Many travelers and residents of Tunisia’s Mediterranean coast already know Novostar’s restaurant and have even become its loyal fans and regular visitors. It’s no surprise because in 2023, outshining over a dozen strong competitors, Novastoria was named the best Italian restaurant in the resort town of Hammamet by Restaurant Guru, the super-popular website for food lovers with more than thirty million active users a month.
And what about a cafe by Novostar?
Yes, believe it or not, there is one! Recently, the grand opening took place, filled with treats, friendly smiles, well-wishes for culinary success, and the most delightful ideas. Novastoria Connect is already welcoming guests, offering…
Wait. Let’s dive into the details step by step!
Where is Novastoria Connect Cafe located?
The exact address is Av. Mohamed V, Oued Baten, Hammamet. For reference: across from it a private school Andalusia Academy is located, and within walking distance is the Carthage Group office. The street where our cafe is situated marks the beginning of the nightclub district.
Considering the location regarding Hammamet in general, the cafe is situated in the southern part, halfway between the tourist area of Yasmine Hammamet and the historic center with the old Arab medina and other attractions. It’s especially convenient for guests of nearby hotels, including:
What is the idea behind opening Novostar’s café?
There are several ideas, and one of them is to bring a fresh vibe to Hammamet’s culinary scene. The fact is, when it comes to dining establishments, this magnificent Tunisian resort lags behind the capital city of Tunis, and its coastal counterpart, Sousse. In those cities, new places pop up almost monthly, many of which are intriguing either due to their interior design, menu offerings, or both.
However, in Hammamet, the range of interesting spots to grab a bite, enjoy a cup of coffee, and spend some quality time has remained relatively unchanged, and it’s not particularly large either. Therefore, the opening of a new, modern cafe in this area is undoubtedly a noteworthy event.
What is this project about? What is Novastoria Connect?
Firstly, we are a paradise for coffee lovers. Literally. We offer all types of coffee: capsule, machine-brewed, or prepared the classic way, Turkish-style, brewed in sand. We also have all the trendy coffee drinks, e.g. made with coconut or almond milk, matcha, and more.
Secondly, we believe that it’s not just coffee enthusiasts who deserve special attention, so we offer our guests a variety of freshly squeezed juices and delicious non-alcoholic cocktails.
Thirdly, we serve only the freshest pastries, sure to please fans of croissants and similar delights. We also have signature sandwiches, hamburgers, individual-sized pizzas, and various salads. Our desserts are served in a special way. For instance, our cheesecakes are drizzled with special sauces and topped with ice cream crumbs, and the best part is that these little culinary shows happen right in front of our guests.
Speaking of ice cream, it’s available both for dine-in and takeout at Novastoria Connect. Another important detail: we’ve partnered with a renowned traditional sweets factory in Sfax, Maison Turki Pâtisserie (famous for crafting culinary masterpieces with a 100% quality guarantee, which is vital for us). We proudly offer their products both individually and in gift sets, beautifully packaged.
What other ideas form the basis of this new project?
Creating a cafe in Hammamet where visitors are completely shielded from both cigarette smoke and the omnipresent hookah aromas was a major idea behind it.
We have a well-air-conditioned, completely non-smoking place. There are no outdoor tables, and the café itself is two-story, with the second floor being an open space. This is a unique architectural design, where there’s no ceiling hanging over the area, creating a feeling of incredible freedom. There’s truly a lot of air here, and at Novastoria Connect, you can really breathe easily.
What does the seating arrangement look like at Novastoria Connect?
Currently, we have 36 seats, though there is more than enough space to comfortably accommodate a much larger number of guests. There are tables with classic seating arrangements, as well as high tables with bar stools.
On the second floor, there’s a large shelf filled with a variety of board games, as well as over a hundred books in English, French, Arabic, and Russian. We will definitely continue expanding our library.
Can the new cafe be considered a kind of co-working space?
Yes, our guests have access to a computer and printer. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout Novastoria Connect. The second floor of the cafe is incredibly convenient for work, making it a great spot to spend the entire day with your laptop, while also having breakfast and lunch.
What’s important to note is that the prices at Novastoria Connect are very reasonable for a venue of this level. Everyone who has already visited us has remarked that they expected the final bill to be much higher.
What else can guests of Novastoria Connect expect?
We have extensive experience in the hospitality industry and pay close attention to details, which often turn out to be quite important.
For example, our restrooms are separated into male and female facilities. Another noteworthy detail is the presence of coat racks, which are almost non-existent in most places in Tunisia. Typically, cafe visitors pile their coats, jackets, and cardigans on nearby chairs and sit next to heaps of outerwear, which, let’s be honest, doesn’t add to the aesthetic or comfort. We’ve noticed this and made sure to take care of our guests at Novastoria Connect.
Is there a plan to make Novastoria Connect the first of a future cafe chain?
To be honest, Novostar already has a small branded network of dining establishments, which includes the Novastoria restaurant and the new Novastoria Connect cafe.
However, we are likely to focus on expanding the cafe chain specifically, once we determine the direction to take based on the interests and preferences of our guests.
The focus will be on the resort town of Sousse and the capital city of Tunis, where, unlike the seasonal nature of Hammamet, such a business can be operated year-round without any slowdown. Of course, the competition is higher there but we already have substantial experience in both tourism and gastronomy.
In the meantime, visitors are welcomed at Novastoria Connect in Hammamet!
Yes, our cafe menu is already fully developed, but we love to change, so we will continuously transform it and fill it with new features to surprise and delight our guests.
Novastoria Connect is open daily from 07:00 to 21:00. We are always happy to welcome friends! Come by and enjoy your meals!
