Located at 569 Lancaster St. W., Rommana Cafe is committed to making Palestinian food and culture accessible to everyone in the Waterloo Region and beyond.
“Food is part of culture. Food is a universal language,” Yazan Shaheen, Rommana’s part owner, said. “[There’s] no better way to connect with people than over a meal.”
Shaheen moved to the Waterloo Region from the GTA about five years ago and his wife Leen Yaghi followed from Calgary in 2023 and the two quickly opened Rommana as a catering business, serving coffee, tea and desserts throughout 2024. Now, Shaheen and Yaghi have taken Rommana to the next level. The cafe’s physical space officially opened in April 2025.
“This is a dream come true. It’s always been a passion of mine to go into the restaurant industry,” Shaheen said.
They make all of their food in house, and offer an array of desserts and sandwiches, all traditionally Palestinian or Palestinian inspired. This cultural influence is crucial to Rommana as a cafe.
“We’re not just doing this for us, we want this to be our presentation of the culture,” Shaheen said.
Rommana has a diverse customer base and a menu designed to appeal to many tastes and preferences. They offer customizable food and drink to be enjoyed by everyone. This too is very much in form with Rommana’s Palestinian roots.
“If you ever talk to somebody who’s ever actually been to Palestine, they’ll always say that the hospitality there was exceptional. We always treat people who are guests in our country with the utmost respect, and we always go above and beyond,” Shaheen said.
Of course, especially in the last few years, mention of Palestinian heritage and culture brings with it discussions of genocide. In today’s political climate, facing cultural erasure and violence, Shaheen and Yaghi have chosen to give their cafe a more active humanitarian mission than just being a cultural center for togetherness and learning. From its conception, Shaheen and Yaghi decided to make Rommana a charitable organization as well.
“We always keep what is happening in Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, even here locally, anywhere where people are struggling, in mind […] We want to take the opportunity to highlight the amazing work that local and international organizations are doing to support and uplift those communities,” Shaheen said.
This opportunity took shape as the Rommana Fund. Every month Rommana selects a new charity and donates a portion of their proceeds towards its work. The cafe additionally invites customers to add a donation onto their order if they’d like. Shaheen and Yaghi alternate between local and international charities from month to month, supporting relief overseas, as well as right here in Waterloo Region.
In a way, Rommana’s charity work mirrors their customer base in its variability. While admirable, the fund’s wide range also points to challenges faced by diasporic people in general. Not only are Yaghi and Shaheen concerned for the wellbeing of their family back home, but also for the wellness of the people they know here.
“At the end of the day, the people that are struggling in Gaza are our family and our friends,” Shaheen said. “[But] a good portion of the population in Canada is also struggling. The cost of housing has gone up, the cost of living has gone up. People are having to decide between buying a meal versus paying their rent.”
Shaheen said that he and Yaghi have had customers travel all the way from Mississauga and London to experience Palestinian hospitality.
“Our strawberry matcha with cold foam…I don’t want to be biased, but people have said it’s the best in the city, if not in Ontario,” Shaheen said.
Shaheen and Yaghi are excited for what the future holds for their cafe. Having only opened in April, they are still finding their feet but hope to expand Rommana outside of the Waterloo Region.
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