Everyone in Tel Aviv has a favorite café. Some stress the welcoming décor, while others cherish the breakfast above all else; for the rest, it’s usually all about location. Café Sonia, located in the curiously named ‘Anonymous Alley’, has it all.

As you enter the café, try to walk past the impressive pastry-laden bar to the right, and find a seat in the charming back garden. The sounds of calico-colored plastic chairs shifting atop the pebble-strewn floor draws one to feel as if in a pastoral café rather than in the heart of the city. An eclectic selection of herbal tea infusions and local dishes made of the freshest market ingredients go a long way to reaffirm the rural atmosphere. Yet one glance at the restroom, a massive chamber lined by vinyl records and magazine clippings, leaves you firmly in the urban setting of Tel Aviv. Alas, the café may not provide the experience of a house on the prairie, but it is a great option for those seeking a temporary, caffeinated escape from the city.