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It was brew-mageddon in Melville as hundreds lined up for a first taste of the Yemeni coffee craze that’s sweeping the Tri-State.
Long Island finally got its first MOKAFÉ on Sunday.
It was a soft opening, ownership said. They were looking to keep things low-key.
Spoiler alert: The plan went awry.
Before the doors even opened at 11 a.m., a line of people had wrapped around the building on Route 110.
By 1 p.m., co-owner Youssef Mubarez later told GLI the business was so packed they had to stop admitting customers for about an hour to catch up.
(We visited at night, and the place was still hopping)
What’s behind the buzz?
MOKAFÉ isn’t riding the same wave as your typical national chain.
“We’re not just a coffee shop that has desserts,” Mubarez said. “We are a morning, afternoon and late-night hangout place.”
There’s a massive menu of hot and iced drinks. Ten varieties of lattes lead the way, with pistachio, French toast and Biscoff among the most popular flavors. There’s also cappuccino, mocha, and Turkish brew.
And if coffee isn’t your thing, there’s a full line of matchas, herbal teas and fruit-flavored refreshers.
Non-dairy milks? Four kinds. Food-wise, more than 50 sweet and savory items fill the display case — from hazelnut or Dubai-pistachio-stuffed croissants and Turkish cheese or potato-filled bagels to cakes like Oreo and red velvet.
Mubarez emphasized the café’s vibe:
“Good music, comfortable couches. You can come here to work, or just sit and talk to your friends.”
If you go
Customers from all over Long Island told him they’d previously been willing to drive to MOKAFÉ’s original Astoria location — and were thrilled to have one closer to home.
This Melville site at 606 Broadhollow Road marks MOKAFÉ’s 10th location, and its first on Long Island. The others are all in New Jersey and the boroughs.
The location also features the brand’s first drive-thru, though it isn’t open just yet.
Regular hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.
In the meantime, a grand opening celebration also in the works. Check back with Greater Long Island.
