Adeni Aydarousi Tea: Five Layers of Flavor.

The city of Aden has been linked to tea for decades, so much so that the drink eventually took the city’s name and became widely known as Adeni tea. Yet within this long tradition, one variety stands out for its uniqueness: the Aydarousi five-layer tea, a rare specialty served exclusively at Sakran Café in Crater.

This tea is built from five distinct, visible layers: a concentrated tea base at the bottom, followed by varying layers of sweetened milk, topped with a light, airy foam. The secret lies in the different densities of each layer and in the slow, precise pouring technique that keeps them from blending. It’s a skill mastered only by the tea makers at Sukran Café, turning the drink into a visual experience as much as a flavorful one.

Although “Adeni tea” is widely known across the region, the five-layer version remains tied to this single café—an intimate signature of Crater. Visitors come to watch the layers settle perfectly, to smell the cardamom that fills the room, and to enjoy a drink that blends simplicity with character.

In taste and story, this tea reflects the identity of Aden itself—an open port city shaped by centuries of contact with India and East Africa, where spices became part of the local kitchen and tea became part of daily life. “Adeni tea” is therefore more than a name; it’s a testament to a city’s long relationship with a drink that became part of its rhythm.

And in Crater, at Sukran Café, this story comes together in a single cup of five layers—layers of flavor, history, and the spirit of a place.