Over the past few years, Ann Arbor has seen the opening of numerous Yemeni coffee shops, including Bun Chai Yemeni Coffee & Tea,Bayt Almocha, Qahwah House, Socotra Coffee House andJabal. Yet another — Caffeena — will replace former bubble tea shop Tea Ninja on East Liberty Street, though it currently has no set opening date.
Coffee is believed to have originated in Yemen, where it spread to the rest of the world through the port city of Mocha. Compared to other types of coffee, Yemeni coffee is known for its strong spices — primarily cardamom, cinnamon and ginger — that produce a rich flavor distinct from western coffee.
The first Jabal coffee shop opened in Dearborn Nov. 13, 2023 before opening in Ann Arbor on East Huron Street in March. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Saqr Waza, co-founder of Jabal, said the shop’s success in Dearborn helped him decide to open a store in Ann Arbor. Waza said Yemeni coffee is one of the best varieties of coffee in the world.
“Yemeni coffee shops in general, it’s more than just the coffee shop,” Waza said. “Yemeni coffee in general is one of the best coffees in the world. … We’re now reigniting the Yemeni coffee and bringing it, and showcasing the quality being, and also the atmosphere, and the hospitality.”
Bayt Almocha is a Yemeni coffee that opened in Kerrytown in June 2025. In an interview with The Daily, Amer Almassudi, Bayt Almocha Ann Arbor manager, said Yemeni coffee shops are unique because many stay open late into the night.
Many Arab Americans do not drink alcohol for religious reasons. Almassudi said Bayt Almocha offers an alcohol-free, alternative nighttime activity.
“It’s better to go have coffee where you can focus on family, friends and enjoying life without having to have alcohol,” Almassudi said. “In our religion, we don’t drink alcohol. … We’re all used to hanging with family and friends over a pot of tea or a pot of coffee, and now we’re opening up the cafes to introduce it to others.”
Bayt Almocha has locations across the country. Almassudi said the shop aims to share Yemeni cuisine and culture through its Ann Arbor location, where founder Abdulla Alysofi grew up.
“We brewed the first coffee, cultivated the first coffee and introduced flavor into coffee, and introduced culture and coffee to the West,” Almassudi said. “It’s one of the main reasons we felt comfortable (coming to Ann Arbor). … This is the home around the same neighborhood where the original founder, Abdulla, grew up.”
University of Michigan alum Mahmoud Issa, franchisee of Jabal’s Ann Arbor location, told The Daily that the shop’s late hours are intended to allow students to study, take meetings or freely stop by.
“I had the hardest time studying outside of one of the Michigan buildings,” Issa said. “If you went to any of these coffee shops, they were always either super full, or they were closed by 4 p.m., 5 p.m. So, we want to create a place that you have class ending at three, then you can come to Jabal at five and study until 10 or 11 or midnight.”
In an interview with The Daily, LSA freshman Ana Juricic, who frequents Yemeni coffee shop Bun Chai, said she enjoys its matcha and thinks its ambience creates a productive atmosphere.
“I got recommended by a friend to come here to try their matcha, and since then, I’ve only been going here for matcha,” Juricic said. “It’s really nice to sit in here. I like that they have a downstairs because in Ann Arbor, obviously, shops are pretty small, so it’s nice that there’s a lot of space to study and hang out with friends.”
Alassudi said the draw of Yemeni coffee shops is not only their coffee, but also the social and communal experiences not provided by traditional coffee chains.
“We’re more family-based and more personal than versus you going in there and just, ‘Hey, let me get a frapp’ or ‘Hey, let me get a cappuccino’ and walk out,” Alassudi said. “We like to get to know people. You can sit and socialize better. … Try all the different Yemeni coffee shops in the area, and you’ll see the difference than you going to a Starbucks and versus you going to a Dunkin’ Donuts — you’ll see the difference.”
Daily News Contributor Natalie Mark can be contacted at natmark@umich.edu.
