By Rodrigo Díaz Guerrero
Café de la Mancha, from its name, refers us to two things: the inevitable stain left by a good cup of coffee—a vestige of the self-absorption to which this centenary beverage forces us—and that place whose name Cervantes’ most famous character does not want to remember. Christian Zaíd (an actor by profession) and Paloma Montes (a lover of literature), baptized this project of theirs, which will soon celebrate its first decade of operation. And many more are predicted, because El Café de La Mancha really has all the elements of the place where one always imagines coming to calmly drink this black beverage: small, cozy, with the best grains, good music, attentive service and where local people, foreigners or not, who live nearby usually meet in the morning to stumble upon an interesting or amusing conversation.
Café de La Mancha is a specialty bar, which does not only mean that they have extraction systems, as it is usually thought, but that, as Christian tells us, there is a special care in the bean: «A specialty bar is the place where baristas prepare drinks, but unlike a conventional coffee shop, we keep alive the production chain of the coffee bean, that is, we try to take care of the processes that the producers give the bean since they sow the seed, dry it, select it, ferment it, etc. As baristas we have the responsibility to respect the flavor profiles that the producer and the master roaster have worked on with great effort. In short, to transmit the information of a coffee processed with care and with high quality standards (hence the name specialty coffee) to our clients in each sip they take of their coffee».
In this jewel of the Guadalupe neighborhood they sell coffees from the main coffee growing areas of Mexico—Chiapas, Veracruz, Nayarit or Guerrero—, but mainly a base bean from the state of Oaxaca, with whom they maintain direct communication with their producer, who is also an excellent roaster, for which those of us who are their clients are very grateful. It is not for nothing that Christian won first place in the World aeropress Championship Bajío region and among the top 10 nationally out of more than one hundred competitors in November 2021, which is an undeniable recognition of his passion for coffee. But there’s more: the place is carefully decorated with the talent of Erick Mota, and the music—I know I’ve already said it—, the place can play from 90’s grunge to bebop jazz or progressive rock.
Recently, for example, I went to have breakfast there, in the space that has just been adapted to have a good sandwich or waffles with eggs and bacon; and Christian told me «you can play any vinyl you like», from a collection and on the console, a gift from the clients themselves. In addition, to close the experience with a flourish, there is a selection of delicious desserts made by Paloma’s hands!
Whoever has not been to Café de La Mancha, has missed a place that is an undisputed icon of San Miguel’s daily life, a place that people like yours truly celebrate when they are enthusiastic about this beverage that is culture and history.
Café de la Mancha is located at 5-B Julián Carrillo Street, Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 5pm.
