Dar Saïda review: our verdict
On the façade, the sign announces "literary café," and the interior lives up to its promise: black and white cement tiles, wooden armchairs, bookshelves, paintings on the walls, and a room equipped with long work tables. On the roof, an open terrace overlooks the trees and the ochre buildings of Semlalia, the student quarter.
The place operates to the rhythm of students: people come to revise in peace, alone or in small groups, with coffee ordered from the ground floor, and you can also eat on the premises. The workspace is paid for by the half-day, and the house has already hosted cultural evenings and open mic nights. This is not a café for a casual outing with friends or a long brunch: here, one whispers, and the prices seem steep for a student budget.
The trap: arriving during peak exam season without having booked in advance, as seats go quickly. The best slot: opening at 8 a.m., before the revisers arrive; the house closes at 10 p.m., every day. The best tip: the rooftop terrace, to read in the sun when the study room is full.
