Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post.
salaamu alaikum and Hi All!
If you’re anything like me, I absolutely am unable to function for most of the day without at least one cup of coffee, and I love really, really good coffee. I prefer to make mine at home in either the old-fashioned Italian Moka Pot or a French Press using high-quality organic dark roasted coffee. I try to limit myself to at most 2 cups a day, so to me, the quality matters.
I’ve also missed the delicious coffee we enjoyed when we lived in Saudi Arabia; literally, if you haven’t tried Saudi coffee, I highly recommend it. It’s completely unlike typical North American coffee. Literally, it’s a treat. But, since I don’t currently have any Saudi friends and have been unable to decently replicate true Saudi coffee at home (yes, I’ve tried using the Halaal Market pre-made mixesโthey always end up too strong, too weak, or too bitter for my liking). So, yes, I’ve been craving a good light roasted Saudi-style coffee for ages.
You can imagine when I found out that Shibam, a Yemeni coffeehouse chain based out of Dearborn, Michigan, had decided to come to Pittsburgh, I was seriously thrilled and absolutely had to get over there to try it out.
Now, let me tell you why I was so excited. First off, coffee in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and other areas of the Khaleej (Arabian Peninsula) is not what most Americans and other Westerners think it is like; they prefer to buy their coffee raw and green and then roast it at home. It’s then ground at home with spices such as cardamom, clove, and ginger added. The resultant coffee is a pale yellow tone, cloudy with sediment, but incredibly rich in flavor. It’s traditionally drunk in small cups, piping hot, and is poured out of a decorative decanter or thermos, called a Dallah.
Now, since I love to look at the history of whatever I am researching or writing about, I wanted to share that Yemen, much like the rest of the Middle East, is known for its strong coffee culture. However, unlike the rest of the Middle East, coffee as we know it, as a drink, literally got its start in Yemen…or at least became popular in Yemen. The coffee beans themselves developed in modern-day Ethiopia and surrounding countries, and while Ethiopians have their own unique coffee ceremony and drinking habits, the coffee beans themselves spread through trade to nearby Yemen, where it was discovered that caffeine could help you stay awake for your night prayers and give you a bit of a pep for your daily activities. Yemen then became known as an international hub for coffee cultivation and production; in fact, the term Mocha (which is a type of coffee) comes from the Yemeni port city of Mokha, which is right on the Red Sea.
Note: You can in fact find authentic Yemeni Coffee & Tea on Amazon if you cant get to a Yemeni Coffeehouse!
So, when I say Yemenis KNOW coffee, honey, they KNOW coffee!
So, I went and while it’s in an area of the city which is notoriously difficult to find parking in (North Oakland on the border of Shadyside & Bloomfield), both times I have since gone I had shockingly not had much of an issue with finding parking, although the traffic to get to the Coffee Shop is a whole other story.
Anyway, the first time I went I took my son who is in his first year of University, and we got a variety of desserts and drinks. I wanted to try a couple different items, and literally, nothing was disappointing!
Since I wanted to try both a hot and a cold beverage, I ordered both; first up was an iced beverage from their seasonal Fall Drinks menu: the Pumpkin Pie (I was hoping for a PSL alternative). Second, I ordered a hot Mufawar, which is their signature light roast coffee with spices and creamy milk. My son ordered a signature Shibam Coffee. For desserts, I tried the Pistachio Cheesecake and my son the Pistachio Milk Cake.
Now, the Coffee House itself has an amazing atmosphere; it’s a very open space with big windows and tasteful decor that doesn’t play into a kitschy Arabian theme, which frankly is refreshing. Yet it lacks the homey vibes one often associates with a coffee house. It’s still quite welcoming and is an enjoyable place to sit and enjoy your coffee. The staff, when I went both times, were Muslim and/or Middle Eastern, and the bathroom was incredibly clean. Yes, they had Brig Wudu containers!
I can’t finish this post without bringing up a couple of things that I think would add to the whole experience. It would be great if the Pittsburgh location could add more seating, and heck, it would be amazing if they could expand and add a floor seating area (I can dream, I know!). It might be fun to have a traditional Yemeni room added. I also think they should have some information up somewhere that, in a nutshell, shares with patrons the history of coffee in Yemen. Given that the area this Coffee House is in is surrounded by several world-renowned universities, I think it would be welcomed.
So, let me know what you think! Have you ever been to one of these Yemeni Coffee House chains here in the US? If so, what did you think!
Until next time…
-โค๏ธ Bailey UmmIbrahim
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