Cafe Bassam
About this place
Cafe Bassam is a coffee and tea house on Fifth Avenue in San Diego's Bankers Hill. Owner Bassam Shamma, one of the early names in the Gaslamp Quarter, moved the cafe up from its original spot at Fourth and Market, and a neon sign inside calls it the first real coffee house in California.
He wanted a place that feels like a Middle Eastern cafe with a bit of French influence, and the room looks like a small Victorian museum: ornate mirrors, vintage rifles on maroon walls, period jewelry and antique furniture that rotates through. Visitors compare the mood to Paris or Beirut, and it is a popular spot for studying because no one rushes you.
The menu is light: panini such as the caprese with mozzarella, tomato and basil, sandwiches, soups, an olive plate and a cheese plate, plus coffee, tea, wine and desserts including baklava. There is indoor and outdoor seating, and reservations are accepted.
The cafe lists hours of 7 AM to 1 AM daily and the phone number is 619-557-0173. Details come from older press coverage, so confirm current hours and prices.
Address: 3088 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103 · Phone: 619-557-0173
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