~ Kimberly Hand, Small Business Milwaukee
Come for the coffee. But don’t be surprised if the surroundings—and the dessert case—get your attention first.
Tracy had been waiting to show me Matari Coffee Co.
We had decided to take our weekly Small Business Milwaukee meeting out of the office and into a new coffee shop on 76th Street and Layton. Tracy arrived before I did, but instead of finding a table right away, she waited for me at the entrance. She wanted to walk through the door with me and see my reaction. I understood why almost immediately.
Matari Coffee Co. is beautiful.
Bright, polished, and decidedly upscale, it’s clear someone paid attention to every detail. Curved, illuminated niches turn the walls into part of the décor. Gold accents appear throughout the room. Even the backs of the chairs bear the Matari name.
And then there is the counter.
The pastry cases are filled with rows of colorful mousses, cheesecakes, milk cakes, pastries, and other desserts that make ordering only a cup of coffee seem like an exercise in self-discipline.
Coffee with Yemeni roots
Matari Coffee Co. specializes in Yemeni coffee, with beans sourced from the mountainous Bani Matar region of Yemen. The Greenfield café, at 4741 S. 76th Street, is the company’s first Wisconsin location.
The menu combines familiar coffeehouse choices with drinks rooted in Yemeni coffee traditions. There are lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and mochas, but also choices such as San’ani, a medium roast served with cardamom; Mofawar, medium-roast coffee with cardamom and cream; and Rada’ey, a light roast with ginger and cardamom. Matari also serves its signature Yemeni latte and Adeni chai.
If traditional coffee isn’t what you’re after, the choices expand to pistachio and Matari frappuccinos, iced pistachio and Yemeni lattes, matcha drinks, fruit refreshers, and mojitos.
I chose an Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso with oat milk, and even its presentation made an impression. Served in a beautiful glass rather than the disposable cup I was expecting, it was creamy, flavorful, and just sweet enough. Tracy ordered the Turkish coffee, a rich dark roast with cardamom, presented in the traditional long-handled pot and poured at the table.
And then there are the desserts
The display cases are almost impossible to walk past without stopping. On the day we visited, we found strawberry, raspberry, mango, lemon, blueberry and other jewel-like individual mousses, along with Oreo, pistachio and caramel milk cakes, cheesecakes, chocolate desserts, pastries, and fresh honeycomb bread.
Tracy and I decided to split a raspberry mousse. That was before we were offered samples of cheesecake.
A place made for gathering
As we sat there, it was easy to see Matari as more than a place to run in, grab a coffee, and leave. There are tables for two, larger tables for groups, and comfortable seating throughout the café. The surroundings are elegant without feeling stuffy, and the room lends itself naturally to conversation.
For Tracy, who is president of the Greater Greenfield Community Chamber, that prompted another thought: perhaps Matari could become the setting for future Chamber gatherings. That’s what often happens when the two of us take a Small Business Milwaukee meeting on the road; it usually leads to more great ideas.
Before leaving, we had the opportunity to speak with owner Mauyad Asad and tell him how much we enjoyed what he has created in Greenfield. It was clear he’s eager to be part of the community.
For those of us accustomed to thinking of a coffee shop as a place for a quick latte in a paper cup, Matari offers something very different. Go for the Yemeni coffee. Try something you’ve never ordered before. Take a good look at that dessert case. And when you first walk through the door, be prepared.
Matari Coffee Co.
4741 S. 76th Street
Greenfield, Wisconsin 53220
(414) 460-8780
