Try global drinks blended with local flavors at these international coffee shops
Greenville loves specialty coffee. A quick search of “coffee shops in Greenville, SC” yields more than 85 results. Sifting through them, the majority of the listings are locally owned shops that would fall into the third-wave category, which focuses on bean quality, sourcing, and exacting brewing processes.
The beans, however, are anything but local. Nearly 99 percent of the coffee consumed in the United States is imported, the majority from South America, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. How the imported beans are roasted and served varies as much by shop owner as it does their country of origin, so it’s no surprise that as beans from West and Southeast Asia have also made their way to Greenville, their unique cultures of coffee consumption have followed, becoming an integral part of the Upstate’s coffee habit.
Global coffee shop tour
Delah Coffee
30 Orchard Park Drive, Suite 8
Location owner Tarek Atairi opened the local Delah in May. The rich interior decor and low-light atmosphere create the illusion of being nowhere near its location in a strip mall on Haywood Road. “We wanted to bring a piece of our tradition and rich Yemeni culture to the community by creating a space where people can experience authentic Yemeni coffee, hospitality, and a welcoming atmosphere,” Atairi says.
Delah is about much more than coffee, though that is the central theme of the menu.
“From the culture and hospitality to the design, decor, and authentic flavors, every detail is meant to create an experience,” he says. “We want every guest to feel immersed in the warmth of Yemeni culture while enjoying something they can’t find anywhere else in Greenville.”
Must-order: Yemeni Latte. It’s a traditional, flavorful latte made with rich espresso and a signature blend of Yemeni spices—the perfect introduction to the flavors and traditions that make Delah unique.
Phin+ Coffee
1140 E. Butler Road
Phin+ owners Ashley Tran and Vinh Truong opened Greenville’s first Vietnamese specialty coffee shop in the spring to share Vietnam’s evolving coffee culture with Greenville. “Our concept is inspired directly by the third-wave coffee movement in Vietnam, where traditional Vietnamese coffee meets specialty coffee standards,” Tran says.
Through Phin+, they hope to introduce guests to a more modern side of Vietnamese coffee while preserving the flavors, brewing methods, and hospitality that make it unique. All of the beans used at Phin+ are sourced directly from Vietnam, including rare and award-winning beans that many customers may have never experienced before.
“By combining authentic Vietnamese brewing methods, like the classic phin filter, with contemporary specialty coffee techniques, we hope to offer a coffee experience that is both rooted in Vietnamese heritage and exciting for the Greenville community,” she says.
Must-order: The Traditional Phin Coffee. Representing Vietnamese coffee culture, it’s brewed slowly through the traditional Vietnamese phin filter, showcasing the bold, rich flavors that generations of Vietnamese people have grown to love. Also popular are drinks like the Salted Coffee, along with the espresso bar and pour-over offerings, which reflect Vietnam’s modern specialty coffee scene.
Qahwah Palace
105 N. Main St.
Owner Idriss Saleh blends his Yemeni heritage with Arabic coffee traditions, Moroccan seating, viral social media trends, and hospitality from Western Asia. The menu offers a history lesson with its mocha beverages, named after Al-Mahka in Yemen, and also includes other time-honored classics like Qishr (a hot beverage made from the dried outer husks of Yemeni coffee cherries), Mofowar, and Adani Chai–and viral versions like the Pistachio Latte. The downtown Greenville location, the first of several in the works, includes a small conference room in addition to study areas and seating ideal for couples and groups.
Must-order: a pot of Mofowar, a blend of Yemeni coffee and creamy evaporated milk infused with aromatic spices.
DuMont Creamery & Cafe
1757 Woodruff Road
What began in 2023 as an ice cream shop offering small-batch flavors made in the Indian tradition has grown into a full cafe with locations around the globe. Greenville’s shop includes a delightful artistic nod to the location with a custom infographic including local highlights, like the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the Clemson and University of South Carolina rivalry.
Alongside the ice cream freezers, Dumont brews Karafa Coffee from India. The coffee program with seasonally changing flavors could stand on its own, though the convenience of combining ice cream and espresso is a bonus.
Must-order: Date Cardamom Latte, recommended as a hot beverage but offered iced if requested, includes steamed milk, two shots of espresso, organic date syrup, and cardamom powder.
