A coffee trailer that got its start serving worshippers breaking their Ramadan fasts outside Howard County mosques has opened its first storefront, planting itself in a historic rowhome at 328 S. Highland Ave. in Highlandtown. Qaffee House, founded 2.5 years ago during Ramadan, now serves Middle Eastern-influenced espresso and tea drinks from a physical shop for the first time, alongside the mobile trailer it still runs in Columbia.
According to The Baltimore Banner, the shop is co-owned by Rehma Khan and Shehab Hady, with Nabeel Razzak serving as cofounder. Razzak, who has Arab, African and South Asian heritage and spent 15 years in the U.S. Air Force, bakes all of the shop's pastries himself. Khan, who is Pakistani and Indian and previously worked as a stay-at-home mom, interior designer and nonprofit employee, painted the shop's logo mural featuring the Arabic letter qaf. Hady, who is Egyptian and Guyanese, shares Khan's passion for coffee and tea, the pair told the Banner.
The storefront's interior carries plenty of personal touches. Razzak's wife crafted the Muslim-style latticework inside the shop, and Razzak told the Banner the cafe was quite literally built by human hands. A visitor posted about the shop's soft opening on Bluesky.
From Masjid Fundraisers to a Fixed Address
Before settling into Highlandtown, Qaffee House built its reputation on wheels. The trailer still operates out of 5840 Banneker Road in Columbia, a shared food truck lot near Town Center where it parks alongside DMV Taqueria, a halal Mexican-Puerto Rican vendor whose tacos are award-winning, according to DMV Taqueria. The trailer also caters weddings and special events beyond its usual spot.
That mobile operation has long doubled as a community fixture. The Muslim Family Center promoted a Qaffee House restaurant night to support its new masjid construction project in Columbia, with 20 percent of proceeds designated for the project, per the Muslim Family Center.
Cardamom Lattes and Qroffles on the Menu
The Highlandtown menu leans into the same Middle Eastern flavor profile that built the trailer's following, per the Banner's reporting. Cardamom lattes and karak chai anchor the drink list, while qroffles — croissant dough pressed in a waffle maker — headline the food case. The signature version comes topped with orange blossom glaze, pistachios and vanilla custard.
The menu also includes a Pistachio Latte, a Spanish Latte and croffles. The shop offers an Arabic-influenced alternative to bigger chains, centered on coffee and tea.
A Highlandtown Storefront
The storefront sits in Highlandtown's Arts District, near the Highlandtown Post Office.
Eyeing Expansion Beyond Highlandtown
The owners aren't stopping at one shop. Per the Banner's report, Qaffee House's owners plan to add new locations in Baltimore and elsewhere in Maryland, and Razzak said the company aims to compete directly with Starbucks. He told the outlet he wants to open Qaffee House everywhere Starbucks might operate, a goal that frames the Highlandtown storefront as a first step rather than a final destination.
