The Cafe des Nattes — named for the reed matting (nattes) used as seating — sits at the top of the main stepped street in Sidi Bou Said and has been serving mint tea and pine-nut pastries since the early 20th century. It was a favourite of writers and artists in the early-to-mid 20th century and became part of the mythology of the village. The low-ceilinged, arched interior is atmospheric, the views from the terrace are good, and the tea arrives in the traditional way: poured high from a silver pot.
The prices are tourist-oriented and the service can be erratic, but the location is unbeatable and the experience of sitting here in the evening, when the day-trippers have gone, is genuinely pleasant. Order the pine-nut tea (the nattes' signature) rather than the bog-standard mint.