Qahwah House, a Yemeni coffee shop chain, plans to open a new location at 139 Dryden Rd. in Collegetown on Tuesday, according to manager Anwar Albahri.
Qahwah House was founded by Ibrahim Alhasbani, who opened its first Yemeni coffee shop in Dearborn, Michigan. The chain has since grown and spread across the U.S. while also gaining national popularity. The Ithaca location will be the 28th coffee shop from the chain to open in the nation.
The coffee shop will offer its popular Arabic coffee, pastries and traditional Yemeni desserts, as well as “high-quality” organic Yemeni coffee beans and spiced drinks. Albahri noted that the shop plans to offer catering services and be a place for students and Ithaca community members to host events.
In an interview with The Sun, Albahri said the decision to open Qahwah House in Ithaca was influenced by the “welcoming” nature of Collegetown and the popularity of the New York City and Michigan locations among Ithaca residents. Albahri explained that during his time working for the New York City branch, customers from Ithaca would try Qahwah House and asked about an Ithaca branch.
“We want to make sure everything serves our community,” Albahri said. “That's number one for us, and we want people to enjoy [Qahwah House].”
According to Albahri, the opening of the coffee shop has been a work in progress for the past eight months. He has also enjoyed watching people stop by and express their excitement as the Qahwah House location developed. He joked that Cornell seniors expressed their excitement for the opening by telling him they wished that Qahwah House had opened sooner.
“Now that the Qahwah House is happening, they are still excited to enjoy it with us for the rest of the year,” Albahri said. “We [are] not only a store, we want to support people and the community.”
Albahri told The Sun that he was excited to open Qahwah House during Ramadan, a holy month for Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims fast, or abstain from consuming food or drink, from sunrise until sunset. He hopes that the coffee shop will serve as a social spot for students at Cornell.
What distinguishes Yemeni coffee from other types starts with the coffee beans themselves, Albahri explained. He described how they are grounded in “our Yemeni way.”
Yemeni coffee is grown using centuries-old traditional harvesting practices at extremely high altitudes, which develops its unique and deep earthy flavor. The coffee mix may also include a mix of spices that add flavor to the coffee.
Albahri noted that people can keep up with Qahwah House Ithaca through their TikTok page, where they will share updates regarding their opening.
Samiha Anjum ’28 told The Sun that while she hasn’t been to Qahwah House, she heard about it primarily through social media and is excited to try the new coffee shop.
“My mom is a fan of the chain, so she was pretty excited when she saw that one was going to open here, and I can imagine that others may have the same sentiment,” Anjum said. “Overall, I think it’ll add a nice touch to Collegetown, and I’m looking forward to it opening.”
Zeinab Faraj is a member of the class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a features editor on the 143rd Editorial Board and was the assistant sports editor of the 143rd Editorial Board. You can reach her at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
Hussam Kher Bek is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a staff writer for the News department and can be reached at hkherbek@cornellsun.com.
