Cafe Olé

First of all, the prices listed on Unilocal are about $ 2 – 3 less than the actual prices in-​store.
Other than that, I really love this place. They serve breakfast until 3, and they have a selection of sandwiches, salads, crepes, soups, and breakfast sandwiches. There’s ample seating, but the café itself can get a bit cramped and chaotic during busy points.
The food and drinks are served promptly, despite the business. I really love the blend of the iced green tea and raspberry tea — it’s so refreshing. I’d honestly come back all the time just for the tea.

Very delightful team works here and it is very popular. They need extra counter and clean up help. Yummy! That is the food. Enjoyed a Brie with Apple sandwich. Cute atmosphere. Many things are pre-​made so you are not able to customize. I like it here very much.

A wonderful place for breakfast and lunch.
A bit unorganized when busy but differently worth giving a try

I live right around the corner and have just recently started coming to this fine establishment. Service is friendly, top notch and the food is fabulous! Check them out!

The food is okay but the service is awful. One of the girls at the counter is extremely rude to the employees as well as the customers (I guess she’s a manager). She could definitely use an attitude adjustment. I work in the neighborhood and I will never get my lunch from Café Olé ever again!

I’ve been going to yoga around this café, and every time I walk by there is such an aromatic delicious smell, it naturally drew me in.
I’ve yet to get any coffee, pastries or other goodies but my boyfriend and I split the European Grilled Cheese and the Vegetable Shakshuka, came to about $ 20.
It’s not cheap, but it was really delicious and my first ever shakshuka which has led me to make it this week at home! It’s a delicious blend of tomatoes, cumin, paprika and poached eggs — ours was filled with veggies and chickpeas, although they have other options of chicken or hummus (not on menu).
The grilled cheese had great flavor too.
Overall, although it was not a cheap meal, it was really delicious and just a cute shop to stop on a nice day. They have some outdoor seating as well, in the cutesy antique shop area of old city

Not a fan. I have eaten there 3 times, and have not felt well three times. I don’t know the reason but I do know that I I’ll never return.

I live close to Café Olé and have been there 1000 times. I always get the tomato and mozzarella sandwich with a green tea of iced coffee because it’s delicious and I’m a creature of habit.
Something came over me today and I ordered the Skakshuka and it is the most amazing thing I’ve ever had! A total game changer! I would eat is for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

I dearly miss my flat white from Bailey. This place is a gem!

They have very refreshing food and drinks. Their iced tea is very refreshing. Shakshuka is delicious and very well portioned — I recommend sticking to the classic. Sandwiches and salads are all fresh and very good. It can get a little hectic behind the counter but the staff and owner are all very friendly. Great breakfast and/​or lunch spot

café olé is such a gem. i usually don’t expect a great meal at a neighborhood coffee shop but they have such a quality brunch/​lunch menu here. we shared the shakshuka and pesto omelette and we loved how fresh all of the flavors were. definitely looking forward to stopping by here more often as a neighborhood brunch spot.

Café Olé is one of the best places in Philadelphia for food, and THE BEST SHAKSHUKA in Philadelphia, and may be even more than that.
The cool thing is that you can have your Shakshuka anyway you like it, so I don’t eat eggs, so they make it with vegetables or Soya, or even chicken if you meat lover. The point is that they really care about the client and will cook the right food for you. This is something unique in a «StarBucks» culture society, or fast food habits. Café olé has the speed and the quality, and it’s cheap :)
Beside Shakshuka, they also have great Hummus, and now there is a new dish: «Hummus Shakshuka» which is AMAZING (attaching photos).
The drinks are cool, I like the Chai they offer with Almond and Coconut milk! (respect for the diversity of milk they offer).
The music is amazing, the owner actually prepare playlists to create the right environment for the visitors. Basically you feel like at home after 3 minutes inside, don’t want to leave, and always want to come back.
The toilet is super clean and beautiful, some thing you don’t see in most cafes.
They have fresh soup each day, and a different one each day, made by the mood of the team. I love the lentils and vegetable soup, specially with Hummus on the side.
They have home bread, this is a must! It does not have eggs its healthy, and super tasty. Recommended!!!
If you like desserts, the Nutella Crape is the thing to do, I like to order «double chocolate», just because it’s so good and they will do it for you! You can ask for double fruits as well, that will make you a whole meal from one dessert, some thing you can have only in Café Olé.
There is much more to tall about the café, but I guess it’s better just to try.

Just ordered the veggie shakshuka which was huge and hearty enough for 2 people. Comes with baguette and quality olive oil/​yogurt/​spice dips; all of it was delicious. We wiped our plates clean haha. Prompt service, cozy place, would come back to try their Mediterranean platter, sandwiches and baklava!

Great ambiance. Got there too late in the day for the shakshuka, but enjoyed the soup instead. One of those places that has a weird wonderful vibe with good food.

Incredibly fresh food and the Shakshuka was amazing. I got a chance to meet the owner and she is incredible, make sure you check this place out!

This place is super cozy and more welcoming than the cookie-​cutter Starbucks down the street. I loved the throw pillows in the booths, and the the room itself feels warm and inviting.
On my most recent visit, I was a little thrown off by the ordering process — ordering tea and not realizing I was supposed to pick the tea bag out of the box first. I ordered a vegan wrap too and it came up while other customers were still being waited on, and I was being asked to pay while someone else was still being rung up… hey one at a time!
The tea was good, and the lemon and other herbs in there which seemed odd at first were actually a nice touch. The vegan wrap was more like a panini, and just barely warm, and cold in the middle. It also fell apart within seconds, which was frustrating.
On this last visit, even though the place was empty, all the tables were dirty which was kind of gross. It was training day for a new staff member, so there was a lot of uncomfortable banter between the owner (?) and the new trainee. It was pretty distracting.
Still this was just one experience, and not every is like this. Overall this place is solid just maybe a little rough around the edges. It’s a fantastic place to duck into if you can tune out the distractions.

I fell in love with this place the first time I walked in over 7 years ago when I just moved to the area… some of the baristas have come and gone but the food, service, coffee, awesome Israeli music has never wavered!

As winter’s first snow flurries began to drift into Olde City, my housemate and I decided to pay Café Olé a visit to (1) avoid the cold and (2) attempt to do some work. Both the exterior and interior décor are quaintly charming and homey. Upon stepping in, the wonderful smells of shakshuka, baked goods, and coffee fill your senses and any attempts to resist ordering something is futile.
Pros:
– Food is obviously delicious
– Service is fast and staff are efficient
– I ordered a Lox Bagel Sandwich and requested very little cream cheese. They are the only place that has actually understood what «little» means!!! So Café Olé, thank you for making my Lox breakfast the Lox breakfast of my dreams!
– They bring the food to you after you order and take your plates away when you’re done
Cons:
– Outlets are accessible to only a few tables really. Perhaps if you have a longer charger, you could reach some.
– The high table near the door is the most spacious in terms of surface area and has 4 outlet jacks, but it is right next to the door so be prepared to constantly be hit with cold area if you dare sit there
– Café Olé is super busy on the weekends (regardless of time), so it’s not an ideal place to do work if you easily get distracted
– If you’re doing work with a friend, I wouldn’t recommend Café Olé since the tables are small and it just barely holds 2 Mac laptops
Café Olé is definitely a place I would go to grab a quick bite for either eat-​in or to go, but not somewhere I would try to sit down in and do work (at least on the weekends, anyway). If you are in the area and want food, definitely check Café Olé out!

One of my all time favorite café’s in Philadephia, this is a must for anyone in Old City.
Right off 3^rd Street (next to my favorite store: Lost and Found), this Middle Eastern/​Israeli café offers up the BEST shakshuka I’ve ever had. Not sure what Shakshuka is? Well besides being delicious, it’s a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions, often spiced with cumin. Café Olé’s version has just enough spice to make it flavorful, but it’s not too spicy that it’s over bearing. Don’t be scared if you’re not sure what to expect, try it, and then thank me.
I am also a big fan of their breakfast sandwiches– I usually get turkey sausage, egg, and cheese on a bagel. The thing I like about the breakfast sandwiches is that they press it down on a panini press, so they are flatter than most bagels (which makes me feel better about myself because I don’t think I’m eating a lot of bread). If you get the cinnamon raisin bagel, it tastes just like french toast.
Café Olé also has other great breakfast options, such as their crepes with nutella, strawberries, and bananas, and their stuffed croissant french toast. They have fresh salads and sandwiches (although I’ve never gotten them), and always have yummy macarons at the counter.
Things to Keep in mind: They get awfully busy on the weekends around brunch time. There is a big turn around, so you never have to wait too long for a table. During the warmer weather they open up the side doors and have two tables outside, as well as a couple of tables out front. They are also pet friendly!

I’ve had to stop going to Café Olé in the winter. With all the doors shut, you come out smelling like a mixture of onion and shakshuka. The ventilation in there is terrible and the whole store smells. Still a good spot with delicious food and free refills.

Skakshuka is back (most of the time) and even when it’s overcooked it’s still pretty delicious. Get it with the baguette instead of the rolls. The chicken quesadilla is delicious too! Both types of french toast are perfection. Best fast-​casual food in Old City.

If I could give this place no stars I would. Horrible place. Food wise excellent, but 0 for customer service. The girl at the register initially was very nice once we ordered, but only to find out she was also rude and apparently racist. If your skin color is not white avoid this place, you will have no importance for them after you’ve paid. She came to the table to pick up our empty dishes and also took the plate that we were still eating out of. Then I asked her kindly for a refill on my drink, she told me «come and get it then» shaking her head while walking away. AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST!!!

Solid spot in Old City. Refillable iced coffee. Crazy delicious menu, featuring their homemade Shakshuka, the likes of which I’ve never had anywhere else & I don’t need to. Café Olé is the spot to unwind & get some work done.

People love Café Olé and so should you.
A welcoming environment perfect for meeting with friends, for business, or just to get some school work done. Café Olé offers an extensive menu, plenty of sweets, and just the right amount of coffee.
The interior is decorated finely, and pricing for food items is appropriate. Their specialty Shakshuka was being devoured by many during the morning rush, and I appreciated how the girls behind the counter remembered all the drinks of their regulars.
Café Olé for the win.

I just ate at Café olé for breakfast. I read the reviews and wanted to try the Vegetable Shakshuka and their iced coffee. This is one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. Fresh and tasty ingredients. The coffee was probably the best I’ve had in a while. i would highly recommend coming here.

In search for some afternoon coffee! And Unilocal pointed me here.
3.5 stars
PS, i love this part of OC now! I haven’t been in a few years, but now that i work here, i love exploring the streets.
It was a super hot day out… an iced coffee was needed. The place was a bit understaffed for a late lunch crowd. However, the one worker was not phased and hustled well and didn’t break a sweat. The place felt and looked more of a neighborhood’ish spot where people would meetup to eat, drink, chat.
I don’t think it was wise having the front door open on a hot day, with no central air (only a window unit from what i saw). So it wasn’t super cool inside, but not uncomfortably hot.
I got my iced coffee and first sip smacked me in my face! The flavor was super bold and jarring. I’ve been getting cold brews most of the summer, so switching to an iced coffee was a shock to my palette. It took a little bit getting use to the acidity and deep coffee flavor, but overall, i did feel it had a burnt finish to it. I’ll update my review when i come back to try food and their hot coffee.
***Update***
Stopped by for a cup of coffee earlier this week.
The place was really busy despite being 1:40pm (after lunch rush?) but there were still many people ordering food and drinks. There were two workers that day, one was somewhat new i guess as she asked how to do some things. Everything went smoothly and again, i feel this establishment has a neighborhood vibe and following… all good things.
My small black coffee was on the pricier side ($ 2 and change), but i assume its because of location/​rent, not a deal breaker. I usually get coffee in my mug so it stays hot (or cold) for a few hours. I poured the coffee into my mug and saw there was a lot of grinds. I can only believe it was later in the day and they never made a new batch of coffee because they were closing early (2pm). It was a bit of a turn off BUT, the coffee did taste pretty good. Hence, the bump to a solid 4. I had lunch already, so i didn’t order anything but i feel like iwant to the both times i’ve come in.

This is a nice coffee place, good and friendly service. Crepes are fine, standard, tasty. The standard shaksuka is different — more Italian than north african, really marinara sauce with eggs.
Clearly well loved little place with care taken on the interior, very good use of space with several tables that can accommodate a group of 4 – 6.
Overall good — try it!

Had an amazing brunch here on a weekend trip to Philly. The girls at the front counter were super friendly and cleared our plates at the end of the meal. The ice coffee was strong and delicious. My friend had the lox platter with everything bagel and I had an egg white omelette with spinach feta pepper and onions. My platter came with Israeli salad, guacamole, and a yummy side of fresh Greek yogurt, s&p and olive oil. Generous proportions and fresh ingredients, highly recommended.

Hi energy, a barista with an accent, and fast service make this place a win for anyone on a walk about of old city. New artwork is common around here. Open doors and windows let the air in and keep things fresh.
This is a great place for a fast coffee, breakfast or lunch and can very easily support a slow morning.

I wandered into this place by accident. An unassuming corner window, which I thought Mexican, was my choice while trekking towards the river. As I entered, the décor was indicative of any sidewalk eatery in this area. The display case of prepared food inhibited my curiosity, but I made my way towards the waitress who suggested that I try the shakshouka. Divine! It’s almost like a tomatoey-​broth of many different types of vegetables surrounds the poached egg yolks. The creamy egg works in harmony with the broth, as undertones of garlic and aromatic green herbs complement the dish. I haven’t had too much Mediterranean food before; nor have I ever heard of shakshouka, but I will have to give in to my now budding appetite for this type of food.

The staff made it THAT good.
Cute little spunky blonde (self proclaimed) «gangster» has great sense of humor and is very personable.
The drip/​house coffee left a little to the palate’s imagination but fear not, they have cocoa powder!
Omelette was a bit expensive but so is their rent so I understand. Small coffee and swiss cheese omelette mugged my wallet for nearly $ 10 but the free refills, location, WiFi and ability to chill in a fun environment makes up for it!
Parking is scarier than a 3^rd term Obama but the HIT & RUN illegal space directly in front suits the need if you can enlist the help of the outdoor diners or window watchers to alert you of the «meter demon».
If they had a «cozy corner «with old leather couch or comfy flop furniture I’d bump it up half a * to 4.5.
Hellavalot better than a S-​bucks visit. The staff has personality here and its magnetic.

I’d highly recommend this establishment. I was surprised by how crowded it was when I first walked in, but now I understand. Every table was taken and the line was almost out the door for a good reason– they know what the f*ck they are doing. In a city with a café on every goddamn corner, Café Olé is flexing with their coffee and orgasmic breakfast sandwiches. I literally told the attractive woman behind the counter to surprise me with whatever sandwich she felt like making, and made probably one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in some time. Well played.
Only downside was the woman breastfeeding who casually flashed me while making eye contact and smiled. She was not attractive. Despite this I am returning.

It was one of those when my friends and I just couldn’t make up our minds on lunch. I didn’t want anything heavy because I was scheduled to join my fellow Elites in AC Friday night, and everyone else was just being indecisive. Looking for something different we ended up at Café Olé. After reading the review form Sophia I, I decided to go along.
I am one of the few people on earth against anything pre-​made; including sandwiches. I hate how everything is cold including the bread. So I was a little apprehensive at first. When she asked me if I wanted it grilled (pressed) of course I said yes. You need to wake up those flavors. I ordered the Chicken Wrap w/​pesto mayo, lettuce, black olives, tomato, feta, and onions. I may not have loved the wrap but it made me a believer in this place thus far.

It’s more like quick lunch spot. Should be affordable and provide fast service. Checked and checked. Your lunch will be ready in 3min in front of you.
I went to this place when I did yoga teacher’s training at Old city. Most of my class mates include teachers grabbed lunch there. They were pretty picky (mostly health conscious vegetarian) eaters so I thought that place must be good.
I tagged them along one day and it turned out pretty nice time. Nice sunny weather in summer, we were seated outside and grabbed various salads. They had pre made salads displayed and they were all freshly made. Got myself Greek salad and strawberry/​banana smoothie. Smoothie was gigantic so probably most girls would be for their lunch itself. I am not so I had salad as well. Salad was huge too. I actually had left over.
Everything was affordable there. Nothing over $ 10. They are not overly nice to offer any service since its self service kind of place but cheap, fast and fresh. What can you ask more.

Café Olé is the latest incarnation for a café at this cool location in Old City. Fortunately it’s a good one. The atmosphere in the café is as warm as it has always been. And the food and drinks are good. What is special here? Glad you asked … it’s the Shakshouka. This is the best Shakshouka, I’ve had in Philadelphia … and it is served with fresh bread to scoop up every last drop.
One note to keep in mind is that the kitchen closes at 3PM (strictly breakfast & lunch) and the whole café closes around 7PM.