In the midst of the glut of Guadalajara’s coffee chains, it is pleasant to find one that is full of character and that you probably never knew existed.
This tiny jewel — Cafe del Centro Historico Tapatio — serves only coffee grown in Jalisco. The cafe is easy to miss as you walk west along Calle Independencia, one and a half blocks west of 16 de Septiembre and the landmark Rotunda de Jaliscienses Ilustres. When you are behind the Templo de la Merced, don’t blink or you may miss this nearly century-old establishment with a coffee bar on its first floor and tables on a mezzanine where the city’s artists may be found sipping one of its half dozen or so varieties of coffee. These are unique, with names such as Caracolillo, Planchuela and Torificado, and they can be ground and sold by weight.
Perhaps the most famous of these is Cafe Chorreado, served in a large, local ceramic cup. It is brewed using what seems to be a unique, cup-by-cup process that looks a bit like espresso brewing — hot water injected into a small receptacle in a large machine. A waitress attends it for several minutes as it slowly drips into the cup, then serves it with milk and sugar on the side. Delicious and very fresh.The cafe serves a small and moderately priced breakfast, lunch and dessert menu that has a local flair, notably the lonche bañado, made from a “secret recipe” that sells for 38 pesos.