Jordanian Cafe, Snack Shop Opens on Layton Avenue
140 craft drink options, chocolate, pickles, nuts and more at new family-friendly business.
Employees plate samples at Al Hamawi, 1010 W. Layton Ave. Photo taken June 16, 2026 by Sophie Bolich.
In a single trip to Al Hamawi, customers can sip a strawberry matcha, crunch on roasted nuts, peruse pickled vegetables, and pluck a handful of colorful chocolates from a wall-to-wall display.
The new southside business is equal parts cafe, candy shop and snack bar, but it’s not a tavern. That was an intentional choice for owner Mahmood Suleiman, who said the venue is designed as a social hub for guests of all ages.
“The whole point of Al Hamawi is that it’s not just a coffee roastery; it’s gathering families and community members to sit and be in a nice, clean, safe spot,” he said. “There are different races, different ages — you can drive out of the parking lot sober and still enjoy yourself.”
Al Hamawi opened in late spring at 1010 W. Layton Ave., replacing the former Kim’s Thai Restaurant and expanding into a neighboring storefront. Suleiman and his team spent months renovating the space, adding tiles from Jordan, furniture from Greece, and “Middle Eastern touches” throughout.
The finished venue includes a cafe and seating area to the left of the entrance, where guests can linger over one of the 140 hot and iced beverages on the menu. Traditional espresso drinks, teas, and specialties such as sticky bun shaken espresso and banana lattes are among Al Hamawi’s extensive offerings.
To the right, a mosaic of sweet and savory snacks lines the long service counter, where staff are happy to hand over samples of duqqa-crusted crackers, candied pecans, and pumpkin seeds. Along the back wall, 75 varieties of chocolate — including mint, hazelnut, and pistachio cream — fill color-coded cubbies. The chocolates and other retail items, from spices to olive oil, are handmade and imported fresh from Jordan, Suleiman said.
Milwaukee’s Al Hamawi is the first location to open in Wisconsin, though the brand dates back more than 80 years to its founding in Jordan in 1942. Suleiman first encountered the business at one of its Illinois locations.
“I loved it, and I would visit at least three times a week,” said Suleiman, who brings entrepreneurial experience from his family’s retail furniture business. When he inquired about franchising, the company was initially unsure.
“It wasn’t their goal,” Suleiman said. But his enthusiasm ultimately won out. He’s now working on an expansion in Dearborn, Michigan, and may eventually pursue a second Milwaukee store.
Ownership remains “very involved” in operations, Suleiman said, noting that representatives from Akram Hasan AlHamawi Sons Company fly out monthly from Jordan to check on store operations and customer satisfaction.
“[They’re] very hospitable and very nice,” he said. “I’m glad to be a part of the team.”
Taking cues from company leadership, Suleiman said he aims to engage the community beyond hosting customers. “Making donations to local charities is something we’re very big on,” he said. “I personally believe that any business working in a community should definitely give back to that community.”
Al Hamawi is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight. For updates and additional information, follow the business’s social media.
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