In 1933, a small Berlin coffee shop was just a year short of its 15th anniversary when the Nazi regime took control of Germany. The owners decided to flee to Tel Aviv, which was then in British-occupied Palestine.
Nearly a century later, the business is thriving. Now known as Cafe Landwer, it boasts 80 locations throughout modern-day Israel and has expanded to more than a dozen in North America, including a recent addition in Las Vegas’ ever-bustling Boca Park.
Though it just opened in April in the space formerly occupied by Chinglish, the Mediterranean-focused eatery recently extended its service from dinner to include breakfast and lunch, plus a bolstered drink menu.
Staples like schnitzel and shawarma—including vegan and kosher versions—are popular draws, but there’s so much more to explore across Cafe Landwer’s diverse selection. Weekly favorites included appetizers like mouth-watering halloumi sticks and a bangin’ falafel plate with tahini and hummus, plus the hefty shakshuka carne ($25)—a smorgasbord of flavor featuring short ribs, poached eggs, kalamata olives, black beans, avocado, tahini and fresh pita bread.
The shakshuka was undoubtedly the highlight for me, but Cafe Landwer doesn’t slack on its endgame, either. As far as desserts go, one can’t go wrong with the rosalach ($9-$15)—a delicious blend of oven-baked dough filled with flavors like chocolate and Oreo, Nutella, or caramelized Biscoff spread. More adventurous parties may opt for the knafeh ($13)—a cheesy dessert hybrid made from Arab pastry dough that’s layered with cheese and soaked in a sugar-based syrup called attar.
Regardless of which dessert you choose, it’s not a bad idea to pair it with the halva espresso martini or any of the non-alcoholic, coffee-centric options. If you’re looking for something with a little more oomph, the Figenza vodka-fueled Mediterranean mule had me feeling like a million bucks as I went home and proceeded to immediately crush my leftover rosalach before I could even put it in the fridge.
CAFE LANDWER 8704 W. Charleston Blvd. #101, 702-333-1913, landwercafe.com. Daily, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
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