The Mexico City coffee scene is booming, and few people have captured the sounds and sights as thoroughly as Fernanda Pérez Rosell, creator of the Here for the Coffee MX Instagram account.
Fernanda launched the account in 2019 while at home with a broken leg, plenty of time on her hands and a heightened longing for coffee shop experiences.
“Coffee shops are my happy place,” Fernanda told DCN. “I don’t dive deep into theory or coffee geek stuff. I just enjoy coffee and coffee shops. I think they’re great places to meet people. You can go alone, and nobody judges you. They’re spaces with generous, kind people.”
Fernanda recently took us on a tour of five of her favorite new local coffee shops. While Mexico City offers a truly diverse and vibrant coffee landscape, there are a couple elements that tie the independent businesses on this list together: tiny specialty shops with loads of personality.
Kiyo Café
Marsella 59-Local B, Juarez (map link)
Originating in Oaxaca City, Kiyo Café (Instagram) opened its doors on a shady street in the Juarez neighborhood in September of last year. Many have dubbed Kiyo a “hole in the wall,” but this has more to do with the size of this window cafe than its style.
Though small, Kiyo has a large serving counter enveloped by its modern gray exterior and a large glass case showcasing pastries and bags of coffee beans. Owners Juan Ruso and Raúl Rojo source coffee from Fincas las Nieves in Oaxaca. Kiyo is a pourover and espresso bar with plenty of creative beverages, including Fernanda’s favorite, the lavender latte. Outdoor seating is available.
Post
Córdoba 223, Roma Norte (map link)
Post (Instagram) is located in a modern concrete building on a mostly residential street in Roma Norte. The glass storefront welcomes patrons into a sleek and minimalist space, where a Slayer Espresso machine, an Option-O grinder and a Mugshot tamper pop up from the bar.
The coffee shop doubles as an engineering and design studio. Current projects include “developing new tools for the cafe and the industry in the future,” according to owner Miguel Pérez, who opened the shop last October.
The international multiroaster coffee menu reflects the minimalist aesthetic with just three options: a cortado, an Americano and an espresso. Post specializes in light roast coffees and has unique recipes for each drink, tending towards long extractions. The shop uses coffees from Sey Coffee (United States), Prolog Coffee (Denmark), Dak Coffee Roasters (The Netherlands), Bonanza Coffee Roasters (Germany) and Five Elephant (Germany). Post plans to start roasting Mexican coffees this year.
Café Tormenta
Puebla 90, Roma Norte (map link)
Café Tormenta (Instagram) has cleverly repurposed one of the silver food stalls that line the streets of Mexico City, typically serving tacos and tortas. Chef Lucho Martínez Burelo conceptualized the specialty coffee bar as a way to build community in public spaces.
Opened in March 2023, Tormenta only uses coffees from Mexico, most of which is from Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, where Chef Lucho is from. Rounding out the selection are offerings from Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca. The coffee is paired with a bread of the day and beats from a turntable on the counter. The rosita latte, which is infused with the subtle sweetness of a local Mexican flower, is Fernanda’s recommended drink.
Totte
Dante 32, Anzures (map link)
In the 11 months since Totte (Instagram) opened its doors, the shop has built a dedicated following. This can in part be attributed to the friendliness of Totte’s owner, Kento Tanaka, and the high-quality Mexican coffee roasted on site in small batches.
The shop offers a no-frills vibe with a cement bench that runs along the wall opposite the counter, and yellow stools for tables. Natural light spills into the cafe from the glass storefront, feeding the abundant greenery. Bags of green coffee sit on the floor in front of the counter. “When you see bags of coffee on the floor, you know it’s the place,” said Fernanda.
Ukiyo
Av. Isaac Newton 74, Polanco (map link)
Working within a compact space, Ukiyo (Instagram) Founder Christopher Carrasco turned to Japan for design inspiration, opting for light wood counters and a lit back wall that resembles a shoji.
Ukiyo’s coffees come from Christopher’s dad, Alvaro, who has been producing coffee in Chiapas since 2019. In addition to the familiar espresso drinks, the menu includes a cacao santo and a mushroom latte. Fernanda’s go-to drink at Ukiyo is the flat white, which she recommends pairing with the guayaba roll.
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Jen Roberts Jen Roberts is a Paris, France-based writer and avid coffee drinker. She’s currently writing a book on women in coffee.
