An outpost of popular downtown pick-up bar (or peekabar in the Israeli argot) Yehoshua all the way on the other side of Independence Park in Rechavia, Cafe Yehoshua slots nicely into the up-trending Azza St. restaurant row - cafe with respectable intentions in the kitchen by day, groovy bar by night.

Cafe Yehoshua's menu, proudly non-kosher (although more of the meat-with-milk variety, not the still eyebrow-raising bacon variety), claims an "American diner" influence, although if so, the influential American diner must have been in a pretty heavily Israeli neighborhood. Calling the consummately Israeli entrecote steak "Entrecote New York" doesn't make it so.

Nonetheless, former Chakra chef Roy Harel has crafted a charming menu, ranging from the expected monster salads, schnitzel and light pastas to more unique fare, including a lengthy menu of variously-topped triangular club sandwiches, slider trios, a meatball sub, and a "Philly Steak Sandwich" (which isn't). Specials include fresh fish and that old standby, steak-'n-a-beer. Breakfast is served daylong, and light small-plate food meant to accompany coffee daily until 11:00 AM. During the warm months, you can dine al fresco on the restaurant's roof patio.

Once night falls, Cafe Yehoshua turns essentially into the Rechavia outpost of its parent bar, a dimly-lit meeting spot for the 25-to-35 secular-and-beautiful crowd with a wide wooden bar and plenty of free-flowing libations. The kitchen switches over to turning out liquor-befitting nosh items, and the pick-ups commence.

 

Socially-conscious Jerusalemites will be glad to know that Cafe Yehoshua boasts membership in the Tav Chevrati program, which ensures restaurants treat their employees fairly and include handicapped access.