“Come with me to a land far, far away: The land of Perry Hall.” So begins Baltimore-based TikToker Naeemah Leftwich’s recent video tour of the new Haraz Coffee House, which opened this month. The branch is the first in Maryland for the Michigan-based chain, which has a significant following on social media.

It wasn’t so much a coffee shop, Leftwich said, but an upscale “coffee palace,” evidenced by the gold lettering on its exterior. Inside, she delighted in the pistachio latte and pastries. She would definitely be back. Though she doesn’t normally believe in coffee dates, she said, “I maybe would let a man take me on a coffee date to this palace.”

As freshly abandoned Starbucks locations are gathering dust in Baltimore and beyond, Yemeni coffee shops are entering the market. First popularized by Sufi monks in the 1400s, the beverage is trendy right now. Chalk it up to the same forces that made Dubai chocolate bars one of 2025’s most sought-after foods. And by the way, you can order a Dubai chocolate-inspired mosaic cake at the new Haraz Coffee House in Perry Hall.

Though there are multiple Yemeni coffee chains across the U.S., Haraz is the fastest-growing, and perhaps the first to come to Maryland. In addition to another Haraz Coffee House arriving Jan. 20 in Burtonsville, founder Hamzah Nasser said there are plans to open as many as 10 more locations in the state in the coming years.

Working at his laptop recently, Jonathan Lego said it was probably his sixth visit to the Perry Hall shop, which had opened just over a week earlier. Under normal circumstances, he’s “a Starbucks person,” he said. But Haraz “goes a level above.” Prices are generally higher than diners may be used to seeing at Starbucks, with a 16-oz. pistachio latte costing nearly $8. (The same drink is $6.25 at my local Starbucks.) But fans say Haraz Coffee Houses offer a premium experience to match. The welcoming staff bring coffee and pastries to diners, rather than shouting out names from behind the counter. They clear the tables, too.

Aside from Lego, the place was packed with customers, a crowd that included a TikToker, a table of young women playing cards and a toddler sitting on a leather couch as she stuffed bites of cake in her mouth.

In Muslim cultures, Nasser said, coffee shops function as “the halal bar,” a place where people can socialize into the late hours of the evening without alcohol around. “We’re not even there for the coffee,” he said. In starting Haraz Coffee in Dearborn, Michigan, in 2021, Nasser, a former truck driver, said he wanted to offer an upscale environment for people to hang out while celebrating the culture of Yemen, the birthplace of the modern coffee trade.

The pursuit has not been without its logistical challenges. Nasser spoke by phone from Saudi Arabia, where he hopes to build a distribution center that will help him more easily transport coffee beans from Yemen, whose ports were hit hard by Israeli strikes last year. And coffee prices have soared in response to tariffs and problems with Brazil’s coffee harvest.

As he has looked for new locations for Haraz Coffee Houses nationwide, Nasser said, he initially looked for areas near a mosque or with a large Muslim community. But that’s changed as the business has grown. “I opened in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it was just like, ‘Whoa.’” Even back in Michigan, which is home to a large Middle Eastern community, Nasser says, Haraz Coffee House appeals to non-consumers looking for an alcohol-free gathering space. “I’ve met so many customers locally that are not Muslim, and they’re just like, ‘Why do I have to go to that damn bar or somewhere to drink on a Friday night? Why can’t I just stay sober and go hang out in a coffee shop?’”

In addition to his role as a businessman, Nasser sees himself as a cultural ambassador. He recalls opening a location in Texas when he received a call from a U.S. veteran who asked if non-Muslims were allowed inside Haraz Coffee House. Nasser assured the caller that he was, and offered to welcome him in person. A few minutes later, the man arrived. Nasser estimates he was 6-foot-8. “I’m like, ‘Oh man, if I had your height, I would even ask permission.’” The joke successfully broke the ice, and the man returned the same day with his wife and two children. “I always tell my employees, ‘Look, you’re not only just selling coffee,’” Nasser said.

While the Perry Hall coffee shop has been closing at 7 p.m. during its soft-opening phase, Haraz Coffee House will eventually stay open until 11 p.m., and even later during Ramadan, which starts next month. Practicing Muslims fast during the daylight hours, often staying up late to eat, pray and socialize. The late hours were noted by Leftwich, the TikToker. Though she’s not Muslim herself, she has many friends who are religious. “I love that they have representation for them they deserve,” she said.