Shabandar Café

Shabandar Café is one of Baghdad’s oldest and best-known traditional coffeehouses. It stands at the end of al-Mutanabbi Street, close to the Qushla, in a district strongly associated with books, publishing, scholarship, and public debate. Although the café began receiving customers in 1917, the building has an earlier connection with Baghdad’s print culture: it had previously housed al-Shabandar Press, established in 1907 and associated with Musa al-Shabandar, a wealthy member of the Baghdadi al-Shabandar family who later became a political figure and served as Iraq’s foreign minister during the reign of King Faisal II. The press building was subsequently restored and adapted for use as a coffeehouse. The name derives from the al-Shabandar family name. That name in turn is connected with the Persian title shahbandar, historically used for a harbor or port official responsible for commercial affairs and tax collection. The family’s reputation in trade and politics helped give the café a name linked to prestige, commerce, and public life. From its early years, Shabandar Café functioned as more than a place to drink tea. It hosted Iraqi maqam performances, with proceeds from some concerts directed to charitable causes in Baghdad. Its location near government institutions made it attractive to writers, poets, artists, merchants, officials, and politicians. Historical accounts associate the café with figures including Nuri al-Said and Abd al-Karim Qasim, while political activity connected with the wider area included demonstrations against the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty in 1948. Over time, the café became a recognizable setting for conversations about politics, literature, history, religion, and the arts. The café suffered catastrophic damage in March 2007 when a booby-trapped vehicle exploded on al-Mutanabbi Street during the period of sectarian violence that followed the 2003 United States-led invasion of Iraq. The blast destroyed the premises and its library and killed more than one hundred people in the surrounding area. Four sons and a grandson of the long-time owner Muhammad al-Khashali were among those killed. The disaster gave the venue the informal additional name “The Martyrs Café.” With financial support from the Iraqi state, merchants, and customers, the coffeehouse was rebuilt. Al-Khashali’s stated aim was to preserve its traditional identity rather than turn it into a highly commercial modern café. The restored venue retained old wooden seating, traditional samovars, historic photographs, newspaper clippings, and memorial images of those lost in the bombing. Games such as dominoes and backgammon were excluded in order to protect an atmosphere centered on conversation and cultural exchange. The building’s brick, plaster, and gypsum construction and its Baghdadi architectural character contribute to its status as a heritage landmark. Shabandar Café serves traditionally prepared Baghdadi lemon tea and hookah. Its walls display images of Baghdad from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Iraqi kings, Ottoman and Iraqi political figures, poets, artists, and international cultural personalities. The upper floor includes remnants of the old printing-press offices that predate the 1930s. The café continues to attract Iraqi intellectuals, merchants, sheikhs, employees, foreign visitors, and media organizations conducting interviews. Its importance lies less in scale or product variety than in continuity: it is a living social institution linking Baghdad’s literary culture, urban memory, and café tradition. Muhammad al-Khashali died on 11 January 2025 after decades of running the establishment, prompting condolences from prominent Iraqi figures, including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani. The café itself remains active.

The building now occupied by Shabandar Café was originally associated with al-Shabandar Press, established in 1907 by Musa al-Shabandar. The press produced books and connected the site with Baghdad’s expanding literary and intellectual life. After Musa al-Shabandar experienced political difficulties and spent several years in exile, he returned and restored the surviving structure. The premises began operating as a coffeehouse in 1917. In its early decades, the café developed a reputation as a venue for Iraqi maqam concerts, social interaction, and public discussion. Some concert proceeds were donated to charitable causes. Its position near the Qushla and government institutions made it a natural meeting point for politicians, officials, writers, poets, and artists. The venue and its surrounding street also formed part of Baghdad’s political culture; demonstrations, including opposition to the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty in 1948, were associated with the area. Muhammad al-Khashali became the café’s long-time owner and operator in 1963. Under his stewardship, Shabandar Café retained a deliberately traditional character. It emphasized conversation and cultural exchange instead of games, loud entertainment, or television. The interior preserved old wooden seats, samovars, historic images, newspaper clippings, and other materials documenting Baghdad and Iraqi public life. The café’s most traumatic episode occurred in March 2007, when a booby-trapped car exploded on al-Mutanabbi Street amid widespread sectarian violence. The café was destroyed, its library was lost, and members of the al-Khashali family were killed. The attack also damaged one of Baghdad’s most recognizable literary and cultural landmarks. Two days later, poet Ahmed Hussain recited a poem among the ruins, an act that symbolized the site’s continuing cultural significance. The premises were subsequently rebuilt with funding from state sources, merchants, and customers. Restoration sought to reproduce the café’s historic atmosphere and preserve its Baghdadi architectural features. It became informally known as “The Martyrs Café,” while continuing to use the Shabandar name. The restored establishment remains a social and cultural club for merchants, religious and community figures, employees, writers, and international visitors. The café has also been documented through film. During the 2007 crisis, Iraqi filmmaker Emad Ali Abbas made the documentary A Candle for Shabandar Café, focusing on the coffeehouse, its customers, its role as an intellectual refuge, and the wider identity of al-Mutanabbi Street. The bombing occurred while the film was being made, and the filmmaker later incorporated his own experience of violence and recovery into the work. The documentary received third prize in the student documentary category at the 2008 Gulf Film Festival in Dubai. Architecturally, the café is regarded as a surviving example of traditional Baghdadi construction using brick, plaster, and gypsum. Its walls display historical photographs ranging from Ottoman-era and royal Iraqi figures to poets, artists, and other cultural personalities. The upper floor retains former printing-press offices dating from before the 1930s. Shabandar Café remains active as a beverage venue and as a place for interviews, discussion, reading, and the preservation of Baghdad’s urban memory. Its long-time operator Muhammad al-Khashali died on 11 January 2025.

• 2025

  Death of Muhammad al-Khashali

  [1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  The prominent long-time operator died on 11 January after running the café since 1963.

• 2008

  Documentary receives Gulf Film Festival award

  [1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  A Candle for Shabandar Café won third prize in the student documentary category.

• 2007

  Al-Mutanabbi Street bombing

  [1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  A vehicle bombing destroyed the café and library and killed members of the al-Khashali family.

• 1963

  Muhammad al-Khashali begins running the café

  [1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  Al-Khashali began the long period of ownership and operation for which he became known.

• 1948

  Political gatherings connected with the café district

  [1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  The surrounding area was associated with demonstrations against the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty.

• 1917

  Coffeehouse begins receiving customers

  [1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  The restored former press building began operating as Shabandar Café.

• 1907

  Al-Shabandar Press established

  [1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  The building later used by the café was associated with a printing press founded by Musa al-Shabandar.

A heritage Baghdad coffeehouse positioned as a cultural and intellectual meeting place rather than a highly commercial entertainment venue.

• Tea

  Baghdadi lemon tea

  The café’s best-known beverage is lemon tea prepared in a traditional Baghdadi manner. It is part of the establishment’s deliberately preserved coffeehouse experience and reflects the venue’s emphasis on Iraqi hospitality and continuity rather than a modern specialty-coffee menu.

• Traditional coffeehouse service

  Hookah

  Hookah is served as part of the café’s traditional social offering. It accompanies extended conversation and gathering, consistent with the venue’s historic role as a meeting place for Baghdad’s intellectual, commercial, political, and visiting communities.

• 2007

  Rebuild as a cultural heritage coffeehouseStrategy

  Background

  The café and its library were destroyed in the March 2007 bombing on al-Mutanabbi Street, while members of the owner’s family were killed.

  Action taken

  With support from the Iraqi state, merchants, and customers, the premises were reconstructed and traditional furnishings, architectural features, memorials, and the non-commercial atmosphere were retained.

  Aftermath

  The rebuilt venue continued operating as a cultural landmark and became informally known as The Martyrs Café.

  Source

• 2025

  Death of long-time owner Muhammad al-Khashali[1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Muhammad al-Khashali died on 11 January 2025 after running the coffeehouse since 1963. Iraqi public figures, including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, offered condolences.

• 2007

  Shabandar Café destroyed in the al-Mutanabbi Street bombing[1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A booby-trapped vehicle explosion on al-Mutanabbi Street destroyed the café and its library. More than one hundred people were killed in the wider attack, including four sons and a grandson of owner Muhammad al-Khashali.

• 2007

  Shabandar Café rebuilt after the 2007 bombing[1]Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The venue was reconstructed with support from the Iraqi state, merchants, and customers, while its traditional furnishings and cultural identity were preserved.

1. 1Shabandar Caféen.wikipedia.org