Taste the 518: Qamaria Yemeni Coffee brews a new kind of coffee culture

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Happy Tuesday eve, folks. Every week, we say we’re going to get the newsletter out earlier in the day. And every week, we can’t seem to make it happen between everything else going on 🤦‍♂️ We’ll try again next week!

This week, we’re taking you out to Latham, the epicenter of the Yemeni coffee craze currently taking over the Capital Region. Qamaria is the newest hotspot to open, but it won’t be the last.

🎟️ So… we’re thinking about introducing a new event series called The 518 Dinner Club. Here’s the idea: We’ll put together a list of subscribers who want to meet other readers, split them into tables of 4-6 at various restaurants based on age and interests (we want a good mix at each venue!), and then we’ll break bread together.

You’ll be eating with strangers—but not really since you’re all part of this great crew that we’ve gathered here. And they surely won’t be strangers for long! That’s the idea.

After dinner, we’ll all meet up at an afterparty for drinks and mingling. There will be a small fee ($16) to be part of the dinner club. What do you think?

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

☕ Qamaria Yemeni Coffee brews a new kind of coffee culture

Yemeni coffee houses are having a moment, and Latham is on trend. By summertime, there will be no fewer than three of them in the area.

On Sunday morning, we made a personal pilgrimage to Qamaria, which just opened on Route 9 last week. Qamaria is a fast growing franchise with locations in New York, Michigan, Texas, California and other states.

Our first thought: Boy, we’d hate to be Taichi Bubble Tea, the modest tea place that’s right next door in the same plaza.

The place was packed. And loud. There was a long line at the front. Also worth noting: this was easily the best-dressed crowd we've ever seen getting coffee. Whatever Qamaria is doing, it's drawing a whole different energy than your average caffeine run.

We started with the Juban ($5.50 for 16 oz), a Yemeni coffee and cascara blend infused with cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. We went in expecting something much punchier, like the Aromatic Arabic from Philz Coffee—IYKYK. This was mild and smooth, with a pleasant spice profile.

The Aiden Shai Latte ($6.50) was next—black tea, steamed milk, cardamom, milk foam. It was cozy and subtly sweet without going overboard. Two drinks we didn’t try but longed for were the matcha latte ($7) and the pistachio latte ($7.50). 

If you don’t like spices like ginger, cardamon, or cinnamon in your coffee, and just want a single-origin drip coffee, served black, then this is likely not the place for you. If you’re the kind of person who craves a brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso or iced caramel macchiato, Qamaria offers a new take on your fancy coffee drink.

For tasty bites, we got the rose tres leches cake ($5.50). This hit that perfect sweet spot, super moist and topped with actual rose petals that were almost too pretty to eat. The Dubai chocolate cone ($4) was all crunch and flaky layers, with a luscious combo of chocolate and pistachio filling.

Shoutout to the design team. Qamaria could have gone full cultural kitsch. Instead, the branding is modern and clean, and the Latham space carries that through with high ceilings, white muraled walls, exposed pine beams, and a comfy front lounge anchored by a playful neon sign. The cushy bench seating, upholstered in colorful arabesque-inspired fabric, adds warmth without overwhelming the room. We loved the sharp, branded aprons on the good-looking baristas too.

With a line nearly out the door, Qamaria isn't just serving coffee; it's serving up a whole vibe.

The deets: Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co., 800 Loudon Rd, Latham. You can view the entire menu here.

Also try Shibam Coffee Co. in Latham. And Qahwah House is coming soon.

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🕺A new hotspot called RiiLaxx Tavern is taking over the former Ama Cocina space in downtown Albany. “It’ll be a safe space with a vibrant environment where people can enjoy good food and good vibes,” owner Corisha Cowan tells the TU. Corisha’s husband owns the Mr. Good Vybz dispensary on North Pearl Street. People are talking about it as the “second coming of Sneaky Pete’s,” a legendary Albany nightclub. The grand opening party is planned for March 7. [Times Union]

🍺 Ugh, we’re too late for the 2026 Tupper Lake BrewSki on Feb. 28. It’s SOLD OUT. Ah well, there’s always next year…unless someone wants to get us some tix 😉 

🚨Better watch your speed in those construction zones. Starting this week, New York State is introducing a new point system that increases the number of points for a host of driving infractions 😬 See which ones here… [News10]

We usually choose a Home of the Week that sits around the median home price for the Capital Region, but this place is truly special—it even includes a secret passage! We couldn’t help imagining coming home to this airy interior with its rich juxtaposition of natural stone, brick, metal, and wood materials. The expansive great room in particular makes an impression with craftsman architectural windows, carriage doors, and French doors.

This home was built for the chef. Phat is going insane over the two gourmet kitchens, both of which are a chef's dream with a multitude of specialty gadgets. The striking silo spiral staircase leads to the top of a tower complete with a secluded primary suite, which includes a sitting area, a dramatic Palladian-style window, and inviting bath with exposed brick wall and a skylight. Did we mention the custom sound system throughout the house?

Downstairs is a full exercise room, and a four-person sauna with two cedar-lined closets. Outside, you’ve also got a pickle ball court, bocce court, and additional outdoor kitchen. All set behind stately stone gates, on 3.5 landscaped acres. For the price of a suburban home in Los Angeles!

The deets: 3 bd, 3 ba, 4200 sf, 3.5 acres. Asking: $1,750,000. Days on market: 1. See the full listing here.

Note: Our expansive weekend roundup publishes on Thursdays. Watch your inboxes!

WEDNESDAY

🐴 Celebrate the Year of the Horse at the Empire State Plaza’s Lunar New Year celebration featuring performances, food popups (including Two Little Dumplings), and an art exhibition.

⛰️ Join Curator Charles Clark III for Gathering Stories: Black Experiences in the Adirondacks at The Sanctuary for Independent Media.

THURSDAY

📚️ Nine Pin invites you to Swap Night: Books. With the purchase of a beverage, trade your gently loved reads for something new-to-you.

🎸Jive Hive Live is one of the cool residential art & music venues that Phat wrote about recently in Capital Region Living. Looks like they have a few spots left for their next show, Tortured Poets Series: Artist Showcase.

FRIDAY

👻 The Ghost Will Take Us by the Hand at EMPAC puts the spectator on stage and takes cues from Asian horror films, using the sonic, choreographic, visual, spiritual atmosphere as a medium unto itself. Sounds spooky good!

☠️ Speaking of spooky good, pull up your boots and strap on your dark wings for Hellseeker Goth Night at No Fun.

💀 Don’t punk out, just dance at the DAMAGED GOODS, VINYL ONLY punk dance party at Pint Sized by Dive in Saratoga. Herbie’s will be serving up their burgers!

SATURDAY

🪨 Get the kids to the Rock & Fossil Fun Fair at the NYS Museum and explore all kinds of minerals, gems, rocks, ancient fossils, and more. And bring your own rock or fossils into the museum to be identified!

💜💛 The Nolanauts, Brass Machine, and the Glen David Andrews Band headline Lost & Found's Annual Mardi Gras Party.

❄️ Thacher State Park has a special kind of beauty in winter—especially when Minelot Falls is frozen from top to bottom. This Saturday, meet at the Nature Center for Snow Much Fun Day featuring snow shoeing, snow painting, an outdoor scavenger hunt, s’mores and more!

🎸 Neckfest Winter 2026 at the Van Dyck Music Club in Schenectady features four bangin’ bands, $5 beers, late night food, and killer vibes. What more could you ask for?

👗 Break out your tuxes and sparkly dresses for the 4th Annual DIY Prom at Ophelia’s.

🧻 Time for some wacky winter shenanigans at Tinney’s Tavern Outhouse Races in Middle Grove.

🍵 Sip some tea with exhibiting artist Kim Tateo at Context Collective.

👂️Carols of the Heart presents ‘In the Heart of Darkness: A Sound Journey for the Tender Places,’ a sound journey that “meets the deepest part of winter with steadiness and care, offering support without rushing toward light.”

SUNDAY

👸 We’re not quite what to make of the Albany Holiday Princess Ball happening at the Desmond Hotel, but it’s going to be a spectacle for sure.

ART ON VIEW

• Barbara Todd: Undoings at the wonderful Opalka Gallery | Through Feb. 28

• Don’t miss the treasure hunt for Joan Steiner's Look-Alikes, featuring delightful dioramas at the Albany Institute of Art | Through March 1

• Nina Katchadourian: Fake Plants and Other Curiosities at the Hyde Museum | Closes March 8

• Noel W Anderson: Black Excellence and Romare Bearden & Ralph Ellison: From the Archive at the UAlbany Art Museum | Through April 3

• Family Forms at the Tang Teaching Museum presents art and archival photographs from the Tang collection that highlight themes of kinship and care and offer an expansive vision of family | Through April 12

• Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist at the Albany Institute of History & Art | Through August 2

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.

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Our rolling deadline is the Saturday before your event!

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