As Yemeni cafés continue to rise in popularity across San Antonio, a new business in the Silk Road Cultural Heritage District is bringing a different Middle Eastern tradition to the city. Alzer's Roastery — a one-stop shop for coffee, nuts, and sweets — has opened at 9871 I-10 W.

Although there are plenty of local caffeine purveyors that roast their own beans, Alzer’s is San Antonio’s first mahmasa, or Middle Eastern roastery. The word shares a root with mahmas, a long-handled metal pan traditionally used to toast coffee over open embers.

The shops, an evolution of the souk stall tradition, can be found throughout the Arab world. Especially popular during Ramadan and Eid, the roasteries offer coffee ground to order to the customer’s preference and mkassarat (literally “things you crack”) — the seeds and nuts that are essential to any gathering.

In addition to the roasted items, Alzer’s sells kunafeh (a popular Middle Eastern dessert made from crispy shredded pastry), gourmet chocolates, specialty teas, and has a counter for on-the-go iced drinks. And it is one of the few spots in town to sell halal gummies.

The shop realizes the concept might not be familiar to all of its neighbors. In a social media video, it has a little fun with customers coming in looking for rotisserie chicken.

Guests who avoid that fowl play can let their nose lead the way to The Colonnade shopping center. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 10 am-9 pm; Friday-Saturday, 10 am-10 pm; and Sunday, noon–8 pm.