Mohammed Aqman (above right), founder of Mazaj Cafe and Bakery, opened his second location at 2700 Easton Road in Willow Grove on July 12.
Described as a “drive-thru halal Yemeni & Saudi café” on its Instagram page, the new spot offers manakish, mutabbaq, beef bacon pizza, traditional Arabic coffee, basbousa, ma’amoul date cookies, fresh pastries, and more.
“Our menu includes Yemeni recipes, items, and dishes, but we tell our customers that we’re Middle Eastern. Traditional Yemeni food tends to be heavy, which is suitable for lunch and dinner,” Aqman said. “So far, the community has supported us well. It’s been busy. People are loving the pastries, cakes, and coffee.”
Aqman’s business partners include Omar Alaahily and Mohammad Tashaandi, each of whom are from Yemen.
“Our plan since we started was to focus on the suburbs. The community looked great, the location is everything we wanted, and our meticulous bakers are happy,” he said. “We do everything in-house. I think our offerings are unique, so it’s been nice to see that people have been willing to try them. We’re trying to give people something delicious that’s been made well, and it seems there’s an appreciation to that approach.”
Aqman was born in Saudi Arabia and came to the U.S. in 2014 for school.
“I didn’t really the school part, but I’m skilled at cooking, so I decided to open my first kitchen in New York City. It lasted for six months, then I decided to open my first restaurant, Malooga, 2021 in Old City Philadelphia,” he said.
A year later, he and his partners decided to open a second Malooga location in Narberth, which led to the opening of the first Mazaj Cafe and Bakery within the restaurant “as an experiment and to gain more experience,” according to Aqman.
“People really loved it, and that led us to open a standalone Mazaj in Willow Grove. The menus are nearly identical, aside from homemade pizzas at the new location,” he said.
A grand opening is scheduled for Sunday, July 26 from 8:00am – 9:00pm. From there, Mazaj will be open weekdays from 8:00am to 9:00, weekends from 8:00am to 10:00pm.
The former Grandma’s Grotto Pizza space will soon have a drive-thru window, which Alaahily said makes Mazaj the first and only halal bakery and café with a drive-thru in the Philadelphia area. The outdoor seating area is under construction as well.
“We’re hoping to provide a menu for people who want to spend their evenings snacking and drinking. That’s why we’re closing late,” Alaahily said. “We think our more savory items will be popular.”
For more on Mazaj Cafe and Bakery, you can visit their website and Facebook page.
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Photos: Mazaj Cafe and Bakery