Nothing soothes the throat, calms the nerves, nor drives you to focus on the beauty around you like a cup of chai. The warmth you feel when you sip on a cup of warm, spiced tea isn’t a figment of your imagination; its roots reside in hospitality, slowness, and appreciation. I took a trip down to Socotra Coffee House – about a ten-minute drive on Packard Street from the University of Michigan’s Central Campus – eager to warm myself up from the painful cold that has taken over campus and to try their Adeni chai.
If you’re not familiar, Adeni chai is a delicious result of the ancient spice trade routes that connected India, Africa, and the Middle East. It is a rich, aromatic tea that originated in city of Aden in Yemen. Socotra’s Adeni chai features a creamy base with black tea, nutmeg, cardamom, whole milk, and their own signature blend. Socotra brings their water and whole milk to a boil before adding in the spice blend and mixing until caramel brown. Tea like this has become a central part of daily life in Adeni homes and transformed into a traditional symbol for hospitality and a gesture of welcome to guests.
That welcoming spirit is evident inside of the cup and Socotra’s cafe. They have beautiful murals and an orange hue that bounces off the walls creating a warm, cozy environment to enjoy a treat with friends or sip chai while completing work.
Owner Wazira Alrabeei and her brother Ebrahim Alrabeei have roots in the island of Socotra, off the coast of Yemen, that defined their love for coffee, tea, and pastries. They opened the coffee house in late August of 2023 with their main mission to provide the people of Ann Arbor with premium ingredients and baked goods crafted in-house from scratch.
Two of my good friends accompanied me into Socotra on a recent February. One of them is an Ann Arbor local who knows all the good places. She loves to make a trip down here for a treat due to their long hours. They’re open until midnight Fridays and Saturdays and until 11pm from Sunday thru Thursday, which makes it ideal for late night study sessions.
While you can order a regular cup of Adeni chai, we decided to order a medium pot to split between the three of us this time. It comes served on a platter with a metal tea pot hot to the touch since it is made fresh right in front of you. You have the option to customize the sugar content in the tea, so we opted for a light amount. If you aren’t a fan of hot chai, iced is an option as well but keep in mind, only the hot drinks have the option to arrive in a kettle. To go along with the pot, we each received a miniature glass cup to sip our chai from.
As I poured the rich golden drink from the teapot into the glasses, the aroma of cardamom and nutmeg filled up the entire cafe. The steam from the freshness enveloped us and the bubbles settled on the rim of the glass cup. However, since the chai comes freshly made and off the stove it is extremely hot! I recommend waiting a few minutes to let it cool down.
The first sip of the Adeni Chai blew me away! It’s slightly thicker than your typical cup of tea due to the milk that adds a creamy texture. The creaminess balances the cardamom and nutmeg, turning something that could be slightly bitter into a sweet delight. It is also quite woody and earthy, reminding me of a fresh spring morning. It’s the perfect tea to pair with one of their sweet home-made pastries such as the Yemeni honeycomb or their mango layered cake.
Since Socotra is off campus, it can be a bit of a hassle to get there without a car; a bus ride here from campus requires a transfer. But I think it is worth the effort.
Travel Muse Magazine 
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