by Luis Mario Vargas
Coffe is the best option for many people all over the world, for many reasons. It is delicious, and can be prepared as you wish, either sweet, bitter or something in between. Mexico City, being one of the most visited places of the world, and we have one of the riches cultures thanks to the ethnic diversity we have, we know a lot of ways of preparing and enjoying coffee.
If you are a coffee lover , there are certain variations of it that you cannot miss. In this article I will show you various types of coffee that you can find in Mexico City. As always, I tried to contemplate all tastes and preferences so that you get a wide rank of options, additionally to some places in Mexico City where you will be able to find the ine you feel more attracted to.
Café de olla (Typical Mexican Coffee)
In the time of Mexican Revolution, the adelitas (young women that accompanied the guerrillas to cook and some other activities), used to prepare this drink for the men that were fighting against the government, in order to provide them with energy and heat. Due to the poor conditions they were living in those moments of history, the preparation and ingredients of the café de olla, are pretty simple.
The way it was prepared, consisted in putting water in a clay crock pot (that’s what olla means) and put it to heat, adding the coffee grains, cinammon and piloncillo (a Latinamerican sweet). Then, the coffee was filtered and was served in little clay cups.
This ancient tradition still takes place in numerous places in the Mexican Republic, though in some places they add floral nail and lemon skin, or orange skin, to the recipe. This type of coffee is served in many restaurants in Mexico City, but I personally recommend buying it on one of the many little, cheap, and simple restaurants called fondas or fonditas. In these places, its preparation will be much more sticked to the traditional recipe, therefore, more tasty.
Cold Brew
Cold Brew coffee gets its name from the union of the words brew (mix) and cold. That is because it is cold prepared completely. It is perfect for a warm, sunny weather. Who said you can’t enjoy of coffee in the beach or during summer in the city?
Being cold coffee, a frapuccino might come to your mind. However, cold brew is completely different from it. A good cold brew will ALWAYS have these characteristics:
- Its preparation takes from 12 to 14 hours
- It is light, but it has a strong body. Its flavor is very intense
- The coffee itself maintains all of its nutrients
- It is a less bitter coffee, with less cafeine
- It can be prepared in cold temperatures, but it also works in room temperatures.
A good place to enjoy cold brew in Mexico City, is Quentin Café, located in Av. Álvaro Obregón #64, Roma Norte.
Affogato
It means “drowned”, in Italian, and the name fits perfectly. The affogato is an Italian dessert made of coffee, commonly, a ball of vanilla ice-cream, drowned or poured by hot espresso. Occasionally, a bit of amaretto (a sweet Italian liquor), bicerín (sweet drink with no liquor) or any other alcoholic drink you wish, can be added.
In Italy, affogato is considered a dessert, but in the rest of the world, it is taken as a drink. You will surely do too. You can try a good affogato in Mexico City, is the Negro Menta cafeteria, in Colonia Narvarte.
Cortado
Perhaps, the most common in the list, and that you have probably tried under a different name: macchiato. Originary from Italy, this type of coffee consists in espresso, added with a little bit of milk, in order to lower the bitter teaste of the coffee itself.
If you prefer sweet flavors over any other, and you like coffee with milk, this is the right option for you. This type of coffee is not hard to find, but when it comes to Mexico City, I recommend Café Avellaneda, a coffee shop in the neighborhood of Coyoacán.
Carajillo
Originary from Spain, this drink is made of coffee (obviously) and liquor 43. It is usually served in a little cup of glass. It is believed to be created back in the days when Cuba was a Spaniard colony, and that soldiers used to drink it to get “corajillo” (courage).
Modern variations include Baliey’s liquor instead of 43. You can find a pretty good carajillo in the coffee shop La Buena Barra, in Aristóteles 124, in Polanco.
So, now you knowmore options to enjoy coffee, depending on the weather, your personal tastes and your willing to enjoy and discover new experiences. You also know where to find the best coffee for the next time you visit Mexico City.
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Restaurante Deigo, deliciosa opción de cocina tradicional japonesa
