If you’re a tea lover, you’ll definitely love this place. It has a great atmosphere and vibe, with a great and wide selection of tea blends. Their blends are truly unique and fragrant, we tried the cinnamon + black tea and lavender + black tea. They also sell antique items and hats.

The teas are the best. I love the vintage decoration and I could see the owner has very good idea. The service is ok because sometimes, they are friendly, sometimes they are not friendly but its not a big deal. I go there for teas and to look at the antique items.

What a really cool place! Quaint, clean, friendly staff! Delicious drinks and food selection with fresh ingredients and fruits/veggies! Loved this experience! Thank you and I will be back!

Five stars for an unbelievable selection of teas, for uniqueness of the place, and for the owner’s hospitality and generosity. Have never seen such a selection of teas, and so many combinations of flavors. Tried the Mozzarella cheese toast which melted in my mouth. The atmosphere is great and one can choose a quiet spot inside or just sit outside. Pick up a hat while you are there!

Excellent European style cafe with a little bit of everything. Awesome tea selection

We’ve loved this Cafe ever since moving to San Diego in 2012. Eclectic atmosphere, with amazing offerings of coffee, tea, wine including port and lunch/diner fare.Our favorite is the baklava sprinkled with pistachio with an Americano and a glass of port. I highly recommend Cafe Bassam.

Here we had nice coffee drinks and tasty pastries. Excellent coffee. The service is very friendly and quick. A good vibe in an atmosphere that is trendy but still comfortable. They will certainly return while they are in the neighborhood. Worth a rest there.

It was fine? Decor was beautiful and vintage like many of the reviews have said but also very dusty. Definitely doesn’t feel like a place you would want to get food from because of this. Not a lot of outlets which was frustrating. I guess I don’t understand what this place is trying to be? It’s stuck between being really vintage and cool and being a practical place where you can go and get work done.3 stars because everyone says the tea is great and I admittedly didn’t try it. Also the cashier was very rude and off putting, seemed like she dreaded being there but I’ll chalk that up to a bad day.

If you are looking for Starbucks, this place is not for you. Warm, inviting, and unique. friendly, prompt service with a smile. tea and coffee

The most unique cafe experience in San Diego I think. Feels like a bohemian cafe in a city like NYC or Paris. The option to have beer, or tea, or coffee means you can spend all day here. Wish they served sandwiches later, though.

Absolutely love this cute little coffee shop! I had a dirty Chai and it was delicious! Staff were also super friendly!

I love this place

Cafe Bassam is a renaissance place with a unique vibe. Think Havana in the 1950s: an ambiance of elegance and eclecticism. The coffee is great and the owner is sweet.

Nice Cafe, I had a beautiful experience

A real San Diego gem! Owned and operated by the same owner all these years. Imagine a classy, comfy coffee and tea shop with countless flavors & blends of tea and coffee, filled with antiques, and offering fresh healthy dishes for breakfast, brunch(!!), lunch, or a casual dinner. You will fall in love with this place: different languages, cultures, voices, and ages all blend together perfectly.The owner is often working in the cafe. chatting with customers and offering a little taste of this or that. Our party was treated to several middle eastern dessert pastry samples and variations of coffee drinks.The staff is hip, chill, and knowledgeable. This is a San Diego secret. Perfect, any time of the day.

One of the most fantastic coffee shops in town. Unbelievable atmosphere, friendly and professional servers. Once there make sure to say hello to Bassam, his presence calms down your soul. Make sure to take a few homemade cookies home. They have the largest collection of exotic teas.

I so wanted to give this place a 5 star, the location is great, the decor is a step back in time....the whole vibe is unique and relaxing. Been going there since 2008. The food and coffee is wonderful. So many teas to choose from. But the service is always a mixed bag. One day its great, the next day the person behind the counter totally forgets your coffee order? You never know what to expect, and they seem to have a high turnover. Yeah.....I keep going back, so its not a deal breaker.

Love this place. Its calm, relaxing, good food, great energy, and friendly service. You can get food, wine, coffee, desserts, and teas here. Lunch is around $10~. 16oz iced coffee is $3.50. The ambiance is calm, with lively chatter, vintage decor, and a collection of all generations gathering. There is outdoor seating to.This place isnt for everyone, I think it is better suited for people who like old parts of Europe or have fond memories of your grandparents eclectic home, because it is full of memories and cozy. I love it, go see it.

Fabulous coffee, very special breakfast egg box, and friendly & helpful staff.

Im so glad I stumbled upon this beautiful cafe! I needed a good place to work and this is definitely now one at the top of my list! The customer service was great - the staff were friendly and I got both my drink and food promptly. I was happy that there seemed to be a good amount of power outlets, which was great for working on my laptop. I also appreciated that the music wasnt too loud or distracting - huge bonus to me! I will definitely go back again soon!

Staff is really really nice and the place has a very cool and vintage vibe. Owner is known to be very kind and hard-working. Amazing cafe, me recommendation is the melted turkey sandwich.

Always great coming here, even during covid. Excellent selection of teas and service, love the decor, coffee is good too. Can also smoke at the tables on Redwood. Whats not to like?

Cool place with a nice selection of coffee and cigars. I will make sure to stop by more often

The minute you enter is like a new world or back in time like a museum and you feel this sense of calmness.I love this place. Its a hidden gem. 💎 their white chocolate mocha ☕ is the best. I have searched so many places to find this one particular drink. I am in love with this mix of modern interior design along with antiques. So amazing. The people all are quiet and enjoying themselves. .

We just stopped here for a place to rest our feet for a while and got sandwiches and drinks as table tax. We were surprised to find that our sandwiches were not only well priced but totally delicious - way beyond our expectations for a touristy neighborhood. The food menu items arent anything flashy - just classics done well - but they can really hit the spot!

Walking out of this place, you expect to be in Potsdam, not San Diego. Just all around perfect.

Really need to get back to ceramic mugs and reusable plates and cutlery when dining in. No need to create a bunch of trash and further pollute the world. Very disappointed I had to argue to use a ceramic mug that I could clearly see they have when I was going to sit inside. If nothing else, plastic cups kinda ruins the old world charm thing you are going for!

If youre in the area, want to enjoy a cup of coffee, and unwind after a long day of work, this is the place to go. Got a hot white mocha and was amazing.Interior looks very old and dated; brings an abundant amount of character I was truly impressed with.One of the few drawbacks I would find in this place is the lack of lighting in this area, often that will either be of no concern perhaps in the summer, but around the fall/winter time this could be of concern. Another (unless I was not aware of this) was the lack of Wifi, not that its a big deal but an addition of such would be nice.Overall, solid coffee shop. Come by and enjoy.

Yes, cute and cozy inside, nice decor and lots of variety, but.... Isnt it a COFFEE shop? I came to get a cup of regular black coffee, remember those? Not a fancy coffee with fairy dust in it, but a regular cup of joe. What I got was a cup of brown water. Brown water!!

Delicious dirty chai latte! Cool vibe. Sweet employees.

This place definitely has an eclectic vibe. Lots of antiques on display. Large airy space which looks like it could use a spruce up. All in one stop to get a beer, or an espresso, or a cigar. I would imagine this place will always have a seat for you.

Had eggs and bagel with coffee in the morning. Service was quick and food was delicious.Only issue, too many tables inside. It was hard to move around without bumping into furniture.

Came in for a couple of warm drinks. Though there were two people behind the counter, we waited a few minutes before even being acknowledged... While a second couple came in and received a warm and bubbly greeting. Asked for recommendations and was met with dry responses and lackluster customer service. When I handed over my card to pay, the “barista” didn’t even have the common decency to hand it back, she laid it on the counter instead lol. I haven’t even tried the drink yet, but if I wasn’t burning time on a layover I likely would’ve left all together. As a Black person or POC, there are definitely more welcoming and inclusive spaces available.

Other than the loud construction across the street, this place is a delight.

Excellent spot for coffee, tea, light food, deserts and relaxing. Calm relaxing spot where you can sit with friends or grab and go. One of my favorites in San Diego.

My favorite coffee shop EVER! Bassam is an amazing person. I have many memories with my grandfather at his old shop in Downtown.

The white moca is addictive. You cant miss this place in san diego

This coffee shop was the best! They have the best coffee available and even some fresh baked goods as well. The ambiance of this shop was so relaxing, and the staffs are highly capable. All of them are very responsive every time I asked questions. The shop was also very cleaned. A strong recommendation for you! Cheers!

TRULY THE BEST! This coffee shop is really on top when it comes to providing service and its coffee. Everything here in this place was totally amazing, and the atmosphere was very relaxing. I could not ask for more about it because I was greatly satisfied with the taste of the coffee and for the outstanding service that they provided. Well done, guys! Thanks a lot!

A place with an abundance of tea choices.

Lovely corner restaurant in a beautiful and historic area of San Diego. The food was superb and the atmosphere unique. The huge antique pieces inside are one of kind! And the outdoor seating area is a great place to sit while enjoying food and drink. I would highly recommend Bassams Cafe to all San Diegans and visitors alike.

Great vibe, my favorite cozy place!

This place is just cozy and very comforting, staff are very nice, great tea selections

Great place for a chat, pretty calm and interesting decoration

The cappuccinos were delicious a d nicely poured. The cafe itself felt like you were in an old dusty antique store.

Unsanitary. If you order hot tea they ask you to grab a tea bag out of a jar with your bare hands without even tongs. The jars are in the lobby and fully open to the public. You’re expected to just grab your own tea bag (not even wrapped), touching all the other ones on the way out of the jar, and bring it to the register to get a hot tea. A real bummer, because the cafe looks super cute and they’ve got a great selection, but unfortunately this makes me really distrust their other sanitation practices.

Coffee and chai is good, but the service and atmosphere is off-putting - unfriendly and uncomfortable. Also, they have a maximum time allowed sign of 75 minutes. Do people really stay longer than 75 mins? Does it matter? The antiques are unique, I give it that, but it’s so cluttered and dusty that it gives me anxiety.

Nice place for a great espresso drink and in the 20s of hardy sandwich selections.

FOR THE GOOD TIMES ! My wife and I have been here many times over the years usually for lunch during our Sunday bike rides when we lived close by. The fresh made delicious food, creamy lattes and friendly service never goes away. But since we have lived in Solana Beach the last 6 years the opportunities for lunch here have been few and far between. On Sunday nothing was going to deter us from enjoying a nice lunch here....not even the endless roadworks on Fifth Ave. Somehow we secured a parking spot within a few feet of the cafe just before 1pm. It was moderately busy when we entered the eclectic cafe...lots of cool adornments, furniture pieces, an old piano, lots of signage hanging up. Its like entering a TIME WARP. I said hi to the lovely girls behind the counter and Ivana immediately remembered us ( my Aussie accent gave it away ) from our last visit when we brought our little grand daughter along with us. We had a nice chat about the GOOD TIMES we have enjoyed here over the years. Bassam the owner was not in attendance but I asked Ivana to wish him the best. I ordered 2 x Lattes, 1 x Turkey Melt Panini ( to share ) and 2 x Mini Baklavas. Our Lattes were ready in a jiffy and Lu the other young lady behind the counter brought out our sensational looking Turkey Melt Panini. Our tall lattes tasted very good as usual...plenty of rich flavor. Our Turkey Melt Panini tasted utterly heavenly...words could not do justice describing the amazing melded flavor of the juicy Turkey slices wrapped in zingy Parmesan Crisp. Wow did we eat it fast ! And then to our scrumptious Mini Baklavas...PURE DELIGHT and perfect with our well made lattes. We have missed here so much !

Yummy coffee with extremely flavorful cinnamon! The best baklava ever! ❤️

Fine place for tasty cafe food. Do yourself a favor and try this place. Ive had nothing but great experiences here and will keep coming back. This place has a cool design.

Nice experience, through two trips. The best in town is probably coffee. This is a lovely little stop for coffee and a lot of other drinks.

Amazing selection of teas. Tea lovers must try. Staff is polite.

Not only is the coffee great, but the decor was amazing. Great place to hang out.

If you leave iced coffee in the sun and then add water, this is essentially their coffee.Great service but terribly watered down coffee.

Very cool vibe, awesome artwork on the walls. Tasty chai, and egg breakfast.

Nice little restaurant with a great selection of coffee, tea, and sandwiches. Great for breakfast too. Great service. Small outdoor eating area and free wi fi. The root beer float was fantastic!

Great vibe, a handful of outlets and plenty of seating.

Nice please delicious coffee...🙏

Lots of attitude!But a very salubrious interior.Definitely worth a visit.

Very cozy little cafe with nice snacks. They serve beer and wine too.

Amazing loose leaf tea selection. Fun rustic living room vibe.

Good atmosphere and cool merchandise. Loved the beer.

Im not a big fan of green matcha drink. But I have to say this place makes the best matcha smoothie. Definitely I place I will keep coming for the amazing smoothie. Service is terrific 🤘🏼

My favorite coffee shop in San Diego. The ladies that work there are really nice and know their stuff. The decoration and atmosphere of the place is really warm and inviting which makes you feel like youre at home but also like youre backpacking through Europe and this is one of your many stops. I am grateful for this place being here.

Amazing cafe! Had the best sandwich plates and delicious drinks. Great ambiance among beautiful antiques. Highly recommend.

Its like stepping back in time.. the coffee was good as well as the Mexican chocolate and great food portions for the avocado 🥑 toast and the fruit plate

Try the Mexican mocha. Rich Mexican chocolate flavor.

Fun and eclectic cafe with great coffee!

Such a friendly place. Drinks are the best & sandwiches are out of this world. Oh and their sweets are bomb !

Classy, comfortable, and quality indulgences... A must visit for anyone in the area.

Cafe food at this location - very tasty. Food with real quality ingredients. Makes me feel like I am back in Tucson.

This place is fantastic! Amazing food one of our favorite places in San Diego. Great Customer Service. Will Definitely Be Back.

Charming place right next to the valley Bridge. Perfect for a short walk

Super Authentic Old School Cafe. The owner Bassam is cool and collects antiquities. Its a modern space with rad old furnishings. Good Coffee, Amazing Avocado toast plate. Ivana is awesome.

Beautiful place with a European touch, the owner could be nicer

A little gem of a cafe in San Diego. As you enter, you feel you’re projected somewhere else... between Paris in 1920 and Turkey. A heaven for tea lovers and artistic souls. The owner made me feel like a very special guest. Thank you for this very special experience.

Come enjoy a light meal and awesome coffee or tea. The service and location is great and Bassam and his team are always wonderful. The baklava is legit and you cant go wrong with any of the loose years. Sit out and have some great conversation!

Great verity of tea and soo close to balboa park! Music is kind of cool;) this place definitely has its vibe!!! Love to study there too!

An eclectic mysteriously abundant coffee shop for all your tea/espresso needs.

Cafe food at this spot - very tasty. The staff was very friendly and kind. This place has a nice feel to it. Kinda of like a restaurant in Los Angeles I loved to visit.

The iced coffee was partially frozen. Both sandwiches are just cheese. Nothing else. I can make grilled cheese at home that tastes much better. The fruit was warm but tasty. Disappointing experience. Will not go back.

One goes to Cafe Bassam not for its drinks or food, which are both great, but for its atmosphere. Cafe Bassam is always full of an interesting collection of people and the decor makes you feel like your somewhere in Europe. Local tip: Go there late in the evening I would either recommend one of their literal hundreds of loose leaf teas or their excellent hot chocolate and take some time to quietly sit and take in life around you.

Great turkey melt, large selection of coffee and tea.

Great selection of teas. Delicious tomato soup that came with bread, oranges, olives and pickles. Really tastey!

Always has and always will be my favorite cafe in San Diego. Whether you’re looking to study, read, get work done or hangout with your friend, Bassam somehow always manages to fit the bill. When busy in the evenings it can get quite crowded and loud, but I believe that just adds to a great atmospheric element for whatever you’re doing. Bassam the owner is truly a character and I’m so happy he has managed to maintain the same principle and hasn’t changed much here in 10 years. Also.. the decor alone is worth 5 stars.

Really nice place. Many tables outside for COVID distancing.

Delicious Mexican mocha and tasty egg breakfast. Lovely decor with a French flair and San Diego vibe all rolled into one.

Great vibe and amazing Mexican chocolate !

Coffee and tea drinks are delicious.

Cozy little spot with vintage interior decorations and a very large menu. Had a vanilla milkshake that was delicious, would love to go back and try more of the menu!

Really cool aesthetic, and my Mexican mocha was bomb. They have lots of outdoor seating right now, too.

Been going here for 11 years...love it!!!

Nice tea room. Different vibe than your usual coffee shop. Antique furniture and art on the walls. And of course a robust selection of tea. Pretty good food as well. They’re open late and it turns a bit social.

One of the best coffee shops ive ever been to. Not only the dirty chai Mexican drink was fantastic but just the ambience was lovely. The place is full of antique coffee makers and other gadgets. Its a lovely place and definitely one worth visiting and trying.

If you love sweet ones, I suggest you to try a Vietnamese iced coffee.

Pretty terrible service. The woman who works there does everything on her own, refuses to hire help, waited 20 minutes for two coffees. Awful experience.

Cafe food... so good. the service was very welcoming and sociable.

Great place with lots of tea options. If you are a tea person, this is definitely the place!

Cafe Bassam uniqueness tops other cafes by far ! It has a great and cozy authentic ambiance, serves amazing delicious food and has a wide variety of tea and coffee collection. Customer service is exceptional and regardless of what you order, you will be amazed by the taste and presentation. What I like the most, is it’s consistency in driving excellent service throughout years !