Vera Café blends flavor and fresh vision.
By Shelly Ridgeway
HQ 132 | WINTER 2026
In a part of Huntington where a few small businesses are situated among private homes and vacant lots that have long dimmed the area’s potential, a cool new vibe has emerged — folded neatly inside a warm crepe with a side of richly brewed espresso. Located at 2005 10th Ave., Vera Café opened its doors in July of this year and is serving up far more than gourmet coffee and specialty crepes — it’s giving an infusion of hope, flavor and purposeful innovation to a neighborhood in need of revitalization.
At just 29 years old, Vera Café owner Manaf Elhamdani spent nearly two years rehabbing an empty space that was once home to a neighborhood bar on the corner of 20th Street and 10th Avenue. On the surface, it might seem like an unlikely location for a small café — off the beaten path and showing signs of the same property decline seen elsewhere in the city — but to Elhamdani, it offered the perfect canvas for a fresh start.
Elhamdani, a Marshall University graduate from Barboursville, initially purchased the property without specific plans for what he would do with it. An entrepreneur at heart, he saw the potential to bring something truly unique to the neighborhood, he said.
Still, becoming a café owner was not on his to-do list at the time.
“I saw an opportunity to not only transform the space but to help rebuild a strong sense of community and bring the area back to life by giving people a reason to come inside,” he said.
Elhamdani’s effort to redefine the culinary scene and cultural fabric of this relatively untapped side of Huntington has been a labor of love — one that gives his parents every reason to be proud. Where others saw decline, he saw possibility. His mom and dad, both local physicians who immigrated from Libya decades ago, often drop by for an early-morning gourmet espresso or breakfast crepe before heading to the hospital.
The youngest of four siblings, Elhamdani is the only one in the family who chose not to pursue a career in medicine. Instead, he carved out his own path, combining entrepreneurship with a desire to serve the community in a different way.
“My family heals people in hospitals,” he said. “I’m trying to heal this neighborhood in a different way — through good food, atmosphere and a sense of belonging.”
In addition to running the café, Elhamdani is a licensed realtor and the founder of Shea Vera, an online skincare brand that he launched during his junior year as a business management student at Marshall.
“I like to believe that I’m the favorite child — but it could just be that I’m the one they worry about the most,” he said with a laugh.
While the outside of Vera Café lends itself to future expansion opportunities, including a cabana-like outdoor seating area, the inside already feels like a second home. The atmosphere is cozy yet modern, with café tables, sofas and sectional seating ideal for friendly conversations, casual business meetings or remote work. Soft background music drifts from indie acoustic to mellow jazz, while the walls are adorned with contemporary artwork that sparks creativity and conversation.
In the future, Elhamdani hopes to further engage Marshall students by showcasing their work.
“I really want to give them an opportunity to display their art and show the community how talented they are,” he said.
The specialty crepes at Vera Café are crafted with fresh, local ingredients and given names as creative as the combinations themselves. On the savory side, customers often indulge in the “Sultan of Turkey,” filled with flavorful turkey, Havarti cheese, date mustard chutney, assorted peppers and herb aioli. The “El Baba,” which can be made with chicken or tuna, combines harissa, mozzarella, peppers, olives and a mildly spicy cheese sauce. A garnish of fresh arugula with citrus dressing is the perfect complement to these mouth-watering, made-to-order lunch favorites.
For those seeking to satisfy their sweet tooth, the menu options are equally delectable. The “Vera Deluxe” layers pistachio butter, Nutella, cookie butter, banana, spiced nuts and a special house-made syrup. The “Berry Blast” combines strawberries, blueberries, house-made jam, cream cheese, cookie crumble and chocolate. And what teacher or student could resist the “After School Special” that brings together peanut butter, strawberries, berry sauce, honey, whipped cream and spiced nuts? Sugar-free crepes are also available.
“Crepes offer a unique way to provide specialty sandwiches,” Elhamdani said. “They can be filled with ingredients that satisfy your sweet tooth or savory palate — there really are no limitations. They’re also a way to attract people from diverse cultures who are looking for something different.”
As the seasons change, customers can expect to see new items added to the menu. What will not change, however, is Elhamdani’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Most of his ingredients are locally sourced, the sauces are homemade and the batter for the crepes is made in-house. There is no mass production.
“Our goal every day is to make our customers happy and bring them together in a place where they feel welcomed and valued,” Elhamdani said.
During Vera Café’s busiest times of the day, Elhamdani can be found greeting customers at the front door or making his way from table to table, asking customers if they are enjoying their meal and offering a friendly smile. Regulars are often met with a warm hug.
“It feels like you’re stepping into a friend’s living room — if your friend also happens to run an incredible café,” said one customer as she sipped her latte.
Also on the menu at Vera Café are gourmet espresso drinks and smoothies, made with care and a flavorful twist. Like the crepes, they combine ingredients in creative ways that appeal to customers looking for something out of the ordinary. From a special roast espresso to a refreshing avocado nut, mixed berry or mango smoothie, there’s something to satisfy every palate.
In addition to dining in, customers can preorder for pickup.
These days, Elhamdani is savoring the early success of Vera Café. He also knows there’s more to come.
“I’m not trying to change the whole world, but I do think a good crepe and a good espresso can change a day,” he said. “And sometimes, that’s where change really begins.”
