Must-see nightlife in Tunisia

  • M’Rabet

    Tunis

    There's no shortage of characterful cafes and restaurants in the medina, but this one tops them all. The downstairs space with its arches, rug-adorned…

  • La Casa del Caffè

    Tunis

    Stop the presses and send hallelujahs to the heavens! This cafe facing the Tunis Ville train station employs baristas who know their trade and use freshly…

  • Dar Hassine Allani

    Tunisia

    For a unique experience, ring the bell of this late-18th-century dar and ask for a tour and tea (10DT). The friendly multilingual young women working here…

  • Café Maure Diwan

    Tunisia

    Inserted into the medina wall between Bab Diwan and Bab El Kasbah and accessed by a colourful set of steps, this atmospheric cafe is a refuge from the…

  • Le Malouf

    Tunis

    The Ville's best bar is hidden behind a high wall and yellow door that give no hint of the bohemian scene that unfolds within. Tables and bar stools are…

  • Café Sidi Salem

    Tunisia

    This is a magical place overlooking the Mediterranean on the south side of the medina. Several levels of tables jut out over the sea, and kids and…

  • Café Chaouachine

    Tunis

    A mass of tables set in passageways under the vaulted arches of the medina's most atmospheric souq, this cafe is popular with locals of all ages and…

  • Café Cultural Balkiss

    Tunisia

    Sip mint tea high above the medina's narrow laneways at this two-level rooftop cafe attached to the Dar Baya boutique hotel. It's particularly atmospheric…

  • Le Rocher Bleu

    Tunisia

    Aida Gmach Bellagha, whose family hailed from Takrouna, moved from Tunis to embark on an ambitious project to cultivate interest in local Berber heritage,…

  • Habibi

    Tunis

    Habibi serves up excellent cocktails in an interior that fuses the modern with the 1950s, as well as in a softly lit courtyard, and drinks can be paired…

  • Café des Nattes

    Sidi Bou Saïd

    Fronted by steep steps that feature in many tourist photographs, this traditional cafe has hosted André Gide, Paul Klee, Simone de Beauvoir and many other…

  • The scenic facade of Zaouia Sidi Abdallah Boumakhlouf is hidden behind the lush green tree, El Kef, Tunisia.; Shutterstock ID 356417552

    Café Bou Makhlouf

    Tunisia

    With its coffee tables and Berber mats trickling down the stairs in front of Zaouiet Sidi Bou Makhlouf, this cafe couldn't be in a more wonderfully…

  • Dar El Marsa

    Tunis

    Sweeping 360-degree views of La Marsa Beach and the Carthage hills are on offer at this all-season bar/restaurant on the roof terrace of the fashionable…

  • Wax Bar

    Tunis

    Not just another bar, Wax is a don't-miss on the Tunis party scene, especially for vinyl nerds, who will relish the opportunity to exchange records with…

  • Villa Les Palmes

    Tunis

    This relaxed garden is a sweet spot in downtown Tunis to enjoy a drink with friends. It's one of the only places serving alcohol al fresco in the centre…

  • Yüka

    Tunis

    Hang with the cool kids of Tunis while listening to top Tunisian and international DJs play all-night-long sessions at Yüka. In summer, enjoy pool parties…

  • Panorama Medina Cafe

    Tunis

    This mosaic-adorned rooftop cafe in a dilapidated building behind the Zitouna Mosque can be hard to find, but its view over the mosque courtyard is the…

  • Le Carpe Diem

    Tunis

    A favourite with the young expat crowd, this unpretentious venue is the place to be if you want to dance until the early hours fuelled by tequila shots…

  • El Fondouk Restaurant Lounge

    Djerba

    This cafe, as hip as Houmt Souk gets, is in an old and very attractive funduq (caravanserai). It lacks shade in its courtyard so is most popular at night…

  • Tiki Bar

    Tunis

    Tiki Bar is one of the original scene setters for the new wave of beach bars that have popped up along the Gammarth coastline. Located on the beach in…

  • Art'Cafe

    Tunis

    The comfy couches in this cavernous space with its jaunty black-and-red decorative scheme are popular with young locals of both genders. Positives include…

  • Café Le Saf Saf

    Tunis

    La Marsa's most famous, best-loved and most traditional cafe has seating in a lovely tiled courtyard with shady trees – perfect for a leisurely tea or…

  • Café Chichkhan

    Djerba

    This huge cafe on the road between Midoun and Houmt Souk is beautifully decorated with swaths of kilims (woven rugs), tiled tables and pretty wooden…

  • Café El Medina

    Tunisia

    As well as the sprawling terrace under the lime trees, this pricey but popular cafe has a maze of small and intimate lounges decorated with traditional…

  • Le Petit Cafe Maure

    Sousse

    Brightly painted low tables on either side of Souk El Kayed signal the presence of the medina's best cafe, where the friendly owner will be happy to serve…

  • Cercle des Amis du Théâtre National

    Tunis

    Undeniably arty, this cafe in the foyer of the Théâtre National Tunisien Le 4ème Art is a great place for a coffee or tea during the day. Top marks are…

  • Polygon

    Southern Tunisia

    The name fits at this deservedly popular mathematically shaped wooden cafe with a top location on the beach. Take a coffee, a juice or if you're feeling…

  • Caféteria Cafés Ben Yedder

    Tunis

    Cafés Ben Yedder is Tunisia's best-loved coffee roastery and its modern non-smoking cafe occupies a building near the Marché Centrale where the company…

  • Viking

    Tunisia

    As hip as Monastir gets, this two-level cafe has an attractive indoor space and a huge terrace overlooking the beach. The young and mixed clientele loves…

  • Café Bir Andalous

    Tunisia

    This attractive, female-friendly cafe in the medina is popular with tourists and locals alike. The latter tend to favour the indoor patio, with its pretty…

  • La Croisette du Lac

    Tunis

    Overlooking the lake and surrounded by fairy lights and a family atmosphere, this place on the Corniche has a front terrace that's a great stop if you're…

  • Café Kemour

    Tunisia

    Nestling beneath the filagreed minaret of the Great Mosque, this cafe has a cave-like male-only space on street level, and a series of roof terraces and…

  • Café Houasse

    Tunis

    Opposite the famous Café Le Saf Saf and with just as much atmosphere, this traditional cafe has a charming interior with high ceilings, tile-lined walls…

  • Caféteria Bondin

    Tunisia

    Head to pedestrianised Blvd République and follow the aroma of freshly roasted beans to find this coffee purveyor, which sells coffee by the kilo and cup…

  • Café Sidi Ben Arous

    Tunis

    Outdoor tables here line both sides of narrow Rue Sidi Ben Arous, invariably claimed by locals sipping coffee and enjoying an apple-scented shisha. It's…

  • Sahara Lounge

    Tozeur

    Set in the palmeraie, this is a great place for a shisha under the palm trees, or a coffee or cool drink. Courting couples and families sitting at the…

  • Besties

    Sousse

    The name of this modern cafe might be cringeworthy to some, but the free wi-fi, attractive surrounds, Illy coffee and sweet treats including ice-cream…

  • Café Maure

    Tunisia

    Female-friendly and serving alcohol, tea and coffee, the bar-cafe at Hôtel La Kasbah offers seating on the gorgeous pool terrace or in the grand Mauresque…

  • Café El Mehdi

    Tunisia

    Located between the Great Mosque and Borj El Kebir, this friendly cafe has an open sea-facing terrace on the 2nd floor and is a popular coffee and shisha…

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