Al-Nawfara Cafe

A very interesting cafe and must visit place ... not only it is in the heart of the old city almost attached to the Ummayyid Mosque, but it is also bustling with action and people. food, drinks and snack are not a big deal but the environment is lovely. Some days at 8 pm, there is a traditional Damascene poems and story teller.

Al-Nawfara Café is Damascus in its most human, most alive form. Tucked beside the Umayyad Mosque, this historic café has been welcoming Damascenes and travelers for generations, offering more than coffee or tea—it offers continuity. Time doesn’t rush here. Wooden chairs, marble tables, and the rhythm of backgammon pieces carry the feeling that yesterday and today are sitting side by side. What truly elevates Al-Nawfara is its role as a guardian of oral tradition. The café is famous for the hakawati, the storyteller whose voice once filled the space with epics, legends, and heroic tales. In those moments, Al-Nawfara became a living theater, preserving memory not in books but in breath and sound. The café’s location, steps from one of the world’s great mosques, makes it a crossroads of faith, culture, and everyday life. Worshippers, artists, elders, and curious visitors all pass through, each adding a quiet verse to its ongoing story. To praise Al-Nawfara Café is to praise Damascus’s ability to turn the ordinary into the timeless—a simple cup of coffee transformed into an act of belonging, a pause in the city where history still sits down and listens.

Very nice old traditional cafe. It's considered one of the oldest in Damascus. Very nice location behind the Umayyad mosque. The staff are friendly. Recommended for the unique experience.

​If you are visiting the old city, this is absolute place to be. ​It is the perfect spot if you love people-watching and want to observe ordinary folks from all different backgrounds walking by. It is definitely not a fancy place, but it possesses an authenticity so raw and charming that you simply cannot resist. ​Grab a traditional tea or coffee, order an Argeeleh, and just soak in the timeless atmosphere of historic Damascus. It’s a must-visit for anyone wanting a genuine taste of local life!

eclectic little cafe, so charming. stopped in time to hear the hakawati tell his story. the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. nice cup of tea.