Our story
Come as you are
Basra Bay International Café opened in May 2024 on Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey, a few steps from Scholze Park.
A room on Lighthouse Avenue
The café opened in May 2024 at 296 Lighthouse Avenue, in the Lighthouse District of New Monterey, a few steps from Scholze Park. It comes from the family behind Basra Bay International Market & Deli, on the same avenue.
Lighthouse Avenue was laid out in the 1870s to connect Point Pinos Lighthouse with downtown Monterey. Today the district's eight blocks are full of small shops and places to eat, and the café is one of them. Monterey County Weekly announced the opening that month.
Made the way you like it
Everything is made to order: gyro and shawarma, falafel, plates and wraps, soups, salads and a budget bowl. The food is halal, and vegan dishes are marked on the menu.
Ask, and we'll make a plate the way you like it, or help you choose around an allergy.
Turkish coffee to finish
Many guests end the meal the slow way, with Turkish coffee, or qahwa, brewed in a copper pot and served in a small cup.
Gatherings
The café also caters office lunches, family celebrations and parties at the café. Tell us the date and the head count, and we'll plan the menu with you.
What guests say
In our guests' words
“Such lovely people running this cafe. they've always been really helpful and sweet. …”
“Friendly service, fresh food. Nice to stop in for a quick bite between browsing at the local shops”
A new name
International Cafe is now Basra Bay International Café.
“Come as you are, and leave with a satisfied heart, full stomach, and big smile.”