Coffee shop with Middle Eastern flavors plots new spot in uptown Charlotte
Something new is brewing in uptown Charlotte.
Karak House Coffee will open a new location at 220 N. Pine Street this summer, though the exact date remains under wraps.
The Middle Eastern-inspired café specializes in Karak Chai — a traditional spiced tea brewed with “black leaves, fresh cardamom, and evaporated milk until it turns deep caramel and richly aromatic,” according to its website.
This will be the brand’s first Charlotte location, joining existing spots in Chicago, New York, San Diego and Orange County.
Franchise owner Lythe Elhulu said the café will be community-focused, serving as a spot where locals can sip, snack and spend the day.
“More than anything, we want this to be a space people naturally gravitate to — whether that’s for a quick coffee, a place to work, or just to hang out and connect,” Elhulu told CharlotteFive. “Charlotte is home for me, so building something here that reflects both culture and community means a lot.”
Menu highlights include the signature Karak chai latte, cardamom latte and strawberry matcha, among a host of other specialty coffee and teas.
There’s dessert too for those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth. Think: Biscoff cheesecake by the slice, Dubai chocolate cookies and a lotus basbousa with Biscoff cream.
“Our goal is to introduce something familiar yet completely new to the local coffee scene,” Elhulu said.
Karak isn’t the only coffeehouse bringing Middle Eastern flavors to Charlotte.
Haraz Coffee, which serves authentic Yemeni coffee, has multiple locations across the city, including a Ballantyne café that opened last year, CharlotteFive reported. It has plans to expand to Concord soon.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Karak House Coffee
Location: 220 N Pine St, Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28202
Cuisine: Middle Eastern-inspired coffee
Instagram: @karakhousecoffeeclt