MOTW Coffee, the Instagram-born chain known for its Yemeni chai and Arabic pastries, is set to open its first Missouri shop in the Delmar Loop this April. Co-owned locally by St. Louis native Shamaas Nyazee, the new storefront plans to roll out espresso classics, house-made syrups and halal empanadas on the stretch that pulls students from both Washington University and Saint Louis University.
As first reported by St. Louis Magazine, the Delmar location is slated for an April opening and is expected to operate daily from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The outlet notes that Nyazee co-owns multiple MOTW franchises and that the menu will feature espresso drinks, specialty lattes and the chain’s signature Yemeni chai, along with pastries, milk cakes and savory halal empanadas.
From social feed to storefront
MOTW traces its start to the Instagram project "Muslims of the World," and the brand’s own site outlines how that social account evolved into a café concept and nonprofit work. The chain’s origin story and mission are detailed at MOTW. Regional business coverage has chronicled the company’s fast, franchise-driven growth outside Indiana into multiple states, with IBJ tracking the early expansion.
Where it will sit on Delmar
Local leasing listings put the new café at 6509 Delmar Blvd, according to Visit the Loop. The space lands in the middle of the Loop’s run of cafés and entertainment spots, an area that regularly pulls in both students and out-of-town visitors. That steady mix of foot traffic during the day and into the evening helped franchise owners zero in on the address for MOTW’s first Missouri shop.
Menu and atmosphere
Owners say the Delmar outpost will stick closely to the chain’s design and menu hallmarks: a full espresso bar, specialty lattes and syrups made in-house (cardamom, date-cardamom and rose-cardamom), plus milk cakes and baklava. St. Louis Magazine reports that MOTW brews its Yemeni chai fresh every day and uses small-batch Brazilian beans from Hubbard & Cravens for espresso. The Delmar shop is also slated to feature a mural by Jules Muck and moss walls, aiming for a bright, community-focused hangout.
Yemeni chai’s moment in the region
Traditional Yemeni chai and spiced Arabic coffees have been gaining ground in the region, and Mocha Point in St. Charles is one of the spots that has helped build that audience. Mocha Point has earned a following with Adeni-style chai and Yemeni coffee blends, pointing to a local appetite for the flavors MOTW centers. The Delmar opening adds another option for that tea-and-pastry tradition within easy reach of campus crowds and nightlife.
What it means for the Loop
The Delmar Loop continues to be pitched as a cultural and retail corridor, with local groups and property managers citing steady visitor numbers and ongoing streetscape investment. Planning documents from the East Loop CID describe efforts to improve pedestrian safety and bolster retail strength along Delmar Boulevard, which helps explain why franchisees focused on the neighborhood. Owners say the mix of entertainment anchors and university traffic makes the Loop a logical fit for a hospitality-forward concept like MOTW.
Franchise representatives say a formal opening date will be announced once the build-out wraps up, with April still the target. The hours and menu details already shared sketch a clear picture of what is coming: a new spot on Delmar serving Yemeni chai, specialty lattes and Arabic pastries in a neighborhood already leaning hard into food, music and student life.
