Downtown Zanzibar Café Embraces a New Style for a New Neighborhood

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Zanzibar Café is no stranger to the lounging locals in Pacific Beach. After a long stroll on the boardwalk or a relaxing afternoon of boutique shopping, little compares to a signature coffee drink, fresh salad, and dangerous piece of pie on the open-air patio of Zanzibar Café.

Local art makes color and contrast dance on wide walls and high ceilings, and a warm community-based crowd keeps the tone light and loving. Dark wood tables and chairs put forth a laid-back earthy quality while unique desserts and healthy menu items make sure options are endless and decisions are impossible. From the oversized chalkboard menu to the friendly staff and clientele, Zanzibar Café outshines a modest coffee shop and café label and creates a realm of its own.        

Since the Garnet opening in 1991, Zanzibar Café has slowly attracted an increasingly-larger crowd for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, anytime coffee, and anytime studying. Fall, 2007, Zanzibar launches a second café locale with a new nightlife twist, set in the quaint and unpredictable downtown community of East Village. Surprisingly close to the downtown Pannikin coffee shop, the brand-new Zanzibar is spreading the emerging beach-side fad throughout urban southern streets.

Downtown Zanzibar Café is housed in a spacious restaurant setting and divided into two sections, an on-the-go café bar and a sit-down dining room and bar. The new Zanzibar lives and breathes the same dark wood tones as its Pacific Beach sister café, but slips in subtle upgrades in the service, décor, and after-hour offerings.

Although the beloved street-side patio was left out of the downtown blue prints, Zanzibar’s interior seating is charming in its elegant simplicity and features people-watching views from oversized street windows. Zanzibar definitely stepped up the service to meet downtown standards. Guests are now greeted and served by the waitstaff. This is only a notable fact if you’re used to waiting in a long line at the counter only to then stare at your number “12” order-card eagerly and strategically placed between the sweet-and-low and ketchup, wishing for a vanilla latte and open-face sandwich to suddenly appear out of thin air.

In place of quirky abstract art is a refined collection of photographs by local photographers. Although the experimental splash of color may make its way into the downtown café, Zanzibar is now defined by black and white portraits and scenic shots. The downtown Zanzibar Café remains a consistent choice for breakfast and lunch, but it now exceeds Pacific Beach with an all-new gourmet menu, respectable beer and wine list, and revamped nightlife atmosphere. While some may argue dozens flock to Garnet Zanzibar on weekend nights, the East Village location is a decided step-up. Minus the mini-skirted heel-stomping entourage in Pacific Beach, add a touch of urban sophistication and downtown excitement, and enter the new and improved Zanzibar Café.   

From the Gaslamp Quarter to the up-and-coming corridors of East Village and South Park, Downtown San Diego is packed with new nightclubs, lounges, and bars to keep lively locals and visitors overly-occupied. The modern dilemma is not whether or not one should go out—it’s where one should go out. Although Zanzibar may have to battle for a faithful nightlife following, there’s no doubt the on-the-go café and dining room and bar will both bring in a solid crowd from sunrise to. . . well, sunrise.