Haraz Coffee Brings a New Gathering Space to University City

Looking for a place to recharge between shifts, classes, or meetings? Haraz Coffee House has quickly become a go-to third space in University City, offering spiced lattes, Turkish brews, and a welcoming spot for neighbors to connect.  

Husband and wife owners Hamza Shaikh and Farah Khan opened Haraz as a welcoming space for the University City community, with students, healthcare workers, and commuters at the heart of their vision. Having spent years working as a neurosurgeon himself, Shaikh knows firsthand how important it is to have accessible, in-between places when you need to rest but don’t have time to make it back home.  

Opening the doors of Haraz to University City was a true collaboration: about two years ago, the duo reached out to University City District for guidance on launching their business. For small business owners looking to root themselves in the heart of the neighborhood, there was no better person to connect them with than Ryan Spak — a longtime Philadelphia native who brings a unique combination of construction management experience and real estate expertise to his work on UCD’s Planning and Economic Development team.  

In his role at UCD, Ryan has spent years rehabilitating distressed and under-utilized properties throughout Philadelphia and working closely with small business owners to secure funding, navigate permits, manage construction, and ultimately open (or re-open) their doors. Ryan’s focus on finding spaces that support sustainable growth and community vibrancy made him a great candidate to guide these new business owners through the often-complex process of securing a brick-and-mortar location. 

He worked closely with Shaikh and Khan to find the perfect property, eventually securing a storefront at 34th and Chestnut — a former Starbucks that they completely gutted and transformed to reflect Haraz’s fresh vision for specialty coffee and community gathering.  

“My biggest role was making sure they found a place they could see themselves in for years,” said Spak, who helped lead the site search and negotiations. “Securing the right location is half the battle when you’re trying to build something that lasts.”  

Haraz features a unique menu of drinks inspired by SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) flavors, a rotating lineup of pastries sourced from local bakeries, and a mix of hot and cool drinks, including iced cardamon lattes. Visit them during University City Dining Days from July 17^th – 27th, 2025 or at any time you need to cool down in one of the neighborhood’s hottest spots to gather. Read more about Haraz in this April 2025 feature in The Inquirer.