Type a keyword, ask a question or describe what you need
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Why It’s a credit to Cafe Hafa that it doesn’t advertise its history. There’s a simple sign out the front: “Cafe Hafa, Fonde 1921”. That’s it. It doesn’t say, “Celebrating 100 years!” It certainly doesn’t mention that the Beatles visited, or the Rolling Stones drank here, or that the writers William S. Burroughs or Paul Bowles would often call through. It doesn’t shout out to the world that this humble cafe holds a storied place in the history of Tangier, that so much of what makes this city unique and amazing can be summed up by these stepped terraces that look across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain. The owners of Cafe Hafa just assume you know.
And you probably do, or you wouldn’t have made your way along the clifftops from Tangier’s ancient Medina, past the 2500-year-old Phoenician tombs, to a small doorway on a quiet cul-de-sac. Tangier was once international territory, a liberal haven popular with artists and writers, and Cafe Hafa existed through it all. It’s a relatively humble place, with open-air seating looking over the water, and a simple menu of coffee, cocktails, juices and basic meals. People don’t come here for the food. They come here to share a place in history.
Order this Look around at what the locals are ordering: it’s mostly juices, mixes of different fruits served in tall glasses, and mint tea. The coffee here is also solid, and the cocktails are nice enough to sip slowly and soak up the atmosphere. Feel free to give the food a miss.
Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.
Eat it here There’s nowhere else in the world quite like Cafe Hafa. For nice drinks with an classic view, however, try Opera Bar in Sydney (operabar.com.au), Goldilocks in Melbourne (goldilocksbar.com.au), and Soko Rooftop in Brisbane (sokobrisbane.com.au).
More Cafe Hafa is on Rue Hafa in Tangier, walkable from the Kasbah and the Medina. It’s open from 9am to 11pm daily, no bookings necessary. Expect to pay about $2 for a coffee or tea, $5 for juice, and $6 for a cocktail. See facebook.com/cafe.hafa
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
