Mocha Bay to introduce Yemeni coffee to downtown St. Pete this winter

View fullsize

Mocha Bay, an authentic yemeni cafe, will open at 401 1st Avenue North in st. pete | google maps

Traditional Yemeni coffee is coming to downtown St. Pete.

Mocha Bay is expected to open before Thanksgiving at 401 1st Avenue North, on the ground floor of the Princess Martha, a historic senior living community.

The nearly 2,000-square-foot space was previously home to Deja Vu Café, which opened in 2016 and closed earlier this year. It is on the same block as Bar Chinchilla and the soon-to-open Sunshine City Comedy Cafe.

Mocha Bay will serve espresso drinks alongside traditional Yemeni coffee preparations, using medium-to-dark roasted beans sourced from Yemen, local businessman Hamdi Ali said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

Traditional Yemeni coffee is often brewed in a decorative metal pot called a dallah, then served strong in small cups. It can be flavored with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

Another popular drink that will be offered at Mocha Bay is called qishr (pronounced KEESH-er) is made from dried coffee-cherry husks rather than coffee beans and has less caffeine than a standard cup of coffee.

View fullsize

Yemeni coffee is traditionally served out of a dallah, a decorative metal pot, then served strong in small cups | Ormston House

Mocha Bay will also serve matcha lattes, smoothies, juices, and Adeni tea, a Yemeni milk tea typically spiced with cardamom or cloves.

The pastry case is expected to include sweet and savory items, including Dubai chocolate-inspired pastries, cakes, cheesecakes, and potentially small pitas with traditional fillings.

“It’s definitely a good feeling to bring a traditional family culture to our St. Pete community, which we love,” Ali said. “We can’t wait to make memories with our St. Pete community.”

Yemen played a significant role in coffee’s history. While the coffee plant is native to Ethiopia, coffee cultivation and bean roasting can be traced to Yemen in the 15th century.

The café’s name references Yemen’s Mocha port, a major center of the early global coffee trade.

“Yemen actually is known as one of the birthplaces of coffee,” said Tony Baker, a partner in Mocha Bay. “The country is known for growing and brewing some of the best coffees in the world.”

Hours are still being finalized, but Ali said Mocha Bay could open early for morning customers and remain open as late as 2 a.m. or later on weekends.

Mocha Bay will not serve alcohol or offer hookah. Instead, the café is expected to cater to students, remote workers, and others looking for a place to gather or work early in the morning and late at night.

No social media pages have been created for Mocha Bay yet. Updates on its downtown St. Pete buildout will be shared through Arab Tampa Official, a local business directory for Arab residents in the Tampa Bay area run by Baker.

Baker and Ali are also partners in a second Mocha Bay location planned for Tampa’s Temple Terrace neighborhood next year.