8 Coffee Shops to try in Oaxaca, Mexico

Beautiful Painting at SL28 displaying the various coffee regions in Oaxaca

Whether you’re a coffee aficionado or just enjoy a good cup of coffee while you work, Oaxaca has you covered. Oaxaca has some of the best coffee in the world so it’s only expected that the city would have some coffee shops that bring in those Sierra flavors to your cup. Before I get ahead, let me take a minute to explain what Specialized Coffee means. Specialty coffee refers to the way the coffee is roasted and how it is extracted. Some of the coffee shops that I will be listing are specialty coffee shops, and they have great relationships with the coffee producers which at the end is a win-win for all. Some of these coffee shops offer various methods of extraction such as Chemex, Aeropress, Dripper V60, French press, along with your typical espressos & lattes. With that said, let me give you the list of coffee shops that I think should be included in your visit to Oaxaca.

Coffee Shops:

Cafébre – This was the first coffee spot that I had a chance to visit which was very eye opening for me. It was eye-opening in the sense that I never been to a true “Specialized Coffee shop”, which carries various methods of extraction performed by (Chemex, Aeropress, Dripper V60, French Press). The baristas that were there were very helpful and very knowledgeable & proud  of the coffee they served. They made it easier to understand where the coffee came from and the vast amount of regions in Oaxaca that produce these coffees such as San Jose del Pacifico, Pluma Hidalgo, and other states like Veracruz, and Chiapas, Additionally, they also recommended me some of the other coffees that are listed next which I thought was a great way for them to up-lift other businesses that support national coffee beans. I’d go here strictly for a cup of coffee, but would probably go eat elsewhere. Tel: +52 951 252 4899  | Facebook Specialized: Yes Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 7:30AM–10PM, Sundays: 8AM-11 PM. Address: Calle de Manuel Bravo 108, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca, Oax., Mexico  Cafe SL28 – This is a small and pleasant “Cute”, coffee shop that has been opened for about 6 months now. I had a pleasure to talk to Anahi Lopez, the owner of SL28 which dropped some serious coffee knowledge on me which I really appreciate. She was actually a former employee of Cafébre ages ago prior SL28. She still knows many of the employees at Cafébre and speaks highly of them. The name “SL28” was inspired by the Arabica Coffee SL28 which is grown in Kenya. Anahi mentioned this was their favorite coffee bean and thus decided to pay homage to it by naming her coffee shop this way. They offer home-made sweets such as brownies, specialized extracted coffee, and your typical latte/espresso drinks. They also have some bean samples of coffee with the dry shell still on (although I didn’t see if they served it). One thing I really appreciated about her was how much respect she had for the coffee producers as they are the “Superstars” when it comes to the coffee business. Each time you order a cup of coffee, they will provide you information about the Producer, location, harvest date, and what flavors to expect from the coffee bean. She mentioned she will only hire baristas that are humble enough to accept that they don’t know everything about coffee, respect the coffee producers, and are always willing to learn about coffee. Tel: +52 951 117 0719 Specialized: Yes Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: Opened 7:30PM –, Sundays: 12PM – 7:30PM Address: RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca, Mexico Caracol Purpura –  In terms of atmosphere and coffee, Caracol Purpura greatly met my expectations. It is a very quiet and pleasant place in which you can get some work done early morning, or just enjoy that first cup of coffee with a great window-view (Image on the right). They offer various extraction methods such as your standard Chemex, Dripper, Aeropress, French press, and “Rok”, which is a manual way of making an espresso. This is a great place to come after having some breakfast from Mercado Cuarto Centenario which is walking distance from here. Their coffee was top notch, and I’d definitely wouldn’t skip it. Tel: +52 951 126 0447 | Facebook Specialized: Yes Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 9AM–8PM, Sundays: Closed Address: Calle Matamoros 619A, Centro, Barrio del Peñasco, 68000 Oaxaca, Oax., Mexico A.M. Siempre Cafe  – A little hidden gem in the middle of the neighborhood. This is a great spot to have breakfast & brunch along with a great cup of coffee.  They bake their pastries on a daily basis and are well known for their delicious cinnamon rolls. Their place is very classy, and it feels as if you’re inside someone’s living room as there’s couches and framed pictures around. Definitely a great place to have a quiet conversation while enjoying a sip of coffee with a delicious breakfast. Tel:+52 951 515 6160 | Facebook Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 8:30AM–9:30PM , Sundays:  9:30AM–7:30PM Address: José López Alavez 1355, Barrio de Xochimilco, 68040 Oaxaca, Oax., Mexico Cafeto y Baristas – This is a tiny coffee shop with about 3 tables to sit (about 9 people total) that focuses on coffee from the Coast of Oaxaca. Baristas are very attentive and friendly and they offer various extraction methods all done manually. It’s a great spot to grab a baguette or sandwich along with a great cup of coffee, or a tasty smoothie. It’s super close to Templo de Santo Domingo, so it’s a convenient place to stop by after your tour. Tel:+52 951 187 0022 | Facebook Specialized: Yes Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 8AM–9PM , Sundays: Closed Address: Calle de José María Pino Suárez 407- B, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68100 Oaxaca, Oax., Mexico El Volador – This is a small place (a few tables) with great coffee and tasty Alfajores. They carry beans from the state of Veracruz which was a nice introduction to that region’s coffee beans and their smooth taste. I enjoyed this place early morning or evening as it has a nice window that gives a good breeze which is perfect for writing. They have about 5 snacks on their menu but the coffee alone is worth visiting! Tel: +52 951 205 1664 | TripAdvisor Operating Hours: Mon-Sat:8AM–9PM  –, Sundays: Closed Address: Calle de Xólotl 118, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca, Oax., Mexico  Boulenc – From Pizzas, to “Banh-Mis”, Coffees to Mezcal, Boulenc has something for everyone. I’d highly recommend stopping by for breakfast or lunch and try some of their freshly-baked artisan bread along with a nice cup of coffee. The main reason I included this place was because it has a little bit of everything; thus if you have a diverse group of individuals, someone is bound to find something they like from the extended menu. Tel: +52 951 351 3648 | Facebook | Website Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 8:30AM–11PM, Sundays: Closed Address: Calle Porfirio Díaz 207, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca, Oax., Mexico Alma de Cafe – A classy place with friendly staff. They offer salads, sandwiches, and vegetarian alternatives. This place is great if you want to grab a bite and chit-chat with your friends over a delicious cappuccino. I liked the Oaxacan mugs made out of “barro rojo” they provide you with your coffee, and the fact that they use Oaxacan chocolate for their mochas. I’d say this place is very touristy-friendly, and I don’t mean this in a negative way, but in the sense that they offer your typical “nutella, smoothies, and other options you’d find at a modern cafe. Tel: +52 951 206 9704 | Facebook Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 7AM–8:30PM –, Sundays: Closed Address: Margarita Maza de Juárez 211, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca, Oax., Mexico Here’s a Google maps with all the coffee shops listed.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed waking up and looking forward to a tasty cup of coffee every morning. Outside of the tours, Mezcal tastings,Mole tastings, this was one of the things I wanted to try when visiting Oaxaca and I’m glad I had that opportunity. If you have a chance to visit any of the regions where coffee is grown, I’d highly suggest it. For someone who is fairly new to the coffee world, this was an amazing and educational experience which allowed me to appreciate the various methods of extraction even more. I wrote about my experience visiting Pluma Hidalgo here. If you ever find yourself back in Oaxaca, take 2-3 days and go explore those regions! Oaxaca is so much more than Mezcal & Moles!