The Rich Yemeni Coffee Culture and Social Interaction Amongst the Yemeni Community

By Batul Aledlah

Preface

This first section is an excerpt from my Berkeley Cultures and Communities Policy Brief titled, Turath: Examining the Rich Cultural Heritage of Yemen and its Diaspora, which I believe is very significant in understanding the rich history of coffee in Yemen.

Qahwa

Yemen is home to some of the finest and most expensive coffee beans on earth, the Mocha Coffee Bean. Qahwa is the Arabic word Yemenis created for coffee, and it is integral to the Yemeni heritage culture. Qahwa is a part of the everyday practices of most Yemenis, as it was used for trade and
building community. Its consumption was also perceived as a form of being pious. During the 15th century, Sufi monks in Yemen produced and consumed coffee to help them stay up for midnight prayers, which introduced the world to the consumption of the first cup of coffee. Coffee later evolved andinfluenced many communities across the Islamic world incorporating it into their everyday lives. The trade of coffee was established in the Mocha port of Yemen, where intertribal exchange took place during the Ottoman Empire, which was as early as the 1800s. However, due to British colonialism shortly after, Yemeni coffee was smuggled at large out of the country to be sold across the globe. This destroyed any economic opportunities of stability and development by Yemenis, as coffee beans were a leading commodity to export and profit off of.

Coffee Consumption and Culture in Sanaa, Yemen

While I was in Yemen during the Fall of 2022, I learned so much about the significance of the coffee culture in Yemen. I learned that it was not just a commodity being consumed for antioxidant intake or for energy. It was something far more special than that and held a deeper meaning amongst Yemenis. My uncle and I would wake up every morning at 6 am and drive down to one of the oldest and most popular coffee shops in the old city of Sanaa, called Samsarat Warda. It was here that we would enjoy the country’s organically grown, finely brewed, and flavorful Yemeni coffee. I would order the Bin Haleeb, which is similar to the hot Indian beverage Chai, except it is coffee brewed with milk and water and paired with strong spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and more that are generously infused into the drink. I had the luxury of enjoying this delightful coffee almost every day during our early morning/evening walks in one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, Sanaa. I couldn’t help but notice that Samsarat Warda was a hot spot for many Yemenis in the city, as I would see the same faces almost every day and friends — even strangers — sharing enthusiastic conversations every morning and evening while indulging in fine coffee and breakfast/pastries. I learned that coffee was more than just a commodity, it signified deep social interaction in Yemen. I found this so special. Coffee was, and continues to be, a focal point for Yemenis to interact with one another and build deeper connections, something you cannot find in many places across the globe.

Coffee and the Yemeni Diaspora

In Yemen, you can find a quality coffee shop almost anywhere. Diaspora Yemenis in the U.S. do not have that same luxury, because there are not many coffee shops that sell authentic Yemeni Qahwa. When the very first Yemeni-owned coffee shop, Delah Cafe, opened in San Francisco, it was a huge deal for the Diaspora. It was a hot spot for community members of all different backgrounds to learn about the Yemeni culture and its history of coffee, whilst also building social interactions. For the Yemeni Diaspora, this coffee shop is a special place to interact, reminding them of their unique culture, and holding the Yemeni community in the Bay Area together. From its rich paintings of home on the walls, to the smell of coffee brewing and roaring whispers of its patrons, Delah Coffee truly feels like home away from home.They have become the beacon of inspiration for many Diaspora Yemenis, as their landmark opening has defined to the Diaspora what opportunities of growth await for us to continue expanding our specialities in cuisine across the Bay, and across the state!

Here is a list of Yemeni-owned restaurants and cafes in the Bay Area:
● Delah Cafe; Oakland, CA. San Francisco CA.
● Yemen Kitchen; San Francisco, CA.
● Sanaa Cafe; San Francisco, CA.
● Bab Al Yemen; Oakland, CA.
● Savor Cafe; San Francisco, CA.

Feel free to also check out this Tik Tok video I made during my visit to Yemen, of traditional Yemeni Coffee and Roaming the Streets of Old City Sanaa!

About the Author

Batul’s parents are immigrants who fled Yemen due to civil war and economic distress. Batul will be conducting research on Yemeni foods, celebratory events, historic architecture, and religion which are practiced by Yemenis in the United States and Yemen. Through intensive research, visual representation, and travel blogs, she aims to compare and contrast these overlapping themes. She wishes to display and pay homage to the richness of the Yemeni culture and cast more light on the Yemeni community which has been silenced and ignored for centuries.

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