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Cafe Tanja is so captivating, it can literally stop the traffic flow of Surry Hills. One customer was driving past, noticed the Algerian poster on the wall, abandoned his vehicle and raced into the eatery. “He left his car in the middle of the road,” says Sanah Djebli, Cafe Tanja’s co-owner.

He’d lived in Sydney for 20 years and had Algerian roots – and he hadn’t encountered a local restaurant offering the food of his homeland before. He was stunned and promised to park properly and return with family.

Cafe Tanja is so instantly charming, its North African focus has compelled many passersby to flock inside. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you exist,” they tell Djebli. They were simply walking past, caught a glimpse of the flags of Tunisia, Morocco or Algeria and needed to double back and enter.

There’s a transporting feel to the cafe that reflects the region it’s inspired by. “Tanja is the Arab name for the city of Tangier in the north of Morocco,” says Djebli. “It’s a city where me and my family spent a lot of time.”

In fact, her mother Linda continues to visit – and she helped decorate Cafe Tanja with goods found in Tangier and Marrakech. Those delicate terracotta cups that hold the sweet Moroccan mint tea (hatay) you’ve ordered? Linda carefully hauled them here in her carry-on luggage during a 24-hour flight – along with soup bowls, salt and pepper holders and other hand-crafted goods, all cushioned by Moroccan newspaper pages.

Linda also influences the menu at Cafe Tanja, which opened in May. The food is overseen by chef Nadim El-Zein, Djebli’s husband: he’s the one mixing semolina and flour to make thick loaves of matlouh, the bread that slots into sandwiches and is also presented with slow-cooked tagines.

The matlouh plays the support act to the Algerian eggs, which are gloriously puffy and frilled from being constantly basted with olive oil. They’re also cross-fired with an arsenal of roasted cumin seeds, too.

Perhaps the matlouh’s density is best showcased in the Kader sandwich, named after Djebli’s dad. The overflow of smoked cheese makes it look like a breakfast muffin, but it outranks any fast-food version because it’s filled with eggs and a hit of tchouktchouka – a capsicum-tomato blend worth ordering on its own.

The full-sized version of tchouktchouka arrives on a sizzling plate, and while it shares similarities to the shakshuka that dominates brunch menus, Djebli says tchouktchouka is the traditional Tunisian version. It’s less a baked-egg dish and more chunkier, flavour-concentrated and buzzes with the 21-spice earthiness of the ras el hanout mix.

Also Tunisian-inspired (and worth ordering): pastries stuffed with a spiced egg, potato and three-cheese blend, and shallow-fried until crisp. Brilliant with a charge of lemon, these taste like a happy merger of Italian pizza fritta and Turkish gozleme.

The cafe has recently added dinner services, featuring much-requested dishes from the region, such as prawn tagines and chorba, a fragrant Algerian soup.

Incidentally, the sandwiches are named after family members: the marinated chicken with Tanja sauce and roasted tomatoes is a tribute to Djebli’s late brother, and the welcoming personalities of Djebli and El-Zein power the cafe’s charm.

The Zinedine Zidane jersey in the hallway is a cute reference to their courtship. “When I met Nadim and said I was Algerian, he only knew what [that meant] because he loved soccer,” she says. “Obviously Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest players … and he’s Algerian.”

Nowadays, her husband (who is Lebanese Australian) knows a lot more about North Africa, particularly the Moroccan post-mosque ritual of serving couscous on Fridays. That’s why the grains are on the menu. They’re steamed and prepared the traditional way: a process that takes two and a half hours.

It’s why packets of instant couscous from the supermarket can’t really compare. “[When] they say put in water for five minutes – all North Africans want to cry when they see that,” says Djebli.

The beverages also evoke the region, from the rose-flavoured fizz of gazouz to the avocado-thick zaazaa, dense with dates, honey and nuts. Then there’s the tea, which is full of dimension, thanks to the steeped mint and the contrasting sugar.

By serving under-represented cuisines of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, Cafe Tanja is a way for people to feel at home. “I hope everyone gets this feeling, [whether] you’re from North Africa or not,” she says.