The DMV is buzzing over Yemeni coffee
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Dubai chocolate cup and Adeni chai from Haraz Coffee House. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
Move over, pumpkin spice latte. The hottest new coffee trend comes from Yemen.
The big picture: In recent years, Yemeni-American cafe chains — including Qahwah House, Qamaria, and Haraz Coffee House — have opened locations in the D.C. area, and percolated across the country.
- Last year, the number of shops in the U.S. increased by 50%, making it the fastest-growing coffee sector in the nation, according to Technomic, which listed three Yemeni chains in a recent "Future 50 Growth List."
Zoom in: The greater D.C. area has nearly 10 Yemeni chain cafes alongside independent shops like Qahwah Drip and Rashfa Cafe, both in Falls Church.
- Many operate in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs with strong Muslim and Arab populations, but Qamaria is eyeing a Georgetown location as part of its DMV expansion.
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.
- The word mocha even comes from a Yemeni port city that was once a center of coffee trade.
Big draws: Pastries (some laced with Dubai chocolate), elegant interiors, a vibe that invites lingering and late hours, often until 10pm or midnight.
- The cafes are popular spots for coffee and sweets after dinner — a popular tradition in Arab communities — and an alternative to bars or clubs.
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.
- But the cafes also offer iced and hot lattes, matcha, cappuccino, espresso and more, along with sweets and elaborate confections that include large pastries filled with fruit, cream and cake.
Between the lines: If you're craving something more savory, the DMV is home to excellent Yemeni restaurants that serve coffee and breakfast.
- Take Marib in Springfield. The popular Yemeni restaurant offers specialties like shai' edeni (tea steeped with milk and cardamom), motobak flatbreads, slow-simmered fava bean foul and Yemeni shakshuka (eggs cooked in spiced tomato sauce).
What's next: Yemeni coffee entrepreneur and Haraz founder Hamzah Nasser told Bon Appétit he expects Yemeni cafes to be as ubiquitous in the U.S. as Starbucks by 2030.
- More are coming to the DMV. Michigan-based Matari Coffee, a popular café chain, is coming soon to Virginia.