Heritage Happy Hour: Bissap Baobab

Heritage Happy Hour: Bissap Baobab

Heritage Happy Hour is a convivial “no-host” gathering of heritage professionals, young preservationists, aficionados, friends, and Legacy Business cohorts interested in safeguarding San Francisco’s unique architectural and cultural identity. We get together on the Second Thursday of each month from 5-7 pm at a registered Legacy Business bar in San Francisco.

Bissap Baobab, located at 2243 Mission Street in the heart of the Mission District, is primarily a Senegalese restaurant and a global entertainment venue. It’s a unique establishment blending dining, culture, lively music, and entertainment. It offers an array of dishes that reflect French West African culture. The venue is known for its vibrant Latin and Afrobeat events on some nights, and hosts international performances monthly.

Bissap Baobab is infused with the concept of ‘Teranga’ – a Senegalese term for hospitality – and the business strives to create a welcoming, multicultural atmosphere. When he first came to the United States, owner and operator of Bissap Baobab, Marco Senghor, started making and bottling his own ginger juice out of a small catering kitchen on 19th Street; this would eventually be the home and beginnings of Bissap Baobab – a cornerstone of the Mission District community.

Originally “Little Baobab” in 1998, this business has been held as a breakout space for local artists, looking for spaces, venues, and gigs to share their art. The business has sponsored and donated time and resources to communitybased organizations including happy hours, catering, fundraisers, memorials, and funds to these organizations as well as local events.

Bissap Baobab regularly holds a wide variety of international musical events and performances including salsa, bachata, reggaeton, cumbia, Balkan, Afroabeats, Bollywood tunes, Flamenco, movie screenings, book readings, Spanish and French meet-ups and much more. The venue is considered widely as one of the first places to host Afrobeat events, creating a large significant gathering space for the African community.

Bissap Baobab was added to the Legacy Business Registry on July 22, 2024.

Your Co-Hosts:

San Francisco’s Legacy Business Program is the first-of-its-kind in the U.S. The program supports and promotes iconic, small businesses over 30 years in operation that are long-standing pillars of our communities and neighborhoods.

San Francisco Heritage (est. 1971), has protected the city in the face of rapid change by advocating for historic resources, hosting educational programming, and interpreting and preserving cultural heritage. The Legacy Business Program (est. 2015) provides marketing, business assistance, and specialized grants for local small businesses included on the Legacy Business Registry.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Bissap Baobab SF, 2243 Mission Street, San Francisco, United States