El Ali

El Ali is a café, restaurant and small cultural centre in one, on Rue Jemaa Zitouna, the street that climbs through the souks towards the Zitouna Mosque. It occupies a rebuilt medina house: the original residential building was destroyed by fire and reconstructed, and it now has a covered courtyard with a high roof on the ground floor, a literary café upstairs and a roof terrace with views over the medina's mosques and towards the Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul.

The upstairs café has a library, sofas and a homely feel, which makes it a good place to sit with a book or catch up on plans. Drinks include citronnade, the Tunisian lemon drink, fresh smoothies and sweet mint tea, and the kitchen serves traditional Tunisian food at accessible prices. A February 2026 French travel guide described El Ali as a beautiful place that avoids kitsch and suggested it as a first stop in the medina, which fits: you can orient yourself on the roof terrace before heading into the lanes.

Music is part of the cultural programme. Earlier coverage mentions weekly music nights with local bands, gnawa musicians and Afro-Berber artists, and a special iftar menu during Ramadan. Programmes change, so ask in person or check the café's social media pages for what is coming up.

The roof terrace is the main draw on a clear day, and it is especially pleasant in the late afternoon, when the light softens over the domes and minarets. In summer, go earlier or later to avoid the midday heat. El Ali is relaxed rather than formal, and it suits solo travellers, couples, families and anyone who wants a break with a view. As it is close to the mosque, dress modestly when walking there, and remember that service can slow down at busy times. We could not confirm opening hours from an official source.

Combine El Ali with a morning in the perfume souk and the area around the Zitouna Mosque. Café M'Rabet, the city's oldest coffee house, is also in the souks if you want to compare a modern cultural café with a seventeenth-century one, and Bab el Bhar and the Avenue Habib Bourguiba are a short walk downhill.