New Cafe Opens in Former Al Bazzar

Al Wadi Coffee House, 200 W. Layton Ave. Photo taken March 12, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.

For some, it’s a dose of culture. For others, it’s a taste of home. Al Wadi Coffee House, a new addition to Milwaukee’s South Side, offers both, depending on the customer.

Located in the former Al Bazzar Restaurant & Sweets space at 200 W. Layton Ave., the Middle Eastern-inspired coffee shop quietly opened in early March, coinciding with Ramadan.

“We want people to come in here and absorb the artwork, the atmosphere, the drinks — so they’re getting that culture in some fashion,” said Mohamed Musaitif, who operates the cafe with his brother, Mohanned.

The timeline was a tight one for the brothers, who worked up to 15 hours per day throughout to January and February to complete the transition — including new flooring, walls, ceiling, lighting, and decor — in time for the holy month.

“If it wasn’t for Ramadan, we wouldn’t be open,” said Musaitif, who welcomes his first customers daily at 6:30 p.m., just before iftar, the evening mean during Ramadan. The shop plans to extend its hours in the coming weeks as additional staff members are hired and trained.

A lifelong coffee lover, Musaitif had long dreamed of opening his own café. Last year, as chains like Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. and Qahwah House began popping up in the Milwaukee area, the brothers felt the time was right. All they needed was a location.

“It took some time before we actually found this spot,” Musaitif said of the Layton Avenue building. He noted that the previous restaurant “wasn’t doing the best,” which opened up the opportunity for a concept change.

The brothers briefly considered buying into a franchise but ultimately decided to create a unique concept, allowing them to focus on the flavors of the broader Middle East while still centering Yemeni coffee.

Al Wadi, meaning “the valley,” is represented in the cafe’s wallpaper, which depicts idyllic cities against a backdrop of mountain ranges. Additional decor balances traditional and modern influences, with shelves of burnished dallah (Arabic coffee pots), bright marble flooring, Edison-style pendant lights and soft, patterned banquette seating.

In crafting the menu, Musaitif said he was sure to include pistachio lattes, adeni chai and mofowar — all staples of most Yemeni cafes — but also branched out with flavors like red velvet, Nutella, ube and Biscoff.

Non-coffee drinks include teas, refreshers and matcha in flavors like mango, lavender and strawberry. The cafe also serves both sweet and savory snacks such as cheesecakes, mini pizzas and tres leches cakes.

A full menu is available to view online. Additional flavors, including a baclava latte, are expected to join the lineup as the cafe continues its soft opening.

Al Wadi is currently open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 p.m. until midnight and Sunday from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The brothers are in the process of adding a drive-thru for customers, but must first secure city approval. Future updates will be shared on the business’s Facebook page.

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