BAGDAD CAFE

Location: Newberry Springs, California
Overview: Situated along Route 66 in the heart of the Mojave Desert, the Bagdad Cafe is beloved by film enthusiasts around the world as the filming location of the movie Bagdad Café. Since its release in 1987, the café has come to represent more than just a roadside stop—it has become a cultural symbol of cross-cultural connection, solitude, empathy, and hope. In the harsh landscape of the American West, this place continues to draw travelers in search of a small moment of the extraordinary.

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At the end of last year, after visiting the Sunny Garden event at Lachic, we went to see a film at Fushimi Million-za. The film was the 4K remastered version of Bagdad Café. We had already decided that, during this trip, we would visit the real Bagdad Cafe.

Still caught in the film’s lingering atmosphere, we made our way there, just as planned. And just like a scene from the movie, we bought coffee from Mark—the charismatic owner, as unforgettable as any character from the film. Unlike the "terrible" coffee famously mentioned in the movie, his was genuinely delicious.

Stepping outside to drink it, we noticed a small table already occupied by two young men from Mexico who didn’t speak English. We quietly joined them, exchanged glances, and shared a smile as we raised our cups in a silent toast.
It wasn’t a scene from the movie—it was a new story, our own.

Before we left, we bought a T-shirt with the café's logo and had Mark sign it.