A coffee shop has expanded from its initial location in Dearborn to include a location in Warren, with a new facility on the Wayne State University campus planned to open soon.
It is known as Haraz Coffee House, and it is a luxury Yemeni coffee shop.
Hamzah Nassar, the owner and founder of Haraz Coffee Shop, appeared on “Live in the D” to discuss the business.
After visiting Yemen and viewing the traditional techniques of making coffee, Hamzah stated that it was very different from how coffee is manufactured in the United States, which is brewed. He said that in Yemen, coffee is boiled.
What separates Haraz coffee from others, according to Hamzah, are the methods utilized for thousands of years in Haraz.
The coffee at the café is all from Yemen, but they have a variety of brewing methods including Yemeni, Turkish, Saudi, and American. Furthermore, all of the coffee beans are organic and sourced directly from farmers in Yemen, where they are sun-dried. They also have a decaf alternative made from coffee husks. One of the most popular beverages, according to Hamzah, is the iced caramel macchiato, but his favorite is the Yemeni Style Black Coffee. Many of their drinks have spices like cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon in them.
The coffee shop also serves pastries such as saffron cake, which Hamzah describes as a popular pastry in the Middle East that they import from wholesalers in Dubai. Other pastries include a rose milk cake made with actual roses and an espresso cheesecake mixed with a shot of espresso coffee.
The main store is located at 13810 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126. The second location is located at 32766 Ryan Rd., Warren, MI 48092. Two additional sites in Detroit will open soon on the campus of Wayne State University and near DMC Hospital.
Watch the video above for a demonstration of the Yemeni coffee brewing process as well as the whole interview.