Sunday, April 28, 2024

Qahwah House: A Yemeni cafe bringing New Yorkers together, one sip at a time

qahwah house clifton

There are many legends and theories about when coffee was first discovered, including an Ethiopian legend about a goat herder, Kaldi, who noticed his goats becoming energetic after eating from a coffee shrub. However, coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian peninsula, and the coffee bean was first consumed as a beverage in Yemen in the 1400s. Layaly and Heba Atta, two Palestinian cousins who come to Qahwah house a few times per month, say they love the Arab vibe of the place and that it feels like home.

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He says they are the reason so many more people have started to learn about Yemen. The staff are his friends, one is his brother, and they get his tea ready as soon as he walks in the door. "There are no Arabs or Muslims in this area," Alhasbani told MEE.

WHOLE BEANS

It also has a natural chocolate flavor that other places have tried to emulate by adding chocolate to coffee and calling it mocha. Coffee always had a social quality to it, Um said, adding that coffeehouses could be found in major cities like Cairo, Istanbul and Damascus by the mid 1500s. The drink also had detractors, who thought it could inspire radical ideas or seditiousness because of its social character, she said. Around the 15th century, Sufi monks were known to make coffee to stay awake during mediation and prayers. As it grew in popularity, the lucrative crop was shipped across the Middle East and Europe from the Red Sea port.

Minutes With Ibrahim Alhasbani of Qahwah House

With this situation in Yemen it’s hard to bring coffee beans to the U.S.A. It’s a challenge, but you have to take a risk. The coffee there is grown organically in higheraltitudes and prepared using natural methods. A Yemeni immigrant, Ibrahim has been roasting and brewing coffee in Dearborn for two years. But not just any coffee—he imports all his beans directly from his own family farm that he grew up on in Yemen.

I thought the tea was the best thing I ever had but then I tried the coffee and was truly blown away. I will definitely be back to try more of the items they have to offer. The best quality coffee with no added preservatives, artificial additives, or flavors.

Location & Hours

At the Qahwah House — "qahwah" means "coffee" in Arabic — a massive map adorns a wall depicting historic trade routes of Arabica beans from Yemen to the rest of the world. In the 15th century, Yemen became the first place to cultivate and drink coffee beverages, and then exported the crop around the world. In addition to coffee and tea, Qahwah House also offers cakes and pastries from Zingerman’s Bakehouse in Ann Arbor. In addition to the coffee beans that Alhasbani roasts and grinds in-house, he also offers tea and some food items.

Origins and History of‌ Qahwah House

Qahwah House in Clifton serves Yemeni-style coffee - AOL

Qahwah House in Clifton serves Yemeni-style coffee.

Posted: Sun, 21 Apr 2024 14:17:26 GMT [source]

Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles has undergone a tidal wave of changes in the past decade-plus. “You’re competing with people’s memories,” Meieran tells the Times. A pour over is a handcrafted style of brewing coffee which requires a slow rhythmic process. After the first drops of water are absorbed in the beans, they must fluff up or “bloom” before more water is poured on top. This way of making coffee helps to maximize flavor and quality for the coffee drinker.

qahwah house clifton

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Waell also says Qahwah House has an unparalleled social atmosphere and welcoming environment. “You got one person sitting [at] a table alone and then by the end of the time he leaves, he has 20 people sitting with him,” he says. For practising Muslims who do not go to clubs or bars, there are few places to hang out other than restaurants. Qahwah House provides an alternative community space for people to socialise. Waell Ali, a co-owner of the Clifton location, said he learned about the heritage of Yemen, his family’s country of origin, when he started working at Qahwah House. Now known as Clifton’s Republic, the multi-story property at 648 S.

Waell Ali, co-owner of the newest Clifton branch in New Jersey, lives in New York and has been friends with Ibrahim since before the founding of Qahwah House. Waell started getting involved when the Brooklyn branch opened around three years ago. He described the coffee as having natural sweetness and a fruity, not bitter, aftertaste.

Pair ‍it⁣ with their delectable pastries for a delightful treat. “When we open more locations, we create more opportunities for jobs here and also back in Yemen,” he says. Qahwah House sources its coffee beans directly from Yemen, which creates opportunities for coffee farmers. Qahwah House’s sourcing of coffee beans directly from Yemen is part of their effort to educate people on this history and parts of Yemeni culture to be proud of. At the Clifton Qahwah House, the beans are ground and served in light and medium roasts used in aromatic cups of coffee, or in coffee drinks like lattes, cappuccinos and espressos. Customers can also indulge in pastries such as sabaya, a flaky layered bread cake popular in Yemen.

A neat feature to Yemeni coffee is that the beans are naturally sweet, and sometimes they consist of fruity notes like mango. The pride for his family, home country, and the history of the Yemeni coffee bean all fuel Alhasbani’s passion for running a café. Add to that the belief that Yemen is the origin of the first coffee plant in the world, and you have a story rife with symbolism. It is said that coffee originated from Yemen’s Port of Mokha in the 14th century, and for nearly 200 years after that, Yemen remained the sole distributor of coffee.

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