages to be quickly picked up. Everything is carefully crafted, and takes time to create, so it's meant to be more of an extended sitdown," Ziad Alobaidi of Haraz Coffee House told Racket this summer.

What to order: Traditionalists go for honey-drizzled pastries with strong, spiced Adeni chai (named for the Yemeni port of Aden) or jubani and qishr, brewed from dried coffee husks and spices.

• Audrey, who has a major sweet tooth, loved Haraz's chocolate and hazelnut Habibti Frappe.