You probably heard of Caffé Aronne, and not just because of its pretty solid menu of food offerings: the Upper East Side destination at 976A Lexington Avenue by 72nd Street has been in the news for quite some time following the staff’s decision to walk out to protest owner Aaron Dahan’s support for Israel since October 7.
Although the community has rallied around the café and Dahan himself, with lines snaking around the corner for weeks following the news of the workers’ departure, the site has been the target of antisemitic sentiment and vandalism for a while.
Despite the attacks, though, Dahan has decided to double-down on his support for Israel by obtain a kosher certification for Caffé Aronne from Rabbi Aaron D. Mehlman.
According to the Jewish Link, “viewing a spike in attacks against Jews and antisemitism” pushed Dahan to obtain a certificate and “want to see the number of restaurants in the kosher arena increase, and to be a leader in making this vision a reality.”
To note: the company also operates a West Village location. That one is not certified kosher.
On the Upper East Site menu, patrons can indulge in classic coffee drinks like cappuccino, cold brew, lattes and more, in addition to more eclectic specialties like the honey oat latte, the almond rose latte , the pistacchio chai latte and all sorts of matcha options.
The limited food menu certainly delivers as well: the salmon plate comes with a bunch of different forms of the fish and toasts range from the honey truffle ricotta to the pastrami smoked salmon.
It’s a cute little café ideal for a midday hangout with a cup of java and a pastry in hand—and a lot of Israeli flags at the door.
