Buzberry

Cafe Younes is one of the oldest coffee shops in Beirut. Started in 1935, Younes Cafe (a coffee roaster) is considered the first in downtown Beirut. Today, Cafe Younes is a coffee place dedicated for dozens of coffee blends, coffee, and nothing but coffee. Everything you desire can be found; from the concentrated Turkish, Brazilian, Colombian coffees, to mild, and even decaf coffee selections. Up till this date, I have never tried a better Cafe latté my entire life which is better than the one offered there.

Amin Younes, the grandson of Amin Younes the establish-er, (who happens to be the co-owner of the late Coffee House and also a Lebanese Blogger to my surprise ), now in his mid-forties, runs Cafe Younes and the younger Cafe Younes Gourmet. I met Amin during my last visit and had a small chat with him, he was very welcoming (as I know him back from the Coffee House days), and did not mind me taking photos at all.

Cafe Younes Gourmet on the other hand, is a modern version of Cafe Younes with a trendy/hip touch. Apart from the modern coffee blends offered, they also have AMAZING pancakes and other delicious sandwiches. It’s an amazing place where for some reason all the people visiting mind their own businesses and are surprisingly down-to-earth; unlike the Starbuck’s costumers with their show-off mode 24/7. You will find teenagers with laptops there, you will also find old people with newspapers napping on the couches inside (just as I saw last time), and you will probably see random people playing the piano.

If you are on your way to Beirut, just like many people I know, including the fat guy sitting next to me, I’d be thankful if you got me coffee, not the brewed drink, but the roasted beans!

Alvaro