ISLA - Coffee Then Life

Isla, part of a glossy new hostel of the same name, had us when we spotted the container of unsweetened almond milk – still, a surprising rarity at cafés in Tel Aviv. The next hook was the marble cake samples on the counter. Most of Isla’s sweets come from the popular Lehem Vehaverim, so they’re predictably fantastic (do yourself a favor and take home some cookies to heat in the oven later). Isla is one of those cozy yet spacious all-day destination cafés where you can order a madeleine and a cappuccino (or custom blended chai or a latte made with that aforementioned unsweetened almond milk…) and linger with your laptop all day. When a craving for something savory hits, they also have borekitas and samosas, both of which are made locally in South Tel Aviv. Better yet, unlike most cafés, Isla is open late – till 10 pm every day with a bar that is open until midnight. Hostel guests have 24-hour access to the space.