Edible Ottawa

Beyond Café: A Family Affair

• Photo by Melody Maloney

  Vahid Meschi worked in a coffee shop in Tehran, learning the art of running the business from the shop’s owner. After he and his wife, Elaheh, settled in Orléans with their two daughters — Hasti and her 18-year-old sister, Helena — they spent years working and planning their business. In 2023, they opened Beyond Café on St. Joseph Blvd.

• Beyond Café’s breakfast, lunch and dessert offerings are best described as international flavours with a Persian twist. A lengthy list of sandwich options includes contemporary classics, such as chicken pesto, roast beef and caprese. For those looking for something out of the ordinary, the café offers several traditional Persian dishes wrapped up in sandwich form.

• The Persian Kotlet sandwich features an onion-and-groundbeef patty, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, seasoned with Persian spices — turmeric, cinnamon, garlic powder, paprika and dried basil. The Juj Kabob sandwich pairs grilled chicken marinated in saffron sauce with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes and the Beyond dressing.