Wednesday Walk – A Revisit to the Congress Cafe (Encuentro Cafe) and Visiting Heritage Park

**** Not much food in this post, just a revisit and a quick visit to Heritage Park

Over the pandemic it seems that I've been spending much more time in the Old Town area, exploring various sights, and sometimes grabbing something for breakfast before checking things out. In my opinion, things are kind of getting better for locals in Old Town, be it ever so humble.

On occasion I will grab a coffee from one of my three neighborhood coffee spots, then head on over to Old Town; there's always parking early in the morning, where I'll pick up an arepa from the Congress Cafe. Then walk on over to what has become one of my favorite spots; Heritage Park where I'll head up the drive and sit near the Coral Tree…..

Across the wonderful green open space, amongst the beautiful Victorian structures that were moved here. That's the Christian House below.

I'll have my arepa; usually the Pabellon on the bench along with my caffeine fix for the day.

I must say that that the Congress Cafe has been getting the fillings into a more harmonic balance for my taste. The nicely seasoned beef, the earthy black beans, the slightly milky cheese, and the sweet and starchy plantains. Yes, it's a calorie bomb; but heck, it's nice every once in a while. Plus, the staff at the Congress Cafe are so nice and welcoming.

**** Congress Cafe in now Encuentro Cafe – Same Owners/Menu. You can read an updated post here.

The Congress Cafe
3941 Mason St.
San Diego, CA 92110
Hours:
Mon – Fri 8am – 2pm
Sat – Sun 8am – 3pm

For some reason, maybe word hasn't gotten out, Heritage Park is almost always empty when I visit. Once in a while I'll see dogs frolicking in the grass area, or perhaps a wedding rehearsal going on in the Temple Beth Israel.

Which was San Diego’s first synagogue. This is one of the two structures on site whose interior has been restored. The other being the Senlis Cottage.

I found something interesting stated on the sign in front of the building.

Stating that the temple also "became temporary quarters for many religious groups before establishing churches of their own." I went and took a look at the wonderful Heritage Park Tour Guide on the SOHO site and found this excerpt:

"Over time, the temple was used by other faiths, including the Biblical Institute of Spiritualism, the Volunteers of America Mission, and the Fraternal Spiritualist Church."

Which I found inspiring in light the divisive times we live in. If they could do it……..

You can read about the other structures and the history in SOHO's Heritage Park Cultural Tour Guide.

Some of the other structures.

Senlis Cottage.

The very distinctive Sherman-Gilbert House.

The Bushyhead House.

The McConaughy House.

The Burton House.

All mine for the price of an arepa.

Though on occasion I've brought a banh mi and/or cha gio here. And after Barrio Donas opens in Old Town….well, I'll have a bit more variety for my Old Town breakfasts.

Thanks so much for stopping by!