Happy National Coffee Day: Best Latin Coffee in New York!

Let’s face it, coffee is in our blood. Whether it was the café con leche our moms made every mañana before school or the shot of espresso we have to revive us after a big lunch, it’s evident that coffee culture is a big part of being Latin. It’s no wonder that watered-down deli coffees and overpriced artisanal blends don’t always cut it. Sometimes, you want the comfort of a cortadito or the taste of a tinto to warm and wake you up. So to celebrate National Coffee Day, why not have a cup of José at one of these locations that serve some authentic Latin varieties of coffee?

Cafecito
(185 Ave. C, Manhattan, 212.253.9966)

It’s hard to move to New York when you’re coffee aficionado from Miami. You start to miss the little things, like sharing your colada with the entire office in those little, plastic, thimble-sized cups. Which is why I’m incredibly grateful for Cafecito on Avenue C. Ok, the espressos here won’t exactly make anybody in Miami jealous, but it’s the closest you can get to Little Havana in the East Village. You can follow your tasty vaca frita here with a cuban coffee that isn’t strong enough to wake the dead, but will at least make you reminisce about Cafe Versailles on Calle Ocho.

Juan Valdez Café
(480 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, 212.871.6107; 140 E. 57th St., Manhattan , 917.289.0981; 1451 Broadway, Manhattan, 212.817.7515)

Given the fact that standing on any particular corner in New York City will give you a clear view of five different Starbucks, you would probably think that the giant global brand was ubiquitous in just about every country. In Colombia, however, it’s Juan Valdez Café that rules the roost, with over 101 stores all over the country. Their three locations in Midtown offer you a nice pan de bono and some authentic Colombian coffee, as well as an alternative to the hegemony of Starbucks (and their watered-down coffees!).

La Villita Bakery
(171 Grand St., Brooklyn,718.486.8761)

El Cocotero
(228 W. 18th St., Manhattan, 212.206.8930)

Come for their delicious arepas, empanadas and other chucherias, stay for their great Venezuelan coffee, lovingly given names like “marroncito” (macchiato) and “negrito” (espresso). If you’re someone whose acutely sensitive to the effects of caffeine, try their gua yo yo, which is an extra light black coffee that won’t leave you wired.

Don’t forget Remezcla reps Chicago, LA, San Francisco and Miami. So if you’re not in the Tri-State area, don’t feel like we’ve left you out in the cold (although iced coffee is kind of our guilty, non-Latino pleasure).