MOTW Coffee & Pastries
A big, all-halal Middle Eastern coffeehouse on Balboa just west of Convoy, from the Muslims of the World brand (its first California shop). Yemeni chai brewed for 90 minutes, pistachio and date-cardamom lattes, kunafa made in-house with a real cheese pull, and Argentine-style empanadas — with a patio, board games, outlets at every table, and hours until 10pm (midnight Friday and Saturday).
- Coffee & chai $3.50–8
- Parking: Easy: plenty of spaces most of the day; it can fill on busy afternoons
- New, opened Jun 2026. Details checked Oct 2026.
7710 Balboa Ave Ste 129, San Diego, CA 92111
MOTW Coffee & Pastries is a mid-priced cafe spot in Balboa Office Building on Balboa Avenue in the Convoy District in San Diego's Kearny Mesa. Regulars order the Kunafa — made to order, the one pastry everyone raves about and the Yemeni chai, hot or iced. Parking is easy.
Parking at Balboa Office Building
Easy- Cost: Free for customers
Free office-building lot right outside — plenty of spaces most of the day; it can fill on busy afternoons.
Park once, walk to
- HIVE Bar & Karaoke Karaoke · 2 min
- Oi Shiba Ramen · 2 min
- bb.q Chicken Convoy Korean Fried Chicken · 3 min
- Curry House CoCo Ichibanya Japanese Curry · 3 min
- Hongdae Dakgalbi Korean · 3 min
- Manna BBQ Korean BBQ · 3 min
Walk times are estimates.
Good to know before you go
Diet & allergies
- Everything on the menu is halal, and there's a quiet prayer and reflection room
Cost & paying
- Built for staying: free Wi-Fi, an outlet at every table, comfy indoor seating, a covered patio, board games and chess — and it's open late
- Not cheap: two medium specialty lattes and an empanada run about $22 before tax and tip, and the kunafa is $11.99. Ask for the stamp card
At the table
- Specialty drinks run sweet — order half sweet; the Yemeni chai is pre-made, so its sweetness can't be adjusted
- Coffee beats the matcha here — several reviewers found the matcha lattes syrupy
- The kunafa is made in-house and takes a few minutes; most other pastries come in daily from local bakeries
- Drinks often come in paper cups even for dine-in — ask for a real cup or plate
- Hosts book clubs, community events and game watch parties on the patio
MOTW Coffee & Pastries: quick answers
What should I order at MOTW Coffee & Pastries?
Regulars order the Kunafa — made to order, the one pastry everyone raves about, Yemeni chai, hot or iced, Pistachio latte or date cardamom latte (try the pistachio cold foam).
Is parking easy at MOTW Coffee & Pastries?
Parking is rated Easy for this lot at peak times. Free office-building lot right outside — plenty of spaces most of the day; it can fill on busy afternoons.
What should I know before going to MOTW Coffee & Pastries?
Everything on the menu is halal, and there's a quiet prayer and reflection room. Built for staying: free Wi-Fi, an outlet at every table, comfy indoor seating, a covered patio, board games and chess — and it's open late. Specialty drinks run sweet — order half sweet; the Yemeni chai is pre-made, so its sweetness can't be adjusted.
MOTW Coffee & Pastries hours
| Mon | 7am–10pm |
| Tue | 7am–10pm |
| Wed | 7am–10pm |
| Thu | 7am–10pm |
| Fri | 7am–midnight |
| Sat | 7am–midnight |
| Sun | 7am–10pm |
How to find it
Details checked October 2026. Wrong hours, closed, or changed? Report a problem