Cafe Scene: Landwer

Landwer is an institution. Back in 1919, Moshe Landwer opened a small coffee house in Berlin, which became a popular meeting spot.

By VIVA SARAH PRESS
Published: DECEMBER 18, 2005 08:46
cafe landwer 88 (photo credit: )
cafe landwer 88
(photo credit: )
Landwer 70 Ibn Gvirol, Tel Aviv Open 24 hours 03.696.4924 I had finished work early and decided to wrap up some errands near the Tel Aviv Municipality. Realizing I could use a snack, I crossed Ibn Gvirol Road to Landwer - a coffee shop I have admired from the outside for nearly three years, but had yet to step inside. It was a sunny afternoon and I knew there was no chance of getting a coveted patio seat. What surprised me even more was that inside - at 3 pm on a Wednesday - only one table, near the waiter station, was vacant. I took it. Landwer is an institution. Back in 1919, Moshe Landwer opened a small coffee house in Berlin, which became a popular meeting spot. The family made aliya with their coffee in 1933 and opened a roasting unit upon arrival in Tel Aviv. In the 1940s and 50s, according to the cafe, "Landwer Coffee" was the most popular brand of java in Israel. Today its production facilities are located in Holon (and run by the Federman family), and its coffee shop is located across from Rabin Square in Tel Aviv. Before one even reaches the threshold of the cafe, it is near impossible not to be assailed by the aromas of its different roasts. The strong java scent pulls people into the coffee house. Like the original coffee shop in Berlin, Landwer here is a favorite meeting point. The service is swift and professional. The brown, red, and yellow interior is warmly inviting. And the food is fresh and tasty. For those looking for a quiet place to read, Landwer should not be your destination. It's a hotspot. Patrons range from the very old to mothers-with-babies to trendy teens. Plus, there's a non-smoking section inside - a bonus that doesn't always exist in Israeli cafes. While I visited on a weekday afternoon, the "in" time for Landwer patrons is reported to be the wee hours of the night. Now that I think of it, I have seen people queuing for tables outside. With a handful of coffee haunts flanking it, other local coffee shops should be so lucky as to find out Landwer's secret for success. (For the kosher among us, Landwer coffee is certified by Badatz; however its cafe is open 24 hours, including Shabbat.)