In yet another blow to San Francisco’s cultural fabric (see the end of wine), Bissap Baobab, the storied West African restaurant and live-music venue in the Mission District, has announced that it will close its longtime location on December 28, after 28 years of serving as a community heartbeat.
Owner Marco Senghor described the decision in an emotional Instagram post, saying that “sustaining such a large space has become too difficult in these times.” He reflected on the decades of memories within Bissap Baobab’s walls — “weddings, birthdays, revolutions, breakups, makeups, miracles, and thousands of nights where cultures blended like spices in a Ceebu Jen pot.”
The restaurant’s legacy can’t be overstated. Since opening in 1996, Bissap Baobab has been more than a dining spot — it’s stood as a vibrant cultural hub, bringing Senegalese cuisine, rich rhythms, dance, and community space to San Francisco. Over the years, it has weathered financial storms, legal battles, and even condo neighbor complaints about noise.
Despite the impending closure, Senghor made it very clear: this isn’t the end. “Let us be clear: Baobab is NOT done,” he wrote. He is actively on the hunt for a new location where the spirit of Baobab — its music, food, and communal energy — can live on…