Yemeni Coffee Shop Coming to Harbor District
Azal Coffee hopes to open its first Milwaukee location at Freshwater Plaza.
Site of proposed Azal Coffee, 1318 S. 1st St. Photo taken Feb. 22, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.
A new cafe serving Yemeni coffee is slated to open in the Harbor District, reflecting a growing demand for the country’s celebrated beans and the immersive cultural experience they bring.
Azal Coffee plans to launch its first Milwaukee location at Freshwater Plaza, 1318 S. 1st St. The mixed-use building is home to businesses such as Momo Mee and Jimmy John’s, along with several others, while apartments occupy the upper floors.
A menu for the Michigan-based cafe chain features a variety of hot and iced coffee and espresso drinks, including classic options such as americanos and cappuccinos, as well as lattes flavored with ginger, sesame, cardamom, pistachio and Biscoff.
In addition to traditional coffee drinks brewed with roasted beans, Azal offers qishr, a beverage made from coffee husks and warming spices like ginger and cinnamon. Also known as coffee cherry tea, qishr has a light, delicate flavor and is caffeine-free.
The menu also includes hot chocolate, lemonade and teas like pomegranate, matcha and Blue Tea, made with butterfly pea flower. To eat, Azal serves sweet snacks like honeycomb bread, waffles and mini pancakes.
Yemeni coffee, frequently described as aromatic, complex and fruity, gets its distinctive flavor from a traditional drying process, where beans are dried with their dusks intact. As one of the world’s oldest coffee-growing regions, Yemen’s unique climate and time-honored production methods yield beans that are widely regarded as some of the best in the world.
Azal Coffee opened its flagship location in 2023 and plans to expand with a franchisee-led café in New Jersey, along with an upcoming location in Milwaukee.
Yemeni-style cafes are a growing trend throughout the area, with recent additions like Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. in Greenfield and Qahwah House in Oak Creek. Haraz Coffee House, another Michigan-based chain, is preparing to open on the East Side at 2900 N. Oakland Ave.
The success of these establishments may be attributed to the growing demand for third spaces (outside home or work) that offer a social environment without alcohol as a central focus. Additionally, the new arrivals tend to stay open later than most local coffee shops — a particular draw for students.
Azal announced its Harbor District location on social media in early February, but has not yet revealed an opening date. A sign permit appears online, but the cafe has not applied for its food dealer’s license.
Updates on the Milwaukee cafe, including a soft opening date, will be shared on social media.
A representative of Azal Coffee did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
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