قهوة الباشا في دار الباشا

Your host collects you before the doors open, so you cross the courtyard of Dar El Bacha while it is still quiet. The palace was the pasha's residence from 1910. Its zellige, cedar and marble now hold a museum on the ground floor and, behind that, the coffee room.

You take the museum rooms first, then a table under the arcade. Three origins are poured side by side from silver pots, Ethiopian, Yemeni and a house blend, with a raspberry croissant and a plate of small pastries. Your host explains what changes between them and why the roast is kept light.

Bacha takes no reservations, which is why we start at ten. Suits guests who want an hour of quiet before the souks, and travelers who prefer coffee to wine.