The House of Coffee

This little place, Beit Hakahava (kahawa = coffee in Arabic), is quintessentially Jerusalem. The decor is eclectic, meaning: everything goes, and it really does. There are paintings, prints and photographs hanging on the light blue walls and on the mirror. There are books and old magazines on the little book shelves. The vibe is laid back and people here can be having a conversation about the arts, technology or the meaning of life.

The coffee is really good, so is the tea which comes in a variety of flavors and combinations – sage, sage with chamomile, rosehip, mint, cinnamon…  The menu is not extensive yet each dish has been chosen with love and I’ve yet to have something that wasn’t tasty. There are scones, Israeli-style breakfast, sandwiches and rosti, Swiss potato pancakes with sour cream. There are also amazing chocolate cookies with sea salt!

Not only is the food tasty, but so is the presentation. My companion had an upset stomach and was bummed about having to order toasted bread (or, as we call it – bruschetta with no topping), but when we received the plate to the table, it suddenly didn’t see so bad. Of course, my mozzarella, feta & sun-dried tomatoes grilled sandwich was more enticing. Another plus is that prices are lower than average – 2 hot drinks + an order of toast + a grilled sandwich added up to a total of NIS 81.

At the beginning of March the cafe will be changing ownership and the hours, which are currently from late morning until early evening, will become longer. Yay! I just hope that they have transferred ownership of the chocolate cookie recipe as well.

Beit HaKahava
Yanai 3
Not Kosher, but vegetarian
Opening Hours:
Sunday  – closed
Monday & Tuesday: 10am – 7pm
Wednesday & Thursday: 10am – 9pm
Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 7pm