The British have tea time. In Spain, this mid-afternoon ceremonial is known as la merienda (“light afternoon snack”) and is likewise a beloved ritual for people of all ages. It can include savory as well as sweet treats, but its essence is a hot drink and something sweet. In Israel, of course, we eat anything at any time of day.
Having lived in Spain for several years, I had recently been wondering how and where to find a real merienda experience that could accommodate my gluten intolerance. The best I had come across was a pre-packaged “le lo gluten” marble cake served at Aroma.
When In Jerusalem Editor Erica Schachne heard about my quandary, she recommended Casa Lavi on Derech Beit Lehem.
It beckons from the street through the gate of its enclosed terraza, the kind of café sought all over Madrid in the summer. At Casa Lavi, there are all sorts of sweet treats: muffins, brownies, cookies, and pastries – something for everyone.
I chose the guilt-free brownie: gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free (which begs a joke), made with almond flour, chocolate, coffee, and coconut sugar (NIS 22). My friend Leah chose a large, gluten-free, chewy almond cookie with almond slivers (NIS 12). I wanted her to order something with gluten so that I could write about it, but she wanted a dessert that she would be able to share with me. I ended up consuming more than my fair share of Leah’s cookie, as well as every crumb of my own brownie. Finally, una merienda en condiciones – a proper mid-afternoon snack! Another Casa Lavi gluten-free option is the chocolate chip cookie (NIS 12), made with peanut butter, chocolate chips, almond flour, and coconut sugar.
For someone no longer privileged to enjoy all the delicious pastry options that contain gluten and dairy, ordering a brownie and enjoying it in good company at a charming terraza with a garden feel was an out-of-the-ordinary experience. The winter sun was out, and the outdoor temperature was just right.
For those who can eat gluten but prefer to keep it “pure,” the dairy fresh fruit Almond Pear Tart (NIS 20), the vegan Pistachio & Berries Muffin (NIS 20), and the Maple Pecan Muffin (NIS 18) are made with organic spelt flour. The banana muffins contain oats and chocolate chips.
All muffins are sweetened with maple syrup, except for the organic, dairy, spelt-flour berry crumble (NIS 22), which is made with coconut sugar. I wondered whether the spelt cinnamon bun (NIS 22) was as good as the fare served at the Cinnabon bakery chain.
While such treats are available all day long, tantalizing breakfast fare is also served until noon, with options ranging from Granola Bowl and Casa Morning to Mexican Breakfast.
Casa Lavi, established in 2022, serves up specialty coffees and chocolate, mocha, and macha. The Cacao Latte (NIS 18) is served with agave and cinnamon, and the matcha in the Matcha Latte (NIS 18) is homemade and 100% organic.
The restaurant’s ingeniously named caffeine-free chai house specials are Chachachai; Am Yisrael Chai; and Od Avinu Chai (served, in the order listed, with espresso, cocoa, or cold brewed coffee).
My friend went for the Chai Latte (NIS 18), and I ordered the Am Yisrael Chai (NIS 25) because of the name. (I am also a big fan of chai, as well as chocolate in any form.) Drinking it was a pleasant experience, but the chai-cocoa combo combined with the brownie confused my taste buds, and I missed the kick of the coffee I would typically have ordered.
Next time, I’ll order the Oat Milk Latte (NIS 18 + NIS 1 for the oat milk) or maybe the Mocaccino with oat milk (NIS 25 + NIS 1). And if I get the urge for a real taste of Spain, the legendary cortado – an espresso with a hint of (oat) milk (NIS 15 for a cortado, and I doubt they will charge for a drop of oat milk) – will hit the spot.
When we were there, most of the tables at Casa Lavi were occupied. A mother sat with her baby, reading and relaxing. Two young women were studying together at a table covered with books and laptops. Another two students sat side by side, their books opened across a section of Casa Lavi’s iconic French farmhouse-style long wooden table that runs along one side of the terraza.
Among the other clients were a few couples and a group of friends. In the small but chic indoor space, a man was working on his laptop. Everyone was immersed in their own worlds, all enjoying the semi-privacy of the Casa Lavi mise-en-scène.
We arrived at Casa Lavi after the kitchen had closed (no food served after 2:30 p.m., except for baked good and beverages), but I am looking forward to going back there for brunch.
Around town, the reputation of Casa Lavi’s inclusive variety of salads and vegetable dishes (NIS 52-NIS 62) is spreading. The vegan avocado toasts are also great crowd pleasers: artichoke avocado toast or white bean avocado toast (NIS 52). They can be topped off with a poached egg + (NIS 7). Casa Lavi also offers the option of gluten-free bread with all orders.
Have you become a vegan and are dreaming of a corned beef sandwich? Or would you like to taste a healthy alternative to the deli classic? Casa Lavi’s Corned Beet Ruben Melt served on sourdough bread sounds delicious. Substituting beet for beef makes it Mehadrin-kashrut delicious as it combines with melted gouda cheese, bio-sauerkraut, vegan Russian dressing, rocket lettuce, and pickled onion. For those avoiding dairy, the cheese can be replaced with a poached egg.
Speaking of which, the next time I go there, for brunch, I will start by trying the dairy-free Benedict Casa (NIS 45): poached egg, vegan carrot lox, rocket lettuce, and vegan cashew hollandaise, and exercise my option of having it served on gluten-free bread. However, I am not likely to replace the poached egg with tofu scramble, as I feel it would weaken the classic Benedict experience that I anticipate. But it’s good to know that such an option exists for those who require it.
The elegant display inside Casa Lavi reflects a style that is trending in Madrid. The books, the artistic placement of the stock, the lighting, and the understated sophistication all hint at the stories behind Casa Lavi. Therefore, I have culled from casalavicafe.com the information presented below about its founders and owners, Meital and Alfonso Itzhak.
Who are Meital and Alfonso Itzhak, and what was their motivation for establishing Casa Lavi?
After years of searching for meaning and identity, a husband and wife, born in Mexico, discovered a deep and ancient connection to the Land of Israel… and a mission to return. They left their old life behind and made aliyah to the land of their ancestors.
“After thousands of years of longing to return, it was like a dream come true” for them.
The owners of Casa Lavi, which has Badatz Mehadrin kashrut certification, prepare everything themselves, from their healthy alternative bakery to nourishing, delicious dishes.
At Casa Lavi, “a cup of coffee is more than a delicious drink,” they say. Created from “carefully crafted blends and brewing techniques,” the coffee comes from “some of the highest quality farms in the world, where the people and the land are treated kindly and fairly,” they explain.
Meital and Alfonso see coffee as a “sustainable, social, sensory, and emotional engine” and as “a delicious drink with purpose.”
“We believe in connection, in the land and the environment, in creativity and the exchange of knowledge. We believe in people, and we give value to a simple seed that unites them all.”
For the Itzhaks, “the people are the soul of the place.”
Their employees, they explain, “embody Casa Lavi’s ideals of kindness and hospitality,” and their clients “bring diversity and blessing.”
A name with special meanings
The owners explain that the word “casa” in the name means “home” in Spanish and represents their desire “to receive and create a feeling of home.” Lavi, “lion” in biblical Hebrew, represents the heart (lev) that desires to give goodness, they add.
Casa Lavi’s interior and exterior design, which features light desert colors, is aimed at blending into the subtle beauty of Jerusalem – the city they have made their home.
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