The Yaffa cafe is a small, cozy coffee house located on St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Avenue A in New York City's Greenwich village. Specializing in pastas and middle eastern food (their hummus is absolutely wonderful), the cafe is a common place to end a night of drinking or occasionally start one - they feature a comprehensive wine and beer list.
The decor is...well, eclectic - the walls are covered with portraits of 50's heartthrobs, hindu idols, eyecrossing mylar and zebra-print wallpaper. The tables are extremely close together and there's barely enough room to breathe, let alone eat.
The place definitely has its charm, though. Most of the food is cheap and filling and breakfast is served 24/7. There's a garden out back that's open during the warmer months and a sidewalk cafe open all year round.
In the olden days Yaffa, along with the Waverly Diner, was one of the few restaurants in New York City you could smoke in and was a staple of nicotine-obsessed artist-types. Those days are long past, but their eclectic menu and 24-hour service keep it as a laid back hangout. Their waitstaff should be given credit for not rushing anybody into leaving, though be wary of the bowl of complimentary yaffa-branded condoms by the register - there are horror stories.
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