Our Heritage
Steeped in Tradition.
Crafted for Now.
"Born from the ancient coffee lands of Yemen, carried across oceans, and brought to life in the heart of Silicon Valley."
The Origin
Yemen: The Birthplace
of Coffee Culture.
Long before the first espresso bar opened in Milan, Yemen was the world's coffee capital. The ancient port city of Mocha — yes, that Mocha — gave its name to a trade that would reshape civilization. Yemeni farmers cultivated coffee in the terraced highlands of Haraz and Bani Matar, developing flavor profiles that remain unmatched to this day.
Qishr is what Yemenis drank before the bean became the world's obsession. Made from the dried husks of the coffee cherry, brewed with ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom, it was the drink of morning gatherings, of hospitality, of stories shared across generations. It is older than espresso. It is older than the café. It is coffee at its most human.
We named our café after this drink because it represents everything we believe in: depth over novelty, tradition over trend, and the profound warmth of a culture that has always known how to make a stranger feel at home.
"A cup of Qishr is not just a drink. It is an invitation — to slow down, to connect, to remember where you come from."
The San Jose Chapter
From the Highlands
to Silicon Valley.
Qishr Coffee House was founded by a Yemeni-American family who grew up drinking Qishr every morning, who carried the memory of that warmth across an ocean, and who believed that San Jose — with its incredible diversity, its curious tech workers, and its vibrant Arab community — was exactly the right place to share it.
We are not a novelty café. We are not a theme. We are a living expression of Yemeni coffee culture, adapted for a new context without losing its soul. Our drinks are made with the same care and intention that has defined Yemeni hospitality for centuries.
Every person who walks through our door is a guest — and in Yemeni culture, a guest is always welcome.
What We Stand For
Our Values
Authenticity
Every recipe we serve is rooted in genuine Yemeni tradition, not approximation. We work with Yemeni coffee farmers and source our spices from the same regions that have supplied the world's coffee trade for centuries.
Hospitality
In Yemeni culture, offering coffee is an act of love. Every cup we serve carries that intention — warmth without pretension, generosity without performance.
Community
Qishr Coffee House is a gathering place for the Bay Area's Arab diaspora, its tech workers, its students, and anyone who believes that a great cup of coffee is worth slowing down for.