In Columbus we’re very fortunate to have a growing list of Yemeni coffee houses opening around town. It seems like every other week we hear of another one coming. Already we have three locations of Qamaria Yemeni Coffee, one of Qahwah House, one of Shibam Coffee, Finjin Cafe in Hilliard, Matari Coffee on Olentangy River Road, and more on the way.
Now let’s take a look at one of the newest, and perhaps one of our favorites of the bunch: Marib Coffee in Westerville.
Marib Coffee is owned by the folks behind Yemeni Restaurant on Cleveland Avenue. It sits in the Park View Center strip at Schrock and Cleveland. Like the other Yemeni coffee houses, it feels lavishly decorated, with unique lighting fixtures, marbled surfaces, and expansive spaces.
I love how these spaces offer plenty of room for studying, hanging out, meeting up with friends. Many of these Yemeni coffee houses are open late (Marib is open till midnight every day) and serve as community hubs.
In addition to a full coffee bar, Marib features a full range of baked goods.
It’s always such a beautiful lineup, and includes cakes, cheesecake, tarts, croissants, and more.
Your tray of coffee and pastries always looks so beautiful when it’s ready.
Like the other Yemeni coffee shops, Marib serves a mix of traditional drinks alongside Italian-style espresso and fruit-based refreshers.
On a first visit, I often start with the mofawar, a drink consisting of Yemeni coffee (which tends to be rustic and earthy) with cardamom. I add a little sugar and cream; the drink is wonderfully rich and warming.
Beth ordered one of their flavored lattes, the tiramisu latte.
It comes with a ladyfinger on top!
At Yemeni coffee houses I’m often drawn to the pistachio cake.
The beautiful cakes are rich and moist and lightly sweet.
Marib is also getting on board with the trendy fruit pastries, so we thought we’d try one!
This strawberry-shaped version features a hard shell surrounding strawberry mousse and a dab of sorbet in the center.
We can’t say we’ve had a bad experience at any of central Ohio’s Yemeni coffee shops – the coffee and food have always been top-notch, the service very friendly and welcoming – but Marib just stands out from the rest. The quality of the coffee and food just seemed that much more put-together, the flavors a little richer and more complex. If you’ve never been to a Yemeni coffee shop, Marib would be a great place to start!
Marib Coffee is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight!
Marib Coffee
610 W. Schrock Rd.
Westerville, OH 43081
(347) 993-9090
Web: maribcoffee.com
IG: @maribcoffee