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By Erin Booke December 27, 2024 [yemeni-cof] A tray of drinks and pastries at Shibam Coffee. Faraz Ahmed/ @halalpalate Some of the most popular late-night spots in Texas right now have no loud music and no alcohol--just the whir of espresso machines, the smells of cinnamon and cardamom, the clinking of ceramic and glass cups, and the peaceful hum of meaningful conversation. Yemeni coffeehouses have been booming in recent years in Texas's biggest metropolitan areas, particularly Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, where the populations of Muslims--many of whom abstain from alcohol--are the largest in the state. "As Muslim youth, we never had a place to get together, so now the coffee spots are our place. That's why they are open late," says Omar Ahmed, who owns Sayfani Coffee House, which has locations in the North Texas suburbs of Allen, Coppell, and--coming soon--Sachse. "Back in the day, hookah lounges were the only place, but now we're older and healthier and have families." The shops all have roots in Yemen's rich coffee history and tradition, but they also tell the story of immigration, the growth of modern Muslim communities in the United States, and the rising demand for essential "third spaces" across an increasingly diverse Texas. Ahmed is a Yemeni American who grew up in Buffalo, New York, before moving to Dearborn, Michigan, a place that was recently named the first Arab-majority city in the United States and is the birthplace of the Yemeni coffee shop boom. And now Ahmed is one of many Yemeni American coffee entrepreneurs making the move into Texas. "We wanted to move to Texas because it's a good place to grow," Ahmed says, speaking about economic potential. "It's a good place to raise my kids." Ahmed opened Sayfani, an independent shop, in 2023, but there are many chains from Michigan, including Haraz Coffee House, Qahwah House, Qamaria, and Shibam Coffee, that have debuted outposts in the Houston, Dallas, and Austin metros in just the last few years. Popular Videos Previous Next more A tray of coffee and pastries at Qamaria. Faraz Ahmed/@halalpalate Inside Haraz Coffee House. Faraz Ahmed/@halalpalate But Arwa, another independent business that opened in Richardson in December 2022, was the first Yemeni coffee shop to open in Texas and in the South, according to the company. Faris Almatrahi, who was born in Yemen and moved to Texas six years ago, runs the business with his wife, Nora Soofi, her brother Yazan Soofi, and Yazan's wife, Susan Shihab. Almatrahi grew up in a mountainous region of Yemen where highly sought-after coffee plants flourish in the high altitude. "Coffee was grown in our own backyards," he says, among the banana and mango trees. "Seeing that as a kid and coming to the U.S. in an urban area, you long for what you missed growing up," he says. "We wanted to get back to our roots." Haidar Alghouli, who owns Mazajj Organic Coffee, in Houston, is originally from Yemen but moved to Texas three years ago after living in Michigan for several years. He opened his first shop in Katy in late 2023 and expanded with a second location, in Uptown Houston, this September. He chose Houston because he says it's a vibrant, diverse city that is growing. Many of his first customers were Middle Eastern because they knew about Yemeni coffee and its quality. "People from Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya--mostly people who are not Muslim, but they know Yemeni coffee--come right away," he says. "But the good thing about running a coffee shop is that everyone drinks coffee. White, Black, Hispanic, they come in and become regular customers. We are still seeing new customers every day." Alghouli imports his coffee straight from Yemen and roasts the beans in a warehouse in Houston. "They cost a lot," he says of the beans. "But we carry the cost . . . because it pays off. People know that it's really rich coffee and it's different from what else is in the market." While Yemen was the first recorded country to cultivate coffee, several hundred years ago, and has been historically known for high-quality beans, political unrest in the last century has contributed to a decline in production and the industry's near collapse. But there's been a recent effort globally to revive the Yemeni coffee industry and culture by the USAID Economic Recovery and Livelihoods Program, which has provided training to Yemeni coffee producers and has facilitated market links between Yemen and the rest of the world. "We saw that and wanted to play a vital role in reviving the industry," says Almatrahi, who only sources beans directly from Yemeni farmers. Yemenis call the coffee plant qahwa, which originally meant "wine" in Arabic, and the distinctive features of the coffee come from the quality of the beans themselves as well as the drying process, Almatrahi says. Because the plants grow at high elevations with less oxygen, the beans develop more slowly and have time to build complex flavor. They are naturally dried by the sun on rooftops or the mountain terraces where they're grown. "That drying process plays a huge role in preserving the flavor and the fruity tones of the bean," Almatrahi says. Arwa roasts the beans in its shop--light or medium, but never dark--and adds spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove, saffron, and star anise after roasting or during grinding. Coffee connoisseurs like to order a simple pour-over, Almatrahi says, but there are lattes and other espresso drinks that come with foam art featuring Arwa's camel logo. Drinks and food at Arwa. Courtesy of Arwa Inside Arwa. Courtesy of Arwa The spices, a signature feature of Yemeni-style coffee, are functional as well as flavorful. Almatrahi says the cardamom neutralizes the acid in the coffee and makes it easier to drink later at night. The staff members at Mazajj boil water and then add the coffee grounds to it. Sometimes they add milk or cream and then mix everything together and strain it. Alghouli often also recommends Adeni chai, a Yemeni black tea made with cardamom, cinnamon, and milk, as well as qishr, a hot drink made from spiced coffee husks. "It's very healthy for the stomach and for the guts," he says. "I drink that every single day." Influencers have been essential in getting the word out to local communities about Yemeni coffee. Faraz Ahmed launched his Instagram account, Halal Palate, with his wife, Ambreen, in 2019. It showcases halal food and restaurants in DFW, Houston, and Austin and has over 40,000 followers. The couple recently hosted the second annual Halal Fest in Plano in December, drawing more than 25,000 attendees and 180 vendors. (Arwa was a sponsor.) Texas has the fifth-largest Muslim population in the United States, with Dallas-Fort Worth, which has more than sixty mosques, serving as a major hub. "It's insane and beautiful how the Dallas Muslim community has grown," Ahmed says, adding that people often travel from across the U.S. to the Metroplex to celebrate Ramadan. While Yemeni coffee shops fill a need for the Muslim community, they attract a wide range of cultures, welcoming anyone looking for family-friendly outings or alcohol-free evenings. "There's been a huge transformation across the U.S. People are trying to transition from the nightlife bar environment," Almatrahi says. "We provide not only the coffee experience but also the ambience." During the last lease negotiation for a new location, the landlord was "shocked" by Arwa's proposed hours, according to Almatrahi. "We wanted to be open until one a.m. on the weekends. And they're not used to that concept," he says. "But that's the power of cardamom." * More About: * Business * Libations * Dallas * Houston * Richardson Read Next * Pork Tamales * Check, Please!: After Five Decades, Our Dining Critic Says Farewell * The 50 Best Tacos in Texas * The List: The Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas * My Favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex Bites of 2024 * Mexican Martini * Home * * Share on Facebook * Share via Email * Comment 0 * Share on X * Share on Pinterest * Print this article * Copy article link * Click to expand Recommended Business They Protect Rich and Famous Texans. They Say They've Never Been More in Demand. By Peter Holley Recipes Gen Z Brought Back the Espresso Martini. We Texified It. By Paula Forbes The Stand Up Desk A Toast to Patricia Sharpe By Texas Monthly Politics & Policy Trump's Tariffs Could Upend the "Texas Miracle" By Loren Steffy Food & Drink Texpats, Rejoice! 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