BOSTON — A café brand that grew out of an online community of Muslims around the world is coming to downtown Boston.

MOTW Coffee & Pastries is getting ready to open at 45 Broad St. in the Financial District, a short walk from Quincy Market, What Now Boston reported on Sept. 10. The café will be run by husband-and-wife franchisees Kader Kapadia and Salwa Zakaria, who already own and run the brand's Shrewsbury location. What Now Boston reported that construction was nearing completion and that the café was on track to open in mid-October 2026.

A neighborhood with personal meaning

Kapadia told What Now Boston that the location matters to the family.

"The Financial District is deeply personal to my wife and me," he said. "Over the years, we've spent countless hours strolling through these streets on date nights or out with our kids, so the area holds a special place in our hearts."

Customers helped push them, too. Kapadia said many Shrewsbury regulars commute from Boston and have asked the couple again and again to bring MOTW closer to the city. "When the opportunity arose, it felt like the perfect alignment of personal connection and community demand," he said.

From an Instagram page to 24 cafés

MOTW is short for "Muslims of the World." According to What Now Boston, it began in 2014 as an Instagram page founded by Sajjad Shah, at a time when anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States was running especially high. Rather than focus on division, Shah used the page to share personal stories and show the shared humanity of people around the world.

The account grew into a community of more than 700,000 people worldwide, the outlet reported. It later became a nonprofit organization that has raised millions of dollars for humanitarian work: cataract surgeries, medical care, clean drinking water, and disaster relief in countries including Yemen and Ethiopia.

In 2021, Shah and his wife, Fatimah, opened the first MOTW café as a place for people to gather over coffee and pastries. Today MOTW Coffee & Pastries is the brand's retail arm, with 24 locations and counting, including Greater Boston cafés in Shrewsbury and Quincy. The larger MOTW organization carries on its humanitarian work, according to What Now Boston.

Kapadia said that mission is what drew the couple in.

"The company's focus on humanitarian efforts and meaningful community impact is profound," he told the outlet. "Being able to make that kind of difference through something as welcoming as serving quality coffee and delicious pastries felt special to us."

Chai, pastries and a 'third space'

The new café will offer many of the Shrewsbury favorites, according to What Now Boston. These include MOTW's signature Yemeni chai, specialty lattes, matcha, a variety of empanadas, tres leches and tiramisu. The couple is also working on a few new menu items for the downtown location but has not yet shared details.

The café will seat about 25 people and will feature murals and other design touches, the outlet reported. Kapadia and Zakaria said they hope it becomes a true "third space," somewhere people can grab a coffee, get some work done, meet friends or unwind. High-speed Wi-Fi will be available.

"Beyond the food and coffee, we're deeply excited to give back by creating new local job opportunities and building a warm, welcoming community hub where people can genuinely come together, connect, and hang out," Kapadia said.

An exact opening date had not been announced as of What Now Boston's report.

Sources

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