This spot is well hidden among the colonial Roma neighborhood architecture. Even when we’re standing directly in front of it, the sign is barely indicative of being in the right place. There were only five people, each with different drinks, in the whole place when we were there and they all had one thing in common: total satisfaction on their faces.
The all-white walls with no decorations are startling at first, because simplicity is not the way around here. Once you reach the bar, you can witness exactly how much care, patience, and diligence goes into each drink – waiting hours and hours for the cold brew to be ready, for instance.
The menu is concise, but plentiful in terms of coffee options with the staples well-represented and a variety of brewing methods available. We went with the cold brew served with a tonic which the barista assured us would be delightfully refreshing. The coffee was milder than we expected, and the flavor was substantially diluted by the added water. We let it sit for a few minutes and the flavor nearly vanished altogether, so there’s really only one option: drink it all at once.
Next up was the Gibraltar, a house specialty, similar to a latte but, with less milk. We highly recommend this option as the distinctive Chiapas coffee flavor is pronounced and lingers on the palate.
There are plenty of Mexican sweet breads and cookies options (we are partial to the chocolate concha with sprinkles). They offer to warm up the breads to the point where the sprinkles melt – a little too hot for us – but, the flavors are delicious nonetheless.
The baristas here love their work and it’s evident in the way they prepare every cup and, in their willingness, to guide each customer through the what-do-I-want process; if you’re indecisive, fret not. Granted, there is a longer wait time than other shops but, it’s totally worth and a word to the wise: it gets really busy after 6pm.