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Popular café expands to Uptown, bringing crepes and neighborhood connection
In a world that can often feel rushed and transactional, walking into Café Miriam feels like stepping into a familiar and charming living room. It’s a place where every cup of coffee and every crepe brings an opportunity to connect with friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
Founded in May 2017 by Touhami El Fahdi, the original Cafe Miriam by City Park is a product of an incredible journey that started thousands of miles away. Before opening his first café, Touhami was traveling the globe, working in oil and gas trading after a career as a software engineer at NASA's Johnson Space Center through Lockheed Martin. The work was fast-paced and international: “I was on a plane every other week,” he recalls.
But when his daughter Miriam approached the end of high school, Touhami knew it was time for something different. “I wanted to spend more time with her before she went off to college,” he says. So together, they decided to start a local project that would keep them close, and Café Miriam was born.
Named after his daughter, the café quickly evolved into a family enterprise. Miriam has been instrumental in shaping its identity, leading initiatives that helped the space grow into a community favorite. After graduating from Chapman University, she partnered with Touhami to open a second Café Miriam early this year in the Uptown neighborhood in a move that underscored her role not just as a co-owner, but as a rising entrepreneurial force in her own right.
Café Miriam isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to food, but it does everything with purpose and precision. Their most popular menu items, like the Jacobs and the Nutella Crepe, are beloved staples. What sets the café apart, however, is the ambience and undeniable welcoming attitude that fosters that classic neighborhood staple feel.
“We remember names. We attend birthdays and weddings. We help connect customers with job opportunities, write college reference letters, and support local causes,” Touhami explains. The café regularly hosts fundraisers for health challenges, political events important to the community, and even serves as a place for high school students to gain their first work experience.
That deep integration with the community is no accident - it reflects Touhami’s upbringing in Morocco, where hospitality is a way of life. It was further deepened by the kindness of the Woodwards, a Colorado family who took him in when he was a young student at the Metropolitan State. “They taught me to learn, earn, and return,” he says. “And now, I’m in the Return phase of life, giving back to the community that has given me so much.”
Of course, running a small café comes with its own hurdles—from supply chain issues and inflation to staffing challenges and seasonal slowdowns. But Touhami approaches it all with grace and resilience. With a background in optimization from his graduate studies, he thrives on improving systems and making the most of his space.
The moments that matter most to him go far beyond logistics. Like the day he offered a meal to a hungry man outside the café, who later handed him a note that read: “It is these kinds of acts that keep a man from taking his life.” Touhami still gets emotional when he thinks about it. “I didn’t realize that such a small gesture could have such a big impact.”
Café Miriam is built on those kinds of gestures: acts of care, generosity, and inclusion. For Touhami and Miriam, it’s about building a business that reflects their values and offers others a place to feel seen, supported, and part of something bigger.
Operating Hours and Location
Cafe Miriam Uptown is open Fri - Sun from 7:30a to 2p at 1707 Lafayette StDenver, CO 80218.
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