De Ra Coffee Serves Arabic Pastries, Handcrafted Coffee and Pink Tea

Bright lights, wooden tones and unlimited whiffs of freshly brewed coffee are just some of what gives De Ra Coffee its inviting glow. The decor, beverage menu and pastry selection follow suit, all inspired by bold Middle Eastern flavors, ingredients and a passion for coffee.
While his pastries and coffee may suggest otherwise, Khalaf is a novice in the coffee space. With a background in marketing and creative design, this is the entrepreneur’s first foray into the restaurant industry.

“I had to take some business classes first to learn how to run a coffee shop,” Khalaf recalls. “It wasn’t easy. We definitely ran into some challenges at the beginning.”

Regardless, Khalaf’s and his Plano coffee shop remain unfazed. The owner plans to open about 10 more De Ra locations in the next few years, all serving the same Middle Eastern coffee and pastries that have delighted Plano locals over the last eight months.
De Ra’s tea and coffee selection might overwhelm even the staunchest caffeine enthusiasts. An Adani chai (local to Yemen) is made with evaporated milk and spiced with fragrant cardamom and cinnamon. It’s accompanied on the menu by its slightly sweeter Turkish sibling, which is laced with subtle punches of cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla.

But the shop's most notable drink (in flavor and aesthetic) might be the Kashmiri chai. Inspired by the flavors of Kashmir, the tea is tinted a dusty pink color, topped with pistachio crumbles that mingle nicely on the tongue and has an unexpectedly foamy tea base.

The coffee portion of the shop's menu includes a signature De Ra latte, which strikes a good balance between bitter coffee and a sweet date syrup. The “D-stachio” is a mildly clever name for a hot latte enlivened by a nutty pistachio syrup. A Spanish latte offers tones of white chocolate buried beneath a lighter coffee flavor.

The pastries here arguably outshine the drinks. The basbousa — a popular Middle Eastern sweet — is a syrupy semolina cake that’s been soaked lightly in coffee and topped with coconut flakes. Date cakes topped with butterscotch glaze and mini cheesecakes garnished with shredded phyllo dough add extra appeal to the bakery case. For hungrier visitors, De Ra even has a full kitchen. Ask for a juicy shawarma wrap to eat in or take home. A side of fries or spiced rice (depending on the day) elevates a flavorful dish.
But the coffee shop experience doesn’t end after you order. Grab a seat at one of the wooden tables, connect to Wifi and soak in the decor as you sip. The coffee shop is all about making yourself at home. Or as the Saudis might say, “De Ra.”

De Ra Coffee, 2320 Los Rios Blvd. No. 101, Plano. Monday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. – midnight.; Saturday, 8 a.m. – midnight; Sunday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.