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    Jaffa Cafe

    4.6 (556 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 8:00 pm

    Jaffa Cafe Photos

    JAFFA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Jaffa Cafe

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    Hummus, pita, chicken pesto schwarma
    Diane A.

    I love the hummus, puts, and chicken schwarma with pesto. The lentil soup is also amazing

    Lamb Kabob
    Linh D.

    One of the best lamb kabob I had in awhile. The food as fresh, juicy, and very tasty.

    Falafel Pita Wrap with hummus and pita
    Ray F.

    A cool little walk up counter service cafe. The guys behind the counter were professional and kind. After a couple of minutes perusing the menu I opted for some hummus and a falafel wrap. Food is on point, the hummus and pita appetizer was very good, fresh hummus with olive oil and paprika and a great pita still warm, sliced into wedges. This was a great start and a delicious appetizer. The Falafel Pita Wrap is a large offering, stuffed with fresh veggies, nice sized falafels packed into the mix and then a generous drizzle of yogurt dill dressing. A solid choice and fresh made to order food, generous portions at a fair value - worth a visit 4 Stars - will return 00915

    Red Lentil Soup. Delicious!
    Mikey C.

    The original Jaffa Cafe in San Luis Obispo was one of my favorite restaurants. A really fun place, super friendly vibe. Great food, and great owner. When the owner took his well earned retirement in 2019, the place closed. I was so bummed. Until this week I had no idea that these days there are new Jaffa Cafe locations. We were on vacation in nearby Pismo Beach and drove over to Arroyo Grande to check out the town. Walking down East Branch Street we spotted the Jaffa Cafe sign. My wife asked, Do you think it's the same restaurant? I said, I'm sure it is, the logo is exactly the same. I see the logo practically every day because I have a Jaffa Cafe button from the original location stuck on a bulletin board in my man cave. That button must be 20 years old, so old it's starting to rust a little. Yeah, I go way back with Jaffa Cafe. Soon as I walked up to the counter, I knew I was right. The menu was very similar, if not identical. More telling was that they have the same ordering system as the original location. You order by checking boxes on a preprinted form and hand it to the person at the register. Oh, and you pay when you finish eating. Kind of a unique system. I love all Middle Eastern food, especially anything with lamb. Lamb gyros, lamb shanks, lamb kebobs, lamb chops, it doesn't matter, Just give me some lamb! So many Middle Eastern restaurants don't have lamb, when I see it on the menu I almost always order it. And Jaffa Cafe has lamb! But did I order lamb? No. No, because as much as I like lamb, I like falafel even more. I'm an absolute fiend for falafel, and I really like the falafel here at Jaffa Cafe! I ordered the Vegetarian Plate because it came with five crunchy on the outside and oh so tasty on the inside falafel balls on top of a mixture of chopped veggies. It also featured a sizable portion of their fabulous hummus and a piece of pita bread cut into fourths. And my Vegetarian Plate was filled out by a generous serving of rice. I was totally surprised by how much I loved the rice. At most Middle Eastern restaurants the rice does nothing for me. Usually on my 2nd visit to a place I'll ask if I can get something other than the rice, because I know I won't eat it. But the rice here at Jaffa Cafe is freaking Fire. I was totally into that rice. My wife asked for a taste. I pretended I didn't hear her. She asked again. I graciously allowed her a forkful. I wasn't really happy about giving up any of my rice. But I most definitely didn't pout for the next twenty minutes. It was like 5 minutes tops. Not even 5 minutes. My wife had the Red Lentil Soup and she loved it. She's way more generous than me, and has better manners, and so of course she offered me a taste of her soup. I was really impressed with that soup. Absolutely wonderful! I'd definitely recommend that soup! About the customer service here: it's excellent!The crew behind the counter could not have been more hospitable. Really terrific guys! They answered our questions and helped us with the ordering process. And because it was our first visit to this location we were treated to free baklava. And baby, let me tell you, that baklava was good! So good! The absolute highlight of my visit was meeting Ali, the owner of this location. Ali, as I understand it, is the brother in law of the owner of the original SLO location Jaffa Cafe. I was really happy to meet him and tell him how much I like his food. He was nice enough to pose for a selfie with me. Thank you, Ali! Mikey C says: I hope to see you again soon, Jaffa Cafe! The sooner the better!

    Fatoush..salad.
    Carolina S.

    The cutest little cafe with amazing food. I will be visiting here again. Highly recommend! Service, atmosphere and food lovely. Pita bread with tzatciki dressing and pita bread. Baklava was great!

    Hummus, Falafel, Lamb Shawarma
    Stacy P.

    Fresh and delicious! What a great little Mediterranean find while on vacation. It's so rare to find actual lamb on the menu in most of the Mediterranean restaurants we've been to, so we had to try the lamb shawarma. We also indulged ourselves with an appetizer of hummus and falafel. Every thing was so flavorful. We'd be regulars if we lived in the area. If you love Mediterranean food this is a must stop.

    Gyro and roasted veggie pizza.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Their gyros are the best. With free sauce, pickles and jalapeños . Can't leave AG without one.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Nice and easy to order online. Super yummy food. Really quick pick up. Friendly staff

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    2 years ago

    Best lentil soup ever‼. The Shawarma wraps are wonderful. Every time we take someone there they love it. Yum

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    2 years ago

    One of the best places to eat at in the county. Almost everything on the menu is amazing.

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    2 years ago

    Stopped by the first time with a coworker. Chicken kabob plate was amazing. Meat was tender and good taste. Rice had great flavor.

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    3 years ago

    Great, fast service! Wonderful food! Love the flavor! Can't wait to go back and have another gyro !

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    3 years ago

    Had lunch at Jaffa cafe. The food was very good and the staff very friendly. The service was quick and the place nice and clean.

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The food is great here. My friends and I visit every year on our trip to Arroyo Grande. The baklava is just delicious.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Good, reliable, healthy, consistent food. Friendly staff. Outside dining with views of what's going on in the Village.

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    3 years ago

    Very good food, moderately priced. Friendly service. Soups are great. Shawarma is good. Everything is fresh and tasty!

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    Oasis Restaurant & Catering

    Oasis Restaurant & Catering

    4.5
    (269 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    I gave this restaurant a 5 not because I enjoyed all the food but the 7 other people in our party…read moreloved it!!! I can't just eat anything any longer but I wish I could. It smelled Devine in there. I only ordered dolmas and garlic fries. The dolmas were not my cup of tea but those French fries are the BEST I've ever had. Crispy, crunchy and a small amount of a yellow sauce on top. That sauce is amazing. I would have licked the plate but alas, that would be rude plus there must have been 5 servings on my plate. I looked at everyone's plate and noticed no one was going to go hungry. They fed you! Service is outstanding. Our server is super friendly. At one point, the chef came out and talked to our table. That was thoughtful. The birthday girl received a decadent dessert and she enjoyed every bite. We all had a fun evening and that's what the night was supposed to be.

    Update: I will give them one more chance as I came to know from the owner and cook Karim that as it…read moreis Ramadan , the cook didn't get chance to taste food. -------------------- Well, I appreciate honesty but in restaurant business even knowing that the food is salty you serve it to your guests, that is a bad business. We ordered two chicken kabobs. Chicken, rice and veggies were all super salty. We called the waitress and shared the concern. She told us that she is aware that the rice was salty . I mean seriously you are charging $33 and you serve this . I would not recommend this place.

    Photos
    Best Mediterranean/Moroccan restaurant in all Central Coast!
    Best Mediterranean/Moroccan restaurant in all Central Coast!
    Moroccan Mint Tea
    Moroccan Mint Tea
    Great Ambiance!

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    Great Ambiance!
    Zaytoon

    Zaytoon

    4.2
    (1.6k reviews)
    69.5 mi
    $$

    I had come to visit Santa Barbara with family and was hoping to try out this restaurant during our…read morestay, as it came highly recommended by local friends. Unfortunately, the whole restaurant was booked out for a private event the only evening we had available. Thankfully, they were still taking takeout orders. They were a bit busy with the private event, and so they had forgotten to give us one of our bags of food (which we didn't realize was missing until we got back to our hotel), but the staff made up for it by delivering the remainder of our food to us! The food was very tasty and the service was top notch. I would love to return if I'm ever back in Santa Barbara.

    From the moment you walk through the entrance, the restaurant feels like a hidden sanctuary tucked…read moreaway from the bustle of downtown. The greenery, courtyard setting, and relaxed atmosphere make it an enjoyable place to settle in and enjoy a meal. I ordered the Mashawi Combo, which included lamb, beef, and chicken. All three meats were cooked nicely, with each offering its own distinct flavor and texture. My favorite was the beef because it had a satisfying char. It's a great option if you're having trouble deciding between proteins and want to sample a little bit of everything. What really elevated the meal were the accompanying spreads and sides. The baba ghannouj was smoky and creamy, while the garlic sauce added a rich punch of flavor to the grilled meats. The hummus was smooth, and the tabbouli provided bright, herbaceous contrast that balanced the heavier elements of the meal. One of the highlights for me was the pistachio spread. It was refreshingly different from the usual mezze offerings and paired wonderfully with the warm bread. The addition of pomegranate seeds also brought a burst of sweetness and acidity that made each bit refreshing. The only minor drawback was some confusion regarding my reservation because they couldn't find it even though I called, which created a bit of uncertainty at the start of the evening. Fortunately, the staff handled the situation professionally and remained attentive throughout the meal. Overall, it was a satisfying dining experience with a chill ambiance.

    Photos
    Zaytoon
    Halloumi & Watermelon, Tzatziki, Hummus, Pita, Tabouli and Batata Harra (the best!)
    Halloumi & Watermelon, Tzatziki, Hummus, Pita, Tabouli and Batata Harra (the best!)
    Outdoor dining!!

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    Outdoor dining!!

    Jaffa Cafe - mideastern - Updated July 2026

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