Pop Up Cafe

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Grab your Lactaid pills and “Pop Up” over there right away, and thank me later.

If you are looking for an amazing place for breakfast, lunch or dinner or need dairy options during the 9 days, look no further.

The Pop Up Cafe in the Jerusalem Hills, near Kiryat Anavim is a special find.

In a stunningly rustic setting and amidst green saturated hills, in a background affectionately called the Barn, you will find the Pop Up Cafe. Its name is nothing like its offerings.

This place pulls in an eclectic crowd, most likely because the common denominator of the Jewish people (and humanity for that matter) is good food. We found national religious with head coverings, soldiers on leave and couples with much less skin covered, all enjoying a meal.

Pop Up Cafe’s food is dairy-centric. A bit of northern Italy meets the hills of Jerusalem. Most Ashkenazim will need Lactaid pills to dine here, but it is totally worth it. Even if you forgot your pills the tastes would warrant a belly-ache later.

We started with a true romaine Caesar salad with crumbled croutons. The dressing was lemony, exact and excellent. We then had risotto that was creamy, rich, balanced and had fantastic parmesan adorning the corner of the plate.

The hot focaccia bread was some of the very best I have ever tasted in this country. Crunchy on the crust and soft in the middle, but not doughy. It was buttery and smooth and worthy of a meal in and of itself.

Then pasta hamenstachen sautéed in pine nuts and light cream and butter and topped with lemon zest were brought out in cast iron pots (think Shakshuka pots) . The pastas were filled with fresh spinach or pumpkin and each were equally awesome. It was my favorite dish (and it wasn’t easy to pick just one dish).

The pizza tasted like it was hand baked in Florence. Soft and tasty crust and sweet marinara with ample cheese. Off the charts!

The main course included tortellini. Each individual pasta looked like a carbohydrate ballerina. Artistic, dainty and all were filled with a sweet ricotta. It was exceptional.

The sea bass was broiled and served on a bed of spinach and a potato purée. It was divine.

We were rushed for desserts but they did not disappoint.

It’s too bad that this website tops off at 4 falafel balls. This place would easily get 10, were we to go that high!

Popup Cafe is the real deal. Grab your Lactaid and “Pop Up” over there now and thank me later.