Animae’s Counterpart, NIMA Cafe, Is Now Open

The casual counterpart to Animae Restaurant, NIMA Cafe, is now open. Located next door to Animae and at the base of the Pacific Gate by Bosa building, NIMA serves Asian favorites with a playful spin on tea, coffee, breakfast and lunch, for dine-in or grab-and-go.

Christopher Puffer, owner/partner of the Puffer Malarkey Collective, along with Los Angeles-based design firm Bells + Whistles, crafted the space which features pops of lush greenery across the ceiling, eluding to an upside-down Zen garden.

Minimalist angles intersect into natural stone, yakisugi-ita walls, and a custom terrazzo floor. Giant windows flood the space in natural light, while curated retail space and moveable furnishings allow the cafe to be transformed into a rentable space for private events.

The NIMA breakfast

NIMA breakfast items include a Tomago Egg Sandwich on an English muffin with American cheese and Miso Kewpie, freshly baked pastries, and Oat Milk Chai Pudding with cocoa powder, maple syrup and sea salt. For a quick bite, guests can pick from premade Market Vegetable or Tuna Poke Spring Rolls with Sriracha Kewpie or savory pastries like Pork Sung Bun with miso butter.

Pour Over Ramen

Lunch includes Pour Over Ramen with house-made noodles, egg, nori, ham hock and bok choy, Nima Banh Mi made with grilled chicken, duck liver pate and vegetable slaw, a Roast Duck Grain Bowl with maple miso, carrots, kimchi and a honey lime vinaigrette and Miso Chicken Salad with crispy taro, nori, parmesan, apple and miso dressing.

The Beverage Program

Asian influences can be seen throughout the beverage program, which features a curated selection of coffees, teas, smoothies and draft items from some of San Diego’s best purveyors including Paru Tea in Point Loma and Café Calabria in North Park.

Tea-lovers can enjoy an extensive selection of lattes and brewed teas like Matcha, and Shanghai Fog, Saigon and Pineapple Sencha Ice Teas. NIMA also offers guests exceptional sakes and an assorted draft menu that includes Nitro Cold Brew from Café Moto, Tuk Tuk Kombucha from Seven Seas, homemade Lemongrass Gin & Tonic, and wine and beer on tap. The beverage menu also features deliciously crafted smoothies such as the Green Island, Coconut Matcha and Tropical Berry.

NIMA is open daily from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., and is also available for private events.
Address: 969 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 432-1225

See you there!