Qahwa Coffee Bar

Great customer service and the owner was there as well! Handed us a tasting of all the new nitrogen infused coffees and they were really good! They turned an old bank vault into a private coffee room and are really innovative.

We stopped by because I heard about the coffee on tap and was intrigued. It was amazing! I’m assuming we spoke with the owner and he was more than welcoming and had us try all of the drinks on tap. They ranged from iced coffee to tea to horchata. A great variety and delicious! He was so friendly in telling us more (we’re new to the area) about Memphis and I loved hearing about his business. We will definitely be back!

I used to be a barista and shift supervisor at Starbucks in Florida. I don’t like chain coffee shops, despite my experience in one of the biggest coffee corporations in the world, and I am not a fan of Starbucks coffee. I like my brew fresh, dark roasted, and black. You could call me a coffee snob, but I’ll drink just about anything as long as it doesn’t have artificial flavors and isn’t instant.
Pros: Qahwa was conveniently located downtown, clean, offered plenty of seating, and had very friendly staff. I enjoyed my Americano, it being the same price as my husband’s brewed coffee. If you enjoy carbs for breakfast, they have no shortage of pastries.
Cons: I was disappointed with the pastries. I enjoyed a blueberry bagel with the hubs had a strawberry cheese danish. It was good, I won’t lie and say anything was stale or soggy, but after reading reviews about «fresh homemade pastries» I anticipated something of higher calibur. They were not fresh or homemade. The brewed coffee wasn’t anything to write home about. We didn’t try any specials because we’re both very basic coffee drinkers. No cream, no sugar for us.
Fun fact: Management/​owner (not exactly sure who he was) is Lebanese, and spoke it fluently with others. He made sure we were satisfied after we had a few bites and sips, and cleared our plates and ceramic mugs when we’d finished our treats. Qahwa gets an extra star for diversity and customer service.
Over all, I’d return for another Americano and their free WiFi. It wasn’t a bad experience by any means, but don’t anticipate a life changing caffeine experience here.

I liked the Qahwa coffee and freshly baked croissant in morning. When I asked about outside sitting, the table and chairs were delivered outside immediately. Good customer service!
I wish they had a variety of pastries.

Odd collection of comfortable furniture — bar along side windows, tables and chairs for getting some work done, and couches to chill out and relax. It also has a backroom that is an old bank safe — huge metal door and all. What more could you want in your neighborhood coffee shop?

Up there with the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced. No greeting, no friendliness. Not a word out of his mouth until he told me how much my order came to. I think he said 3 words in total during the whole exchange.
The coffee was good but the service left a bad taste in my mouth.

Grumpy barista, lousy pastry selection, unimpressive café au lait. No need to return here!

Good stuff! Visited this place after a lunch break and was pleased with the friendly/​brisk service.
Not sure what half of the fancy coffee terms the cashier was throwing around (ie «an Antarctican blend of nutty Swedish coffee cane blended together with sun roasted velvet coffee bean from turkey» — not an actual quote) even meant, but the coffee was fairly priced and sure was good.

Amazing coffee and espresso selections. I’ve come here twice in two days and I haven’t been disappointed! Great hospitality and staff are incredibly welcoming. Would highly recommend this wonderful café and especially their iced hazelnut latte! A small selection of pastries and bagels was also a nice touch.

Great iced mocha! Cute little venue, solid coffee. Looks dark from the outside but go in inside as there are incredibly comfortable seats and a nice vibe.

The pineapple smoothie is delicious! So is the chocolate muffin. Super chill coffee shop!

I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience here this morning! Great, super friendly staff and quiet peaceful atmosphere. Solid espresso offerings and few but very tasty & fresh pastries at 7:15am. Will definitely be back!

Just stopped in to grab a quick coffee. I got a 12 ounce dark roast and it came out to $ 3.22. Seemed a little steep but it was delicious and the staff was very friendly.

I come from the land of artisan small batch coffee and Baristas who think they are God’s gift to humankind. Sometimes they are. Unfortunately this was not the case for me on my first, and only visit to Qahwa. This place has potential, with the cool safe in the back and a prime location on the trolly line. The space feels disjointed without a clear theme. The safe and comfy seating near the window and the coffee bean map borders on a feeling of Seattle, but then there is tacky signage and an almost gas station feel in other parts of the space. The coffee was less than average for my tastes. I ordered an Au lait which was quite weak and made with super bitter coffee. Maybe it was just old coffee? Either way, if I’m downtown and need coffee, you will find me at Tamp and Tap. Sorry guys, just didn’t do it for me.

Absolutely LOVE this place! The drinks are amazing, and the staff is super sweet and friendly.

I just love this little shop! Everyone is so nice and the coffee is great. This time I got the main st coffee and it was just what I needed. The set up is super cozy and there is a private table in the volt. This family is more than welcome to add another location close to the UM.!!

Very cool family run ‘Coffee’ shop (the name translated is ‘Coffee’ :)).
Wonderful owners and well made coffee, this place has been converted from an old local bank location. It features a cold case of pastries, some of which are very good. I’d recommend they source some of the great local donut shops as well though as this place is constantly full of bike cops as thy cruise downtown.
Wifi is available and there is a seating bar, leather armchairs and café table seating available. It captures the old style café with a nice modern aesthetic.
Glad I live above it!

Possibly the best Iced Mocha I’ve had in my life– and I’m from San Francisco! (not to sound like a snob– but lets face it, we’ve got pretty good options)
Smooth, rich, and not overpowering in sweetness.
The dark chocolate and coffee creates some kind of magical potion that goes down so crisp, clean, and smooth.
I can’t describe it.
I can’t describe it.
You wouldn’t understand.
Also it seems the building used to be an old bank as it still houses a large safe in the back that has been transformed into little room for a private conversation or meeting room– a fun place to stop by as you stroll down main street.

During our weekend getaway to Memphis, we popped into Qahwa for a light breakfast and hot drinks. If I lived or worked in downtown Memphis, I would frequent this place.
I had a chai tea and a yogurt roll… both excellent! My husband had mocha and a granola bar, which he also enjoyed.
The staff is super friendly, and the atmosphere is warm. Excellent!

Really great coffee and environment. Staff are great — really friendly and helpful. Great addition to downtown. Check out the «safe room» in the back — a bank safe turned into a private dining space — great idea.
Only negative — they consistently have issues with their wifi connection — more of a Comcast problem I think, but it is frustrating to go in expecting to enjoy some coffee while working.