Marib Coffee Co., a Yemeni coffee shop opened last summer by chef Najmeddine Gabbar of Yemeni Restaurant, is a feast for the eyes and an indulgence for the tongue. One view of an Instagram video of its decadent, cheesy knafeh being assembled with syrup and pistachios is likely enough to compel a visit.
Marib makes its home in a Westerville strip mall, and it’s easy to drive past on busy Schrock Road. But once you’re in the parking lot, the golden letters on its sign grab your attention.
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Inside, the space is warm and inviting in white and gold, with wooden accents and feathered décor. Gabbar says building a “luxury concept” was his vision for Marib.
“From the minute you walk in there, you know it’s more of a fine dining coffee shop,” he says.
The mofawar ($5) is a traditional medium roast coffee with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and cream. The knafeh wasn’t available during a recent stop at Marib, but a savory-looking borek ($5.99) makes a fine substitute. Orders arrive on a beautiful, patterned tray, and the mofawar is adorned with a soft foam—the kind that sticks to your spoon when you stir but is shy of a full froth. It was rich and warm with a deep flavor that invited slow drinking and savoring of each sip.
The borek was served warm, with layers of a soft white Turkish cheese in a flaky phyllo dough. Its light flavor complemented the coffee’s robust profile—a craveable combination.
One cannot go to Marib without trying the elaborate and picturesque sweets. In addition to more traditional cakes and pasties, delicacies include lounging teddy bears filled with Dubai chocolate, edible coffee cups, and fruit cakes shaped like the fruit they are flavored for, which have earned a viral online following.
The sweet shell of the mango shaped fruit cake ($13.99) is filled with a creamy mango mousse, which is surrounded by cake and a generous dollop of fruity jelly. Gabbar says the cakes are made in-house with a real fruit filling, and the mango cake does, in fact, taste like a sweet mango. From its charming exterior to its punchy, natural flavor, this is a viral dessert that’s worth the hype—and a coffee shop that’s worth going out of your way for.
This story appeared in the May 2026 issue of Columbus Monthly. Subscribe here.
This article originally appeared on Columbus Monthly: Find Standout Yemeni Coffee and Sweets at Marib in Westerville
Reporting by Linda Lee Baird, Columbus Monthly / Columbus Monthly
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