Cafe Amelia, Dizengoff 88, Tel Aviv

Not only have I found my café hangout in Tel Aviv but also my sanity at Café Amelia. The café is located on a convenient corner of Dizengoff, near the Cinema boutique hotel and the Dizengoff Center shopping mall. It also appears to be in what might be the gay area of the city (there are no rainbows but there are other signs).

Both the coffee and food are up to par. I had an amazing Israel-style chicken salad with potatoes and honey-dijon dressing. Their croissants with homemade jam are absolutely delectable. And this is one café that actually gets a cappuccino right, even if it's more of a latte: other places in Israel make it too milky and with whipped cream on top. Café Amelia uses Mauro coffee.

The extensive menu features all-day breakfasts with the famous Israeli shakshuka (egg and tomato dish), as well as sandwiches, salads and pasta. There is also a detailed alcoholic beverage list on the flipside of the menu.

The décor is light and airy with chocolate and white tones, high ceilings, and large windows giving out onto either street and reflecting the surrounding shops including an Asian grocery store and a guitar shop. The café is named after Amelia Earhart, the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic solo, and old photos of her and her plane adorn the walls.

The vibe here is completely laid back with relaxing music playing in the background, by way of Bob Dylan to blues to Radiohead and Israeli folk rock. All kinds of local residents hang out here to see and be seen and soak up the overly bustling atmosphere on Dizengoff, Tel Aviv's most famous commercial artery.

Review by: Tara Salman

Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2008