![Mr. Abullh Ali, manager/assistant, helps open Queen Yemeni Coffee in downtown Libertyville at 606 North Milwaukee Ave. With the help of employees such as manager and LHS senior Yousef Taha, they are able to bring the Yemeni and Ethiopian culture to Libertyville by using their Queen spices, cinnamon and cardamom in their drinks such as Adani Chai, which is inspired by Sheda, the Queen of Yemen and Ethiopia. “The history of our coffee [is] a long history and we believe that Yemen and Ethiopia started the coffee and we are bringing something unique to the community,” Mr. Ali said.](https://www.lhsdoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Photo-1.jpg)
On Friday, Feb. 14, a Yemeni coffee shop opened in downtown Libertyville at 606 North Milwaukee Ave. Right when customers walk in, they’re welcomed with traditional Yemeni instrumental music, bringing a warm atmosphere to the community of the coffee shop.
Mr. Abullh Ali, the assistant/manager of Queen Yemeni Coffee, wanted to bring his culture to Libertyville and have the customers experience something different. He was also inspired by Sheda, the Queen of Yemen and Ethiopia, where coffee is believed to have originated.
“It’s a history that the Queen of Yemen used to drink back in the days and we came up with the spice that she used to have in her drink,” Mr. Ali said. “Some drinks [are] not what she was drinking, but [the] imagination that we imagine with the Queen.”
Some of their signature drinks are Queen of Yemeni Coffee Mufawaar and Adani Chai. Both the coffee and the tea are made with their signature spices, cardamom and cinnamon, and are cooked the same way – except one is made with coffee and the other is made with tea.
“It’s cooked in a big pot, so it adds a lot of flavor inside and smells amazing,” manager and LHS senior Yousef Taha said.
Their signature dessert is a Yemeni custard. They also offer other desserts including cheesecake and milk cake, along with savory items such as spinach pie and cheese pie.
Besides coffee and tea, drinks such as smoothies and lattes are also offered.
“We have the biscuit latte, pistachio latte and we can make them all hot or cold,” Taha said. They also have their signature Queen spice latte that is made with their cinnamon and cardamom spice blend and the Dubai Chocolate Mocha. In the future, they hope to add their signature spice blend to their smoothies as well.
They decided to pick Libertyville because they knew that the people here love coffee.
“We know if we succeed here, we will go anywhere,” Mr. Ali said.
They even hope to franchisee Queen Yemeni Coffee. In the meantime, they hope to see more customers stopping by.
“I think everyone should come and experience this coffee,” Taha said.
