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Meli Cafe

3.5 (773 reviews)
Closed • 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

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MELI CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Meli Cafe

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Boon C.

This is the cafe below our hotel. I like it for the convenience and the quantity. We were able to get a seat without reservation. We have order the spicy flemanco omelette. This omelette has chicken chorizo. The omelette is big. We also got the Nutella crepe. I like the crepe for breakfast. It is very lite. Breakfast is full filling. Service just ok. Seat is comfortable. Love the ambiance.

Angelina E.

Cute spot near my hotel! I dined in by myself and ordered an iced latte as well as the beet juice. The iced latte was made to perfection. This is very rare whenever I order from a sit down restaurant. The beet juice was very fresh and it was a pretty decent portion of juice. I ordered a build your own omelette with veggies and chicken chorizo and paired it with fruit and hash browns. It was a huge portion of food and I left with my belly full! The service started to get a bit slower towards the end and I waited a few minutes to find a server to pay for my meal, but other than that everything was great!

Pancake Breakfast
Karen L.

Dropped by here on a random Saturday for a late breakfast. I had the jalapeño bowl and it was ehhhhhh. I love jalapeños, especially very spicy ones. But this bowl had so many uncooked jalapeños that it felt like eating a raw jalapeño with tiny bits of eggs and potatoes. The ratio and textures was off. My husband's pancake breakfast was fine. The pancakes tasted like a cupcake. Shout out to the hash browns though cause they were delicious and crispy.

Junsheng X.

Food is your typical breakfast food, but conveniently located next to hotels downtown. Food isn't bad, but still quite baffled by the 20%+ suggested tips without much service provided and receipts that ask for another additional 5% tips after you pay....

Michael K.

Food was incredible. All fresh ingredients and super high quality. The protein omelette was so flavor while the sourdough bread was super fresh and delicious. Highly recommend this spot for a great breakfast!

Banana Bread French Toast
Madison M.

Phenomenal breakfast! I came here with some friends of mine who raved about this place. They said they come here often and everything they've tried has been delicious, and they were right! We came for a late Sunday brunch and although they were busy, they were able to seat us right away. All of the staff were so friendly and welcoming! I ordered an iced late to start that was high quality and delicious yet simple. For food, I couldn't decide between something sweet and savory so I got both! I had the banana bread french toast and breakfast tacos. The banana bread french toast blew my mind! What a creative concept that was so beautifully executed! I'm not even a french toast lover but these are a must try! The breakfast tacos were very good, too! Both hit the spot and made for great leftovers. I highly recommend this gem in south loop!

Breakfast Tacos
Leslie C.

I'm torn about this place. I've eaten here twice. The first time it was really good and the second time it was not. The first time, I ordered the Shakshuka and it was quite tasty and the poached eggs were perfect. The second time, I had the breakfast tacos and they were really dense, lacking flavor, the components were stuck together, and the tortillas were soggy and falling apart. My friend ordered the Tofu Scrambler and didn't like it, and she's not a picky person. It was basically just veggies and tofu mixed with a marinara sauce. She thought it was really bland. She and I loved the iced chai tea latte was very tasty. And we really liked the beet juice too. Both times I received excellent service. The service is definitely consistent. Everyone is very friendly and attentive here. Indoor and outdoor seating. Cute cafe. A bit warm inside. Located in the same building as Hotel Blake. The decor is really lovely, especially the chandeliers. Bright space, lots of natural light.

Farmland Bowl 4/10
Batoul Z.

I'm not impressed. The outdoor seating is very cute and quaint so that's what drew me to it. Indoor just feels sticky if that makes any sense. The lox Benedict is awful. It has the TINIEST piece of salmon I've ever seen. I know places are cheap but this is just bad I got the bowl with zucchini. No seasoning and the potatoes were soggy The egg is ok

lamb Shakshouka
Joseph S.

I came here a couple of weeks ago with some friends and it was really nice. The service is a bit slow but the food is flavorful. It can get hot in the restaurant. I got the special which was the lamb shakshouka. It was super flavorful and really worth it in my opinion. It is a super cute place for a date.

Menu
Brianna F.

Quick and efficient service. Friendly staff and food was delicious. I ordered the classic eggs benedict and it hit the spot!

Ashley N.

Gluten free French toast was disgusting. We decided to go here since we seen a hand full of TikTok videos hyping this breakfast place up. Unfortunately it was a disappointment and breakfast is hard to mess up. There was just something missing everything was bland. Our service was not great either. My French toast didn't arrive till after my food was ate. My favorite part was the chai tea latte. However they did not charge us for the French toast or my mom's food as she did not like it either, which was appreciated!

Jorge H.

Stopped in for breakfast and it was okay overall. The food was fine and the service was fine as well, but nothing really stood out as exceptional. It's an average spot, but not somewhere I'd go out of my way for.

Julianne S.

Food, drinks, & service was amazing! I had the crème brûlée french toast and it was delicious. Perfect brunch spot, highly recommend.

The fluffy buttermilk pancake breakfast with soft scrambled eggs, smoked applewood bacon, sausages, and an added fruit bowl

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2 years ago

It was good! Good mimosas and breakfast food! Huge menu, everyone can find something they will love! Enjoyed my time

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3 years ago

Food is delicious and very fresh! Service was excellent and fast. Bloody Mary and fruit smoothie with vodka was delicious.

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The Dearborn

The Dearborn

4.4(2.8k reviews)
0.6 mi•The Loop
•$$

I've decided that this will officially be a staple lunch spot for me!…read more I was on a break from class when I stumbled across this little gem. Think of the quintessential restaurant scene in a movie where a business executive grabs a quick power lunch, surrounded by other professionals, before heading back to the office for that BIG meeting. It was exactly that! Meanwhile, I walked in wearing my school clothes, just looking for a good lunch. The atmosphere was great, the Wi-Fi was a plus, the food was delicious, and the cocktail menu was intriguing! I ordered the Dearborn Burger based on my waiter's recommendation, and it did not disappoint! It was cooked exactly to my liking and was SO juicy. The fries were perfectly crisp, just how I like them. And the MAN-LET'S-GO! cocktail? Exactly what I needed! It satisfied my mango craving and gave me that little boost I needed to get through the rest of my day. Between the atmosphere, the food, and the service, I can already tell this is going to become one of my regular spots. I will definitely be back frequently!

The service was wonderful. Our waiter was such a treat. The truffle fries are some of the best in…read morethe city. The ceviche was wonderful - very limey. The other food we ordered did not impress me. We ordered the hot honey pepperoni, the fried chicken starter, the burrata. Those were not my favorites - not bad just not special or stand out. The vibes are elevated corporate.

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The Dearborn - $12 Martinis for Martini Mondays

$12 Martinis for Martini Mondays

The Dearborn - New Spring Menu

New Spring Menu

The Dearborn - Spring desserts

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Spring desserts

The Purple Pig - 36 Day Aged Pork Chop

The Purple Pig

4.3(9.1k reviews)
1.1 mi•Near North Side
•$$$

I really enjoyed my visit. The ambiance was good. And the food along with the service was great…read more Please note that they specialize in small plates. So the prices you pay isn't designed to have piles of food hanging off the plate. It's not that type of establishment before you rate it negatively. You should know that beforehand. The Half Duck was to die for. And I don't even eat duck like that. I'd recommend & will certainly go back.

This was a very mixed experience, which surprised me given the overwhelmingly positive reviews that…read morebrought us here. To start, the hostess was rude. It took her a while to acknowledge me standing there, and when she finally asked how she could help, I mentioned I had a reservation and began giving my name. She cut me off with, 'Please wait, I'm very busy.' After another five minutes, she finally took my name and asked my family and me to step fully outside, saying someone would come get us. We were finally seated fifteen minutes later--only after watching another party of three walk in without a reservation and get seated immediately. The appetizers and entrees were good, and our waiter was attentive, even apologizing for the rough start at the host stand. Things seemed to be turning around until we tried to order dessert. Despite being more than forty minutes from closing, our waiter returned to tell us, 'The chef refuses to make any more desserts.' This was that rare restaurant visit where the food itself was solid, but we won't be back. The service made it abundantly clear that our presence was an inconvenience.

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The Purple Pig - The kitchen

The kitchen

The Purple Pig - Chicago style hot dog

Chicago style hot dog

The Purple Pig - Squid Ink Chitarra

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Squid Ink Chitarra

Boka

Boka

4.3(1.9k reviews)
2.8 mi•Lincoln Park
•$$$$

Boka was a special dining experience. The restaurant offers an intimate, cozy atmosphere, and the…read morestaff were wonderful. They were attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful with their recommendations. We opted in for the vegetarian tasting menu. Each course was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. Nothing felt like an afterthought, and the menu offered an impressive variety of flavors and textures. We were super full at the end. The restaurant also prepared a special birthday menu with all the great dishes the chef made for us that day. Some of our favorites included the Cherry Tomato Tart, Smoked Turnip, Chestnut Ravioli, and Roasted Maitake Mushroom with Meyer lemon and black truffle. The Chocolate Tart and Elderflower Panna Cotta were the perfect finishing touches along with the birthday ice cream popsicle. Overall, Boka felt intimate, elevated, and impeccably executed. It was clear that tremendous thought went into every dish. This was a truly memorable meal, and we will be back :).

I got a bar seat reservation for the missus and I (two) at 7:15pm on Sunday, September 6, 2026. The…read morefront desk was courteous - they give you a key for your bags (looks like an ancient key) as part of bag check, and led us to our table at the leftmost side of the bar. The bar seating itself wasn't super crowded - but every booth and table looked like it was taken, so that was interesting. On my way to the bathroom I saw their numerous michelin years of guide and stars. It's noticeably missing 2026 - and after having dined here, I kind of get why. For a drink I got the local Eris Pedestrian cider. We debated getting the chef menu ($195/each) , but we ended up ordering a la carte: chicken liver mousse ($9/each, we ordered two), roasted veal sweetbreads ($30), black truffle chicken ($43), and roasted dry aged pork loin ($51). We later ordered a financiers for dessert (forgot the price). We were full after eating everything that we ordered, but given the lack of quality of the cuts of meat, the small portion sizes, and the extremely high cost, it's hard for me to recommend this place. If this is what Michelin star-quality food tastes like (at least in Chicago), the Michelin evaluators here have either no actual taste buds, or are awarding stars for "vibes" only. The vibes are fine - don't get me wrong - but the food here isn't anything worth writing home about. Dish by dish: mousse was decent, the veal was kinda dry, the chicken was very dry, and the pork loin, while decent, wasn't as special as we thought it'd be. Financiers was kinda sweet but it was actually the only part of the meal I truly enjoyed the bites of. The post-meal truffle thing was too sweet for the missus so I ate both. The cider was... Pedestrian, as the name implies. Definitely the most fitting name for the drink. The bathrooms are down the stairs - so it's terrible for those in wheelchairs or that are mobility challenged. The bathrooms themselves are high-quality - which is part of the experience, but idk if it's "worthy" of adding stars to a mediocre food experience.

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Boka
Boka
Boka - Chocolate Angel Food Cake

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Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Cindy's Rooftop - Prawns Nayarit

Cindy's Rooftop

4.1(2.9k reviews)
0.5 mi•The Loop
•$$$

A friend and I stopped in for one last hoorah dinner before leaving Chicago, and it was the perfect…read moreway to end our trip! Christian provided fantastic service, and we had a lovely table with beautiful views of the city. We started with delicious drinks and decided to stay for dinner. We ordered the Cajun corn, fried chicken, and vodka rigatoni, and everything was absolutely delicious! The fried chicken was incredibly crispy and flavorful, the pasta was perfectly cooked, and the Cajun corn was the perfect finishing touch. Between the wonderful service, amazing food, and gorgeous city views, it was a fantastic dining experience and a memorable way to wrap up our Chicago adventure!

Cindy's Rooftop has beautiful views of the city. It's overlooking Millennium Park and The Bean…read more Perfect place to bring out of town visitors or if you just want to enjoy rooftop views. We definitely picked a beautiful fall day to come by. Came around 3pm on a Tuesday and they had a limited menu until 5pm. Ordered the cheese curds and arancini as appetizers. Both were tasty and the sauces were great. The smashburger and fries were really good too, and filling. Overall food was good but pricey. Guess you're paying for the downtown rooftop views with your food Our server was nice and attentive and my water glass was never empty.

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Cindy's Rooftop - Inside the rooftop bar and restaurant

Inside the rooftop bar and restaurant

Cindy's Rooftop - Pink Moon Oysters* (Half Dozen)

Pink Moon Oysters* (Half Dozen)

Cindy's Rooftop - Jeppson's Malört

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Jeppson's Malört

Au Cheval

Au Cheval

4.4(9.6k reviews)
1.1 mi•West Loop, Near West Side
•$$

I read all the bad reviews before coming and... they were just hating, having a bad day, or have…read morenever eaten a burger before to be an objective judge! Because no way did we eat at the same place. WOW! It's only been a handful of times that I've had the urge to write a review while I'm still eating because of how amazing the experience is. The ambiance is bustling and will FOR SURE keep you awake as you fill your belly. And the burger? It's not just a burger, it's culinary art and a full on flavor experience. I was full well before my plate was empty, but I simply could not imagine reheating any part of it later. The egg was cooked to sunny-side perfection, and every bite was ridiculous. It's bar-style, so the fries came out first, hot and paired with a garlic aioli that absolutely did what it needed to do. Everyone moves with purpose. The food, the service, the atmosphere--this place is a well-oiled machine of greatness. 1000/10. Will absolutely be back.

The reservation system is up! Making it SO MUCH easier to get a table and get food, so definitely…read moretake advantage of that or be prepared to wait for a while. So the burgers are worth the hype! 5/5 A single is two smash patties, definitely get the bacon and the egg on top of the burger because that what makes it amazing!! So don't skip on it! The bacon is truly the highlight, as most will tell you, not too chewy but a melt in your mouth thick cut bacon! Burger was cooked perfectly to order and The only thing that was a disappointment was the fries. Just not that great, not enough salt, but also the texture was off. Not worth the $8 2/5 Overall, it was a great experiment and I'd totally recommend you trying!

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Au Cheval - Beers

Beers

Au Cheval - Single Cheeseburger

Single Cheeseburger

Au Cheval - Crispy Fries & Potato Hash

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Crispy Fries & Potato Hash

Gretel - elevated! butter chicken curry soup with cilantro + crispy paratha

Gretel

4.5(486 reviews)
4.6 mi•Logan Square
•$$

This is my third time at Gretel and the food was even better than I remembered it! We came around…read more5pm on a Sunday and there was only about a 10 minute wait. They sat us downstairs. I had only sat upstairs at the bar and outside, so I was happy we were able to see the downstairs. It's very intimate down there with only a few tables, while the upstairs is a lot more of a lively bar atmosphere. Service was good and fast. They are known for their burger but I am not a huge burger fan. Their other food is amazing though! Even my boyfriend who loves burgers agreed that the chicken sandwich was one of the best and maybe even better than the burger. Definitely get the mac & cheese, chicken sandwich, and french onion soup. The french onion soup was super cheesy and the mac & cheese was so creamy and perfect. Typically I don't like bacon in mac & cheese, but I love that they don't overdo it here where it overpowers the entire dish. It was only some tiny pieces of bacon just for the flavor.

I've heard a lot of great things about Gretel so I was excited to finally try it! This review is…read morereally for 4.5 stars! We ordered a smorgasbord of items including the (infamous) burger (which lived up to the hype!), steak frites, and Mac and cheese and mashed potato sides. We also ordered a mocktail, something lime and coconut ish, which was truly outstanding. All the food was SO good, and the portions were really big which surprised (and delighted!) us. The server was very nice, perhaps not the most bubbly, but she was extremely accommodating regarding a dietary restriction which we appreciated. She was understanding and validating, which went a long way with us! This is such a great neighborhood spot with a menu so varied, there's something for everyone. Can't wait to return and try some ramen on a fall night soon!

Photos
Gretel - Flowers

Flowers

Gretel - Outstanding butter & brine oysters from portsmouth maine

Outstanding butter & brine oysters from portsmouth maine

Gretel - Beautiful italian orange wine with great minerality

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Beautiful italian orange wine with great minerality

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf - Dry Aged Bone In Ribeye

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf

4.6(3.6k reviews)
1.0 mi•River North, Near North Side
•$$$$

I decided to check out this place for a weekday dinner WITHOUT reservations. I knew that having…read morereservations would make dining easier but I didn't plan in advance. I arrived around 6PM for a table, I was told I could go to the bar for bar seating or get my name on the list and wait. So I went to the bar but surprisingly, there were couple other parties waiting at the bar for a seating too. We actually waited about 45 minutes at the bar for seating, and then I received a text an hour later that a table would be ready. Since I was already seated at the bar, I kept my bar seating and forgo the table. So you might be able to get a table seating if you get your name on the list for a weekday dinner. I have to admit this place felt very dim, it feels darker - I supposed that tis the ambiance of a nicer, upscale restaurant. However, I have to admit they are laxed on the dress code. I don't actually know if there's a dress code although a lot of people are in more business casual/dressy attire. I wasn't in anything dressy though and no one said anything. As for the food, I think it is delicious. So we ordered 2 different steak dishes - the bone in aged rib eye and the steak & frites. I love the pairing salt that comes with it, it really tops it off for the steaks. We also ordered sides -- sides do not come with the steaks, they are purchased separately. However, the creamed spinach and the truffle mac and cheese were amazingly delicious. I still remembered the deliciousness as I am writing this review. The sides definitely tops it off. I think they do an excellent job cooking the steak, I love that they already cut it perfectly for me. This is an excellent steak place, great sides. It can get a little busy/crowded, but service is also pretty good. I think the staff does a good job overall given the craziness of this place. It seems like it is always packed. I see people in their "work attire" come here for drinks too and possibly for a bite to eat. I would definitely recommend this place to others -- if you don't want to wait for a table, plan ahead and book a reservation ahead of time. But this place is "casual" enough for you to stop in to grab some food if you're willing to wait.

Came here for a weekend in Chicago, heard so many good things about it including my chicago local…read morefriends. It's a dark chicago pub looking place with dim lighting and mood lighting, making it look exactly like you'd imagine. We came for walk in at 4 and were told we could sit at the bar immediately or wait for a table. We chose to wait for a table because we weren't fully hungry yet, and got a callback at 5, perfect for us. We ordered the sourdough, crab avocado salad, dry aged ribeye, fried chicken, and mac and cheese. Sourdough: 10/10- ate the entire loaf before we even got the appetizers. Salad: 10/10- amazing flavor and unique. We usually never order salad but this sounded so unique and didn't disappoint - creamy, acidic, perfect appetizer. Fried Chicken: 8/10- above average fried chicken on mashed potatoes. Well spiced but nothing to write home about. Ribeye: 10/10- great steak and honestly not bad pricing. Great crust and flavor, would definitely recommend to split for 2 since it's big. Mac and Cheese: 4/10- pasta was not hot and was undercooked. I usually like al dente but this pasta was hard. It was barely cheesy and was like a alfredo sauce more than cheesy, and the crust on top was lukewarm and stagnant like it had been sitting there. Overall great experience but avoid the mac and cheese.

Photos
Bavette's Bar & Boeuf - Inside Upstairs

Inside Upstairs

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf - Bone Marrow

Bone Marrow

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf - Waiting area and first floor dining

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Waiting area and first floor dining

No Vacancy

No Vacancy

4.5(183 reviews)
1.1 mi•River North, Near North Side
•$$

Went in on a bears/packers game day as a packers fan. This is a bears friendly establishment…read more Had a great time. The staff and patrons were all very good sports. I'll definitely come back because the food and drinks matched the energy.

If you're coming here for drinks, it's probably a great vibe, but if you're coming for food, I…read morewould recommend elsewhere. I want to preface my review with the positives, Londyn was our server & was truly so kind, thorough, and friendly. The restaurant itself is clean & all tables have clear views of the TVs on game days. Now for the room for improvement- the food was very underwhelming. Being from the Chicago area previously, I regularly advocate for the Chicago food scene, and this unfortunately did not meet those standards. We ordered the Brussels sprouts, buffalo cauliflower, wings, and sesame ginger salad: -Brussel sprouts: tasted like they weren't seasoned just air fried and drenched in balsamic dressing -Buffalo cauliflower: soggy, unseasoned, runny buffalo sauce -Wings: PERFECTLY CRISPY, but no flavor (we ordered lemon pepper & buffalo) -Sesame ginger salad: sloppy mix of vegetables tossed in an overly sweet sauce with no sesame or ginger flavor in sight If you're not going to eat, this is probably a great spot, but from a food standpoint, there is room for improvement.

Photos
No Vacancy
No Vacancy - Blackened Fresh Florida Grouper Sandwich

Blackened Fresh Florida Grouper Sandwich

No Vacancy - Pigs in a Blanket

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Pigs in a Blanket

Ema - Salmon bab.

Ema

4.3(2k reviews)
1.1 mi•Near North Side
•$$

I first tried Ema back in 2022 when I visited Chicago for the first time to attend the Northcoast…read morefestival. For some reason, I overlooked reviewing it then, but I never forgot it, so I was ecstatic when I found out my company's annual offsite team dinner would be hosted at Ema. Our group of 35 was pretty large, so we were split up amongst several tables, but it was nice getting to chat in smaller groups. Our drink orders were taken not long after we were seated, and the food and bevvies started to arrive in short order. I got to try way more during my business trip than I did 4 years ago, but regardless, I noted the quality of food that was served remained consistent over the years. Highlights for me included the salmon, Greek village spread, pita bread, chocolate torte, and honey cake. The salmon was so mild and tender, the Greek village spread taster local and refreshing, and the pita bread was seasoned to perfection and hands down the best I've ever had. The desserts were a surprisingly delicious end to the meal. I didn't think I could stomach more food, but somehow I rallied. I don't even like chocolate that well, but the chocolate torte really hit the spot, and the honey cake was a new-to-me decadent dessert. It reminded me of the flavor of honey grahams but in cake form. I've never had anything quite like it and am really glad I got to try it. Coming back to Ema after 4 years was better than I expected. I love Mediterranean food, and after 5 total trips to Chicago, I must say Ema is so far my favorite restaurant here. I'm not easy to please, but Ema serves up some of the best this city has to offer.

Mixed feelings on this place. Really pretty decor and nice vibe, but portions have greatly…read moredecreased in the last few years. The food is good, but I don't like that the portions have gotten smaller with the price staying the same. I've added pictures to show the difference. Their spicy hummus is probably my favorite hummus I've gotten from a restaurant, but it isn't always on the menu. The Kefta kabob is always good.

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Ema - Ema tables and bar

Ema tables and bar

Ema - Tuna & Watermelon*  june 2026.

Tuna & Watermelon* june 2026.

Ema - Inside

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Inside

Meli Cafe - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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