New Café, New Critics…

It was another epic in Jerusalem, another milestone, another opening of yet another coffee shop that was long under construction, tantalizing all of its prospective customers who watched the progress day by day with rapt anticipation.

Hailing from Tel Aviv, the upscale and trendy Arcaffe has now made its presence known in the capital city. With staff dressed in vests and bowties, Arcaffe immediately makes one feel they are in a European café once they step over the threshold. 

Arcaffe is a destination coffee shop in Tel Aviv known for its decadent baked goods and elegant paninis (sandwiches). The décor is upscale and cosmopolitan. When asked once by a Jerusalemite visiting Tel Aviv when the café would open up a branch in Jerusalem, a waitress sniffed, “Never.”

Ah, but never say never. Jerusalem may not be yuppie, secular Tel Aviv, but it sure does pride itself on cafés. 

Jerusalemites, well all Israelis, are obsessive about their cafés and the whole culture surrounding the caffeine imbibing experience. So zealous are they about preserving their style that Israeli cafés put Starbucks out of business here!

When finally the day came that the legendary Arcaffe opened in Jerusalem, an understated opening at that, customers tepidly entered, lingering back by the door while surveying the place. They eyed the counter suspiciously already comparing and critiquing.

Since everyone in Jerusalem is a self-appointed critic, the analysis of new places always kicks into high gear. Atmosphere? Product? Seating? And of course, prices? These days any café must also provide free internet access in order to compete, another item on the evaluation checklist.

Many passersby stopped and gawked from the outside on that first day, peering through the windows. Some ventured in to be the first who could report to their friends about the new venue. But by day two, the café blended into the framework of Jerusalem establishments, packed with people eating lunch and leaving with their coffee to-go.

Whether the café receives high ratings or not from the city’s plethora of experts, the establishment will thrive as nearly all do in the city. It will be full just as all other coffee shops are for lunch, after dinner and of course Friday brunch.