No, we don’t hate Starbucks. But we do believe in the importance of supporting local businesses. Not only do we give the entrepreneurs the boost they need, we also help local farmers work their land at a fair price. And as a major bonus, we get to enjoy an excellent cup of coffee (and many, many pastries!)
Mexico is famously known for the quality and variety of its coffee. The fact that 15 out of 32 states produce it, makes for tons of unique flavors; many of which you’ll be able to taste in these coffee shops in Coyoacán. And even if you don’t like coffee, you’ll want to visit. Trust us…
Note: ‘Specialty coffee’ is a label/certification given when the entire process of the coffee, from the growing and processing, to the roasting, grinding and brewing, has met the highest standards of quality, it’s organic and has been handled through fair trade. In other words: a guarantee that you’re being served the perfect cup of coffee.
Café Avellaneda
One of the hidden gems of Coyoacán, without a doubt. This ‘specialty coffee’ shop, as itty bitty as it looks, with just a couple of stools to sit down, actually hides the 10 years of expertise and recipes of one of the best baristas in the world and in Mexico –or so state the awards given to Carlos, the owner, by the 2019 World Coffee Championship, the 18th Mexican National Coffee Championship, and many others.
Here, not only will you find fine Mexican coffee produced in Oaxaca, Veracruz and Guerrero, and roasted in-house, you’ll also get to try some unique drinks, like the one in the second picture with tamarind, espresso, tonic water and juniper berries. Yep, it’s as good as it sounds. Especially in warm weather.
Cuhtli
This place offers the best of two worlds, a mix of a Mexican ‘specialty coffee’ shop, with its own coffee roaster, and a French bakery. While Yann (French) spends his hours baking fresh/organic bread and pastries, Ángel (Mexican) geeks out on the coffee making –from deciding the supplier (he buys the beans directly from local farmers) to roasting, grinding, brewing and serving the perfect cup of coffee. We can only imagine the smell when they turn on the roaster… we’d love to be their neighbors!
There are two main reasons why we love Cuhtli: its ‘consume local’ concept, which gives us the opportunity to try organic coffee from Chiapas or Nayarit and buy local organic honey or jams, and its location, right in front of Viveros de Coyoacán (one of the main National Parks in Mexico City).
Café Ruta de la Seda
This organic bakery is a staple in Coyoacán and THE breakfast spot for many locals (the waiting line can get crazy). It’s named after the famous Silk Road that for centuries connected East and West, so it’s not a surprise that the house specialty is the ‘Matcha’: drinks, pastries, truffles, cakes… you name it, they make it. Our favorite matcha creation was the ’Kioto cake’– not extremely sweet, but not bitter either.
Another must-have are the ‘conchas’: they have a matcha one, of course, but they also do other flavors, like hibiscus, avocado & anise or pure cocoa. And if you pair it with a cup of coffee from Oaxaca, you’ll find yourself in heaven.
As with Cuhtli, we love that they work with over 40 sustainable communities around the country to get the best raw materials while also boosting the local economy. Plus, their location couldn’t be better, near Coyoacán’s center.
Buentono Café
One of the latest additions to the neighborhood and such a special place and concept. Two friends that fell in love with the world of coffee, studied different brewing methods, looked for the best suppliers and opened a ‘specialty coffee’ shop inspired by the Mexican scenery from the early 20th century. Warning: if you love antiques, you won’t want to leave this place.
And don’t worry, they’ll gladly guide you with the type of bean (they have from Veracruz, Nayarit and Chiapas) and with the best brewing method to make your perfect cup of coffee. Oh, and don’t go without trying their banana bread… we could have ate the entire loaf. They also have gluten-free options.
If you’re curious, the name comes from a popular Mexican phrase that dates back to the early 20th century. It all started with a famous cigarette brand called El Buen Tono, then came ‘Carpa El Buen Tono’, a tent for free movie screenings, until slowly the term ‘Buen Tono’ became a synonym for ‘good quality’. Even people were described as a ‘buentono person’.
Also read: A day in Coyoacán (24-hour guide)
Café El Olvidado
Imagine opening dusty family boxes and finding your great-grandmother’s cookbook with traditional British Country recipes from the 1840’s, and then deciding to recreate them and honor this heritage with a beautiful restaurant. Well, that’s exactly how three brothers ended up opening ‘Café El Olvidado’.
Except for the coffee that comes from small farmers around Mexico, the menu is truly British with a great tea selection, organic pastries (scones, of course) and traditional dishes like a Shepherd’s pie or a Welsh Rarebit… recipes that aren’t easy to find even in the cosmopolitan Mexico City.
In fact, Anthony, the brother responsible for making all the pastries and bread, started baking without even knowing he comes from a long bloodline of bakers –his family baked for the British army during WWI and WWII–. And after the scone we ate, we could tell his natural talent. Can’t wait to try the rest of their menu!
Café y Té quiero
If you’d like to experience the college ambiance of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM, in Spanish) whilst having a cup of Mexican ‘specialty coffee’ from Veracruz, Chiapas and Nayarit, this is the place for you.
Andrea, the owner, says she wants all her customers to know the story behind their cup of coffee, from the farmer to the barista, and to guide them in their specialty coffee experience. For example, asking them how they like their coffee and suggesting the right type of bean and brewing method, and then explaining the right choice so they learn more about it and don’t feel lost in all the fancy barista terminology.
Oh, and their pastries are amazing and locally made by a neighbor, which adds to this incredible sense of community we were talking about at the beginning. You have to try their almond and fig croissants…
Bakers
One of the best bakeries in Mexico City. After years of only selling their products to other coffee shops and restaurants, they finally opened their own (this was the first one) and added a great selection of Mexican coffee. In fact, they use the same supplier as Café y Té quiero.
All the pastries and breads are organically and freshly made every day, and you can’t go wrong with either one, but their Frangipane and Chocolatín are a MUST!
If you’re visiting Coyoacán, you might like to read our 24-hour guide: A day in Coyoacán. Also, if you go to any of these places, let us know! We love hearing your experiences.
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Useful information
Map
We’ve pinpointed all the sites mentioned above on to this map, to save you some time!
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