Qamaria Yemeni Coffee

Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. was founded by Hatem and Munif, two Yemeni entrepreneurs whose stated aim is "to share Yemeni sourced coffee products with the world" while supporting the farmers who grow the beans; the company's own account of itself quotes co-founder Hatem saying "I'm in love with Yemeni coffee and on a mission to share it with the world." The company's coffee is traditionally offered as a light roast carrying the spice-and-herb profile characteristic of Yemeni varieties, and its qishr - made from naturally sun-dried coffee husks rather than the bean - produces a tangy, fruit-flavored drink with only mild caffeine that has historically been served at evening gatherings. That evening-gathering function is exactly what the Chicago location does in Albany Park.

The Chicago cafe sits in a strip mall at 4728 N Kedzie Ave, one block north of the CTA Brown Line's Kedzie station, on the mile of Kedzie Avenue that has drawn several Middle Eastern coffeehouses within a short span. It is an unusually large room by Chicago cafe standards, with enough tables to absorb study groups, families and after-dinner crowds at once. Drinks split between the traditional Yemeni side of the menu - coffee, qishr and spiced milk teas - and the modern signature lattes the chain is known for, led by the cardamom-forward Qamaria Latte and a pistachio latte, alongside espresso classics, iced cocoa and a pastry and cake case. Nothing on the list contains alcohol, and the hours are the point: doors stay open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 1am on Friday and Saturday, which makes this one of the few rooms on the North Side where a late, sober night out is the default rather than an accommodation. The Kedzie corridor around the cafe has become the densest concentration of Middle Eastern coffeehouses in Chicago, with several opening within roughly a mile of one another inside a year, and Qamaria keeps some of the latest hours among them. The company sells its beans and its qishr directly as well, so what is served in the room can be taken home, and it lists wholesale and franchising alongside its cafes.