New Yemeni coffee house opens in Aurora

A new Yemeni coffeehouse now is open in Aurora, following a burgeoning global and suburban trend.

The first Haraz Yemeni Coffee House in DuPage County opened last Saturday with a ribbon cutting and community celebration at the eatery located at 1076 Illinois Route 59. Business leaders, elected officials, and community members joined in the festivities, which included a traditional Dabke dance performance showcasing Middle Eastern culture.

The owners — husband-and-wife duos Sharjil Iqbal and Amna Sharjil and Baseer Jagirdar and Ume Kalsoom — say they envision their coffeehouse to be a place of bringing people together over their love for a cup of tea, coffee and people.

The two sisters and their partners came to the United States with a dream of bringing the global phenomenon of Yemeni coffee here. Now, they are bringing that vision to Aurora, creating a welcoming gathering place where residents can experience authentic Yemeni coffee, traditional flavors, and the rich hospitality that has made Yemeni coffeehouses popular around the world, according to a news release.

Inspired by the Haraz Mountains of Yemen, one of the world’s oldest coffee-growing regions, the coffeehouse offers specialty beverages, traditional Yemeni coffee, Adeni tea, saffron and pistachio lattes, desserts, and pastries.

The Aurora location joins a growing number of Haraz Coffee Houses nationwide including in Gurnee, Niles, Orland Park, Roselle and Schaumburg.