The Weekly Bite: Cafe Landwer

As my cooking dilemma continues, I have had to get creative and leave Allston in search of more yummy options. Luckily, I surround myself with people who have good taste in food. Last Sunday, I went over to Brookline for brunch with some friends at Cafe Landwer. Let me say, it was a good experience.

One of the cool things about Cafe Landwer is that it has a rich history. Cafe Landwer began in Berlin in 1919, then moved to Tel Aviv with the rise of the Nazi regime. Between then and the 1960s, the company made a jump towards manufacturing and opened up a coffee factory in Holon. Luckily, they moved back towards the restaurant side of business in 1979 and have grown ever since. There are currently 80 different cafe locations in Israel, and very recently in 2018 Cafe Landwer made the jump across the ocean to come to America. What all of this history demonstrates is that when you go to Cafe Landwer, you’re getting an authentic Mediterranean experience.

The first thing I noticed upon my arrival was how nice the ambiance was. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, so on a nice day you have the opportunity to sit outside and watch the cars go by on Beacon Street. The location is quiet enough for people to sit down and study away, but also busy enough to remind you that you’re still in Boston. What was also really nice was that you order your food straight from your phone, so if you go with friends you can skip the bill-splitting awkwardness at the end of your meal. Also, you can pretty much stay for as long or short as you want because you don’t have to wait for a waiter or waitress to bring back the bill. Overall, the process is pretty seamless.

Now for the important part: the food. I’ll start by saying the only problem I had with Cafe Landwer was deciding what to eat. The menu is extensive. You have to decide between breakfast and lunch, sweet and savory, light and heavy. They have all of the options you could ever want. And, most things have a bit of a Mediterranean twist. Even more, they have a million different types of drinks to choose from (which is bad because that means more tough decisions to make) and a dessert menu. I am not kidding. They have everything.

So, after a long (and I mean long) time of deliberating, I decided on an afternoon breakfast. Pancakes, specifically, with a side of turkey bacon and a nutella iced latte. And yes, it was as good as it sounds. The food came out quickly, and the portion sizes were perfect. When I left, I felt full but not uncomfortably full. The pancakes came stacked four high in a little skillet with sides of maple syrup, nutella, whipped cream, and assorted fruit. All of those sides came included with the original price. The bacon came as a side with three strips and was a very nice savory complement to the sweetness of the pancakes. Most importantly, the nutella iced latte. The first sip was incredible. I love coffee and I don’t usually drink sweet coffee, but the combination of nutella and latte would knock any regular mocha out of the park. It was that good.

Overall, I had a 10/10 experience at Cafe Landwer. The menu was huge, the service was quick and easy, and the food was oh-so-good. This meal ended up being about $23 (pancakes $12, bacon $4, latte $5), so it was definitely a little bit more on the expensive side. I will try my hardest not to make a habit of going too often, but it will be very difficult.

Cafe Landwer is the perfect spot for a Sunday brunch, a study session with friends, or just a quick bite for lunch. For more information on Cafe Landwer, or just to drool over the size of their menu, head to their website.

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