¡Hola! or ¡Buenos días!
Un café, por favor
oon ka-FEH, por fa-VOR
A coffee, please
Un café de olla
oon ka-FEH deh OY-ah
Traditional cinnamon coffee
Un americano
oon ah-meh-ree-KAH-no
An Americano
La cuenta, por favor
lah KWEN-tah, por fa-VOR
The bill, please
Mexico's traditional coffee: brewed in a clay pot with cinnamon (canela) and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar). Earthy, sweet, and aromatic.
Standard Americano. Very common at modern cafes.
Coffee with hot milk — the everyday Mexican breakfast coffee.
Single espresso. Specialty cafes in Mexico City pull excellent shots with local beans.
Specialty coffee — single-origin pour-over or filter, often showcasing Chiapas, Oaxaca, or Veracruz beans.
Mexico is one of the world's top coffee producers. Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz regions grow exceptional arabica.
Café de olla is the traditional preparation — brewed in clay with cinnamon and piloncillo. Ask for it at traditional cafes.
Mexico City's Roma Norte and Condesa neighbourhoods have a world-class specialty coffee scene.
Many specialty cafes maintain direct relationships with nearby coffee producers — the farm-to-cup distance can be remarkably short.
Breakfast coffee is typically café con leche. Espresso-based drinks are more of a modern specialty thing.
Coffee is often served after a meal, not during. Don't expect to order coffee with your tacos.
10-15% is standard. Leave cash on the table.
$40-80 MXN ($2.50-5) for specialty coffee
Did you know? Mexico's Chiapas region sits at the intersection of ideal coffee-growing conditions: volcanic soil, high altitude, and tropical shade. The country's best beans regularly compete with Colombian and Ethiopian lots.