Haraz Coffee House — Restaurant in Apex

I don’t usually write reviews, but after visiting Haraz Coffee House in Apex for the fourth time this week, I felt compelled to put my thoughts into words. This place isn’t just a coffee shop. It’s an experience — a sensory escape from the usual sterile chain cafés and an invitation into something rich, warm, and deeply human.

Let’s start with the drinks. The Adeni Chai? Life-changing. I’m not exaggerating. It tastes like it was brewed in the mountains by a Yemeni grandmother who’s been perfecting the recipe for generations. It’s spicy but smooth, with notes of cardamom and clove dancing perfectly across your tongue. I didn’t even know tea could have depth until I came here. And the saffron latte? Pure luxury in a cup. It’s golden, slightly floral, creamy, and just sweet enough. It’s the kind of drink you sip slowly, even though every fiber of your being wants to gulp it down.

Beyond the drinks, the space itself is so thoughtfully designed. The moment you walk in, there’s this subtle aroma of spices and espresso in the air — like comfort and curiosity wrapped into one. The lighting is warm, the furniture inviting, and the overall vibe is relaxed but elevated. There are students deep in study, couples on casual dates, and solo sippers reading or reflecting. Everyone fits in, but no one feels like background noise.

I’ve had the pleasure of talking to several staff members, and every time, I’m struck by how genuinely friendly and passionate they are. One barista, I think her name was Salma, spent a solid five minutes explaining the different preparation methods for their Yemeni coffees and helped me pick a brew that matched my taste (I went with the Jubani — pro tip: try it with a little honey).

There’s a quiet intentionality to everything they do at Haraz. From the intricate designs in the foam art to the cultural artifacts on the shelves, it feels like the owners genuinely want you to learn something here — about Yemen, about coffee, about what hospitality can look like when it comes from the heart.

Even the music is spot on. One day it’s soft oud in the background, another day it’s laid-back lo-fi beats that somehow manage to match the rain tapping against the window.

Oh, and if you’re a sweet tooth like me: don’t sleep on the pastries. The ma’amoul and the honeycomb bread are chef’s kiss. I don’t know who’s baking in the back, but give them a raise.

What really makes Haraz special, though, is how it makes you feel. There’s something grounding about it — like time slows down the moment you step inside. In a world that’s always rushing, this place reminds you to sit, sip, and be.

I honestly don’t know how a café can feel like both a second home and a portal to another part of the world, but Haraz pulls it off flawlessly.

Whether you’re a coffee snob, a tea lover, or someone just looking for a peaceful corner to think and breathe — go. Just go. You’ll...

We saw this spot and came for our anniversary and as much as I wanted to love it I was a bit disappointed. It was too late for me to have caffeine and there was not one decaf option so I got one of their hibiscus teas with lemonade added. My husband got a ginger coffee and then we had one mosaic cake and a baklava. My tea was so overpowering I couldn’t drink it. His coffee was good but not something he felt was enjoyable enough to go back. The mosaic cake was good we both really enjoyed it. The baklava though was not our jam. It had filling it in and I had specifically asked if it did and the guy at the counter said it didn’t. I’m not really certain what the filling was but it made the baklava overly wet and lacking flavor. I feel strongly they would benefit from some descriptions on the menu and also to label the food in the case. As a first time visitor not having those things were difficult and the guy at the register just seemed a little annoyed by our questions. To be fair to him though it was late in the day. As far as atmosphere, I think the front is cute. I would take it a little further though- the bench along the one wall doesn’t have any separation after you pass the main areas so it felt like it was a little harder to find a place to really enjoy. Over time if they found some ways to help improve the privacy of the table it would help. Lastly our table itself was extremely unsafe wobbling, at one point I was afraid it was going to completely fall over. All of that said, I don’t want to be unkind. I think we just some minor things adjusted it would be much better. I don’t blame anyone for my tea- it could just be a cultural thing for it to be made so strongly that I’m not used to same with the baklava. I’ve had a type of filled baklava elsewhere and I wasn’t a fan, but I felt like in this instance if I would have known up front I wouldn’t have ordered it. As I stated previously I did ask the gentleman specifically and he said it didn’t have anything in it so all I can think is maybe he misunderstood...

Absolutely awful experience. The food was horrendous. Not only was it literally just stale publix food, it was a ripoff and just wrong names. Not to mention they bought out an actually good coffee shop that was there before them. We got the dubai chocolate cupcake and a chocolate cake slice. I'd say the cake was good, but it was stale. I could feel the edges were slightly rough and the cake was dry. The flavour was all in the frosting. The dubai chocolate cupcake was just openly wrong with the naming. It was a publix cupcake masquerading as a 10 dollar dessert. The only dubai chocolate that we had with that cupcake was on top as a garnish. If you want to save food from being thrown out after just a day, there are apps for that. There are stores that give away food to people for free at the end of the day. This is stale food that's overpriced. If you're thinking of getting something from here, especially food, don't do it. Take your business to the publix not even that far away. You will get better desserts there for sure. If you want to save food, go get too good to go or klarna. This place is not good for anything. Also the lights were somehow too bright and too dark at the same. Wake coffee had much better lighting and mich better coffee. If I could give a lower rating I would. They absolutely do not deserve your money. The employees are...