Downtown Columbus gained a new coffee shop recently, and a large one at that! Qahwah House is the first Columbus location of a chain of Yemeni coffee shops based out of eastern Michigan. It’s similar in style to Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Shop, which also hails from Michigan and has opened Hilliard and Lewis Center locations (and teased a third).
Qahwah House occupies the ground floor of the new The Harlow on Main apartment building, near the corner of East Main and South Fourth streets (so, just around the corner from Mikey’s, Dirty Frank’s, Little Palace, etc.).
The space is big and beautiful, with plenty of natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows, tables scattered throughout, and a giant 3D map on the wall showing coffee’s movement from Yemen across the world. Yemen is considered one of the origin countries of coffee (I think Ethiopia lays a claim, too). The theme of Yemen as coffee’s originating point is threaded throughout Qahwah House’s space and branding.
As you’d expect, they use Yemeni roasts for their drinks. I once heard Yemeni coffees described as “rustic,” and I think the descriptor is accurate. They’re frequently earthy and very rich in flavor.
Qahwah House’s menu covers traditional Yemeni drinks, Turkish coffees, Italian espresso drinks, cold brew, iced and hot tea.
At the center of the space, behind a glass door, is a small coffee roaster. So they’re making the coffee fresh right there.
There’s a long counter toward the back with a small display case of pastries, bottled drinks, and the preparation area.
I ordered the jubani, a drink that combines light and medium roast coffees, coffee husks, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. One of the delights of Yemeni coffee houses is watching the traditional drinks prepared right in front of you. They use a set of induction burners to bring the coffee to a boil, add in the spices, then filter it into a cup.
The jubani was earthy and heavy on the ginger notes. They suggested a little sugar, which I liked.
We also tasted the sabaya, a very flaky pastry that comes with a little cup of honey for drizzling.
Qahwah House has plenty of space to stretch out, read, work on your laptop.
Qahwah House is open Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to midnight; Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Qahwah House
189 E. Main St.
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 372-5313
Web: qahwahhouse.com
FB: Qahwah House
IG: @qahwah_house
