Mediterranean Cafe, established in 1996 on 625 State Street, is an institution on the University of Wisconsin campus to its loyal customers, near and far.
Describing the cafe, Mackenzie Crary — who served as its manager for six months — described it as a go-to place for professors and students wanting a quick lunch in the afternoons or romantic dates in the evening with its quiet ambiance.
Crary described the cafe as a “third place” — a term coined by American sociologist Ray Oldenburg. A third place exists beyond the boundary of work and home, creating an environment where people can foster social connections or simply enjoy solitude in a cozy space.
What makes Mediterranean Cafe special? What has kept customers loyal for 30 years? The answer is its founder Faisal Belakhdar, an Algerian immigrant who moved to Madison. Now in his 80s and retired, Belakhdar continues to take care of his restaurant and help with the preparation of their specials every week.
The plethora of postcards that line its walls and binders from around the world are tangible recognitions of its community. Postcards pour into the restaurant every year from people around the world — Europe, Asia, South America and countries from all seven continents of the world.
The cards carry greetings, wishes and little stories, usually from foreigners who have visited or stayed in Madison at some point in their life. These are either pinned to the cafe’s wall or are gathered into a binder for diners to scan through while waiting for their food.
During his childhood, Belakhdar worked in his father’s coffee shop after school in Annaba, Northern Algeria. Growing up, while working at his father’s coffee shop, Belakhdar focused on his academics and strived for an academic career. After high school, Belakhdar pursued college in France.
It was in France that the seeds of his inspiration to start a cafe would bloom. While studying in France, Belakhdar longed to create a place where he nor others would be judged for being a foreigner, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. This, along with his experience and memory of working for his father in Annaba, would inspire Belakhdar to begin a cafe in Madison — a cafe where foreigners would feel welcomed and at home. Thus, he started Mediterranean Cafe.
Belakhdar wanted as many people as he could to feel welcomed in his cafe and wanted everyone to feel like they were home.
“Some people just have that charismatic and homely charm,” Crary said. “Faisal [Belakhdar] has that. He sees someone and invites them and gives them free tea. It is nice — he sees or hears about people and just starts talking to them and then people remember that and send back a postcard for the wall.”
Apart from postcards, the cafe has received gifts such as famous soccer team scarves, paintings and various other pieces of art from its customers which line the restaurant’s walls in recent times.
“It is really supportive and welcoming community,” Crary said. “Faisal [Belakhdar] wanted to have a welcoming and supporting community not only for immigrants but for all. That is a big thing.”
Over the years, Belakhdar — and now his son Ali, who runs his own coffee shop called Madison Cold Brew Coffee — have strived to make all those who visit or live in Madison feel at home.
In its almost 30-year journey, the Mediterranean Cafe has ceased to be just a restaurant for many and has become a community and a piece of Madison that people take back with them.
“When you’re far away from home, you want something to feel like it,” Crary said. “That is what he [Belakhdar] is trying to do.”
A few customers have also written feedback and expressed gratitude for the restaurant.
The first example is a postcard from Puerto Rico.
“To Med Cafe: Puerto Rico is beautiful but there’s no Med Cafe! Your food is the best! You make the Madison experience worthwhile!”
Next came a letter, marked March 26, 2001, from Thailand.
“I hadn’t noticed a postcard from Thailand in the Mediterranean cafe so I thought you must like this. Some of the food here in Thailand is tasty but not as good as what I get in your restaurant. Thanks for all the help promoting all our shows this year.”
Postcards also describe big changes and occasions in previous customers’ lives, including a letter from New York City from the 2000s.
“Hello, how is everything? It’s been a long time! I moved from Tokyo to New York City and I’m teaching English to foreigners there. There’s lots of falafel here but I will never find hummus like yours ANYWHERE! I still dream about it. Will visit soon.”
Another letter was posted Jan. 22, 2021, from Los Angeles, California.
“Hello Faycal [Belakhdar], I hope that you and your business have fared well during this pandemic. We may have had to move to Los Angeles but still haven’t found a better Shawarma!”
Not so far from Madison, another letter dated Sept. 6, 2002, came from Menominee, Wisconsin.
“I will look for this card the next time I join my daughter Julia for lunch in your fine restaurant! Hi to the folks that work there and Hi to my friends Sang and Ned who eat there often.”
Ali and Faisal [Belakhdar] have made a community through food and provided support and safety to those who needed it in Madison. They remain in the stories of others and the heart of Madison.
