Just a few posts ago, I was writing about scouring the shouk for knee-high socks to wear in the rain. Now that we've spent the last week enduring a heatwave, however, I'm turning my attention to one of my favorite "sunny day" spots, Cafe Sonia Getzel Shapira.
Cafe Sonia inhabits a hidden courtyard on a tiny, dead-end alley off of King George, and its calm atmosphere couldn't be further form the hustle and bustle of the nearby shouk. Leafy trees, a humming fountain, and pebble-covered ground all add to the relaxed, organic aura of the restaurant, which is decorated with brightly colored mosaic tables and a rainbow array of chairs.
A green glass bottle, full of icy water, is quickly brought to the table, along with menus covered in childlike drawings, its sections whimsically titled: Toasty Fairytales, Pamper Yourself Breakfasts. The back page lays out an intriguing story about how the cafe, and the street it's on, got their shared name.
The menu especially distinguishes itself in its wide selection of shakshuka, Sonia's version of which I consider to be far and away the best I've found in Tel Aviv. A traditional option is available: egg, tomato, and onion cooked with spices and served in a hot frying pan. More elaborate variations include goat cheese, mozarella and mushrooms, red meat, and a delicious creamy spinach version that is furthest from the norm. Served with a small side salad and a delicious, addictive loaf of homemade, Moroccan-style bread (cooked over stones and sprinkled with sea salt), this is an Israeli staple not to be missed.
At night, the scene at Sonia turns towards the romantic, with candles and hanging lanterns illuminating the area. But stay away on cold and rainy ones: the courtyard remains uncovered throughout the Winter and there are no heat lamps to speak of. Only about three small tables sit in-doors.
Cafe Sonia Getzel Shapira
Sunday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight
1 Simta Almonit
+972 57 944 2801
www.soniagetzelshapira.rest-e.co.il
Shakshuka image credited to the Cafe Sonia website.
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