Cafe Scene: Bar Giora coffee shop

By VIVA SARAH PRESS
Bar Giora 4 Bar Giora Street, corner of 64 Dizengoff St., Tel Aviv Sun. - Sat., 8 a.m. - last customer Not Kosher (03) 620-4880 Until a recent Friday morning, I had only ever been to the Bar Giora coffee shop and bar at night. Now that I've been there for breakfast, I know that I'll stick with the nighttime visits. My friends and I have regularly headed over to Bar Giora when we've been in the mood for a drink or a snack. At night the service is reliable and the atmosphere is warm, and the drinks have always been good. Although it's located on the main drag of Dizengoff Street, this place has a cozy atmosphere completely in contrast with the chaos outside. The courtyard at the entrance is the coveted spot to sit, tastefully designed and surrounded by trees. The tables, chairs and couches are all antique, or at least look that way. It's an inviting place to sit. On a recent Friday morning, a friend and I found ourselves on Dizengoff Street and decided to try out Bar Giora's breakfast. Breakfast in Tel Aviv is a tradition - we're not just talking an egg and a few cheeses here. Cafes all over the city promote their breakfast specials in a bid to win over the morning rush of potential customers. Although Bar Giora has a number of breakfast options, they sound much better on the menu than they actually are, with the food both oily and lukewarm. Friday mornings and afternoons are the busiest time for any eatery in Tel Aviv, yet Bar Giora was notable for its sluggish daytime service. This is a shame, because its courtyard eating area could be one of the funkiest places to hang out. The place has two bar areas inside: the downstairs bar has more ambiance while the upstairs bar provides more air. If only half the attention given to Bar Giora's design were given to service, this place could be bopping at all hours, and not just in the evenings.